Beat 309 of my #DrumBeatProject: 4 related beats this week w/notations. A continuation of last week`s beat & a peak at my writing process for a new idea (see that post for more info). The RH is the fluid element in all 4 beats (the LH, RF & LF are consistent). I came up w/a ride rhythm that I try out here on 2 toms, tambo, cowbells & triangle. Also, some extensions from last week, playing that same 1/4 note pattern among 4 pitched cyms or @gmdcymbals sound discs. 6th vid is a trial pattern on 3 toms. Using a variety of implements depending on the instrumentation. Just lots of orchestration possibilities w/this idea, still messing around with it and excited to see where it goes! The 2 tom 1st beat was the trickiest since the RH switches drums independently of the left side movement, try it out - its feels gr8 when it locks in. Shows this weekend on the east coast for Saccata Quartet. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion drumbeattheory drumbeatproject loveyourneighbor...
Beat 308 of my #DrumBeatProject 11.25.25 w/notations and alt tempos. A glimpse into my writing process for a new piece idea by asking musical questions. I came up with a chord prog. on vibes the other day and wondered if I move it to a pitched component of my kit, could I then add a drumbeat accompaniment? I started out with creating the beat w/out the RH (leaving that for the melody), & utilizing the HH w/foot to fill in inner beats and create a ghost note / almost pseudo-delay effect. That effect comes through the most on the slower 3rd vid fyi. Then I started trying RH ostinatos on various cyms, metal perc. and drums over the top. I was going to post some of those first but am still messing around with them - so likely next week. Once I locked in the RH quarter notes, decided to move those to the @aluphone bells for a simple C-B-E-G melody. Next, I’ll start trying to work out sections of the orig. vibes chord prog. (likely on kalimba) and see what happens. This process has led to the creation of solo pieces in the past - maybe this one will hold my attention long enough to develop into something more than an interesting beat! We’ll see...Trickiest part is executing the LF / HH consecutive 16ths clearly. Shows coming up next weekend on the east coast for Saccata Quartet! Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion drumbeattheory drumbeatproject loveyourneighbor...
Beat 307 of my #DrumBeatProject 11.20.25 w/notations and alt version. This one is coming off the amazing experiences I had @percussivearts @pasic2025 last weekend. Such an inspiring scene with an incredible amount of wisdom being generously shared by so many wonderful musicians. I think the seed of this week’s beat was planted at the @officialdaveweckl clinic when he spoke of working on all hand/foot permutations to attain flow. This is based on alternate sticking broken triplets (F,L,R/F,R,L) w/a BD,LH,RH sextuplet at the end of mea. 1, balanced by an “e-+” unison hands hit at the end of mea. 2. I move the RH between the FT - SD - & 2nd FT w/metal ring (got that from him too) to create a sense of melody - again something he spoke about and demonstrated. I’m guessing there’ll be some more beats in the coming weeks inspired by those PASIC experiences. That’s a @stackringpercussion rattle hanging over the @Zildjiancompany EFX cymbal btw. The 3rd video is w/out the BD reinforcing the sextuplets. Shows coming up on the east coast for Saccata Quartet - 1st weekend of Dec. some tix still available. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion drumbeattheory drumbeatproject loveyourneighbor...
