Copyright © 2004, 2012 by Mick Berry and Jason Gianni. All rights reserved. For information contact See Sharp Press, P.O. Box 1731, Tucson, AZ 85702. Web site:
www.seesharppress.com.
Berry, Mick.
The drummer’s bible : how to play every drum style from Afro-Cuban to Zydeco/by Mick Berry and Jason Gianni. - Tucson, Ariz. : See Sharp Press, 2004.
211 p. : ill., music; 28 cm. + 2 sound discs (digital : 4 3/4 in.)
Includes approximately 500 musical examples, organized by style, with historical information preceding the drumming groves. Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-937276-19-5
1. Drum - Methods - Self-instruction. 2. Drum set - Studies and exercises (Rock) 3. Musical meter and rhythm. 4. Zydeco music. 5. Latin jazz.
I. Title. II. Gianni, Jason.
786.9193 MT662.8
First Printing (original edition)—December 2003
First Printing (second edition—eighth total printing)—September 2012
The drum examples on the accompanying compact discs were played by both Mick Berry and Jason Gianni. Audio voiceovers were spoken by Mick Berry. The tracks were recorded, mixed, and mastered at Trakworx Studios in South San Francisco, California in June 2003 by Justin Weis.
Cover design by Kay Sather. Interior design by Chaz Bufe.
To contact the authors, go to their web site: http://www.drummersbible.com
Jason Gianni dedicates this book to Gladys Shoenfeld
The world was lucky enough to experience her kind soul for 92 incredible years. Now, heaven can benefit from it for eternity. I miss her every day.
Mick Berry dedicates this book to Charlotte Behre, Patricia Behre, Debbie Behre, and Leah Behre-Miskimen
CONTENTS
Quick Reference
CD Track Listings
Glossary
Introduction (by Simon Phillips)
Preface to First Edition
Preface to Second Edition
Acknowledgments
1. Acid Jazz
2. African Contemporary
World Beat
Soukous
Bikutsi
3. Afro-Cuban
Clave
6/8 Clave Pattern
6/8 Cowbell Patterns
More Frequently Played Styles:
6/8 Patterns for Drum Set
Cascara
Guaguanco
Mambo
Cha Cha
Mozambique
Songo
Bomba
Merengue
Less Frequently Played Styles:
Beguine
Bolero
Conga
Cumbia
Danzon
Palito
Pilon
Plena
4. Blues
Standard Blues Shuffle
Chicago (Jazz) Shuffle
Backdoor Shuffle
Backbeat Shuffle
Texas Shuffle
Purdie Shuffle (Ghost Note Shuffle)
12/8 Slow Blues Patterns
Straight Blues/Rock Grooves
Blues Rumba
Blues Mambo
5. Brazilian
Samba
Batucada
Baiao
Bossa Nova
Partido Alto
Afoxe
6. Cajun/Zydeco
Cajun Styles:
Two-Step
Waltz
Zydeco Styles:
Two-Step
Shuffle
Waltz
Train Beat
Cajun/Zydeco:
Common Grooves
7. Caribbean
Calypso
Soca
Ska
Reggae (One Drop)
Rockers
Steppers
8. Country
Bluegrass
Western Swing
Two-Beat (Two-Step)
Shuffle
Western
Train Beat
Country Rock/Modern Country
Waltz
Ballad
9. Disco
10. Drum & Bass/Jungle
11. Flamenco
Traditional Flamenco
Pop Flamenco
12. Funk
New Orleans Funk
Displaced Funk
Linear Funk
Ghost Note Funk
Funk Rock
Cascara Funk
Funk Summary
13. Gospel
14. Hip Hop/Rap
Standard Hip Hop
Slower Feels
Half-Time Feels
15. Jazz
New Orleans Second Line
Dixieland
Big Band
Small Band (Be Bop, Cool Jazz, Avante Garde)
Jazz Waltz
Brushes/Ballads
16. Klezmer
Bulgar
Freylakhs
Hora
Khosidl
Terkisher
17. Latin Rock
Standard Rock
Baiao
Mambo
Rumba
Soca
18. March
Standard Marches
New Orleans Second Line
Cuban Comparsa
Brazilian Baiao
19. Metal
Grooves (Blast Beat, etc.)
