How to Play a Two Feel
by Tim Lake
Perhaps not as commonly played as it used to be the two feel is an essential variation of the usual jazz time feel that every jazz drummer must know how to play.
The key point is that the bass line consists of two quarter notes per bar and not the walking four quarter notes per bar. Instead, the bass plays on beat one and beat three.
In jazz drumming the cymbal time is usually built around the four quarter notes, but here we don’t want that driving four-beat pulse we want a lilting two-beat pulse on one and three with the bass. We still play the skip note - the ands of two and four.
So similarly, we don’t play the bass drum on all four beats of the bar either. We play on beat one and beat three with the bass.
The final point is that the two feel is typically played on the hi-hat, not the ride cymbal and we use that opening of the hi-hat to create a sustained note through beats one and three.
The first figure above shows the complete two feel.
Figure A is just the opening and closing of the hi-hat. This motion can be difficult to play well to begin with because it is difficult to get the timing right. Spend some time getting used to the coordination required.
Figure B is the pattern without the bass drum. This is a useful variation in itself.
Figure C, not shown but in the PDF, shows a two feel played on the ride cymbal.
The two feel is common on a lot of be-bop heads where the tune is played with a two feel and the blowing moves into walking. It is also played at a range of tempos from slow to fast.
I think one key point to getting the two feel, like anything in jazz drumming really, is to do a lot of listening.
An interesting example of a two feel being used throughout a whole tune is the Miles Davis Quintet’s version of “It Could Happen to You” on Relaxin’ with Philly Joe Jones. It creates a very interesting tension.
For a more recent version interpretation of a two feel, listen to Jack DeJohnette on “Sandu” from Keith Jarret’s Whisper Not.
Once you are comfortable with the basic feel, you can start to add some basic comping patterns on the snare drum.
Have fun. Make music.