Intermediate

Exploring Indian Grooves On The Drum-set

By: Sarah Thawer

Kherwa

1) Kherwa

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A. Accents on the hi-hat should be played with the edge of the stick, and the "ands" with the tip

x xœx xœx xœx xœ x xœx xœx xœx xœ

œ œ œ œ

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B. Kherwa with ghost notes on the "e"

x ex œ x ex œ x ex œ x ex œ x ex œ x ex œ x ex œ x ex œ
œ œ œ œ

2) Kherwa Variation #1

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A. Using the bell of the hi-hat to accent quarter notes

x x œx x x ex x x œx x x ex x x œx x x ex x x œx x x ex
œe e e eœ œ e e e eœ

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B. Using the bell of the hi-hat to accent the "ands"

x ex x x ex x e x ex x x ex x e x ex x x ex x e x ex x x ex x e
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

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3) Kherwa Variation #2

x x xy x x x x œ x œx x x x x x xy x x x x œ x œx x x x
œ œ œ œ œ œ

4) Experimenting with sound sources - Take a Kherwa variation and move the hi-hat accents to the
rim of a tom. The sound you create this way resembles the one dholak players get by hitting a barrel-shaped
drum, with a ring they wear on their pinky fingers.
 Intermediate

Exploring Indian Grooves On The Drum-set

By: Sarah Thawer

5) Kherwa Variation #3 - The left foot hi-hat is notated as 8th notes. Try playing it on beats 2 and 4,
1 and 3, and an all quarter notes as well. Experiment adding ghost notes.

. . . . . . . .
x x xx xxx x xx xx x x xx x x œx œ x œx x xx
œ œ œx x œ œx x œ œx x x x œx
x x x x x x x

. . . .
6) Kherwa Variation #4

24 x x
œ
x x x x
œ
x x
œ œ œ œ

7) Adding a stack to the Kherwa - Play a stack on either beat 1, beat 3, beat 1 and 3, on all quarters,
on the "ands" or even on beats 2 and 4. Make sure you’re highlighting that downward pulse. This simulates
the clapping of an audience.

8) Kherwa Fill - This fill can be used when moving between sections in a song involving Kherwa, and can
be played at many tempos. Have fun with it, and voice it around the drums!

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Œ Œ œ e e œ e e œ
R L L R L L R
 Intermediate

Exploring Indian Grooves On The Drum-set

By: Sarah Thawer

6/8 Patterns

9) Variation of a 6/8 Garba Groove - Turn off the snares for this example, and hit closer to the rim to
get a metallic sound that imitates the dhol. The stack imitates people clapping and the clicks of the sticks
they dance with. Use both hands simultaneously to hit the toms. Be creative with it.

Y
68 œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰
Xœ œ œ œx œ X. x. Xœ œ œ œx œ X x

10) Variation of a Dadra Groove (Dadra Taal: dha dhin na, dha tin na)
dha tin tin ta dhin dhin

68 x xy xy œx x x x xy xy œx x x
œ œ œ œ œ œ

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11)

68 t t
œ
t t
œ
t t
œ
t t
œ
œx x œ œx x œ