Here’s how to fit that late paradiddle inversion system into a triplet or 12/8 environment. For clarity, we’ll base it off the accented triplets pages from Syncopation— pp. 53-58. Advanced students can then figure out […]
Year: 2022
The natural sticking / fill lesson
These are some steps I was running through with an adult beginner, to get oriented with some normal things you do on the drums, and to practice counting 16th notes. There are a number of […]
Groove o’ the day: Airto Afro 6
An Afro 6* groove played by Airto, on the intro of Casa Forte, on Flora Purim’s 1974 record Stories To Tell. It has some big shot LA musicians on it, including saxophonist Hadley Caliman, who […]
Reed interpretation: paradiddle inversion – key and warm-ups
Preparatory page for a Reed system using the highly useful RLLR-LRRL paradiddle inversion— we’re doing a lot with it for a reason. It’s easy to play fast, works great on the drums, and fits a […]
Transcription: Ndugu Leon Chancler – Man in the Green Shirt
Quick little transcription that includes one of the great opening drum fills ever— Ndugu Leon Chancler playing Man in the Green Shirt, from Weather Report’s album Tale Spinnin’. I’ve just written out the opening, some […]
Thelonious
Thinking about the tune Thelonious, by Thelonious Monk. It’s fun and unusual, based on a single note riff. I don’t believe the form comes from another tune, it’s just a little self-contained bebop invention. It’s […]
First page of Bossa Nova
Working on this with a couple of students, I couldn’t find a simple straightforward page of Bossa Nova rhythms, with all the parts written out. Seems like a basic thing that should exist somewhere. I […]
Those sub-pro cymbals
Let’s talk about an aspect of that recent cheap cymbals post: mid-line cymbals— sub-pro, “intermediate”, whatever, from the last 50-60 years. Real or almost-real cymbals, not complete dog food, where we may stand a chance […]
Comments on some younger drummers
Since COVID especially I haven’t been playing as much as I should be, so I’ve been getting my lazy butt out to some jam sessions to try to stir up some work. Playing really is a […]
The Wizard
More music in that 90s zone, from my personal archives. This really captures the spirit of my whole attitude towards playing the drums for that decade. Recorded in 2000, I think, when my group Flatland was […]
Daily best music in the world: early 90s zeitgeist
Here’s a record I almost forgot about, that had a big impact on the way I play the drums. From 1988-90, David Sanborn was the leading guy getting new and eclectic music to a (reasonably) […]
BIG Joe Zawinul interview
“If you have too much respect, it can get in the way…” Oh my God, you have to go Dave Aldridge’s blog right now and read his 1993 Modern Drummer interview with Joe Zawinul. He […]