Francis' Drumming Blog

We close the year with an absolute top-notch transcription, something I worked on for a long time, and now I’m finally happy to share it with you. Today, we explore the Gavin Harrison drum part on “Harridan” by Porcupine Tree from the album Closure/Continuation (2022). Gavin Harrison’s drumming is impressive for its ability to adapt to different musical textures and time signatures, navigating through complex rhythms, electronic experimentalism, marvelous guitar riffs, and sensitive chord changes. This article examines the song’s main grooves, introducing the complete drum transcription.

Drum Grooves

We start with the intro/verse groove, a 5/4 rock drum beat with a backbeat on beats 2 and 5. The bass drum pattern is the element that contributes the most to the drum groove, following the bass line. Considering the ghost notes embellishments and the bpm of 127, mastering this groove is no easy feat, even though it may seem so.

In the chorus section, we have a 16th note hi-hat half-time groove with the backbeat on the beat “4” and a bass drum hemiola pattern. The overall drum beat is intricate in its construction, musically incorporating toms and hi-hat embellishments.

The long interlude section presents a soft drum groove in 5/4. After that, the mood drastically changes, and we enter the song’s representative part featuring a powerful 6/8 drum beat. Next, we move to a 3/4 groove, performed first on the ride bell and then on the toms before returning to 6/8.

After the ambient part without drums, the song returns to 5/4. As notated below, the groove is similar to the verse drum beat with a variation for the hi-hat, playing an open-close pattern.

The song reconnects to the chorus with a section performed by Gavin Harrison with a sort of snare marching groove, embellishing it with rolls and incorporating the toms. Harrison’s ability to play ghost notes is impressive and one of the recognizable aspects of his drumming. Gradually, the song transitions to the chorus, ending with a memorable performance concerning complexity, masterful dynamics, accuracy, and musicality.

Full Drum Transcription

For those who want to study and understand Gavin Harrison’s extraordinary drumming, the complete drum transcription of “Harridan” is now available for purchase. The first two pages of transcription are available for free as a preview. Elevate your drumming!