Creativity Quote by John Otto

John Otto points to a classic jazz-drumming practice routine that shaped his feel and coordination. Take the written rhythms from a syncopation book like Ted Reed’s, keep a steady swing ride pattern and hi-hat on 2 and 4, and let the left hand articulate the notated figures on the snare. That setup builds the core of jazz independence: a right hand that never loses the triplet pulse and a left hand that can converse freely without disturbing the time. Reading the syncopation line forces exact placement of accents within the triplet grid, teaching how swing reshapes straight rhythms into a supple, elastic feel.

The exercise is more than dexterity. It trains ears and body to hear subdivisions, to shape dynamics, to leave space, and to make choices in real time. A drummer learns to treat notation as language, not just math: ghost notes whisper, accents speak, and the ride anchors the sentence. Over time, the left-hand comping vocabulary becomes reflexive, opening space for tasteful bass drum punctuations, set-up figures, and melodic orchestrations around the kit.

For a player known in rock and hip-hop contexts, the payoff is huge. The same independence and microtiming that make convincing swing lend depth to backbeats, ghost-note textures, and linear grooves. The snare gains a nuanced voice; the pocket deepens; syncopation feels like conversation rather than interruption. Even aggressive patterns sit inside the beat with a human elasticity that comes only from internalized swing.

Otto’s remark also hints at discipline. The practice demands patience and a metronome, cycling through pages of rhythms, displacing them across limbs, and keeping the ride unwavering. That rigor explains how a drummer can move confidently between genres: the underlying coordination and time feel are portable. By marrying written syncopation to a steady swing pulse and giving the left hand the job of reading and responding, he frames drumming as a dialogue between structure and feel, literacy and groove.