Reggae Styles

JOST NICKEL
ABOUT
JOST NICKEL
Jost Nickel is one of the most renowned German tour and session drummers, he
is a composer, songwriter and lecturer. He was born in Berlin in 1970, received
classical piano lessons at the age of eight, but switched to playing drums when
he was eleven years old and founded his first band together with his brother.
From the age of 13 Jost took drum lessons and after graduating from school he
decided to pursue a career as a professional musician.
He studied at the Drummers Collective in New York City with Zach Danziger and
completed the Popkurs at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg.
With the fusion band Matalex, with whom he made several records and played
various tours, his career got a real boost. Jost worked for various French
productions, played in the live band of Mousse T. and was also musical director
there. He plays drums on several top 10 albums and works with many renowned
bands and artists like SEEED, Inga Rumpf, Sasha or Johannes Oerding. Live and
in the studio he plays with international jazz greats like Randy Brecker, Bob
Mintzer, Jimmy Haslip, Barry Finnerty, Marla Glenn and Brandon Fields.
Since 2006 Jost has been the drummer with Jan Delay and his funk band Disko
No. 1 and also plays big festivals like “Rock am Ring” with him.
Several times he was voted among the top 10 of the world's best clinicians in the
field of drums and became internationally prominent through his performances
at renowned drum festivals such as Montréal Drum Fest/Canada, PASIC/USA or
UK Drum Show.
His three textbooks “Jost Nickel's Groove Book“, “Jost Nickel's Fill Book“ and
“Jost Nickel's Snare Book“ have been published worldwide in different
languages and were included in the list of the best textbooks by Modern
Drummer Magazine (USA) in 2019 and 2020.
He writes articles in Modern Drummer (USA), Drummer (UK), Rhythm & Drums
(Japan), Batterie (France), Perkusista (Poland) and Drums & Percussion
(Germany).
Jost lectures at the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg in Mannheim, the
Hamburg School of Music and at the Popkurs at the Hochschule für Musik und
Theater in Hamburg.


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REGGAE STYLES !2
DESCRIPTION
REGGAE STYLES
In this course Jost Nickel explains how to use traditional reggae grooves in
modern pop music, and how you can internalize that specific style of playing. He
also talks about the importance of the right feel and how to systematically
develop foot and hand combinations. Simple exercises like bringing in a reading
text or working with moving accents will help you get confident with these
grooves.

CURRICULUM
LESSONS

1) Shuffled Hi-Hats & Bass Drum Figures 4
2) Left Hand Figures 5
3) Moving Accents Singles 6
4) Moving Accents Doubles 7
5) Reading Text - Left Hand 8
6) Hi-Hat Variations 9


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REGGAE STYLES !3
LESSON 1
SHUFFLED HI-HATS & BASS DRUM
FIGURES
Reggae - Shuffled HiHats & Bass Drum Figures

Reggae Groove

3
> 3 3
> 3
> >3 > 3 3
> 3 o
.. ‰ y y y
‰
y yy y y y y y y y yy y y y .
œ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ .

Reggae Groove plus HH Variation 1 in bars 3 & 4

3
> 3 3
> 3
> >3 > 3 3
> 3
o
.. ‰
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰ œy ‰ ‰ ‰ y ‰ œy ‰ ‰

>
3 3
>3 3
> 3
> 3 >3 3
o
..
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰ ‰ yœ ‰ ‰ ‰ yœ ‰

Reggae Groove plus HH Variation 2 in bars 3 & 4

3
> 3 3
> 3
> >3 > 3 3
> 3
>
.. ‰
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰ œ ‰
y ‰ ‰ y ‰ œ ‰
y ‰

>3j 3
> 3
> 3
>3 >3 3
> 3
o
..
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰ ‰ y
œ ‰ ‰ y
œ ‰

Reggae Groove plus HH Variation 3 in bar 2

3
> 3 3
> > > > 3 3
> 3
o
.. ‰ ..
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰ œ ‰
y ‰ œ ‰
y ‰

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REGGAE STYLES !4

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LESSON 2
LEFT
Reggae - LeftHAND
Hand Figures FIGURES

Lesetext 1 - Viertel & Achtel

j j j j j
œ Œ œ œ Œ œ ‰ œ œ Œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ Œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ

j j j j j j
œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ ‰
œ œ œ ‰ Œ
œ œ ‰ Œ
œ œ Œ ‰ Œ
œ

j j j
œ œ ‰œ œ Œ œ ‰œ œ ‰œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ Œ œ

j j j j j j j j
œ œ Œ œ œ ‰œ Œ œ Œ œ ‰œ ‰œ œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰œ

j j j j
œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ Œ
œ œ Œ œ œ ‰œ œ œ ‰œ Œ œ œ œ œ

j j j j j j
Œ Œ œ œ œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰œ Œ Œ ‰œ ‰œ œ œ Œ ‰œ œ

j j j j j
œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‰œ ‰œ œ Œ œ œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰œ œ Œ œ Œ

j j j
Œ œ Œ Œ œ œ œ ‰œ œ œ œ ‰œ œ œ œ ‰œ œ œ œ œ œ

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REGGAE STYLES !5
copyright 2017 Seite 1 von 1
 Reggae - Moving Accents Singles