Double Bass Playing
20. Middle Eastern
Traditional Middle Eastern Grooves
Middle Eastern Pop
Rai
21. Odd Time
Prominent Odd Meters:
5/4
7/4
5/8
7/8
Breaking Up Standard Meters:
3/4
4/4
9/8
Creating Additional Odd Time Meters:
11/8
13/8
15/8
19/16
22. Polka
23. Punk
24. Rock
Early Rock
Rockabilly
Standard Rock
Half-Time Standard Rock
Fusion
25. Surf
Standard Surf Grooves
Surf Ballad
Surf Tom Pattern
26. Techno
27. Wedding Dances
Tarantella
Hava Nagila
Rumba
Tango
Viennese Waltz
American Waltz
Fox Trot
28. Miscellaneous Grooves
Arara
Boogaloo
Guajira
Habanera
Israeli
Jig
Joropo
Nanigo
Norteña
Pachanga
Paso Doble
La Raspa
Tex Mex
Zouk
29. Fills
30. Polyrhythms
Appendixes
A. Tuning
B. Drum Rudiments
C. The Most Common Grooves
D. Recommended Listening
E. Bibliography
QUICK REFERENCE
When you need to find a groove in a hurry!
Abakwa (6/8)
Afoxe
Afro-Cuban 6/8 (for Drumset)
Arara
Avante Garde (Jazz)
Backbeat Shuffle (Blues)
Backdoor Shuffle (Blues)
Baiao
Batucada (Samba Batucada)
Be Bop (Jazz)
Beguine
Bembe (6/8)
Big Band Jazz
Bikutsi
Blast Beat
Bluegrass
Blues (12/8, Slow)
Blues Mambo
Blues Rumba
Blues Shuffles
Blues Rock
Bolero
Bomba
Boogaloo
Bomb Blast Beat
Bossa Nova
Cajun Two-Step
Cajun Waltz
Cajun/Zydeco
Calypso
Cascara
Cha Cha
Chicago Shuffle (Blues)
Comparsa
Conga
Cool Jazz
Country Ballad (12/8)
Country Rock
Country Shuffle
Country Train Beat
Country Two Step
Country Waltz
Cumbia
Danzon
Disco
Dixieland
Double Bass (Metal)
Drum and Bass/Jungle
Flamenco
Fox Trot
Funk (Cascara)
Funk (Displaced)
Funk (Ghost Note)
Funk (Linear)
Funk (New Orleans)
Funk Rock
Fusion
Gospel
Guaguanco
Guajira
Habanera
Hammer Blast Beat
Hava Nagila
Hip Hop
Jazz Ballad (brushes)
Jazz Shuffle (Chicago Shuffle)
Jazz Waltz
Jig
Joropo
Klezmer (Bulgar)
Klezmer (Freylakhs)
Klezmer (Hora)
Klezmer (Khosidl)
Klezmer (Terkisher)
Latin Rock (Baiao)
Latin Rock (Mambo)
Latin Rock (Rumba)
Mambo
Mambo (Blues)
Mambo (Latin Rock)
March (Baiao)
March (Comparsa)
March (Second Line)
March (Standard)
Mambo
Merengue
Mersey Beat
Middle Eastern (Traditional)
Middle Eastern (Pop)
Mozambique
Nanigo
Norteña
Odd Time Beats
One Drop (Reggae)
Pachanga
Pambiche
Palito
Partido Alto
Paso Doble
Phil Spector Beat
Pilon
Plena
Polka
Polka Mazurka
Punk
Purdie Shuffle (Blues)
Rai
La Raspa
Reggae (One Drop)
Rock (Standard Rock Beat)
Rock Stomp
Rockabilly
Rockers (Reggae)
Rumba (Blues)
Rumba (Wedding)
Samba
Second Line (New Orleans Jazz)
Shuffle (Backbeat)
Shuffle (Backdoor)
Shuffle (Blues)
Shuffle (Chicago)
Shuffle (Country)
Shuffle (Jazz)
Shuffle (Texas)
Shuffle (Zydeco)
Ska
Soca
Songo
Soukous
Surf
Surf Ballad
Surf Tom Pattern
Tango
Tarantella
Techno
Tex-Mex
Train Beat (Bluegrass)
Train Beat (Country)
Train Beat (Rockabilly)
Train Beat (Zydeco)
Two Step (Cajun)
Two Step (Country)
Two Step (Zydeco)
Waltz (American)
Waltz (Cajun)
Waltz (Country)
Waltz (Jazz)
Waltz (Viennese)
Waltz (Zydeco)
Western
Western Swing
World Beat
Zouk
Zydeco Shuffle
Zydeco Train Beat
Zydeco Two-Step
Zydeco Waltz
CD TRACKS
CD 1 TRACK ORDER
AFRICAN
AFRO-CUBAN
BLUES
BRAZILIAN
CAJUN/ZYDECO
CARIBBEAN
CD 2 TRACK ORDER
COUNTRY
DISCO
DRUM AND BASS/JUNGLE
FLAMENCO
FUNK
(HEAVY) METAL
HIP HOP/RAP
JAZZ
KLEZMER
LATIN ROCK
MARCH
MIDDLE EASTERN
ODD TIME
POLKA
PUNK
ROCK N’ ROLL
SURF
TECHNO
WEDDING DANCES
POLYRHYTHMS
GLOSSARY
Abakwa (Abaqua/Abakua): One of several 6/8 Afro-Cuban rhythmic patterns for drum set.
