Updating a really horrible looking page I wrote ten years ago. Musescore actually kind of rocks, this took me no time at all, and looks way better. Musescore would make me work to make it […]
Category: snare drum
Snare drum vs. drum set training
The following are some comments I made in a contentious online conversation about snare drum training and drum set training— or playing— and the differences between the two, that I think stand on their own— edited […]
Playing Bellson
Here’s a video I made yesterday— there was a slight online mishegoss over me not liking the Reading Text In 4/4, by Louis Bellson, and it was requested that prove myself by playing one of […]
All American Drummer Solo No. 128
Here’s a raggedy little video I made of Solo No. 128 from Wilcoxon’s All American Drummer— in response to an online question. Never played it before, I worked it up in about 15 minutes. Tempo […]
Leading with SD/cym accent
I don’t know what to call this category of thing— I was listening to some Jack Dejohnette, where he would play something on the snare drum, beginning with a unison accent on the snare and […]
Ruffs, drags, and general correctness in snare drumming
The correct way to play ruffs (or drags if you prefer) on the snare drum is an extremely attractive topic for repeated, endless debate. Evidently. I’ve seen it again and again, people going nuts for the topic. The […]
Chop busters: flammed 16ths
Another small item, while I power through writing my new book: a page of 16th notes with flams, designed to be rather technically challenging, in the manner of Ron Fink’s book Chop Busters: Alternating sticking […]
Bishopdiddles – 02: double paradiddles to swing 8ths
Listen: do not show these to somebody and call them “BISHOPDIDDLES.” You’re going to get both of us beaten up. One thing I like about this double paradiddle inversion is that it’s possible to accent the […]
Bishopdiddles
Minor item, corralling some similar sticking ideas that have been floating around the site. I noticed that with paradiddle-like stickings, I like inverting them so the double is up front, right after the first accent. […]
Three camps: four variations
Four alternative ways of playing the rudimental piece Three Camps, that I’m practicing this week, accented 5 stroke rolls, flam accents, flam drags, and flammed 5s. Learn each measure individually, then play them in the form […]
From the zone: SD chops
Another notebook item from the later 80s, as I get my act together following recent personal developments. Cleaning out my mom’s basement, I found a bunch of my old notebooks and music materials. Basically, I’ve […]
From the zone: left hand developer
Here’s a cool little exercise from a great drummer from Los Angeles, Sinclair Lott: You can see what’s happening there— a table of time with a RLL sticking, with accents on the downbeats. Which makes […]