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Drum Technique

Charley Wilcoxon - Rudimental Swing Solos Cover

Learning Charley Wilcoxon’s Rudimental Swing Solos – Rolling In Rhythm

I haven’t done much by the way of learning drum solos such as those written by Charley Wilcoxon. I started learning Rolling In Rhythm and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it. I intend on working my way through the book slowly but surely. I’m not exactly sure what the end result is meant to sound like. There are a few examples on Youtube. This guy has the speed down, I guess this is how the marching drummer… Read More »Learning Charley Wilcoxon’s Rudimental Swing Solos – Rolling In Rhythm

Developing Coordination With Afrobeat Drumming Pt. 3

If you haven’t seen them already, Check out part 1 and part 2. So let’s continue to develop our coordination with Tony Allen’s first groove of Afrobeat. Now that we can play a bunch of different ride and snare patterns, it’s time to do some work on the left foot. A unique aspect of Tony Allen’s style is the way he creates an interesting interaction between his hi-hat foot and his hi-hat hand patterns. I missed this facet of his… Read More »Developing Coordination With Afrobeat Drumming Pt. 3

Jojo Mayer’s Secret Weapons 2 Is All About Feet And Pedals

It promised to be ?The most comprehensive guide to foot technique for drummers ever available? and it is. Well, I imagine it is because I haven’t actually seen the other available guides to feet but this DVD is so amazingly comprehensive, I can’t see how there can be any competitors. Not to mention that people with Jojo Mayer’s insanely focussed intensity and commitment are very very rare so the probability of someone else producing anything remotely as comprehensive in this… Read More »Jojo Mayer’s Secret Weapons 2 Is All About Feet And Pedals

Jojo Mayer – Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer Pt. 2: A Guide to Foot Technique

I’m rather excited to discover that the long awaited sequel to Jojo Mayer’s insane video on hand technique is due out soon. Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer Pt. 2: A Guide to Foot Technique is released by Hudson Music “soon”. It promises to be “The most comprehensive guide to foot technique for drummers ever available”. The hands video is best viewed as a compendium of technical information rather than a step by step guide that needs to be mastered… Read More »Jojo Mayer – Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer Pt. 2: A Guide to Foot Technique

The Art & Science of Groove, Benny Greb’s Indigogo Project

Here’s a cool idea: www.indiegogo.com/projects/bennygreb Benny Greb is producing a high quality DVD via the crowdfunding site Indigogo. I think it’s a positive thing to produce this stuff independently. The video pitching the idea sounds encouraging, there’s a few seconds of tap dancing which is an artform closely associated with the drum kit, according to Freddy Gruber talking on one of the videos I watched on Drum Channel recently. Then Benny talks about the myth of groove or musical feel… Read More »The Art & Science of Groove, Benny Greb’s Indigogo Project

Chaffee Linear Patterns Lesson Video

I found this video demonstrating numerous ways to apply the linear sticking patterns from Gary Chaffee’s Time Functioning Patterns. The ideas are explained really well and the lesson gives a basis for much exploration. It’s a good idea with this material to work on one pattern comprehensively until you internalise the principles embodied in the variations. This will make it easier to hear the music in the other patterns and will make application flow more easily. Then again, you might… Read More »Chaffee Linear Patterns Lesson Video

Great Drum Educator, Chuck Silverman, Sadly Died

I am deeply saddened to hear about the sudden loss on May the 1st of Chuck Silverman, a great drummer and drum teacher notable for his amazing knowledge and love for Afro-Caribbean music (or Latin as we lesser mortals would call it) and expertise about the drummers of James Brown. I didn’t know Chuck, although I had been trying to arrange a Skype lesson with him (West Coast USA and London are temporally mismatched for this sort of thing) but… Read More »Great Drum Educator, Chuck Silverman, Sadly Died

Trash Can Endings – Another Cool Lesson from Rob Brown

I just came across this video by Rob Brown on a subject I’ve not seen covered much before – the big rock ending or Trash Can Ending (not a term I’ve heard before but will adopt, albeit as Dustbin Ending). I tend to leave it to chance which is a bit risky because there’s the possibility of making a horrible mess. Rob’s ideas here are clean, sound great and can be combined to great effect. I am going to get… Read More »Trash Can Endings – Another Cool Lesson from Rob Brown

Hard To Handle Video Lesson

Blimey, making a video is not easy. Kudos to all those who do such a great job on Youtube. Anyway, here’s my demonstration of the main bits in Hard To Handle according to The Black Crowes. It’s intended for the students attending the band workshops I am putting on with my colleague Rodrigo but it might be useful for anyone wanting to learn the song.

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