Celtic Rhythms for Drum Kit: The Jig - Embellishing the Bass and Hi-Hat

In order to make use of this article you should:

1.Know what a jig is
2.Be able to read drumming notation

The Hands: Embellishing the Music

I have created a page of exercises that employ the snare drum and straight eighths on the hi-hat symbols. The rhythms sound less like a bodhrán and more like a drum kit, which is to be expected, since they're different instruments. However, by emphasizing beats 1, 3 and/or 4 in a measure and by employing snare drum rim clicks where appropriate, it seems to me that a useful approximation of the bodhrán can happen for drummers in Celtic and Celtic fusion bands.

From here, drummers at the advanced beginner stage (i.e., someone who can keep time and accomplish simple drum fills) should be able to expand the exercises into time and fill patterns of their own creation.

The Exercise

You can download the practice sheet below.