"Wake 'n Break" Series

Saturday night is alright for fighting but even better for drumming! :) Today's wake 'n break is an uptempo and somewhat busy backbeat that has some ghost note action in the first bar. Looking at the bass drum first, we have notes falling on 1 and the "a" of 1, the "&" of 2, on 3 and the "a" of 3, and on the "&" of 4 throughout both bars. Next, our hi-hats are keeping a half note pulse on 1 and 3. Last but not least, we come to the snare drum. In the first bar, we have accented notes on 2 and 4, with ghost notes on the "e&" of 1 and on the "e&" of 3. Finally, the second bar simply has accented notes on 2 and 4. As always, I hope you dig it and enjoy your weekend!

Wake n Break No. 1833 - Uptempo & Busy Two Bar Backbeat With Ghost Notes In The First Bar

Notation available at:
 
It's Sunday drumday! :) Today's wake 'n break is a sixteenth note groove where we have a cross stick falling right before each backbeat on the snare. Taking the bass drum first, we have notes falling on "1&", the "a" of 2, on "3&", and on the "a" of 4. Moving along to the hi-hats, we have notes falling on "1e&", the "e&a" of 2, on "3e&", and on the "&a" of 4, with both the "&" of 1 and the "&" of 3 being played as open notes. Last but not least, our snare drum has accented notes on 2 and 4, with a cross stick falling on the "a" of 1, the "a" of 3, and on the "e" of 4. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1834 - Sixteenth Note Backbeat With An Anticipated Cross Stick Lead

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A new week is upon us once again! Today's wake 'n break is a 6/8 groove where our snare drum has accents on both an upbeat as well as a grouping of four notes in the last beat of the measure. Taking the bass drum first, we have notes falling on "1&", 2, the "&" of 3, on 4, and on "5&". Looking at the hi-hats next, we have notes falling on "1&", 2, on "3&", an open note on 4, and on "5&". Last but not least, our snare drum has accented note on the "&" of 2 and on "6e&a". As always, I hope you dig it and here's to everyone's week starting off on the good foot!

Wake n Break No. 1835 - A 6/8 Groove Where The Bass Drum & Hi-Hats Mainly Fall In Unison

Notation available at:
 
I was at a rehearsal this evening and then my uber got pulled over but today's wake 'n break is here! NO DAYS OFF! Today's wake 'n break is a 6/4 groove where we are riding the snare and playing notes flam accents. Taking the bass drum first, we have notes falling on 1, the "&" of 3, and on 5. Looking at our snare drum next, our right hand is playing a steady slew of sixteenth notes on "1&2&3&4&5&6&". We also have flammed notes on the "&" of 2, on 3, the "&" of 4, and on 6. Last but not least, our hi-hats are being chicked 1, 3, and 5. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1836 - Flam Groove In 6/4 With A Ridden Snare Drum

Notation link to be added to youtube video description soon.
 
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Happy Humpday! ? Today's wake 'n break is a funky groove in 7/4 that borrows from the first half of Clyde Stubblefield's "fat back" groove. Taking the hi-hats first, we have a steady stream of eighth notes falling on "1&2&3&4&5&6&7&" with an open note on the "&" of 3. We are also chicking our hi-hat foot on all of the downbeats. Moving along to the bass drum, we have notes falling on 1 and on the "&" of 3. Last but not least, our snare drum has accented notes on 2, the "&" of 4, the "&" of 5, and on the "&" of 6, as well as ghost notes falling on the "a" of 2, the "e" of 3, and on the "a" of 7. As always, I hope you dig it and hang in there because we're already halfway through the workweek!

Wake n Break No. 1837 - A Funky Groove In 7/4 That Borrows From The First Half of Clyde Stubblefield's "Fat Back"

Notation available at:
 
Today's wake 'n break is a bembe groove in 6/8 that is built around flams being played between the rim and the snare drum. We also have both open and closed snare tones (with our wires dropped). Looking at the feet first, our bass drum is falling on 1 while our hi-hats are being chicked on 4. Moving along to the snare drum in the first bar, we have closed notes falling on 1, 3, and 5 with an open tone on 6. In the second bar, our snare has closed tones on 2 and 4 with an open tone on 6. Last but not least, we have the cross stick. In the first bar, we have notes on 1, 3, and 5, while we have notes on 2 and 4 in the second bar. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1838 - Bembe Groove With Snare/Cross Stick Flams & Both Closed And Open Tones

Notation available at:
 
Corrupted memory cards, be damned! Today's wake 'n break is finally up and it's a funk groove built around a variation of the Mozambique bell rhythm being played on the hi-hats. Taking the bass drum first, we have notes falling on 1, the "a" of 1, and on the "e" of 4. Looking at the hi-hats next, we have an open note on 1 followed by notes on the "&" of 1, on "2e" and the "a" of 2, the "e&" of 3, and on "4e&". Last but not least, our snare drum has accented notes on the "&" of 1, the "a" of 2, and on 4 with ghost notes falling on the "&" of 2, the "a" of 3, and on the "a" of 4. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1839 - Funky Snare & Hi-Hat Groove Built Around A Mozambique Variation