Beat 306 of my #DrumBeatProject 11.7.25 w/notation. This one happened organically, blowing off some steam while getting ready for @percussivearts @pasic2025 #50. A hypnotic groove emerges that`s a conversation of buzz strokes between the 2 SD’s, except the open 5-stroke roll “4+" pick up. Using an 808 sample on the FT/BD cocktail kick via @sunhouseinc #sensorypercussion to enhance the low end. Also exploring a dynamic contrast between the 1st and 2nd half of the beat - super fun. Using modified #activewave570 @promarksticks with rubber gaskets on the ends for a smoother sound. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects - check it out. Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel - subscribe! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @drumzncatz @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 305 of my #DrumBeatProject 11.7.25 w/notations & alt takes. Getting ready for @percussivearts #pasic50 next weekend! & the return of the #MonkeyChant for it’s 20th bday. This beat is a micro-excerpt from that piece looped in a 4 mea. pattern. Lots of odd 3-note groupings in bars 2-4 over the 4/4 right side ostinato demarcated by the low almglocken hits on every “+” of cts. 3 & 4. The LH is playing 2 HH hits followed by 2 SD hits in a conversation, w/a duple feel at first and switching to a triple feel on ct. 3 of mea. 2. I love how that change gives the impression of almost going into slow motion when it occurs. The ost. is essential running in place w/the FT in unison w/the HH. The 4th vid shows how I have to swipe the top of the HH in order for it sound, since a normal vertical stroke on the edge lines up w/it being closed. That swiping motion affects the attack by hitting slightly earlier. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 304 of my #DrumBeatProject 10.28.25 w/notations. This one has @sunhouseinc #sensorypercussion at the fore. I was experimenting w/sounds for the performances this weekend of Historia, my collaboration w/acclaimed author Karl Ove Knausgård set to the phenomenal film by @johanrenck made from the incredibly photographs of @kafpetersen - I loaded samples on the drums of me improvising w/metal scraps in an empty silo and this beat came right out. Using some aluphone bells for the pitches. Big thx to @drumzncats for dialing in the mix. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 303 of my #DrumBeatProject 10.20.25 w/alt sounds & notations. I`m prepping for the return of the Monkey Chant for its 20th birthday w/ shows next weekend NYC & MN & then at PASIC - the 50th anniversary! This one is riffing on a riff from it featuring a LH rhythmic melody over the ostinato of the other 3 limbs. The phrasing = 3+3+3+3+2+2 (16). I absolutely love those layers of 3 against 4 in the micro & macro - hence its inclusion in this project. I highly recommend trying it out for that reason as well. 1st 2 vids use the @percussion.wtf Reco Electro on the hit, 3rd @stack_ring_percussion wonderfullness & 4th my go-to @zildjiancompany stack. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 302 of my #DrumBeatProject 10.15.25 w/alt tempo vids & notations. Utilizing the prepared snare head this week, specifically 3 groupings of small springs (see last vid for a close up) & 1 large spring. I didn’t realize the @thepolicebandofficial influence until after I made it - but had just been listening to "Voices In My Head" - the rhythmic similarities are evident (and honestly the @stuart_copeland influence is just under the surface in anything I do). An open-handed groove with the RH stick hitting the springs and then my thumb nail scraping the long spring in mea. 2 as the exclamation point (in mea.1 its the @meinlpercussion tar hit (w/an @shure SM57 underneath)). An inside paradiddle on ct. 2 of both mea. & HH opening accents on the “e” of ct. 3 round it all out. My fav aspect is the implied 1/2 time backbeat on ct. 3 embedded w/the regular 2.4 backbeat - but since ct. 4 is on a diff. sound, it all just works without sounding chaotic or overly busy. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. A couple of super cool shows coming up in NYC on 10/29 & MN on 11/2! also @PASIC in Nov! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 301 of my #DrumBeatProject 9.30.25 w/alt vids & notations. This one has 2 distinct halves. 1st is 3 groups of 3 16th notes in a descending line featuring tom-to-SD sweeps w/open & wide interp. 2nd 1/2 is a 7 note pattern phrased & fit into the space of 5 16ths. This one was improvised & came super quick w/only a few little tweaks - it`s a little strange, but has a nice melodic rhythmic cadence imo. 4th vid shows the @sunhouseinc #sensorypercussion tones I`m using. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. A couple of super cool shows coming up in NYC on 10/29 & MN on 11/2! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
