Gospel Chops: Fad or a Real New Style?(Letto 96 volte)

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Periodically, musical waves arrive that change the balance of customs. African American communities, which for many generations have met regularly in churches to sing in large groups, both a cappella and accompanied by a band, release an irrepressible energy. Many prominent figures in world music were born there, such as the great Aretha Franklin, to name one of the most representative voices of soul music.

Musicians who accompany singers, and specifically drummers, have developed traditional drumming rudiments, which include sticking (combinations of single and double strokes) and linear phrases (combinations of strokes between hands and feet). So far, nothing new, but they have developed them exponentially, creating a real language or, if you like, a new style. They are called “Gospel Chops”. I am referring to those new models of hyper-technical drumming that sometimes border on the circus-like. Obviously, in a world where speed reigns supreme, all this has a great appeal, especially among young drummers.

Already Gary Chaffee, a teacher at the Berklee School in Boston https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFqTm61bEzA More than forty years ago, he wrote a series of innovative books. https://www.garychaffee.com/booksdvds where he explored the application of this technique in depth, these books are now part of the curriculum of all drumming schools and have certainly been a reference point for Gospel Chops drummers as well.,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFMMcEuYoaQ.

Being a technically very “flashy” drumming style, it is often used to show off one's technical ability in online videos, which, however, sometimes borders on repetitive exercise for its own sake, neglecting the musical content.