Contemporary Drum Compositions

This book is designed for the intermediate/advanced drummer to improve musical, technical control and reading ability, and presents several rhythmic styles, such as funk, jazz and Latin. I'm not trying to educate you on the 'correct' Cuban or Brazilian grooves, but have used this music as an inspiration for different phrashings and concepts. In the notes you can find book recommendations to explore the styles fully. Please feel free to use the material creatively, like repeating bars when you feel like it. You can also use the pieces for advanced sight reading, but I suggest that you take time to look carefully at the dynamics and stickings. All the stickings are basedon a right handed player (please reverse them if you are left handed). The basic concept is to have rhythmic compositions with basic classical notation and technique, that you can play on a drumset or on a practice pad with your feet stompin' at the floor. The first part is snare and bassdrum with hi-hat foot suggestions. Later in the book hi-hat (with stick) and snarerim are added. The advantage of these concepts is that playing through these etudes is very closely related to what is going on in modern music. Especially important for players in Jazz, Rock and Latin, but also very useful for a classical percussionist who needs solid music training. The last part of this book is a few pages of technique studies and rhythmic concepts that is related to the compositions. The purpose is not to include all basic strokes and principles (there are already many great books for that) but to show you some concepts that I have found useful and special through my years of playing and teaching. ' Michael Axen