Drum Beat Project
Beat 124 of my #DrumBeatProject 5.7.22 Swipe for notations & 2 more vids. This is a sibling to last week’s beat - same rhythms but the RH is playing 3 sets of pitches on the #octobans w/an A-B-C-B form. Again, this originated in the drum part for the forthcoming “In A Sad Kind Of Way” @Wilco song - this and the 2 xtra vids all feature 2 intertwined feels: duple based 4 against triplet based 3 is my best explanation of it. The difference this week is, these all have a pitched RH part. 1st xtra vid beat is a pivoting chord change, 2nd xtra vid beat is a loop using distorted vibe samples. Between the 8 var. last week, these 3 and some more that I didn’t share - you can see how one simple idea (duple:triple juxtaposed with 3:4 here) can lead to vast, new territories - some of which can really be worth exploring deeper. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects- check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 123 of my #DrumBeatProject 5.10.22 Swipe for notations & 7 more vids! Ok, I started obsessing on this when I began practicing a new @wilco song, “In A Sad Kind Of Way”. It’s a beautiful acoustic folk song that I play a rhythm part on an Indian dholak throughout except for the 2 bridges where this shuffle-esque cross-rhythm is happening to the dotted 8th pulse on kit. So basically drums are playing an implied, triplet-based, faster sounding meter under the 4/4 of the rest of the band - It’s super subtle on the recording but when extracted from the song and played on its own - countless variations present themselves. This beat is an attempt to illustrate the band 4/4 part with the right hand while the other 3 limbs play the implied meter. 2nd vid is more like the drum part on record. Vids 3-6 are all variations of the main beat. I included them because I found different aspects of the beat either emerge or blend depending on how they’re voiced which impacts how they're interpreted, felt and experienced. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects- check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 122 of my #DrumBeatProject 5.2.22 Swipe for notations. As promised, here’s the precursor to last week’s beat. It’s got a consistent hand pattern (RH on temple blks instead of octobans this time), but w/an evolving foot pattern - the rhythm stays the same, but the HH gradually gives way to the BD. Again, a broken triplet pattern between the LF, LH & RH - starting on ct. 2 reverses direction for cts. 3 & 4. I like zoning in on each individual limb on this one - each voice seems like it could be the primary one, but they all sound best in concert. Using @creative_percussion shaker mallets, see tags for all the other preparations. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects- check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 121 of my #DrumBeatProject 4.26.22 Swipe for notations - I found a cool but forgotten 4 bar loop/sample on my SPD from a past solo show the other day and started to play over it - this beat is what came out. There’s actually a slightly earlier incarnation that had a changing foot pattern - maybe I’ll post that next week if I have the time to capture it. I only need to trigger the loop every 4 bars so I added the little octoban melody in place of a stack/HH sound. The @creative_percussion Z shaker hits on the upbeat of ct. 1 so both are adding a little sonic variety that works well with the electro sample. At the core of this beat is a broken triplet pattern between the LF(HH), SD x-stk (using the @Gruvxpercussion x-click for that) and RH - starting on ct. 2 and then reversing direction for cts. 3 & 4. Either way, it retains that rolling 3 motif under the 4/4 time - I’m a sucker for that. This is actually easier for me to execute evenly when it’s a bit faster - but am locked into this tempo due to the loop. A lot of these beats come from writing & then executing them, but it’s always fun to let the body “write” the groove and then notate it afterwards. Using lots of fun xtra sounds on the HH and SD and finger too - see tags. I found that the customized @Promarksticks #activewave570 sig stk really brings out the tone of the low octobans more than a stick or trad mallet as well. I love messing around with miniature sound variations like that. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 120 of my #DrumBeatProject 4.12.22 Swipe for notations - Keeping with last week’s post @Wilco is wrapping up our 20th anniv. shows this weekend for my 1st record w/the band, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. This beat is from the song “Pot Kettle Black” it’s a 2 bar phrase w/ the LH covering the kit part & the RH covering the overdubs: ceramic tiles & electro-buzz sounds on the SPD. This one took me a minute since the RH is doing a counter-clockwise 3-note pattern (w/tag) & the LH is doing a 4-note lateral pattern - lots of targets! The BD also has a 2 bar rhythm & HH opens every 2 repetitions. Again, just trying to stay true to the record for these shows w/strings & horns. I’ve also never played it live this way before this run, so again, counting it as a new beat, although not sure if #120 is actually 120bpm… Using @tackle_instrument stick topper & customized @promarksticks #activewave570 sig stk. