TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS
Biography __________________________________________7
CHAPTER 1: Introduction and Background____________________________8
CHAPTER 2: Units of Time as Building Blocks __________________________27
Example 1 ____________________________________________________27
Example 2 ____________________________________________________28
Example 3a-3e__________________________________________________29
Example 4 ____________________________________________________30
Example 5 ____________________________________________________30
Example 6 ____________________________________________________31
Example 7 ____________________________________________________32
Example 8 ____________________________________________________33
Example 9 ____________________________________________________34
Example 10 ____________________________________________________35
Example 11 ____________________________________________________36
Example 12 ____________________________________________________36
Example 13 ____________________________________________________37
Examples 14-16 ________________________________________________38
Examples 17-19 ________________________________________________39
Examples 20, 21 ________________________________________________40
Example 22 ____________________________________________________41
CHAPTER 3: Subdividing Time______________________________________42
Example 1, 2 __________________________________________________42
Examples 3- 5 __________________________________________________43
Examples 6-8 __________________________________________________44
Examples 9a-9g ________________________________________________45
Examples 10-12 ________________________________________________46
Examples 13-18 ________________________________________________47
Examples 19-21 ________________________________________________48
Examples 22, 23 ________________________________________________49
Examples 24, 25 ________________________________________________50
Examples 26, 27 ________________________________________________51
Example 28 ____________________________________________________52
Example 29 ____________________________________________________53
Example 30 ____________________________________________________54
Examples 31-37 ________________________________________________56
Examples 38, 39 ________________________________________________57
Example 40 ____________________________________________________57
Examples 41, 42 ________________________________________________58
Examples 43-47 ________________________________________________59
CHAPTER 4: Other Ways Of Subdividing ____________________________60
Example 1 ____________________________________________________60
Examples 2, 3 __________________________________________________61
Example 4 ____________________________________________________62
Example 5 ____________________________________________________63
Examples 6 ,7 __________________________________________________64
Examples 8, 9 __________________________________________________65
Example 10 ____________________________________________________66
Examples 11,12 ________________________________________________67
Examples 13-18 ________________________________________________68
Examples 19-23 ________________________________________________69

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS
CHAPTER 5: Counting Gaps ________________________________________70
Example 1 ____________________________________________________71
CHAPTER 6: Khanda Gari - Quintuplet Base __________________________72
Examples 1-4 __________________________________________________72
Examples 5-9 __________________________________________________73
Examples 10-12 ________________________________________________74
Examples 13-17 ________________________________________________75
Examples 18-20 ________________________________________________76
CHAPTER 7: Misra Gati - Septuplet Base ______________________________77
Examples 1-5 __________________________________________________77
Examples 6-11 __________________________________________________78
Examples 12-17 ________________________________________________79
Examples 18-22 ________________________________________________80
CHAPTER 8: Other Unit Applications ________________________________81
Examples 1 ,2 __________________________________________________81
Examples 3, 4 __________________________________________________81
Examples 5a, 5b , 6 ,7 ____________________________________________82
Examples 8-10 __________________________________________________83
Examples 11, 12 ________________________________________________83
Examples 13-17 ________________________________________________84
Examples 18-21 ________________________________________________85
Examples 22-25 ________________________________________________86
Example 26 ____________________________________________________87
Example 27 ____________________________________________________87
Examples 28, 29a, 29b __________________________________________87
Examples 29c, 30-32 ____________________________________________88
Examples 33-38 ________________________________________________89
Examples 39-42 ________________________________________________90
CHAPTER 9: “Ta Tum” Korvai ______________________________________91
Examples 1-3 __________________________________________________91
Example 4 ____________________________________________________92
Example 5 ____________________________________________________93
Example 6 ____________________________________________________94
Example 7 ____________________________________________________95
Example 8 ____________________________________________________96
Example9______________________________________________________97
CHAPTER 10: 5-6-7 Korvai Construct ________________________________99
Examples 1, 2 __________________________________________________99
Examples 3, 4 __________________________________________________100
Examples 5, 6 __________________________________________________101
Example 7 ____________________________________________________102
CHAPTER 11: Phrase-Reduction Korvai ______________________________103
Example 1 ____________________________________________________103
Example 2 ____________________________________________________103
Example 3 ____________________________________________________104
Example 4 ____________________________________________________104
Example 5 ____________________________________________________105
Examples 6-9 __________________________________________________106