Notation available at:
 
You know the deal by now. Saturday night's alright for fighting but it's better for drumming! Today's wake 'n break is a trashy boom bap backbeat that utilizes a second set of loosely tightened hi-hats, but you can use a stack or any other sound you would like. Starting with the bass drum first, we have notes falling on 1, the "e" and "a" of 2, on 3, and on the "a" of 4. Looking at our main set of hi-hats next, we have chicks on all of the upbeats or "&'s", as well as stricken notes on the "a" of 2 and on the "a" of 4. Moving along to the second set of hi-hats, we have notes falling in unison with all of the bass drum notes. Last but not least, our snare drum has accented notes on 2 and 4. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1840 - Boom Bap Backbeat Utilizing A Loosely Tightened Set of Auxiliary Hi-Hats

Notation available at:
 
It's Sunday Drumday! :) Today's wake 'n break is an odd time groove in 7/4 and is based mainly around double strokes. Taking the bass drum first, we have notes falling on 1, the "&" of 2, and on 4. Looking at the hi-hats next, we have notes falling on "1&", the "&" of 2, and an open note on 4. We also have chicks with the hi-hat foot on 5, 6, and 7. Last but not least, our snare has accented notes on 2 and the "&" of 3, with ghost notes on "5&6&7&". As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1841 - Odd Time Groove In 7/4 Based Mainly Around Doubles

Notation available at:
 
A new week is upon us once again! :) Today's wake 'n break is a two bar groove with a hand ostinato made up of sixteenth notes between the bass drum, snare drum, ride cymbal, and hi-hats. Looking at ride cymbal first, we have notes falling on "1, 2, 3, 4". Next, our hi-hats are falling on the "e" of each beat. Moving along to the snare drum, we have notes falling on the "&a" of each beat. Last but not least, our bass drum is falling on 1, 3, and 4 in the first bar, followed by notes on 1, the "a" of 2, on "3&", and on 4 in the second bar. As always, I hope you dig it and here's to everyone's week starting off on the good foot!

Wake n Break No. 1842 - Two Bar Groove With A Sixteenth Note Single Stroke Hand Ostinato

Notation available at:
 
Today's wake 'n break is a funky two bar sixteenth groove comprised of a bar of 4/4 followed by a bar of 3/4. Taking the hi-hats first, we have a steady slew of sixteenth notes on "1e&a 2e&a 3e&a 4e&a" in the first bar, followed by a slew of sixteenth notes on "1e&a 2e&a 3e&a" in the second bar. We also have open notes on 1 in the first bar and on 1 and the "&" of 2 in the second bar. Looking at the bass drum next, we have notes falling on 1 and the "a" of 1, the "a" of 2, on 3 and the "&a" of 3, and on the "a" of 4 in the first bar. Meanwhile, the second bar has notes falling on 1, the "e&" of 2, and on the "a" of 3. Last but not least, we come to the snare drum. In the first bar, we have accented notes on 2 and 4, as well as ghost notes on the "e&" of 2, the "e&" of 3, and on the "e&" of 4. Finally, the second bar has accented notes on the "&" of 1, on 2, and on "3&". As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1843 - Funky Sixteenth Note Groove Comprised of Bars of 4/4 & 3/4

Notation available at:
 
Happy Humpday! ? Today's wake 'n break is a groove is built around accented snare hits and splashed hi-hats. After listening back however, I think more of a crescendo would be hipper. Taking the bass drum first, we have notes falling on "1&", the "a" of 3, and on the "e" of 4. Looking at the snare next, we have accented notes on "2e&a", on "3e", and a flam on the "&" of 4. Last but not least, our hi-hats have a chicked note on the "&" of 3 and then we have a splashed note on the "&" of 4, which lingers until the "&" of 3 in the next bar. Personally, the long duration of the hi-hat splash is what makes this groove interesting to me. As always, I hope you dig it and hang in there because we're already halfway through the workweek!

Wake n Break No. 1844 - Accented Snare Groove With A Lingering Hi-Hat Splash

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Today's wake 'n break is a "boom chick" groove (which refers to the foot ostinato) that utilizes a shaker made of flattened bottle caps and a rare Hammerax mini Boomywang draped over my snare drum. Another unique thing is that the shaker is also being used as a stick. Taking the feet first, our bass drum is falling on 1 and 3 while our hi-hats are being chicked on all of the upbeats or "&'s". Looking at the shaker next, we have a 32nd note shake on 1, followed by strikes on 2, the "e" of 3, and on 4. Last but not least, our stick is striking the boomywang on the "a" of 1, the "&" of 2, the "a" of 3, and on the "&" of 4. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1845 - Trashy Boom Chick Groove Utilizing A Bottle Cap Shaker & Mini Boomywang