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 119 of my #DrumBeatProject 4.11.22 Swipe for notations - @Wilco is playing 20th anniversary shows this week for my 1st record w/the band, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I’ve been listening to it to try and represent what I did on the record the best I can live and a lot of the time that means covering my main part and some overdubs simultaneously. The songs morph over time live with parts changing and things being added to make for a more exciting live experience, but since we’re using an expanded band for these shows, it’s been a lot of fun and a nice challenge to stay true to the record. This beat is from the 2nd verse of Kamera - it’s a 4 bar phrase w/ the LH covering the kit part and the RH covering the ceramic tiles that I overdubbed. When the tiles are placed on foam and played with medium rubber xylo mallets, they get a cool percussive pitched (but not precisely) tone. I loaded samples of those into the SPD since the tiles are too fragile to take on the road. Since I’ve never played it live this way before, I’m counting it as a new beat for me… New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 118 of my #DrumBeatProject 4.5.22 Swipe for notations and 2 alt vids. Using @sunhouseinc #SensoryPercussion to play some house sounds on SD X-Stk and my own samples on BD to give this beat a new direction. I love how the acoustic drums w/accessories blend w/the electronic and pitched chords here. This one almost sounds like a cousin to a 1/2x funk groove or something vaguely South American, but with it being in 5 & having those sounds - it ends up somewhere else. Using an @MeinlPercussion finger shaker w/ @Creative_Percussion shaker mallet & my #ActiveWave570 stk. The 1st alt vid shows how the x-stk is cycling between 4 chords and leaves out the BD samples & the 2nd alt vid is just w/proper SD instead of the x-stk. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! Thx @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 117 of my #DrumBeatProject 3.29.22 Swipe for more vids & notations. This one came about after watching the ending ostinato from the new solo video that I posted this week of “Fantasy On The Fifth” - it’s on my YouTube channel - link in bio. I took that right side pattern and added a LH melody to it courtesy of #Sensory Percussion by @Sunhouseinc - I loaded samples of some super cool @morfbeats tuned metal plates that the wonderful @ashwin_deepankar commissioned to get some nice, vaguely-gamelan tones. The second vid has the alternate ending & the 3rd vid has RT to SD sweeps in place of the SP sounds. Using customized @Promarksticks marching tenor mallet in the LH and #ActiveWave570 sig stk in the RH. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! @clark.hubbard #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 116 of my #DrumBeatProject 3.21.22 Swipe for notations and related beat vid. This is a linear beat for the most part. I like how the HH is used for flow - filling in subdivisions (two a’s) instead of keeping time. The BD and SD are pretty much playing a straight up waltz tho - but with the other voices and kalimba in there it doesn’t sound like one. To me. the kalimba is playing a bass line with the drums acting as both support and counterpoint. I’m using distortion on the kalimba and mix of @creative_percussion shaker mallet @davedeming Lang-Ying brooms and @promarksticks customized felt mallet in the LH - I really like using multiple implements at once for both sound and feel - usually for recording. The alt beat is closely related but w/a slightly different BD and Kalimba part and no ghost notes. I love how slight differences can have such a huge impact on a beat. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 115 of my #DrumBeatProject 3.7.22 Swipe for notations and stk pic. I picked this one because it’s got a nice balance of drum, metal, electronic and shaker sounds. It’s pretty straight forward performance-wise: feet are alternating and grounded around the down beats and the hands fill in the rest of the subdivisions. But my favorite aspects are the compositional characteristics & aforementioned timbral variety: it’s got the spark of the double stack 32nd note figure in count 1(can be played on any surface tho) which is balanced by the longer-tone shaker ball & SPD hit on the + of count 4. The SPD is triggering the bass tone and electronic tear/scratch sound and the shaker sounds are provided by the @creative_percussion Ball Shakers and HH Can Shaker. I’m also trying out some new models of @promarksticks that were so generously sent! Swipe for pic (antique stx are just beneath these new ones too). Specifically Firegrain Rebound 5A & Raw Hickory Forward 5A, both feel great. New solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 114 of my #DrumBeatProject 2.22.22 Swipe for notations. Another melodic beat. The left hand part came first. I then doubled that on drums, adding some BD syncopations and HH openings. So it’s almost like 2 different, concurrent realizations of the same beat - one with definite pitch the other w/indefinite pitch. You can try them separately but it’s much more fun together. I did it with a nylon crotale mallet too which is nice when you’re in the room - but the aluminum one cuts better on the mini-speakers that this will be heard through. If you try this one out, I suggest getting the drum part down first and then just adding one crotale note at a time, repeating the beat until it’s locked in and continuing additively from there. