Author Archives: Andrew Hutchings

In Flames – Pinball Map

From the Swedish purveyors of “heavy metal hits” with drummer Daniel Svensson, Pinball Map is a classic syncopated In Flames banger. Clayman was the fifth album from In Flames. Released in 2000 on Nuclear Blast, it was an exciting follow up to the Whoracle and Colony albums, all of which were on high rotation inContinue reading “In Flames – Pinball Map”

Aphex Twin – Ambient Works Drumset Interpretations

Aphex Twin’s Heliosphan and We Are the Music Makers – Interpretations for the drumset. Aphex Twins Ambient Works album is a masterpiece. The recording quality could be described as shit, apparently it was recorded onto a cassette damaged by a cat. It doesn’t matter when the melodic components are as tasteful as this. The albumContinue reading “Aphex Twin – Ambient Works Drumset Interpretations”

Modulating Drum Licks

Triplets to 16th Note Patterns + Inverted Paradiddle-Diddle Orchestration. Advancing a stock pattern to develop solo concepts. The focus here is on re-configuring the paradiddle-diddle – RLRRLL or LRLLRR. The simple, familiar sticking pattern will be advanced by substituting the bass drum, switching between “rates” or note values (modulation), inverting the sticking by starting withContinue reading “Modulating Drum Licks”

Hip Hop & Neo Soul Grooves – Changing Space

An interpretation and analysis of the rhythmic “swank” of artists such as J Dilla, Questlove, D’Angelo and Chris “Daddy” Dave. Specifically, swing is referring to shifting normally evenly spaced notes to the first and third triplet partials. The idea of swing also refers to the fluidity of all beat subdivisions. Notes can be moved andContinue reading “Hip Hop & Neo Soul Grooves – Changing Space”

Groove Modulation Part III – Using Dotted Notes to Modulate Between Relative Tempos

Metric modulation is a change in tempo or pulse based on a relative note value or subdivision. My previous modulation posts on this site have used different triplet and quintuplet values to create the perception of tempo changes. These groove exercises use dotted note values to stretch or contract the backbeat to create a tempoContinue reading “Groove Modulation Part III – Using Dotted Notes to Modulate Between Relative Tempos”

Mr. Bill Live Set – Audio & Transcription

PDF drum chart I used with Mr. Bill during the 2017 Australia tour dates + live recording. Mr. Bill’s Australian Winter 2017 tour, accompanied by Ryanosaurus and Bill’s side job, Electrocado, had us all take on Coffs Harbour, Airlie Beach, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra. Mr. Bill’s complete live set from our final show of theContinue reading “Mr. Bill Live Set – Audio & Transcription”

Stretching Beats – Funk Modulation // Quintuplet Beats & Exercises

These exercises use an AABA form in a 4 bar phrase, shifting gears from the 16th note funk beat to quarter note triplets, quintuplets and eighth note triplets. Check out drummers such as Nate Smith and Jojo Mayer using this to great effect. Downloadable PDF : Funk Modulation – 4 bar AABA Forms Further exercisesContinue reading “Stretching Beats – Funk Modulation // Quintuplet Beats & Exercises”

Nate Smith – “Skip Step”

Funk in 17/8. An of example of Nate Smith “finding the 4” in odd time signatures. An interpretation of the first released track from Nate Smith’s album, “Kinfolk : Postcards From Everywhere”. Every second bar has an extra quaver to the count, making the rhythm 4/4 and 9/8 repeated throughout the song. This can alsoContinue reading “Nate Smith – “Skip Step””

Mr. Bill USA/Canada Tour – DRUM CHART

Download the drum chart I used with Mr. Bill during the 2016 North America tour. An incredible tour with Mr. Bill through the USA and Canada has all wrapped up.  24000kms (15000 miles) on the road with an awesome crew taking on 30 shows from California to British Columbia, New York to Florida, Louisiana toContinue reading “Mr. Bill USA/Canada Tour – DRUM CHART”

DNB Beat Repeat – Playing 3 Beat Loops

Rhythmic hemiola is a subdivision of the beat that differs from the time signature, with the intention of playing on our expectations. These Jungle grooves take any three semi quavers of the beat and loops the pattern repeatedly, stretching across the barline before opening up to restart on beat 1 of the 4/4 time. I’dContinue reading “DNB Beat Repeat – Playing 3 Beat Loops”

