Dotted Eighth Lesson - Subscribers Only

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Dotted 8th Transcription

It's been challenging getting fired up to write about some of the topics I've covered in recent weeks...

Sure - I like playing like Tony Williams...

...but others have written so-damn-much, what am I going to add to the conversation.

The last lesson I was this excited to write about was the "live rounds" episode. Even now I'm perking up;)

So - today's lesson is something you might hate me for...

...but which I love. It's that dotted-8th sh$#.

And we go deeeeep. As in, I was listening to the edit, going, "are they gonna turn on me with pitchforks?"

As in, I'm picturing my viewership dropping off at minute 2 of this video.

But think Kevin Smith's Fat Man on Batman. Think Labor of Love from somebody who (have I mentioned this yet?) deeply loves this subject.

Today's lesson is not going to make your fills faster (though it will spark some new ideas).

Today's lesson is not going to make you better looking (though it will put a smile on your face, which, scientists agree, improves attractiveness).

And it won't give you a big, hulking, NFL/PED Muscle Meat frame to showcase on the beach (though it will improve your coordination, and myelinate neural pathways, the same process that allows people to add plates to their deadlift).

So I give you: the Humble Dotted Eighth. If you're one of the few, the proud, the Drum Nerds, this one's for you.

And don’t forget to grab your transcription below:

Dotted 8th Transcription

Tony Revisited - Subscribers Only

First things first grab your transcription below:

Tony Exercises

Of all the lessons I’ve published in the past few years, none has attracted more eyeballs, nor generated more controversy, than my first Tony Williams lesson from 2016.

On its face, it’s not the subject I would’ve predicted would generate so much buzz.

My Chris Dave lessons, or any of the “gospel”-related lessons would’ve been more likely culprits, in my estimation.

But I was wrong.

Thousands of people take to YouTube every month and search stuff about playing the ride cymbal like Tony Williams.

The reason the first Tony lesson generated controversy was that I probably gave short-shrift to a particular aspect of Tony’s technique.

The method I was showing had come from John Riley, who has a different approach to Tony’s famous five-not groups.

All-the-same, I felt it was time to double-back, and both clarify, and give you guys some more resources to play-like-Tony. (Especially since I myself have been revisiting the Lord of Ride.)

Please enjoy this week’s lesson, and make sure you pick up your transcription below:

Tony Exercises

Martial Arts Exercise - Subscribers Only

No transcription on this one! Please enjoy.

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Tony/Eric Exercise - Subscribers Only

First things first: grab your transcription below:

Tony/Eric Exercise Transcription

This week’s lesson manages to run afoul of two things-at-once:

It’s something I’m practicing already, rather than a slick transcription of someone else’s playing.

Buuuut I still managed to pirate somebody else’s tune, and get a copyright strike on YouTube.

(If anyone’s interested, I’ll be selling bootlegged copies of Invisible Cinema out of the back of a pickup later. KIDDING.)

All the same, I think you should check it out, and here’s why:

It extends on a concept I debuted last month with the “bet you can’t play this” beat: straight 8ths on the hats, with an implied 16th-note phrase shift.

The point is not, I promise you, to teach you to get fired from gigs. (Though that will be the subject of an upcoming lesson.)

The point is that once you have the skillset in that lesson, things like the exercises in this week’s lesson will be child’s play.

Ok, so why should you care?

If Eric’s beat isn’t enough for you, I humbly submit:

Dana Hawkins

Justin Tyson

Mark

Need I go on?

Get your straight-8th hat stuff going.

Get your life.

And don’t forget to grab your transcription below:

Tony/Eric Exercise Transcription