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! Solo pieces are up on my youtube channel, link in bio #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 113 of my #DrumBeatProject 2.25.22 Swipe for notations. A louder & more aggressive one to reflect my (& everyone’s) frustration & anger w/everything that’s happened this past week… Ok, this is a beat built around a lick - specifically a 3-note ruff incorporating the BD (RF/RH/LH). The wonderful @BobRummage taught me this as a set up for hits in big band settings, but I use it every show with @wilco to punctuate pushes (usually + of ct. 4) - along w/4 -stroke ruffs (RLRF or RLRL). I’ve also used this idea in a few previous beats w/ the LF instead of RF for cool flourishes on HH. I’m alternating between the 2 FT’s here for some pitch variety & my @promarksticks #activewave570 customized sig. stx help to bring out the low end. I added upbeat HH utilizing my @creative_percussion can shaker & @upcycledpercussion Snapple-cap rattle to give it a bit more groove/swing too. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor
Beat 112 of my #DrumBeatProject 1.11.22 Swipe for notations. Another beat made possible w/threaded spring rods - making it a close companion to beat #107. I’m using them for scraping cyms & each other and swatting - the prepared tambourim - in order to get some fun sounds (not using the spring tips here tho). #107 is in 4 but this one’s in 4+3 =7. I like the range of varied but complementary timbres happening here, which is why I chose it. I’m also utilizing heaps of @upcycledpercussion to really bring out the hats. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor @wilco @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar
Beat 111 of my #DrumBeatProject 2.2.22 Swipe for notations. Another studio post from the recent @Wilco session. Thanks to my cameraman (& head crusher) @mikaeljorgensen - This is the beat to a new song and in order to double up the BD part w/FT for more impact, I had to go left hand lead/ride here. That coupled w/every SD fattened up with a flam - and the HH voice coming in for 3 bars at a time, make playing this require more attention than I thought, even tho it’s pretty basic on the surface -- I love beats w/layers like that! It’s got a lot of space which makes it suit the hypnotic qualities of the song too. Using an amalgam of drums here - my @sonordrumco FTs, a vintage Zykos (!) rack, @WTSdrums SD & a vintage Slingerland BD 2 w/ @lowboybeaters (another @revival_drum_shop find). Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar
Beat 110 of my #DrumBeatProject 2.8.22 Swipe for notations, xtra vids & gear pic. This one came about after messing around with some of my new favorite instruments from @creative_percussion - they give an otherwise straightforward beat a new life w/interesting sounds and textures. I’ve got a contact mic right under the Guiro Stax on the main vid - VERY present but I love that sound and wanted to magnify it. Also using the offset Z shakers and MFX Jingle Ring w/Gruv_X Mag Sizzler on the stack. The mic is off to the side a bit for the 1st xtra vid = much more subtle scrape sound. The HH is acting as the backbeat and SD part is more bkbt support in this one. The pic is a better view of the accouterment. Final vid is a variation without utilizing the xtra sounds. I played it faster and w/alt sticking on HH part. The 1st SD is now a displaced bkbt - adding a little skip. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar
Beat 109 of my #DrumBeatProject 12.2.21 Swipe for notations and xtra gear pics. I’m back in the studio this week w/ @Wilco and was reminded of this little clip from when I was recording at our loft in Dec. We were going for some non-traditional drum sounds for a couple of songs so I got to pull out some of my more eclectic instruments. Hidden under the towels are some fantastic @WTSdrums (so great in the studio), vintage boobams & some cool graduated sauce pans (see the xtra pics of all of those). Also, using vintage North & @Sonordrumco floor toms & lots of world percussion on the drums too (thx to @steedmans !). This beat features all of those sounds plus a tennis ball can, wooden sistrum & @Keplingerdrums mtl plate on the HH, a vintage djembe acting as a SD that I’m playing w/ @Meinlpercussion maracas in the bag, an old abused riq, & an @ashwin_deepankar basket-stick of bells. This is basically a pattern beat - nothing fancy but by moving the RH “ride” part amongst these disparate textures and colors elevates the rhythms and injects pitch/melody into the beat and therefore, song. I love that I not only get to, but am usually encouraged to play around like this in the studio. Not knowing what to fully expect when I patch together a new “kit", yields all kinds of new challenges, thoughts, ideas and music - I’m super grateful for that! Thanks to Mark @theloftchicago for taking the video - Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor @clark.hubbard
