Education
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Creative Comping - Crossing the Barline Using Seven-Note Groupings
The material in this article is designed to increase your independence and give you some fresh ideas for how to play behind a soloist. It’s important to always use discretion, of course. Make sure to play these advanced figures musically,…
Diamonds in the Ruff, Part 2: The Sexy Four-Stroke
Welcome to part two of our miniseries on the ruff. I consider the three-stroke ruff to be the workingman’s rudiment. The four-stroke is much sexier, but it’s not easy to master. And it takes a certain amount of precision, which…
Traditional Percussion on Drumset, Part 1: Congas
My goal with this set of articles is to share a few traditional percussion rhythms and techniques that can be applied to the drumset. This first installment is dedicated to the tumbadora, aka conga drum. We will explore variations of…
"Rock Steady" Demystified - Four Steps to Mastering an Advanced Funk Groove
Have you ever checked out Bernard Purdie’s beat on Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady”? And what about the classic drum break that includes Purdie’s signature hi-hat bark? That’s one of the most recognizable funk licks of all time, and we’re going…
Concepts - Defining Your Role
Music is a team effort, and figuring out our position on the team is key. This will help us better communicate in any scenario, which leads to more contentment on the job. This month we’re going to look at the…
Elvin Jones-Style Triplet Fills, Part 1
In this lesson I’m going to show you how to create high-energy Elvin Jones–style triplet fills based on common jazz rhythmic phrases, like those included in Ted Reed’s classic book Syncopation. This approach was first developed by legendary drummer and…
Traditional Percussion on Drumset, Part 2: Bongos
In order to fully understand the function and possibilities of the instrument called bongo, you must explore the Cuban styles of changui, rumba, and son. According to musicologist Fernando Ortiz, the bongo may have originated as ancient drums built specifically…
Take Your Shuffle to the Max!
The two most common types of shuffles are the jazz and blues shuffle. We won’t get into the history here, but the obvious difference is in the ride pattern. Either version can be used, depending on the song, the band,…
Rock Perspectives - Coordination Development
How many of you like a challenge? In this Rock Perspectives series, I'm going to challenge not only your ability to play, but your ability to think as well. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Jazz Drummer's Workshop - Feet First
We have all heard drummers with terrific hands but with a bass drum foot that could best be described as concrete. We look at the problem. The hands are playing off of the drums using rebound and the control of…
Pataflafla Builder - Exercises for Developing a Challenging Yet Musical Rudiment
One of the most beneficial of the forty PAS rudiments is the pataflafla. It’s one of the few where each hand plays a totally different part. The leading hand uses what I call the Moeller whip-and-stop technique, and the secondary…
Driver's Seat - Big Band Basics
In my last article, I gave nine rules for better big band drumming. As you may recall, they were: (1) Support, (2) Don't get in the way, (3) Cue (or Direct) the band, (4) Don't overplay (simplify), (5) Keep the…
South Of The Border - Afro-Cuban
The African influence in Latin music is evident to the point where certain rhythms and instruments, including those from the Caribbean and Brazil, can be directly traced to a specific African region or tribe. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE…
Drummer/Percussionist - Larry Bunker: L.A. Studio Pro
Drummer/Percussionist Larry Bunker: L.A. Studio Pro by David Levine Larry Bunker is one of those Los Angeles studio musicians whose playing is constantly heard on TV, movies, and records. Though his name is seldom mentioned, Bunker’s experience, knowledge and musicianship…