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS
CHAPTER 12: Intricate Korvai ______________________________________107
Examples 1a,b, 2-4 ______________________________________________107
Examples 5-9 __________________________________________________108
Examples 10-12 ________________________________________________109
Examples 13-16 ________________________________________________110
Examples 17-19 ________________________________________________111
Examples 20, 21 ________________________________________________112
CHAPTER 13: Tihais ______________________________________________113
Example 1 ____________________________________________________114
CHAPTER 14: Switching To Triplet Gears ______________________________115
Examples 1-8 __________________________________________________115
CHAPTER 15: Quintuplet Gear Changes ______________________________116
Examples 1-5 __________________________________________________116
CHAPTER 16: Play-Along Track #1 - “Mind The Gap” ____________________117
With Drums ____________________________________________________119
Without Drums ________________________________________________119
CHAPTER 17: Play-Along Track #2 - “An Excursion Into Ambiguity” ________122
With Drums ____________________________________________________124
Without Drums ________________________________________________124
CHAPTER 18: Play-Along Track #3 - “Fill The Fives” ______________________126
With Drums ____________________________________________________129
Without Drums ________________________________________________129
CHAPTER 19: Phonetic Pronunciation ________________________________132
GLOSSARY ____________________________________________________133

AUDIO EXAMPLES IN THIS BOOK

This book contains embedded audio for select examples!

Examples featuring audio will have an indicator like this:

7
To play audio, just click the notation and playback will begin!

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 BIOGRAPHY

PETE LOCKETT: Multi Percussionist

A ward-winning musician Pete Lockett is
one of the most versatile and prolific
percussionists in the world. His per-
cussive skills range from traditional Hindustani
and Carnatic music of North and South India to
traditional Japanese taiko drumming; from
blues, funk and rock to classical, folk and eth-
nic. Having worked in virtually every field of
music conceivable both live and in the studio,
his boundless talents have made him one of
the most in-demand percussionists in
the world.
Renowned for his remarkable ability to bring
traditional instruments out of their original cul-
tural setting, he has recorded and/or
performed with Bjork, Peter Gabriel, Robert
Plant, Bill Bruford, Jeff Beck, David Torn, Vikku Vinayakram, Selva Ganesh, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Lee Scratch Perry,
Primal Scream, Ed Mann, The Verve, Steve Smith, John Spencer Blues Explosion, David Holmes, Ganesh
Kumaresh, Michael Nyman, Pandit Sharda Sahai, Natacha Atlas, Texas, Trans-Global Underground, London
Philharmonic Orchestra, Phil Manzanera, Bedlam, Edwyn Collins, Jon Hassell, Damien Rice, Craig Armstrong,
John Bergamo, Bernard Butler, David Mcalmont, Metro Voices, London Sinfonietta, Natasha / Daniel
Bedingfield, Euphoria, Catherine Bott, Playgroup, Taufiq Qureshi, U Shrinivas, Rajesh Mandolin, Suga Babes,
Ronan Keating, Nitin Sawhney, Evan Dando, Adrian Sherwood, Kula Shaker, Afro Celt Sound System, Vanessa-
Mae, David Arnold, Evelyn Glennie, Errol Brown, Rory Gallagher, Gary Husband, Pet Shop Boys, Beth Orton,
Martina Topley Bird, Shankar Mahedevan, Little Axe, Dino Merlin, Doug Wimbish, Ronu Majumdar, Hari Haran,
Amy Winehouse, Mel C, Junior Delgado, The Aloof, David Toop, Lowell Fulson, A R Rahman, Archive, Luke Vibert,
Eumir Deodato, Kadri Gopalnath, Pandit Shankar Ghosh, TVG, Andy Gangadeen, Steve White, the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC concert orchestra, Youth of Killing Joke, Reshma, Aziz Ibrahim (Stone Roses/Simply
Red), DJ Judge Jules, Sinead O'Connor, Paul Heard/Mike Pickering (M People), Hands On’Semble, and more!
He has also worked extensively in the film industry, appearing on many soundtracks including Casino Royale,
City of Angels, Moulin Rouge, The Insider, Plunkett and Maclean, and Snatch. He has also worked in Bollywood on
films with Bickram Ghosh and Kollywood with AR Rahman, most recently on the blockbuster Siva Ji. He has
taught and lectured in Britain and the USA including at The Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of
Music in London, and continues to run workshops all over the world. He contributes articles for drum maga-
zines internationally, including Modern Drummer and Rhythm magazines. His web site, petelockett.com, has
become increasingly popular for its hundreds of free video and audio percussion lessons.
Pete has a number of projects which are regularly touring: Network of Sparks and Taiko to Tabla. Pete’s first
album, Network of Sparks, featuring Bill Bruford was released in October 1999. The second album, featuring
musicians from Pakistan, Ghana, and Japan, was released in 2003.There are two Taiko to Tabla albums (with
Japanese master drummer Joji Hirota): Live at the Bruges Festival on Zoku-EMI label, and a studio album also on
ARC. Both projects have performed to packed houses all over the world.
Pete’s new projects include Parallax Beat Brothers, with electronics wizard Scanner, and Taalisman featuring
Amit Chatterjee, guitarist with the legendary Joe Zawinul and also Trilok Gurtu.
Pete is very active in India and has a major CD release in 2008 on one of the main Indian labels. The album fea-
tures collaborations with some of the finest Indian percussion masters such as Vikku Vinayakram, Bickram
Ghosh, and Pandit Shankar Ghosh. It is part of a series entitled “Journeys with the Master Drummers of India.”
Please visit Pete’s web sites and say “hi”: www.petelockett.com and www.myspace.com/petelockett

