This book is intended for students of jazz drumming wanting to take their drumming to the next level. Ideal for those wanting to enter a music conservatory, but also invaluable for intermediate players as well as more established players.
The book includes:
- Technical exercises for intermediate to advanced level, including single stroke and double strokes and combinations of these.
- Sophisticated technical exercises along with illustrations of the basic grip and ‘push-pull’ technique that enables players to facilitate clean and strong double strokes.
- Unique triplet sticking patterns (exclusive paradiddle variations, with emphasis on phrasing) to develop fluidity and control.
- 100 examples of explorations and variations based on 10 Jazz standards made with the intention of learning Jazz phrasing and coordination while referencing the melodic material of the song you’re playing.
- Coordination patterns and specific practise method to develop fluidity within straight 8’s with emphasis on the drumming of established ECM artist Jon Christensen.
- Templates to incentivise the reader to create their own patterns and exercises.
- Two phenomenal solo transcriptions by Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Frankie Dunlop – with info on how to take things to the next level including examples of how to develop your own vocabulary for your drum solos.
- Exploration and application of quintuplets and septuplets in the context of the Swing/triplet feel.
- Downloadable Mp3 files recorded by the author of selected examples in the book.… and a full page of recommended listening.
Table of Content
Creativity, improvisation and musicianship
Warm-up exercises
Developing the double stroke
Pulls with accents
Dancing Paradiddles
Development in melodic phrasing (interpretations of two-bar phrases)
- Along Came Betty
- Ba-Lue-Bolivar-Ba-Lues-Are
- Billie’s Bounce
- Boblicity
- But Not For Me
- I’ll Be Seeing You
- Invitation
- It’s You Or No One
- Joshua
- Solar
- Make your own
Setups and fills for ensemble playing
Coordination and independent dynamics
– Variations for development of straight 8’s
Frankie Dunlop transcription
Analysis of Frankie Dunlop solo
Jeff “Tain” Watts transcription
Quintuplets (in context of the triplet feel)
Recommended listening
Inspirations