Abanico: A timbale figure with a rim shot on beat 3 and roll on beat 4 (to beat 1 of the following measure). It is used as a transitional figure in Afro-Cuban styles, most often in Cha Cha.
Afro-Cuban 6/8: A triple-based rhythm sometimes written and felt in 4/4 which contains its own clave rhythm and bell pattern.
Avante Garde: A Jazz style from the late 1950s characterized by technically advanced musicianship, an obscured form and pulse, and complex chordal structures and melodies.
Back Beat: An informal term to describe a strong snare drum stroke/note, usually falling on beats 2 & 4 of a 4/4 measure.
Baqueteo: The musical figure played by the timbale player, primarily in the Afro-Cuban Danzon style.
Bateria: A percussion section/ensemble.
Bembe: 1. A 6/8 style of Afro-Cuban music for which the 6/8 back beat drum set pattern is particularly appropriate.
Blast Beat: A loud, rapid-fire, incessant Heavy Metal groove consisting of alternating 16th notes played between the snare drum and bass drum (with the ride hand usually doubling the bass drum notes).
Bombo: 1. The accent which falls on the + of beat 2 on the 3
side of an Afro-Cuban clave rhythm (son or rumba); 2. The large drum (bass drum) used in folkloric Afro-Cuban styles.
Bonguero: A bongo drum player.
Cascara: A rhythmic pattern used in Afro-Cuban music, copying a pattern called Palito.
Charleston: 1. A Ragtime-Jazz dance popularized in the United States during the 1920s. 2. A one-measure syncopated swung rhythm emphasizing beat 1 and the + of beat 2.
Clave: 1. A two-measure rhythmic pattern (son or rumba) serving as the foundation of most Afro-Cuban rhythms. The patterns are broken up to a 3
side (3 notes in one measure) and a 2
side (two notes in one measure) which can be started from either side (e.g. 3-2 or 2-3). 2. The percussion instrument which originally played the clave rhythm(s) in Afro-Cuban music. (For specific rhythms and description of the instrument and playing method, see Clave in the Afro-Cuban chapter.)
Columbia (Rumba): One of three styles of Afro-Cuban rumba often distinguished by its 6/8 feel. The others are Rumba Guaguanco and Rumba Yambu.
Comparsa: 1. The musical group which plays the Conga rhythm during Carnaval in Cuba; the instrumentation, mostly percussion, often includes horns, primarily trumpet. 2. A shortened term for Conga de Comparsa.
Conguero: A conga drum player.
Contredanse/Contradanza: A European folk dance that evolved into the Cuban Danzon.
Displaced: Normally used in the terms displaced note
or displaced rhythm,
this refers to stressing notes in places other than the standard 2 & 4 back beat, downbeats, or other common beats.
Four on the Floor: An informal term that describes the playing of all four quarter notes by the bass drum in a 4/4 meter.
Ghost Note: Any note that is played very lightly, usually on the snare drum. When written in musical notation, it is usually indicated by a parenthesis surrounding the note.
Guaguanco (Rumba): In addition to a style of drumming, one of the three types of Cuban rumba. The others are Rumba Columbia and Rumba Yambu.
