Here’s a good library companion to my Stick Control implied rhythms piece. This was suggested to me by my friend Steve Pancerev— I’m not sure if it’s something he thought up, or if it was […]
Category: drums
Hemiola basics
UPDATE: I have since written an updated version of this page. The hemiola— also called the 3:2 polyrhythm– is a basic polyrhythm using layered even two and three note rhythms. What I’ve done here is […]
Groove o’ the day: Zigaboo Modeliste – People Say
Today’s groove o’ the day is Zigaboo Modeliste’s part from People Say, by The Meters: The 16ths are half-swung in the New Orleans style (“in between the cracks”, as Stanton Moore calls it). Listen to […]
Elvin’s Afro-Waltz: in 5/4, part 2
Man, I’ve been writing way too many words recently. Let’s get back to the drums. I’m still spending most of my time with page one of this series, but here’s another variation on the Elvin […]
Metronome perspectives
There’s an excellent piece on the Modern Drummer site getting views on metronome use from a number of top drummers and educators. I’ve excerpted some of the best bits, but go read the whole thing. […]
DBMITW: more Cecil
This is from my other favorite Cecil Taylor record, Looking Ahead!, with Denis Charles on drums. Charles plays his cymbal (in 1950’s, at least) in a way you would have a hard time getting away […]
Elvin’s afro-waltz: in 5/4
I’ve been working with Elvin’s waltz daily since I first posted about it, and have been getting great results- and not just with playing this particular type of feel. So let’s keep developing it. It […]
How to play the brushes
Now we’re talking- here’s something substantial for you: I was able to shame Ted @ Trap’d into finally labelling his posts, and now I can link to his entire great series on playing the brushes. […]
HFS, part two
Last time I was moved to so eloquent a title I had just received the massive Paiste 22″ 602 dark ride; today I received a massive library of 180+ dense pages in three volumes by […]
Observations about the volume of things
One of the things on my mind a lot lately has been the issue of projection- making your performance be heard clearly by the other musicians and by the audience. While performing and hanging at […]