New Section for Drum Line Cadences – Downloadable Sheet Music

A new cadence section has been created in the Free Stuff section at the top of the page.  Check out these new cadences posted for your listening and playing enjoyment.  More will be added in the future, but here are three to get you started.

Some of the cadences are free, and some of them cost a little bit. Overall, we want to keep these affordable and accessible for any drum line that wants to play them. Generally speaking, the free ones have a simple structure and are just fun to play. The ones available for purchase are a little more involved and took more effort to create. If you like this site and the music, please consider supporting it through purchasing one of the cadences. Thanks!

Great White – FREE

Great White drum cadence

Difficulty: 2.5 – This catchy cadence gets faster and faster on each repetition. This requires some control on accented singles, 6-stroke rolls, and syncopated 16th note rhythms. It should be accessible for an average high school or good junior high drum line.

Click here to download as a PDF.

 


Rocky Beat – FREE

Rocky Beat drum cadence

Difficulty: 1.5 – This simple cadence consists of a three-measure groove followed by a four-count solo, each time performed by a different drum line member. The solos here are just examples. They can be easy or difficult. It’s a fun opportunity to show off some improvisation and creativity! The snare line needs to be able to play a basic rock groove, which requires a little bit of independence coordination between each hand, but it should be fairly quick to learn for most percussionists who have been playing for at least a year. This cadence should be accessible for an average junior high drum line. (A high school can also have fun with it by making the solos flashier and harder!)

Click here to download as a PDF.

 


Bad bASS – $4.97

Bad bASS cadence

 

Difficulty: 4.5 – You may recognize this cadence as the “soundtrack” for many other videos on this site. It starts confidently with a hard-thumping bass groove and showcases some fun feature moments for every section. The snare and tenors need to be able to play their flam rudiments. Flam taps, pataflaflas, and flamacues are just some of the rudiments you’ll encounter. The bass line has split 16th note triplets and 32nd notes, some syncopated 16th notes splits, and double stroke rolls in the top two parts. The recording features five bass drums, but an alternative four-bass part is included with the purchase. (If you have six bass drums, just double the bottom part.) The cymbal part is written for two or more players, but one person can combine the parts if needed. This cadence has drive. It has attitude. It’s bad a$$. This cadence should be accessible for an average college or good high school line.

Click here to purchase.

Announcing the Ultimate Tenor Book:
“The Art of Multi-Tenor Drumming” by James Christian

photo-nov-18-12-00-10-pm

I am happy to announce that my new book The Art of Multi-Tenor Drumming is now available to order.  It has taken me the better part of a decade to write it, and I believe drummers everywhere will find it worth the wait.  For decades, drum set, keyboard percussion, snare drum, and timpani have had several detailed texts written for them.  Now tenor drums finally get their turn. This is the book that the tenor world has been waiting for.

At 366 pages, this is the most thorough book ever written on the art of tenor drumming.  It covers the absolute basics and lays a solid foundation for beginners, while giving intermediate and advanced players plenty of material to challenge them as well.  This book has been a true labor of love, and I hope people will enjoy playing from it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  I offer this book as an opportunity to raise the bar and set a new standard for the next generation.


 

Click on the link below to see the product page and learn more.

https://www.rudimentaluniversity.com/product/art-of-tenor-drumming/

Art of Multi-Tenor Drumming, The

Welcome to Rudimental University!

Greetings!  My name is James Christian, and I am the founder of Rudimental University.  I am a percussionist, teacher, and author, and my specialty is rudimental drumming.  I am best known for being the seven-time DCA multi-tenor drum champion (2001-2007).  However, I do not consider myself as merely a “tenor drummer.”  I am a drummer and a percussionist, and I love every aspect of percussion.  I hope this site will provide valuable resources and inspiration for both percussionists and percussion instructors.

The site’s name, Rudimental University, has its origins in rudimental drumming, but I intentionally did not name it Rudimental Drumming University.  All percussion instruments have essential rudiments that must be learned, and they can all be taken to extremely advanced levels.  This site is a celebration of the rudiments of all percussion.  I chose to call it a “university,” because I want this to be a place of learning, sharing knowledge, and being exposed to new ideas.  I plan to bring along other percussionists who will offer different perspectives—including those who may disagree with me on certain issues.

I have big plans for Rudimental University, which I will reveal over the weeks, months, and years to come.  Go ahead and bookmark the site, and check back over time as new features are added.  I hope you will join me on a new percussion adventure!