Creativity: "The Random Phrase Generator"

Do you ever find yourself playing the same things over and over? You play something and think, "Man, I use that all of the time! I really need to come up with new stuff!"

Try this little game I like to call "The Random Phrase Generator". If anyone can think of a more interesting and exciting name for it, please let me know ;) 

A) Draw 16 boxes (to give you a full 4/4 bar of 16th notes). Cross out some of the boxes at random. *Being random is the key to this game, don't try to think about it!!!* Even better, if there is someone else with you, ask them to pick random numbers between 1 and 16 for you.

B) The boxes left over will give you a one bar phrase. 

Now use the phrase in as many ways as you can around the kit! I've drawn up some ideas to start you off:

C) Play the "random phrase" on the kick drum, under an 8th groove. You can of course play the hi-hat pattern on the ride, and change it to quarter notes or 16th's.

D) Play the "random phrase" on the hi-hat or ride. Keep the kick drum pattern simple to begin with, and add more when you get comfortable with it! 

E) Play the "random phrase" as ghost notes on the snare, adding the "2" and "4" back beat. This is tricky!! You are still accenting the snare on "2" and "4" but those ghost notes need to be nice and soft. Take your time with this one, it's a great work out for your left hand independence.

F) Use the "random phrase" as a fill around the kit. The example is just one of many ways you could orchestrate this, try moving it around.

I could go on all day showing you other ways to use this, but we haven't all day and really the idea is for you to get creative. Don't be afraid to try things, as crazy as they might seem!! 

Let me know how this worked for you and share your ideas!!

Have fun :)