It`s the 300th!!! consecutive weekly beat of my #DrumBeatProject - 9.30.25 w/notations. Thx to my AMAZING daughter for helping out on both the vid & interpretation for this one. A classic fill inspired it, AAAB form w/natural phrasing that put it into 19/16 time! Maybe the first beat of this project in that time signature? The "crotale" variation is notated but pitches are at the performer`s discretion... so be creative & enjoy! HUGE thanks to @clark.hubbard for digitizing these beats and helping make this project a reality - endless gratitude! Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on the new @cutworms single #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun - Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 299 of my #DrumBeatProject 9.22.25 w/alt tempi & notations. 5+5+6 =16 This one came right out after mounting the little snare over the BD. I didn`t realize it was in 4/4 until I checked out the vid & heard the 16ths grouped that way. I liked the cadence of that 5+5+6 subdivision pattern, so decided to include it in the project. 4th vid shows the BD part best, 6th vid shows the BD/SD Swiss Triplets. Vids 5 & 7 are slower for learning. The stack is @zildjiancompany EFX cym upside down w/spiral stack resting inside & the ride is a primitive unfinished cym that @cymbalcraftsman made for me years ago - its`s completely incredible. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on the new @cutworms single #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun - Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 298 of my #DrumBeatProject 9.18.25 w/diff tempos & notations. I was mixing a new record w/ @DarinGraymusic this week and the drums were soloed up in an irregular loop to check something out. The rhythm of that loop was so odd & cool that I recorded a quick voice memo to see exactly what it was. Turns out it was in 11/16 time - something I haven’t really explored much since it’s not the most practical time sig to work on… I have recorded songs in 11/8 (w/Darin btw!) but not 11/16. Anyway, I started exploring some various ideas in 11/16 along the lines of that groove/feel - this is one of them. Listening back, it kinda sounds like 3+3+2+3 to me but as you can see from the notations, I was thinking of it as 4+4+3. The 2nd & 3rd vids are longer to show how the groove starts to seem more "normal" & it`s easy to imagine a slinky Darin bass line over these. Either way, it was a fun detour from more sample-based, melodic beats of late... Like most beats in this project, nothing super fancy but instead a window into the process that is this project. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on the new @cutworms single #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun - Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar @wilco #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 297 of my #DrumBeatProject 9.8.25 w/origin beat & notations. I was working on some potential ideas for my @sound_and_gravity solo set & ended up honing in on and looping this melodic segment from a new piece under construction. ABAC form w/LH melody on @majesticpercussion glock, RH playing alternating chords on kalimba - & BD using @sunhouseinc #sensorypercussion to trigger the electro sample. Like last week (diff. part of the same piece), @upcycledpercussion & @meinlpercussion chimes on the HH as well. 2nd vid is from @wilco backstage in Montana and is an earlier, sample-free version: thx to @nelscline for the camera work! Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on the new @cutworms single #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun - Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 296 of my #DrumBeatProject 8.22.25 w/variations & notations. I`m working on some potential ideas for my solo show this coming week @constellationchicago as part of the exciting inaugural @sound_and_gravity fest and thought I`d show how this one is developing. The 1st vid is the current state, 2nd vid is what it was a couple of weeks ago when I first started investigating it backstage @wilco show in MT. I added some customized samples triggered by my BD/rt foot thx to @sunhouseinc #sensorypercussion - RH is playing the alternating kalimba chords, LH on @majesticpercussion glock melody and the HH went from 2&4 (2nd faster vid) to HH splashes (3rd vid) to using @creative_percussion HH extender to mount & agitate @upcycledpercussion key chimes & @meinlpercussion pin chimes (all other vids). 4th vid is me phrasing the Glock line a bit more like a behind-the-beat big band horn part - woozy - so it better lines up with the imperfect sample (that`s still under construction). That proved to be a really interesting challenge, phrasing limbs differently (strict time vs. laying back - gonna keep experimenting w/that in the future!). Btw, I definitely consider this a beat, even though it`s mostly pitched, since I`m using all 4 limbs on percussion. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on the new @cutworms single #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun - Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 295 of my #DrumBeatProject 8.25.25 w/alt temps & notations. I went to check my drums before our 2nd @Wilco Seattle show since @AshwinDeepankar put the new @evansdrumheads HD Dry heads on my kit. They sounded so amazing (last vid) that his tuning inspired this melodic pattern to emerge. I added the SD “clave” part (which required some sweeps) and then the LH part which is just filling in all the rests on the cool @gmdcymbals Accent 1 mounted on a HH clutch here. The last element was the samba foot pattern underneath which I chose since I didn’t have time so work up anything else! *The whole process took all of 5 mins to develop and capture... The HH tambo is by Seattle’s own @Kepplingerdrums - love those dark jingles, and that’s a @promarksticks custom drumset mallet in my RH that gets more tone and less attack from the drums - great for beats like this. