Welcome to FatMattDrums, home to the GREATEST FREE DRUMLINE MUSIC... EVER!
What’s Here?
Looking for the most groovy and innovative drumline cadences on the planet, at every difficulty level?
Climb up GROOVE MOUNTAIN!
Looking for warm-ups and lot jams that will fortify your fundamentals and make a statement?
Hit up THE PARKING LOT!
Looking for proven regimens to take your hands, brains, and ears to the next level?
Grab something off THE BOOKSHELF!
Looking for creative ways to build grip/motion fundamentals and rudimental vocabulary?
Head to THE WOODSHED!
Like ski trails, difficulty levels are marked with colored shapes; there are green circles (most accessible), blue squares (intermediate), and black diamonds (most advanced). The different sections of the site are also searchable by tags, so you can find what you’re looking for based on subject matter, musical style, and difficulty level. There are even recommended subsets of High School Cadences and High School Warm-Ups that include the green circles and the most accessible of the blue squares, so you don’t waste your time wading through unapologetic barn-burners of advanced rudimental rhythmic content when that isn’t what you’re after. Of course, if you are one of those flam-drag fighter pilots that Murray Gusseck warned us about, then I’ve got challenging notes for you in spades!
Personal Statement
Since 2007, FatMattDrums has been a repository for free and original cadences, exercises, warm-ups, and other music for drumline, rudimental snare drum, and battery percussion. My experience with the marching arts and my relationship with the activity have given me so much in life; this website is my way to give back to the activity and pay forward the immense sacrifices made by the educators who showed me the value of greatness and the path towards it: especially titans like Will Goodyear, who introduced me to rudimental drumming, and John Antonelli, who taught me how to truly understand and help others excel at it. [Read More]
Products From Other Publishers
Please consider supporting this website by purchasing sheet music from the other publishers I work with.
You can listen to all of it in one playlist, here! Featured Product - Track & Burn, From Tapspace: Eight street beats and six stadium grooves that you can chew on. This book contains all of the cadences I wrote for the NC State drumline, and then some! If you like fat beats, and you’ve got some musicianship to show off, you will love this collection from Tapspace!!
$50.00 Hardcopy
$19.00 Digital Downloads of Individual Street Beats
$20.00 Hardcopies of Individual Street Beats
The subtitle of this collection is Streetbeats and Stadium Grooves You Can Chew On. I agree with that description, as these pieces contain some of the most advanced rudimental rhythmic content in print today. It will take considerable individual and ensemble rehearsal time to put these pieces together with the consistency and accuracy required. The demonstration Virtual Drumline (VDL) recordings provided have been expertly mixed and are excellent representations of the compositions. All pieces are scored for snare, tenor, bass drum, and cymbals. Individual parts (pdf) and the audio recordings are included on the accompanying CD-ROM. All bass drum parts are scored for 4-9 players in order to fit any size bass line.
In spite of the high level of difficulty, these pieces really groove and create inventive, funky feels that can be used by advanced drumlines. In addition to their use as marching cadences and stand grooves (the collection includes eight cadences and six stadium grooves), they can be played as ensemble pieces at the conclusion of a warm-up session. These pieces are also worthy of study for expanding rhythmic vocabulary and for licks that are suitable for section features and individual solo composition.
If you are looking for contemporary advanced rudimental compositions that will push your technique, concentration, and rhythmic subdivision skills, this is the collection for you. I really enjoyed playing through these pieces and found them inspiring for both performing and composing. I give this collection my highest recommendation.
—Jeff Moore
Percussive Notes
Vol. 51, No. 1, January 2013
