Programming percussion

[tw1nstates]

Can anyone recommend me some good books or online resources please.

I don't want to learn to play, just the theory, preferably not notated - what i am really looking for is somehting that will explain say a clave pattern as 2 hits in the first bar 3 hits in the second placed here, here, here etc. http://www.petelockett.com has got some great stuff on programming a latin pattern.

I can figure stuff out but it takes ages and actually when you know the rules it's deceptively simple. Interlocking short patterns for the most part.

i can program groove stuff, but I think that having a real understanding of how it works is excellent.

Any advice gratefully received!

[GrooveNinja]

Check out the Drum Machine Programming series of articles from the early 90's. They are simply great.
http://www.cfa.arizona.edu/weinberg/articles.htm
Also check out this:
http://www.lincsmusicservice.org/downlo ... _lopez.pdf

[t1mp]

also, if you have an iPhone/Touch...download 'drum library'. It gives you the drum patterns in notation, and parradiddles!!!(too many r's and d's). Very cool utility.

[tw1nstates]

Some excelllent goodness there, thanks to both of you.

Looks like I have another reason to get an iPhone. . Hmmm been resisting for ages and ages now. ..

As for the Weinberg and lopez stuff - pretty awesome stuff there but it's in notation rather than grid format. Was hoping that I wasn;t going to have to spend time working it out from manuscript.

thanks for the tips. if anyone knows of an online resource or good books that avoid notation I'd be forever grateful. it's more to understand the theory behind how it works (so for example if you know the intervals you can construct chords without being able to read sheet music) to be able to fairly quickly come up with decent percussion parts rather than spending hours and hours working on stuff only to have some of it sound like it was done on a puter (to quote pete lockett)

[t1mp]

i am sure a google search of paradiddles(thats at least excercises for you to learn about rythm first hand to understand how to program it) and youtube searches of certain patterns will give you a good free headstart.