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DRUM PROGRAMMING: A Complete Guide to Program and Think Like a Drummer
For over 30 years, the core teachings in this book have helped electronic musicians learn to program and think like a drummer ! Short "learn-by-doing" exercises throughout the chapters explore rhythmic patterns and song building. Each chapter focuses on a different piece of the drum kit, how it is played, and how it is programmed. All but 2 of the 42 drum patterns can be programmed using a simple 16 step grid commonly available in programming tools and apps. Two advanced exercises touch on 32 and 96 step grids for faster note sequences and rhythmic nuances. Many popular songs utilize the very first pattern in the book (01), also known as Rocker's Style in Reggae.
This new/improved 2nd edition excels over the 1st with color-coded tablature, colorful artwork, condensed/refined chapters, and 4 example songs instead of just 1. Readability is enhanced with reflowable eBook format where font size can be increased and images zoomed. While this slightly jumbles the text and graphics, it makes reading on mobile devices much easier. Landscape orientation is suggested for best eBook reading experience.
This book keeps things simple. It was written for electronic musicians, not drummers. You don't need to be able to physically play drums at all. MIDI is not required. Nor is music theory. And to be universally applicable with most all programming tools and apps, it is a standalone guide requiring nothing more than the information on the pages. There are no DAW plug-ins, MIDI controllers, custom sound libraries, obtuse MIDI drum maps, or channel 1-16 settings to confuse novices, just simple step sequencer tablature. That's why the core material in this book has remained largely usable for 30+ years. Use online programming tools or mobile apps if you like !
Even though the teachings in this book tilt slightly toward users of step sequencers and drum machines, the contents are still applicable to most tools used today. That's because time steps are time steps, no matter which programming tool or AI drummer you are using. So whether you opt to use a MIDI piano roll editor, DAW, groove box, rhythm performer, music production station, MPC, drum machine, stomp-box, app, or online sequencer, pattern entry is straightforward. Just place sounds on the step numbers and hit the play button.
If you found success with this book over the past 30 years, tell your story ! Numerous Amazon reviews make evident that it has helped many electronic musicians learn to program realistic sounding drum rhythms. And now, this new/improved 2nd edition makes "learning-by-doing" faster and easier. It might even help you dissect the numerical patterns in AI drumming/loops.
For supplemental guidance in programming Reggae, Blues, and Fast-Punk/Metal, ADDENDUM 1 is now available at Amazon. It's an advanced follow-on, exploring triplet-soaked rhythms, heavy-shuffling patterns, bionic beats, 1/2 and 2X-time, song structures, multiple genre mash-ups, and tempo variations within songs. It is jam-packed with 100+ drum patterns and 12 example songs.
Alternatively, if you're looking for supersonic Hi-hat sticking and the classic yard-sprinkler Hi-hat sound, consider DRUM PROGRAMMING : SUPERSONIC HI-HAT RHYTHMS & TUPLETS. It is an in-depth programming odyssey bent toward Hi-hat rhythms heard in Trap, Hip Hop, and Electronic Pop music. You'll find a litany of programming tool options (vintage and modern), 50+ drum patterns, and 11 example songs. For those wanting super-fast rhythms and pitch-shifted note sequences, it picks up where this book leaves off and goes to 11. Eleven chapters, 11 songs...
This new/improved 2nd edition excels over the 1st with color-coded tablature, colorful artwork, condensed/refined chapters, and 4 example songs instead of just 1. Readability is enhanced with reflowable eBook format where font size can be increased and images zoomed. While this slightly jumbles the text and graphics, it makes reading on mobile devices much easier. Landscape orientation is suggested for best eBook reading experience.
This book keeps things simple. It was written for electronic musicians, not drummers. You don't need to be able to physically play drums at all. MIDI is not required. Nor is music theory. And to be universally applicable with most all programming tools and apps, it is a standalone guide requiring nothing more than the information on the pages. There are no DAW plug-ins, MIDI controllers, custom sound libraries, obtuse MIDI drum maps, or channel 1-16 settings to confuse novices, just simple step sequencer tablature. That's why the core material in this book has remained largely usable for 30+ years. Use online programming tools or mobile apps if you like !
Even though the teachings in this book tilt slightly toward users of step sequencers and drum machines, the contents are still applicable to most tools used today. That's because time steps are time steps, no matter which programming tool or AI drummer you are using. So whether you opt to use a MIDI piano roll editor, DAW, groove box, rhythm performer, music production station, MPC, drum machine, stomp-box, app, or online sequencer, pattern entry is straightforward. Just place sounds on the step numbers and hit the play button.
If you found success with this book over the past 30 years, tell your story ! Numerous Amazon reviews make evident that it has helped many electronic musicians learn to program realistic sounding drum rhythms. And now, this new/improved 2nd edition makes "learning-by-doing" faster and easier. It might even help you dissect the numerical patterns in AI drumming/loops.
For supplemental guidance in programming Reggae, Blues, and Fast-Punk/Metal, ADDENDUM 1 is now available at Amazon. It's an advanced follow-on, exploring triplet-soaked rhythms, heavy-shuffling patterns, bionic beats, 1/2 and 2X-time, song structures, multiple genre mash-ups, and tempo variations within songs. It is jam-packed with 100+ drum patterns and 12 example songs.
Alternatively, if you're looking for supersonic Hi-hat sticking and the classic yard-sprinkler Hi-hat sound, consider DRUM PROGRAMMING : SUPERSONIC HI-HAT RHYTHMS & TUPLETS. It is an in-depth programming odyssey bent toward Hi-hat rhythms heard in Trap, Hip Hop, and Electronic Pop music. You'll find a litany of programming tool options (vintage and modern), 50+ drum patterns, and 11 example songs. For those wanting super-fast rhythms and pitch-shifted note sequences, it picks up where this book leaves off and goes to 11. Eleven chapters, 11 songs...
74 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2022
24 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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October 4, 2025
If you've had any experience programming drum patterns then you probably won't find much in this book you don't already know. I've been making music for years and was hoping for a book that explains more about how to program the different drum parts or how to create rhythms out of each drum part, but there really isn't any of that here aside from some example patterns that you are supposed to copy yourself to "get a feel" for how to create drum patterns. It never says anything really about why, other than relating each drum sound to the physical component of a real drum set and how it relates to being able to play each part physically. If you're literally just starting out and don't know anything, this is a useful book but for anyone else there isn't much here. Given how much the blurbs hype up the content of this book for electronic musicians, I was expecting a lot more. I definitely would have been very disappointed if I had paid the $10 price for this book instead of getting it through Kindle Unlimited.
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