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 INDIAN RHYTHMS FOR DRUMSET

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Carnatic (Southern) and Hindustani (Northern) The goal of this book is to explain some of the Indian
musical traditions of India are two of the most rhythmic formalities (mainly from the South) in a clear
detailed and intense rhythmic systems in the world. and understandable way. We’ll analyze the systems in
The Carnatic tradition in particular has a system of detail by first checking out the traditional applica-
building blocks and structures which can be tions, instruments, and common phonetics (syllables).
employed on the drumset or other percussion instru- Then we’ll explore ways in which the these ideas can
ments within other musical styles (jazz, rock, funk, etc.). be employed on the drumset. By the end of the book,
you’ll have a wealth of information to explore, includ-
The Carnatic rhythmic system is organized methodi-
ing new groove and solo concepts, advanced
cally in a way that provides much scope to develop
phrasing ideas, rhythmic modulations, and unusual
solo, fill, groove, and phrase-building concepts in any
stickings. The objective is to give the reader enough
style—whether it’s thrash metal, western classical, or
grounding in the formalities to enable them to devel-
intricate jazz improv. This system has given inspiration
op ideas and concepts of their own and integrate it
to some of the greatest artists of Western music,
into their playing.
including drummers Steve Smith and Trilok Gurtu,
and guitarist John McLaughlin.
For many years, there has been a certain amount of
mystique surrounding the music of India. True, the
rhythms can sound incredibly complex. But if you
develop an understanding of the roots of Indian
phrasing, you’ll eventually be able to understand-
what’s happening and develop similar ideas within
your own rhythmic approach.

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 CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Solo Development in South India

The following section and transcriptions regarding the formalities of South- and North-Indian solo
construction is mainly for demonstrative purposes with the practical drumset application material
beginning from Chapter 2 onwards.
In the notated example that follows, the basis of the underlying groove is a quarter-note pulse playing
“ta dim dim ta.” I have written the phrases on two lines, with the sharp staccato notes being the higher note and
open bass tones on the bottom to indicate a rough voicing of the material.
A typical solo would begin with this groove or another simple pattern and would be broken up by gradually
introducing solo phrases. These solo phrases are introduced at shorter and shorter intervals as they lead to a
larger rhythmic composition derived from the solo phrases that have been introduced. The latter fixed section
might be four or eight bars long and will generate a more intense rhythmic structure. Then the whole process
starts over.

GROOVE AND SOLO PHRASES: INTRODUCTION AND LARGER COMPOSITION

This method is a great way to develop thematic material.
The solo phrase in the following example is in bar four, “ta ta co ku ta ka di na.” These syllables are commonly
used for mridangam, but we won’t be using them in the examples later in the book.
However, for the purpose of these examples, they’ll help illustrate their integration within the time.
This solo phrase is introduced every fourth bar, then every second bar until the phrase is formed into a rhyth-
mic cadence of notes repeated three times to conclude. (tihai in North-Indian terms or arudie in
South-Indian terms). This method of introducing a solo phrase into the rhythm is very common in South India,
but not so much in the North.

The repertoire of Carnatic music employs similar phrases and rhythms in various time cycles. In the next exam-
ple, we have a similar approach to the groove and solo phrase. But this time it’s in seven. The feel of this time
cycle is 3 + 4. Look for the introduction of the same solo phrase as in the previous example.

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 INDIAN RHYTHMS FOR DRUMSET

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