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Here’s a great clip of Steve Gadd getting things done at the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival. Check out the dynamic paradiddle variations between the snare and cowbell. Classic Gadd. My only question… where can I get one of those vintage “Stuff” t-shirts?

Loop #89

I’m not done with the cowbell grooves. Like I mentioned before, I think it’s time to bring one of my favorite percussive accessories back into the limelight. Rather than go the straight quarter note, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” route, I’ve went ahead and approached it from a polyrhythmic angle. In this case, a 3 against 4 phrasing over the course of a four bar groove (not to be confused with a hemiola).

To make such an academic rhythm accessible to the masses, I overdubbed some sixteenth note shaker to help keep things flowing on the dance floor. What good is a dance beat if it doesn’t make you want to grind up against a drunken stranger?

Preview Here:

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Get the .wav file here.

Get the .rx2 file here.

Get the .aiff file here.

100 BPM

It’s midnight. It’s July 1st. This can only mean one thing: My rent is going to be late. But as coincidence would also have it, Gruss Loops – Volume II is now available!

For this month’s loop pack, I wanted to give everyone a small preview of what’s inside the box. Here’s a sneak peak into the sonic orgy that my subscribers partake in everyday:

157_DeathCabbage – Indie rock meets your backyard garden. Poppy enough to get signed to Atlantic Records yet dirty enough to be welcomed in Williamsburg.

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118_CoolQuest – A series of grooves and fills inspired by the one and only, ?uestLove. Afro and hair pick not included.

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300_BeBop – What, you were just about to ask when I’d include jazz loops? Consider yourself served. Uptempo and aggressive bop for your inner Sonny Stitt.

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96_Cowbell – I’m bringing cowbell back. As I previously mentioned, my favorite percussion accessory is now out of retirement and back on the dance floor.

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129_Distorted Shuffle – Who said shuffles were just for blues bands? Step back from the speakers. This set of shuffles is about to kick you in the ‘nads and walk off with your girlfriend.

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118_AfroCuban – The product of my collaboration with Bob Reynolds, this set of loops brings together the traditional Bembe patterns of West Africa with the slickness of a coked out LA session musician from the 80’s.

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Plus many, many more groves. Over 100 in total….. All for $9.95

All loops are 24-bit stereo 48 kHz files and provided in WAV, REX2, & AIFF formats.

To become a subscriber and gain instant access to Gruss Loops – Volume II, just click the button below.

Ever since the infamous SNL skit featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell aired on April 8, 2000, drummers around the world have been forced to endure countless “more cowbell” jokes. Every time you even think about overdubbing some cowbell on a pop song or including it into a latin groove, you can guarantee a slew of tired punchlines and horrible impressions from those around you.

For me, it got so bad that I stopped using a cowbell all together. It just wasn’t worth it. What was once a staple in every drummer’s sonic arsenal, quickly became nothing but a comical cliché

April 8, 2000

Loop #76

After listening to Bernard lay down some ultra-funky cowbell in the video I posted yesterday, I decided it was time to bring my own cowbell out of retirement and base a loop around it. It’s part New Orleans, part Hot Chip and a dash of Paul’s Boutique.

Now, don’t even think about making any stupid cowbell jokes in the comment section. I have my finger on the “delete” button and I’m not afraid to use it.

Preview Here:

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Download the Logic session here. (99MB)

Get the .wav file here.

Get the .rx2 file here.

Get the .aiff file here.

96 BPM

One of my favorite drummers of all time, The Band’s, Levon Helm, gives us a few tips on sound, feel, cowbells and electric tape.