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on the new @cutworms single #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun - Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 294 of my #DrumBeatProject 8.13.25 w/alt takes & notations. This one was instigated by my @zildjiancompany field bells. I had a couple out for use on a @Wilco song at sound check and decided to build a beat around them. This one has an A/B/A/C form with the A parts being a bit challenging physically due to the speedy movement required to execute the 32nds on the field bells. I like how the unaccompanied crash and the FT tags balance out the bells and also provide a nice melodic shape to the beat while the upbeat-heavy groove remains the foundation under it all. Thanks for the wonderful camera work! @viqitoi & nice cameo by @mikaeljorgensen in the 3rd vid too. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on the new @cutworms single #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun - Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard @ashwindeepankar #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 293 of my #DrumBeatProject 8.11.25 w/alt vids & notations. I was thoughtfully gifted 4 nice frog guiro/rasps (shocked I didn’t have any?!), so decided to see if I could come up with something in 5 mins on my busy day off in Chicago on this @Wilco tour. Here it is! Not tricky rhythmically, but mostly challenging in getting the scrapes to sound in time and also having that motion go against the circular sliding motion of the brush on SD: those 2 different lateral motions are why I included this beat in the project btw. I pulled out that vintage brush after a juicy brush conversation w/the gr8 @900x (tagging @slingerlanddrums here in hopes they’ll reissue! Those were designed by Jake Jerger - I played his drumset solos for contests in Jr. High). Foot pattern is my go-to Afro-Cuban type thing - is it a Mambo or Cha-Cha foot pattern? Let me know if you know what it is plz! Thx to @frankiegup for the frogs! Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 292 of my #DrumBeatProject 7.31.25 w/alt tempos & notations. All about the HiHat! My initial idea this week was for a half-time beat w/an active low end part & a backbeat that was drastically different tonally - which are all components of this one - but the HH part came unexpectedly and ended up being my fav aspect. That`s something that I learned while composing longer chamber pieces: the music often dictates where the piece goes, more than the composer - unexpected turns present themselves during the process and sometimes you can`t be rigid, but have to follow those cues to get someplace truly unique and special musically... OK, so the HH basically acts as an answer here along w/the ride bell to the FT/BD riff - but then carries over in unison w/the BD for the 2nd (FT 2) 1/2 of the beat (most visible in 3rd vid). Using @meinlpercussion waterfalls & birds on the SD for a wide, sharp slap, and customized @keplingerdrums HH tambo to accentuate the HH part. That`s some @sansonic1 sound check gtr. action on the later vids. Camera work by @ashwin_deepankar - Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 291 of my #DrumBeatProject 7.29.25 w/alt tempos & notations. A nice little melodic vamp (best w/headphones) that came together in minutes. I didn’t get much playing time this week due to pre- @Wilco tour craziness, so I guess I willed this one to happen quickly. I started playing an ostinato w/my feet and RH and decided to have the LH do something pitched. Since the ostinatos are straight forward enough, I was able to add some fun syncopation in that LH part. It started w/the RH on cym and one mallet in the LH (last vid) but after hitting the rebolo, realized it w/the rack tom was a much more sonically compelling accompaniment to the crotales thx to the @tackle_instrument stick topper. I switched to two mallets in the LH for accuracy to better get the bigger e-c jump - and also aluminum mallets for clarity over the rumbling drums and @creative_percussion can shaker. Try the LH on any surface first then add the pitches if desired - but this one is easy & fun enough to try imo! Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projects check’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki @clark.hubbard @ashwindeepankar #ABeatAWeek #drumbeatimmersion #drumbeattheory #drumbeatproject #loveyourneighbor...
Beat 290 of my #DrumBeatProject 7.8.25 w/alt temp vids & notations. This is the first thing that I played on my new @majesticpercussion field drum: it really drew out some of my rudimental tendencies in the best way. The beat starts with RH & LH stutters (basically an inside 5 w/the bookend notes on BD). It then goes to an open HH accent followed by a 32nd note accented figure and ending with consecutive LH & RH flams on SD, all resulting in a very satisfying beat to play. 2nd vid is faster, 3rd is diff. angle, 4th is slower w/wider flams. Past beat vids & notations at GlennKotche.com/projectscheck’ em out! Scores for all solo pieces are on my website & vids on my youtube channel, plz subscribe. Also, hear me on #Tim Barnes’ #atthethreshold #insideenergy - @gyanriley #wintersun Saccata Quartet LP on @wejazzhelsinki - @taylorswift #TorturedPoetsDepartment -@Wilco #hotsuncoolshroud @clark.hubbard #ABeatAWeek...