LESSON 3
Triplets (Moving Accents & Polyrhythms) #1
MOVING ACCENTS SINGLES
Moving Accents #1

j 3 j 3 j 3 j j3 j3 j3 j3
.. œ œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ..
3 3

œ œ

Moving Accents #2

j3
.. œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ ..
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Polyrhythm 6 over 4 / Pos. #1

.. œ ..
3 3
œ œ œ œ œ

Polyrhythm 6 over 4 / Pos. #2

j j
.. ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ..
3 3

œ œ

copyright 2017 Seite 1 von 1

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REGGAE STYLES !6
 Moving Accents #1

j 3 j 3 j 3 j j3 j3 j3 j3
.. œ œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ..
3 3

œ œ
LESSON 4
MOVING ACCENTS DOUBLES
Moving Accents #2

j3
.. œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ ..
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Polyrhythm 6 over 4 / Pos. #1

.. œ ..
3 3
œ œ œ œ œ

Polyrhythm 6 over 4 / Pos. #2

j j
.. ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ..
3 3

œ œ

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REGGAE STYLES !7
LESSON 5
Reggae - Reading Text – Left Hand

READING TEXT - LEFT HAND


Triplets:

j 3 j j 3 j 3j j 3j j
ã œ ‰œ Œ œ Œ œ Œ œ ‰œ Œ œ Œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ Œ ‰ œ ‰Œ œ Œ Œ œœ
3 3 3 3 3 3

j j 3j j j 3 3 j
ã ‰ Œ œ Œ Œ Œ Œ œ ‰ œ ‰œ Œ Œ œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰œ Œ œ
3 3 3 3 3 3

œ œ œ œ œ

j 3j j 3 3j 3j 3 j 3 j 3 j 3 j 3j j
ã Œ œ‰œ‰œ œ ‰œ ‰ œ ‰œ ‰œ ‰ œ ‰‰ œ ‰ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ œ ‰Œ Œ œ
3 3 3 3

j 3j 3j 3j j 3 j j 3 j
Œ ‰ œ ‰‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰‰ œ ‰ Œ ‰œ ‰Œ œŒ Œ œŒ œŒ
3 3 3

㜠œ œ œ

j 3j 3 j 3j j 3 j 3 j 3 j 3j 3j 3j 3j
ã ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ ‰œ ‰ œ ‰‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰‰ œ ‰
3 3

œ œ œ

j 3 j j 3 j j 3
ã ‰ œ ‰œ ‰œ Œ Œ Œ Œ ‰ œ ‰Œ œ Œ Œ œ ‰œœŒ
3 3 3 3

œ œ œ œ œ

j 3
‰œœ ‰œœŒ ‰œœ‰œœ Œ œ ‰œ œ ‰œ œ ‰œ ‰ œ ‰œ ‰œ Ó œ œ ‰Œ
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

ãœ

j 3 j
Œ œ œ ‰œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ Œ œ ‰ œ œ Œ œ œ ‰œ œ ‰œ œ ‰Œ Œ Œ œŒ
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

㜠œ

j j j 3j j 3
㌠‰ Œ œ œ œ ‰œ œ ‰ œ ‰œ Œ Œ Œ ‰ œ ‰Œ œ Œ œ ‰œ ‰ œ ‰œ ‰œ
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

œ œ œ œ

j 3j 3 3j 3 j j j
ã Œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ œ œ Œ ‰ Œ œ œ œ ‰Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ
3 3 3 3 3 3

œ œ œ œ œ œ

copyright 2017 Seite 1 von 1

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REGGAE STYLES !8
 Reggae Groove

> 3 3 3
> 3 > >3 > 3 3
> 3 o
LESSON y y y6 y y
.. ‰ ..
y y y y y y y y y y
‰ yœ ‰ ‰ ‰ y ‰ yœ ‰ ‰
HI-HAT VARIATIONS
Reggae Groove plus HH Variation 1 in bars 3 & 4
3
> 3 3
> 3
> >3 > 3 3
> 3 o
.. ‰ y y y
‰
y yy y y y y y y y yy y y y
œ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰

>
3 3
>3 3
> 3
> 3 >3 3
o
..
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰ ‰ yœ ‰ ‰ ‰ yœ ‰

Reggae Groove plus HH Variation 2 in bars 3 & 4

3
> 3 3
> 3
> >3 > 3 3
> 3 >
.. ‰ y y y
‰
y yy y y y y y y y yy y y y
œ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰

>3j 3
> 3
> 3
>3 >3 3
> 3
o
..
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰ ‰ y
œ ‰ ‰ y
œ ‰

Reggae Groove plus HH Variation 3 in bar 2

3
> 3 3
> > > > 3 3
> 3
o
.. ‰ y y y
‰
y yy y y y y y y y y yy y y y .
œ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ .

copyright 2017 Seite 1 von 1

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REGGAE STYLES !9