DNB Groove Modulation Part I + Polyrhythm Exercise

The following groove exercises take 8th note drum and bass patterns and modulates the groove over quarter note triplets. Keep the metronome at 172bpm. You’ll feel the groove switch to a triplet feel, while the dance floor feels as if the tempo moves from 172bpm to 129bpm before the groove reverts back to the startContinue reading “DNB Groove Modulation Part I + Polyrhythm Exercise”

Metal – Double Bass Drumming Coordination & Triplet Meter Grooves

The Following 4/4 triplet based groove exercises and 6/8 double bass exercises are valuable in developing precision, control and musicality in heavier double bass drumming situations. Downloadable PDF’s ; Triplet Metal Grooves – One Bar Exercises 6/8 Double Bass Drumming Exercises Double Bass Drumming Coordination – With Ted Reed’s “Syncopation” 4/4 Triplet Based Grooves, including halftimeContinue reading “Metal – Double Bass Drumming Coordination & Triplet Meter Grooves”

Mr. Bill – “URL”

Drum transcription of Mr. Bill’s heavy shuffle – “URL”. I recently played a few shows as Mr. Bill’s drummer on his Australian “Corrective Scene Surgery” tour, complete with giant inflatabill and visual show. I transcribed all the fundamental grooves for each track to make up a simplified chart to cover his 1.5 hour DJ set and assist inContinue reading “Mr. Bill – “URL””

Warm Ups – Single & Double Stroke Descending Rhythm

This pattern was scribbled down in my practice notebook as one of my very first drum lessons. I still run through it on a practice pad back stage before a show as part of a stretch and warmup routine. Accent the first stroke of the bar, descending through 8 strokes down to 1. Make sureContinue reading “Warm Ups – Single & Double Stroke Descending Rhythm”

Mark Guiliana – “One Month”

One Month A great example of Mark Guiliana’s seemingly arbitrary rhythmic figures. I included the unison rhythmic figure as an additional sheet. Love the track. Buy the record, Family First, through Beat Music Productions 2015. Downloadable PDF’s ; Mark Guiliana – “One Month” Mark Guiliana – “One Month” – Unison Rhythm      Edit :Continue reading “Mark Guiliana – “One Month””

Max Roach – “The Drum Also Waltzes”

Transcription ~ Max Roach’s classic 3/4 solo. Here’s a transcription of Max Roach’s opening solo track from his 1965 Drums Unlimited album.  Played in 3/4 over a consistent foot ostinato, there are no repeats. Max plays a repeated motif but it also varies. The one bar foot pattern consists of the bass drum on ‘1’,Continue reading “Max Roach – “The Drum Also Waltzes””

Nitin Sawheny – Remix Grooves

I was put onto Nitin Sawhney’s music when Kobra Kai was starting out, when we were still mixing some eastern sounds with different UK style dance beats. These grooves were scribbled out amongst my notes from this period, They’re some cool examples of garage / 2 step style UK grooves backing up some awesome songwritingContinue reading “Nitin Sawheny – Remix Grooves”

DNB Drum Grooves – Icicle / Roni Size / Shapeshifter / NOISIA

Roni Size’s In the Mode LP (2000) was the first drum and bass album I got into. I wrote out these grooves when Rehan first introduced me to the album, to get my head around everything going on with the grooves. Kobra Kai were lucky enough to support Roni Size and Dynamite MC at HomeContinue reading “DNB Drum Grooves – Icicle / Roni Size / Shapeshifter / NOISIA”

THE ROOTS – “Things Fall Apart” Grooves

A selection of Questlove’s grooves from a masterpiece hip hop record. The Roots were one of the first bands to draw me into hip hop. Still one of my all time favourite acts. Here’s a selection of grooves taken from the “Things Fall Apart” album. The track “Without a Doubt” is sampled from a SchoollyContinue reading “THE ROOTS – “Things Fall Apart” Grooves”

REWIND! DNB Groove Exercises Part I

These are Jungle grooves repeated in the consecutive bar/s as a mirrored image – played in reverse. They’re a good variation on any looped beat you’ve been sitting on and a good exercise in shifting the backbeat off the ‘2’ and ‘4’ and moving the accents around the bar like a cut up sample. Note:Continue reading “REWIND! DNB Groove Exercises Part I”