A companion to our Basic funk with mixed stickings page from the other day. Here we take that same set of patterns, run them through some standard funk/fusion orchestrations, and learn to transition smoothly between […]
Category: funk
Basic funk with mixed stickings
Bad title, because I prefer to think of these as based on a cymbal rhythm, not a sticking, but whatever. Next title will be so apt it will blow the doors off this place. These […]
Transcription: James Black – Hook And Sling, pt. 2
This is something very special— it’s probably classical music to anyone well versed in New Orleans music, and anyone in the sampling world, but I only heard it for the first time recently: James Black […]
New Orleans street beat – Reed method
As promised, another method for developing a NOLA street beat, this one perhaps more musical than the last. Definitely. Here we’ll be using Progressive Steps to Syncopation, by Ted Reed, pp. 33-44— the “Syncopation” section […]
New Orleans street beat – Stone method
This is the first of two pretty-easy methods for developing a New Orleans-style street beat— or rather, for expanding on it, and playing it in a “modern” way. They’ll also be good for getting a […]
Grooves o’ the day: three street beats by Fred Staehle
Kicking off a little series on playing New Orleans-style street beats, here are some grooves by Fred Staehle. These are from Dr. John’s Gumbo, a very famous album of classic New Orleans tunes, recorded by, […]
EZ Reed method with flams and 16th notes
Another “EZ” Reed method for rock/funk fills, similar to our recent triplet method, this time using pp. 24-27 from Syncopation. I won’t break it down completely, but you can figure it out by looking at the […]
Practice loop: Ronnie Foster – Mystic Brew
Please forgive my continued very, very light, almost-not-even-there posting these days. We’ll get back to the usual torrents of stuff very soon. Until that happens, here’s a new practice loop: the vamp from Mystic Brew […]
A Funky Primer: double-time feel lesson
Getting back into teaching out of a book I haven’t used in some time: A Funky Primer, by my former college professor Charles Dowd. I felt it was getting a little dated, and I was […]
EZ Reed interpretation: triplet lick
Here’s an easy practice method for use with Ted Reed’s Syncopation, developing a triplet lick. What I like about these things is they’re finite. You do the fifteen lines, plus the long exercise, and you’re […]
Funk practice loop: Betty Davis – If I’m In Luck…
My apologies for the lack of posts lately— I’ve been very busy with gigs, and with work on my house. Mainly installing a patio in my back yard, which involves digging up and moving out […]
Dahlgren & Fine linear funk method
4-Way Coordination by Marvin Dahlgren and Elliot Fine is one the more punishing books in the literature of drumming. I’ve written about my past issues with the book— mainly, its foundational exercises are organized based […]