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Thank goodness it's Friday! :) Today's wake 'n break is a snare groove in 6/4. Taking the snare first, we have notes falling on "1&2&", a flammed buzz stroke on 3, and on "4&5&6&" with an accent on the "&" of 4. Next, our bass drum is falling on 1 and the "&" of 6 and last but not least, our hi-hats are being chicked on 2, 4, and 6. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1846 - Snare Groove In 6/4 With A Flammed Buzz Stroke

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Today's wake 'n break is a two bar groove with what I refer to as a "hard" one, meaning that we have a snare accent leading on 1. Starting with the snare drum first, we have accented notes falling on 1 and on 2 and the "a" of 2, as well as a ghost note on the "&" of 3. Looking at the hi-hats next, we have an open note on 1, as well as notes on "3e". Last but not least, our bass drum is falling on the "a" of 3 and on the "&" of 4 in the first bar. The second bar is the same except we are omitting the note on the "&" of 4. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1847 - Two Bar Groove With A "Hard" One

 
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It's Sunday Drumday! :) Today's wake 'n break is a sixteenth note triplet (counting: "1 trip let & trip let") backbeat that is made up of a paradiddle diddle sticking. Taking the bass drum first, we have notes falling on 1 and on "3&". Looking at the hi-hats next, we have notes falling on 1, the first "let" of 1, the "&" of 1, the first "let" of 2 and the "&" of 2, on 3, the first "let" of 3, the "&" of 3, and on the first "let" of 4 and on "4&". Last but not least, we come to the snare drum, where we have accented notes on 2 and the first "trip" of 2 and on 4 and the first "trip" of 4, as well as ghost notes on the first "trip" of 1, the second "trip" and "let" of 1, the second "trip" and "let" of 2, the first "trip" of 3, the second "trip" and "let" of 3, and finally on the second "trip" and "let" of 4. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1848 - Sixteenth Note Triplet Backbeat With A Paradiddle Diddle Sticking

Notation available at:
 
A new week is upon us once again! :) Today's wake 'n break is a two bar pandeiro groove that voices the 3/2 Son clave and utilizes both closed and open tones. Although this is being played on a Brazilian pandeiro, I didn't go for the traditional Brazilian feel. It almost has more of a second line or gospel slap to it (although I don't think I would put this under either umbrella). Taking the slaps first, we have accented notes on 1, the "&" of 2, and on 4 in the first bar, followed by non accented notes on 1 and the "&" of 2 in the second bar. Looking at the palm next, we have notes falling on the "&" of 1, on 3, and on the "&" of 4 in the first bar. Moving along to the thumb, we have notes falling on 2 and on the "&" of 3 in the first bar, followed by open tones on the "&" of 1, on 2, and on 3 in the second bar. Last but not least, our finger tips are falling on "&" of 3 and the "&" of 4 in the second bar. As always, I hope you dig it and that everyone's week starts off on the good foot!

Wake n Break No. 1849 - A 3/2 Son Clave Groove On Pandeiro

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Today's wake 'n break utilizes a set of hi-hats as well as a loosely tightened auxiliary pair of hats, but a stack would also work. Looking at the feet first, our bass drum is falling on 1, the "a" of 2, on 3, and on the "a" of 4. Meanwhile, our main set of hi-hats are being chicked on all of the upbeats or "&'s". Moving along to the auxiliary hi-hats next, we have stricken notes on 1 and 3. Finally, our snare drum has anticipated accents on the "a" of 1, the "e" of 2, the "a" of 3, and on the "e" of 4, followed by ghost notes on the 'a" of 2 and on "3e". As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1850 - Dual Hi-Hat Groove With Anticipated Snare Drum Accents

Notation available at:
 
After two corrupted memory card issues, I was able to record today's wake 'n break which is a guaguanco groove for the pandeiro. My hand was pretty much dead by the time I finally got a take. lol When listening, you can hear the pattern being accented with slaps on 1 and the "a" of 1, an open tone thumb slap on the "&" of 2, a palm roll on the "e" of 3, and open tone thumb slaps on the "a" of 3 and on the "e" of 4. The rest is basically ghost notes thrown in to keep the groove moving along. I hope you dig it and much love! Sorry, but no notation today.

Wake n Break No. 1851 - A Guaguanco Groove For Pandeiro With A Palm Roll
 
My drums are still packed up for a slew of mardi gras gigs, so today's wake 'n break is another pandeiro groove and it's merengue inspired. This one utilizes a mounted pandeiro or you can hold it between your legs like I do. Looking at the skin first, we have notes falling on "1e", the "&" of 2, and on "3e". Lastly, we are slapping the jingles on the "a" of 1, on 2, on the "&a" of 3, and on 4. As always, I hope you dig it and much love!

Wake n Break No. 1852 - A Merengue Groove For Mounted Pandeiro

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