Die Kunst des Besenspiels: Drumset Book & DVD

Alexandru-Zorn structures brush technique in a way that actually sticks. The dual format of book and split-screen video means your students see exactly how the motion should flow, then can sit with the notation and dissect it. The grooves drawn from jazz, funk, and Latin styles give context beyond abstract exercises.

Brush playing with Zorn's approach feels like discovering that the technique isn't about fighting the bristles but moving through space with intention. The grooves have pocket and swing; they don't feel like exercises once you internalize the motion.

Drummers ready to deepen their brush vocabulary, whether they're just starting to explore the instrument or already comfortable with basic patterns. This works equally well for jazz-focused players and those in contemporary pop and rock bands where brush sounds define the aesthetic.

• Study the stroboscopic photographs in sequence before watching the DVD. Isolating each phase of motion clarifies what your hands should be doing between the audible strokes.
• Work through the circular and half-circular motions separately before combining them. Rushing into combination patterns before the foundational movements feel natural will create tension and inconsistent articulation.
• Apply the groove studies to tunes from your own repertoire. The book provides the mechanics; your job is transferring them into the actual jazz and funk standards your ensemble plays.
• Refer back to the linear movement section when you feel your brush work sounds choppy. Often, regaining smooth linear motion resets everything else.

Assign this during a unit on jazz comping or when your rhythm section needs to sharpen their brush work for upcoming repertoire. The method's practical groove focus means students immediately hear how tighter technique changes the feel of a tune, motivating deeper practice.

• Circular and half-circular brush motions with control and consistency
• Linear brush articulation for time-keeping and dynamic clarity
• Combining multiple brush techniques within single grooves
• Brush applications in jazz, funk, Latin, and drum-and-bass contexts
• Reading and executing brush notation in real repertoire
• Translating slow-motion mechanics into flowing, musical phrases