The Commandments of R&B Drumming Play-Along: Drumset Book & MP3 CD

This book pairs authentic grooves with real musical context. Rather than isolated exercises, you get 14 complete arrangements played by legitimate R&B musicians (including Earth, Wind & Fire's Al McKay), so students hear professional execution in actual song settings. The historical framing transforms the book from a technical manual into a masterclass in how drumming styles developed and why they matter.

Moving through seven decades of R&B drumming is like walking through a living timeline. You start in the gospel-influenced grooves of the 1950s, pass through the precision of James Brown's backbeats, experience the syncopated sophistication of The Meters, and land in the intricate layering of '90s new jack swing and hip-hop. Every tune breathes with the personality of its era.

Drummers with intermediate chops who want to understand R&B and funk styles beyond generic technique. Whether you're studying the roots of hip-hop production, preparing for gigs in contemporary R&B contexts, or simply deepening your rhythmic vocabulary, this book teaches groove through real musical examples.

• Study the groove examples before tackling the full play-alongs. They isolate the core pocket so you can lock the essential feel before navigating the song arrangement.
• Listen closely to how the kick drum and hi-hat interact in each style. Gospel, go-go, and new jack swing each have distinct relationships between these voices that define the groove.
• Pay attention to the rare photos and album artwork. Seeing the era and the musicians reinforces the cultural context that shaped each drumming language.

Use the play-alongs to deepen students' engagement with contemporary and historical R&B repertoire. The chronological structure makes it ideal for a unit on drumming history or as supplemental material when performing or studying music by the artists featured. The included arrangements also work well for combos or ensembles exploring funk and soul styles.

• Recognizing groove variations across gospel, blues, funk, go-go, new jack swing, and hip-hop styles
• Locking pocket and feel with recorded rhythm sections
• Reading and executing syncopated kick drum and hi-hat patterns in different R&B contexts
• Understanding the evolution of backbeat and swing approaches from 1950s to 1990s drumming
• Applying historical and cultural awareness to groove interpretation