Head: An informal term for the defining melody of a song played in a small band Jazz format.
In The Crack: Playing a rhythmic feel in between swung
and straight
time. Due to its unorthodox execution, it is virtually impossible to notate and consequently is best learned through listening and practicing rather than reading.
Independence: Playing contrasting and/or complimentary rhythms with different limbs simultaneously.
Jazz Form: The melody, chord progression, and structure of an entire song in a small band format.
Jure: A style of music invented by African-American laborers in the early 1900s which mixed singing, praying, hand clapping and dancing. Jure, along with La La, stands as the predecessor of modern day Cajun/Zydeco music.
La La: An early 20th century style of music combining Jure songs with Cajun music and culture, eventually resulting in Cajun/Zydeco.
Linear: A term which describes notes that occur one after another in a line
of music with no notes being played simultaneously (that is, no limbs striking at the same time).
Loop: A repeating musical pattern (usually drum or rhythmic) originally programmed electronically that may be replicated by a live drummer.
Marakatu: 1. Coronation ceremonies and celebrations of the Brazilian-based slave kings and queens under Portuguese rule. 2. The tradition from which most modern-day Brazilian music, festivals, dance and culture developed.
Mersey Beat: A drum beat originally developed in Liverpool, England and made popular by Cliff Richards and the Shadows, played extensively by American Surf and Early Rock n’ Roll drummers. (See the Surf chapter for its pattern.)
Montuno: 1. The repetitive, syncopated musical figure ordinarily played on a piano in an Afro-Cuban musical setting. 2. The section of an Afro-Cuban arrangement that supports improvisation.
Orchestration: 1. The distribution of individual notes on selected surfaces of the drum set (or other musical instruments). 2. The specific arrangement of notes on a musical score for an orchestra or ensemble.
Palito: 1. The Afro-Cuban rhythm played on the gua gua (hollowed out bamboo) which later became recognized as the Cascara pattern. 2. The sticks used to play the rhythm.
Partido Alto: 1. One of the most popular Samba styles in Brazil. 2. A rhythmic pattern played in the Samba and Bossa Nova. Traditionally, the pattern is played on agogo bells, cuica, pandeiro and/or tamborim. On drum set, it’s often played on the snare drum.
Paseo: The first section (or introduction) to the traditional form of Afro-Cuban Danzon.
Polyrhythm: The combination of two contrasting rhythmic pulses simultaneously. There are two main types of polyrhythms: rhythms which carry over the bar
and rhythms that exist within the bar.
Ponche: An accent in Afro-Cuban music which emphasizes beat 4 of a 4/4 measure, usually used as a transitional figure.
Remix: A re-recording of a previously arranged song usually involving the substitution or addition of electronic instrumentation.
Rumba: 1. A traditional form of Afro-Cuban music which developed into three primary forms: Columbia, Guaguanco and Yambu. 2. A standard form of North American dance music loosely based on the original Cuban style of the same name.
Rumba Clave: One of two Afro-Cuban clave patterns (along with the son clave). The distinguishing characteristic is the placement of the third note on the 3
side being played on the + of beat 4. The pattern appears most often in the more modern Afro-Cuban genres (e.g. Songo, Mozambique).
Salsa: 1. A broad term which refers to the large spectrum of most Afro-Cuban musical styles, especially those primarily played for dance.
Saudi: An up-tempo, syncopated rhythm established in the Persian Gulf/Arabian peninsula area associated with a Middle Eastern style and dance known as Khaleegi.
Sayyidii: A medium tempo, syncopated rhythm from Egypt and the Persian Gulf/Arabian peninsula, also a member of a larger family of Middle Eastern rhythms known as Maqsuum.
Second Line: 1. Parade-style ensembles and music from the late 19th/early 20th centuries in New Orleans inspired by exslaves and their descendants. Second Line was the predecessor of Dixieland and led to all modern-day Jazz styles. 2. Second Line
was a description for the various musicians and dancers who followed the First Line
of the hearse and mourners in a funeral procession.
Shuffle: A swung pattern characterized by playing the first and third notes of every triplet grouping on every beat in a measure.
Son Clave: One of two Afro-Cuban clave patterns (along with the rumba clave). The distinguishing characteristic is the placement of the third note on the 3
side being played directly on beat
