Illinois Jazz Educator
​Understanding Your Rhythm Section

Over the years I have received many inquiries from public school music educators about how to deal more effectively with their young rhythm sections. This is not surprising,since jazz band directors typically have background as brass or woodwind players, and may not understand why their rhythm section appears to struggle while the rest of their band is functioning well...

Percussive Notes 
Melodic Transcription for the Drum Set 

In this article I would like to suggest a different approach to solo transcriptions. Rather than transcribing another drummer's solo, transcribe a solo by a horn player, a pianist or any other pitched instrument. The exact pitches need not to be written out, only the rhythmic patterns played by the soloist... 

JackMouse

Percussive Notes 
​Accent Applications to Drum Set

The music dictionary defines an accent as "emphasis or stress on one tone, note or chord." From this ambiguous definition arises a number of questions. How is the desired accent played? When should an accent be used? What type of accent would be most effective in a particular musical situation?...