I’ve found it helpful to practice Gary Chaffee’s linear materials in inversions— not always starting the patterns on beat 1. We’ve already done that in 3/4 with 16th notes and with triplets; today we’ll do the […]
Category: downloads
Transcription: Vinnie Colaiuta / Nightwalker
In the past I’ve posted some fairly cheesy things— with a purpose— but I’m afraid I’ll really lose you on this one (“This, he wants us to like THIS???”). But sometimes you have to be […]
Transcription: John Guerin – Backfence Cattin’
Here’s some 70s funk in 3/4: Backfence Cattin’ by Tom Scott, with John Guerin on drums. You could call Scott L.A.’s answer to Dave Sanborn— big in the 70s-80s, R&B saxophonists who made some popular […]
FUNK CONTROL: alternative set 1 – complete
I’m working out the format for putting this “Basic Funk Ideas” series into book form, tentatively titled “Funk Control.” The top of the page, labeled “Basic rhythm and iterations” shows the source rhythmic idea for […]
Double bass drum: 5 and 7 stroke singles
A student request. This is the first thing I’ve ever written for double bass in my life— I don’t play it, it’s not my thing. It doesn’t matter. This page of exercises will work for […]
Bossa/Samba bass drum workout
It says “workout”, like it’s some kind of technical challenge, but it’s really a page of exercises for opening up some musical possibilities with your bass drum when playing sambas and bossa novas. A lot […]
Three Camps in 5s
Another variation on the very famous old rudimental piece Three Camps, this time based on five-note groupings. We’re in 10/8, counted in 2— 5+5/8: All forms of this piece are excellent for working on endurance […]
Transcription: Gerry Brown / School Days
Here’s a funk/fusion classic: School Days, by Stanley Clarke, with Gerry Brown on the drums. Along with Weather Report’s Teen Town, and Donna Lee, this was one of the most-learned fusion things by electric bassists […]
Basic funk ideas in 6/8: four iterations – 01
I’m not happy with this title for this series, but I’m going to hang with it as long as we’re posting on the blog. It’s rapidly evolving into a Stick Control-like system for funk drumming […]
Basic funk ideas: four iterations – 03
Another page of this modern funk method— we’re going to need a better name for this thing, as we’re getting well beyond basic. This is turning into quite an epic. Normally, working on fairly demanding […]