300 BPM. It’s the tempo that separates the men from the boys. For drummers, it’s the breaking point where playing eighth notes isn’t just a matter of bouncing the stick, but utilizing your arms, wrists and fingers to make it all happen.
I first learned to play at this tempo by listening (and eventually playing) to John Coltrane’s, “Giant Steps“. Released in 1960, this classic album features several uptempo tracks that are performed masterfully by drummer, Art Taylor. Two cuts in particular, “Countdown” and “Giant Steps” showcase Art’s relaxed yet technically adept drumming at tempos of 300 BPM+.
Art Taylor
Loop #64
Today’s loop is another 8 bar phrase recorded at the “balls to the wall” tempo of 300 BPM. Rather than a straight groove, it’s more of a dotted quarter note type vamp with some slight fills in between.
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Download the Logic session here. (93MB)
Get the .wav file here.
Get the .rx2 file here.
300 BPM