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The PDF file above contains the notation for a level 1 drum solo. This piece combines various ideas learned in level 1 lessons and focuses on basic grooves, fills, dynamics and rhythms. Below is a list of recomended lessons to help with this solo along with a brief breakdown of each section. The intention with this piece is to give you an idea of how individual ideas from this level can be combined to create a piece. Whilst this piece isn't particularly exciting or flashy, it is a good starting point to create more complex solos as your playing develops.
Recomended Reading
- Basic Groove Example 1
- Basic Groove Example 3
- Two Bar Grooves
- Four On The Floor
- Half Time Grooves
- Crash Accents
- Very Short Fills
- Adding A 'C' Section To Phrases
- Half Bar Sixteenth Note Fills
- Full Bar Sixteenth Note Fills
- Eighth Note Build Ups
- The Flam
Piece Breakdown
A (bars 1 - 16)
The piece starts with a simple two bar groove that is played in an 'A B A C' pattern. The variations on the groove are straight forward and just involve adding an extra kick and crashes. Bars 9 - 16 can be through of as a development of bars 1 - 8. A very similar pattern is used but more decoration is added. The dynamic level also jumps up from bar 9 and the hi hats are opened.
B (bars 17 - 20)
In this piece the B section is a short four bar rhythmic pattern used as a bridge between the other sections. It may be worth writing in the counting here to ensure you play the rhtyhm correctly.
C (bars 21 - 36)
The C section is structurally the same as the A section. It is built from two bar grooves played in an 'A B A C' pattern where the second occurance is a development of the first. You start wit ha four on the floor groove with some short fills added then in bar 29 the right hand is switched to playing eigth notes on the ride. The fill in bar 36 uses a similar rhythm to that found in the 'B' section. The whole section is played loud.
B (bars 37 - 41)
You will play very similar parts to the first B section with some slight variations in the fills.
A (bars 41 - 56)
Again, this is quite similar to the first occurance of the 'A' section but it has been 'developed' again. The dynamic level drops to 'mf' and stays there throughout. Additional bass drums and crash accents are used for variations on the main pattern.
D (bars 57 - 72)
For this section you will be dropping to half time and playing moderately soft. In every second bar there is a small fill or variation and the ride bell is used a couple of times. Watch out for the build ups in bars 64 and 72. As with the other sections, the second set of eight bars is a development of the first eight, so alternate voicing is used for the groove and different things are going on with the fils. The second set of eight bars jumps up to being played loud.
B (bars 73 - 80)
The piece ends by going back to the rhythmic B section, but this time played twice. The first four bars are similar to the other sections but in the second four the bass drum plays constant quarter notes under the rhythm. The last thing you play is a loud stroke on the foor tom, snare and bass drum.
