Hi, Mr. Braman, I was researching a question I had about 4-Way and stumbled across your download, perhaps in this thread. I've working it really intently and have more feedback than I willing to type on myphone. Left a fairly detailed email on your site, if it's still functional, the Facebook and Twitter links are not.Hello Everyone,
I'm the author of Drumming Patterns. Thank you for your interest in my book. I'd be happy to directly answer any questions you might have.
To address a couple questions in the thread:
>Steve B wrote: Can't seem to find any reviews anywhere on it
It was published in 1988 and at the time well-reviewed in Percussive Notes, Downbeat, Modern Drummer, Kansas Music Review, Rimshot Magazine and Rhythm Magazine. You can read quotes from these reviews and also endorsements from Jim Chapin, Louie Bellson, and Ed Soph, and from readers who sent me complimentary emails, here: http://bit.ly/2Xwe1b7.
Unfortunately, it really hasn't been heard from since because I self-published it, immediately afterward moved to NYC, and got too involved in trying to make a living to take the time to find a distributor.
Steve, your interest in reading full reviews just gave me a good idea, thanks! I'm in the process of redesigning and expanding the site, and in the new improved version, I'll include the full text of all of those reviews (provided I can locate them all). By the way, any suggestions for improving the site or making it clearer or more informative would be appreciated.
>Alain Rieder wrote: It is based on stickings and there's a site where you can download a portion of the book.
It's actually based on a new method of organizing stickings logically, embellishing them logically, and subsequently, converting the stickings into rhythms and plugging the rhythms into ostinato patterns. By the time I do all of this there is a complete system that is created, but it's based on the initial idea of arranging all of the possible sticking patterns in a sequence from short to long.
I made the first 37 pages available for free (http://bit.ly/2XwheHH). They include all of the sticking patterns, as well as the contents, forward and introduction.
I'd recommend to anyone who is curious to download the first 37 pages that include all of the stickings. If you find value in pages 5-7 of Stick Control, I think you will find a lot of value in these. (If you are familiar with Stick Control, after you download these stickings, reading this comparison of the two books might help clarify the approach I take: http://bit.ly/2XzxPdI.)
>Todd Bishop wrote: It looks like a pretty intense library of materials for very committed practicers-- maybe not what I'd recommend for casual use. It would probably be something you would refer to in the course of working on other things, rather than using it as a primary method book.
It's actually intended as a primary method book that a beginning student should start out with (starting with the stickings), but it's also comprehensive so that the more committed to mastering drumming technique and rhythm they become, the more applications of the basic patterns they will find.
* * * *
Thanks again everyone for the discussion. If you find any value in the material I offer for free or have any other comments or suggestions, please let me know.
Thank you, Rob, please let me know how it goes.Hi Chuck, I will definitely check out your system, it looks interesting. I have been working on some ideas from Efrain Toro around harmonic rhythm and I can see some similarities in the way my brain processes his ideas with your system (at least at first glance) so I am excited to work through the basics and see how it goes
Good comment and good question. I'm limiting the patterns to single strokes and double strokes. If you're treating those as two distinct patterns to be repeated, they would have triple-strokes (i.e., RLRRRLRR, etc.). If you combine them, that sticking is eight digits in length. (RLRRLRLL)I would think the 4 digit patterns would include R+L+RR and L+R+LL and not just RR+LL
Ah, you noticed that! Yes, you spotted a major typo that has gone unnoticed for 30 years! That is REALLY helpful to me, thanks!Thanks for the response. I have downloaded your free pdfs and have been reading them. I did see your comment in the pdf on inversions so I did think about making sure that my prior comment wasn’t an inversion.
I didn’t see a comment on avoidance of triple strokes. The five stroke pattern R+LL+RR would have the same issue, where repetition would yield RLLRRRLLRR. This also yields triple strokes.
Sorry to be a bother on this. I’m very interested in the concept and I’m analyzing it for a better understanding.
I appreciate all the information you’ve presented and I digest information by challenging it. So, again, sorry for the trouble.
Thanks for your compliment and interest.Hi @Chuck Braman , really interesting stuff.
I'm a sucker for the analytical approach to drumming, it's one of my own areas of work.
Could you tell me a little about how this applies to the drum kit and snare drum repertoire? I appreciate you are offering free pages (which I have read through), and offering individual chapters, but I'd really like to hear your own words on the matter.
For example, how might your approach be applied to snare drum composition, or a drum solo?
Thanks, and nice work.
Hello again, Jonathan,Hi @Chuck Braman , really interesting stuff.
I'm a sucker for the analytical approach to drumming, it's one of my own areas of work.
Could you tell me a little about how this applies to the drum kit and snare drum repertoire? I appreciate you are offering free pages (which I have read through), and offering individual chapters, but I'd really like to hear your own words on the matter.
For example, how might your approach be applied to snare drum composition, or a drum solo?
Thanks, and nice work.
Hello again, Jonathan,
I just took the time to go through the links under your signature, and yes, we do have A LOT in common! Both in the theoretical/conceptual and in the aesthetic realm. I'm interested in exploring your work more closely. In overview, it looks impressive.
Something you may or may have not noticed on my site, because I just uploaded the bulk of them a few days ago, are the transcriptions on the blog page: https://www.drummingpatterns.com/blog-categories/transcriptions. With your interest in and scholarship on the subject of broken-time drumming, I think you'll find the extended transcriptions of the time-keeping of drummers like Paul Motian and Roy Haynes to be of interest. I also have two extended interviews with Paul there where I had the opportunity to learn just how his new conception of drumming came to be: https://www.drummingpatterns.com/blog-categories/interviews
In my book, the section on non-independent patterns might also be of special interest to you given your context.
I haven't looked at his book in 30 years, so it's unfair to comment on it from my recollection. But in general terms, the essential difference between my approach and all others I've ever seen is that I define the basic list of patterns objectively and then embellish and apply them systematically. Essentially, I think of my book as detailing a historic discovery that's the equivalent in drum technique and rhythm to what the harmonic system is to other instrumentalists or what the system of grammar is to those who work with language. In other words, as something fundamental that was discovered and identified, not something that was created by me, other than my thinking everything through and developing it into a book.Hi Chuck,
Thanks for the kind words. There does seem to be a similar aesthetic and approach with our concepts towards the drums.
I’ll have a look at the links you’ve shared and explore further. It’s certainly a fascinating take on it.
How do you think your approach sits alongside similar fundamental approaches like that presented by Gary Chaffee (Patterns Series, especially Sticking Patterns)?