This is Steve Gadd’s opening funk-Afro 12/8 groove from Al Di Meola’s epically absurd fusion opus Casino, from the album of the same name: Listen to the recording and note the different qualities of accent— […]
Year: 2018
Page o’ coordination: SB / BS
For some reason* this particular pattern is always difficult for me: snare-bass/bass-snare on the second two triplet partials. So let’s work on it, adding the left foot, and varying the cymbal rhythm. If you find […]
EZ uptempo jazz method – 01
There is at least one other EZ uptempo jazz method— oh look, here’s another one— but this one is first in a series of similar things I’m writing now. If you learn to be creative […]
Key players: Paul Motian
Hey, let’s continue this series I started last year. When I first started getting into him 25 years ago, I was a little bit perplexed by him; no drummers I knew were into him; he […]
Arpeggio exercise in 6/4 – 7th chords in C and G
UPDATE: Too many things were bugging me about the original version of this page, so I updated it. I added measure repeats so you play each thing twice, and I added an ending in which […]
Simultaneous clave triplet pull exercise
Here’s something you can do with that silly “both clave directions at the same time” idea. In clave-based Latin music, the clave rhythm is often not played with a strict march-like execution; the 4/4 version […]
Practice loop: Airto – Hot Sand
This is another loop I use a lot: Hot Sand, a bright samba by Airto, from his album Virgin Land. Great for use with my recent drumset batucada drill, and with my book Playing Samba […]
Paul Motian podcast
Here’s one you’re going to want to follow: Uncle Paul’s Jazz Closet. The caretaker of Paul Motian’s recorded archives has made a podcast that includes selections from his recordings— released and unreleased, live performances, rehearsal […]
Various internet drumming misconceptions complained about
What I want to do to the internet sometimes. I wrote this as I was finishing the 2017 Book of the Blog. Getting a book ready for publication means having a lot of frustration to […]
NOW AVAILABLE: 2017 Book of the Blog
OK gang, the 2017 Book of the Blog is now available for purchase! It includes all of the downloadable practice materials posted on the site in 2017, plus the grooves o’ the day, plus selected […]
Daily best music in the world: Idris Muhammad
Here’s what I’m listening to as I finish writing the 2017 Book of the Blog, which will be available for you to order by Monday. I’ve played this thing like 10 times. My theory is […]