�Beat 108 of my #DrumBeatProject 1.26.22 Swipe for notations. This is technically an excerpt from my piece “Wild Sound” but since this section repeats/loops, I’m calling it a beat (w/melody) hence the recent date - that’s probably a much larger #DrumBeatTheory discussion though…what constitutes a beat?.. This started as the first real solo piece that I ever wrote, was shelved for years and then became the seed for the evening length multimedia work of the same name that was commissioned & performed by the outstanding @ThirdCoastPercussion. I published the score for solo drum kit in 2015 and am putting a recent-ish (there’s a lot of snow in the backyard right now!) @Thunderlab video of me performing it up on my new YouTube channel later this weekend. Check that out at https://youtu.be/7PIm-ej3yAI
It features the RH playing an ostinato in 4/4 while the LH plays the dotted quarter notes tune on amplified & distorted kalimba on top, creating a 2:3 pattern. Learning tip: start with just the drum part (can be done w/one mallet as well - but makes more sense ergonomically to me w/2). Also I’m using a cocktail style BD but any style will due. Then add the LH part on a single surface or pitch for a while before venturing onto the pitched scale on kalimba (or anything pitched). See the xtra vid for a more trad kit interp. I’m using @promarksticks shaker mallets on a collection of @Sonordrumco drums (and a cool old Chinese tom) as well as @Meinlpercussion @Upcycledpercussion and some beautiful @Dragonfly_percussion glass & razor chimes as well. Using @morfbeats in place of kalimba w/my threaded spring rods & some gr8 new creative_percussion shaker mallets in the alt vid. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - and the score is at www.glennkotche.com/scores-2/#drumkit - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar
�Beat 107 of my #DrumBeatProject 1.11.22 Swipe for notations. My goal w/this one was to scrape, slide & swipe & not actually strike anything w/my hands. I developed these threaded spring rods around 25 years ago and they’ve been essential for me ever since - so many sound possibilities and they somehow feel great too. This version relies on them, but could be interpreted several other ways as well - just use your imagination! The BD is the hook here & everything else is support. I want to share these implements at some point, leave a comment so I can gauge interest in me doing a limited run/sale of them (if I can source the materials). This beat also features a prepared @meinlpercussion tambourim w/contact mic. Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar
Beat 106 of my #DrumBeatProject 1.11.22 Swipe for notations and 2 alt vids. This one embodies a total-percussion approach to kit. The LH plays a pitched part & the RH is doing marimba-style double lateral strokes in both directions between the SD & FT. In the main vid, I’m using crotales to play the melody, but this can be played on anything pitched. The BD plays a more trad part in the 1st mea. but merges w/the hand pattern in the 2nd mea. (important to keep those 2 limbs / 3 voices even there) so its kinda pivoting between drumset and multi-perc. roles. I’m using customized (I shortened them) @promarksticks tenor mallets in my RH for weight/sound and aluminum glock mallet in my RH to cut through. Lots of preparations going on here @Drumgees keeping the @Meinlpercussion shaker in place and providing the chain rattle on SD & shaker rattles on FT - I love those things! 2nd vid is similar but HH is only on 2 & 4 and using sweeps w/one customized #ActiveWave570 sig. stick in the RH instead of 2. Vid 3 came first so the melody hasn’t fully evolved yet. It’s much slower / deeper groove and using a softer @dragonfly_percussion customized felt mallet (I added shot to the handle) and latex wrapped glock mallet - beautiful implements. Got a heap of @upcycledpercussion on the hats as usual! Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor @clark.hubbard @ashwin_deepankar
Beat 105 of my #DrumBeatProject 12.21.21 Swipe for notations & 2 xtra vids. Posting this on my first music teacher’s bday - Happy 92nd to my Dad!!! This one has two lives: 1. slightly slower w/ghost notes/inner beats 2. sped up, jettisoning the filler & giving the impression of an odd meter or at least an intriguing “one square wheel” feel. It all centers around getting the consecutive HH and SD notes locked into place. Those first happen on ct. “2-e” and repeat on “a-4”. That’s why I chose this one - the same figure but slid up or displaced when repeated gives this beat its essence. It is deceptively difficult when sped up & using the @Meinlpercussion Night Cricket, a bit easier if using a stick in the RH. Also, found that my feel changed a bit when using a click, depending on the subdivisions I was hearing - that’s a whole chapter of #DrumBeatTheory though! There’s a vid of each version & a 3rd vid of the same beat but w/the BD delayed a 16th and landing on ct. 3 instead the “a” of ct. 2. That was actually unintended initially so thanks to @clark.hubbard - my notation wizard - for catching that! 3rd vid is a good starting place imo if you try this one. Also, big thanks to @ashwin_deepankar for the bday gift of the incredible @upcycledpercussion HH rattle in that same 3rd vid. Using a cool @davedeming Wild Wand in my LH for a proper thwack! Past beats at GlennKotche.com/projects - check ’em out! #ABeatAWeek #DrumBeatTheory #DrumBeatImmersion #loveyourneighbor