I’m a drummer, percussionist, composer, and music producer based in Budapest. This is my drum blog, a collection of sheet music, transcriptions, exercises, books, and other stuff related to the drums.
Here are some clips from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Academy with Jeff Hamilton discussing tips and concepts related to drumming. Check out the Jazz Academy YouTube channel for more great content.
Here’s the complete drum transcription for “Lei” by Djavan, from the album Meu Lado (1986) with Teo Lima on drums. The tune consists essentially of two sections: the verse with an implicit Partido Alto groove, with the bass drum on 2 & 4 and snare on the last 16th note, and the chorus section with a samba … More Djavan – Lei (Drum Sheet Music)
Featuring Celso de Almeida on drums, “Ladeira da Preguiça” is a song from Rosa Passos’ album Azul (2002), originally composed by Gilberto Gil in 1973. The intro features a Partido Alto groove, with a samba feel from the first verse’s second part. Playing the right hand on the cymbal at around 96 bpm presents a … More Rosa Passos – Ladeira da Preguiça (Drum Sheet Music)
“Simplicity is not a simple thing.” Donald Bailey’s drumming on Jimmy Smith’s album Home Cookin’ (1959) is straightforward and clear, with a beautiful shuffle feel on the solos section. Here’s the full drum transcription of the tune “Since I Fell For You.” Even if not notated in the transcription, Donald Bailey plays the bass drum … More Jimmy Smith – Since I Fell For You (Drum Sheet Music)
Here are two clips with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke discussing different ways to improve your timing and keep the form of a song while improvising.
Here’s the drum transcription of the intro performed by Brazilian drummer Erivelton Silva on Rosa Passos’ tune “Beiral,” from the album Morada Do Samba (1999). In this section, the ensemble accents are similar and related to Partido Alto. Erivelton Silva plays the hi-hat accenting for the most part the third 16th note, supporting the ensemble … More Rosa Passos – Beiral (Intro Drum Transcription)
Here are some clips of legendary drummer Jake Hanna. He was a great big band drummer who played with Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Harry James, to name a few. An interview with Jake: http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/jake-hanna
Here’s the first part of a series of lessons on 16th-note quintuplets, a group of five notes in the space of a quarter note. We start with a warm-up playing quintuplets with an alternate sticking (RLRLR LRLRL) without accents, and the bass drum or left-foot hi-hat on quarter notes. The next step is to add accents, … More Quintuplets Drum Lesson 1
Another drum transcription from one of my favorite drummers. The tune is “Delilah” from the legendary studio album Clifford Brown & Max Roach (1954) by the Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet. Here’s the transcription of the trading 4’s and drum solo. Keep on drumming! DOWNLOAD THE PDF
Here’s the drum sheet music for “Rosanna” by Toto, from the album Toto IV (1982) with Jeff Porcaro on drums. The complete drum transcription is now available for purchase.
Francis' Drumming Blog 