# Drum Catalog · thespacepit

A master inventory of drum patterns, breaks, players, techniques, and the
hardware that shaped them. The encyclopedia behind every lesson in the
practice room and the lessons app.

Nobody has cataloged this stuff in one place before. We build it as we go.

Each entry pairs a name with origin, why it matters, BPM, technique notes,
and a link to the lesson in the practice room when one exists.

---

## ☐ Breaks
The 4–8 bar drum loops that built whole genres.

### Amen Break
- **Origin**: The Winstons — "Amen, Brother" (1969), drummer Gregory Coleman
- **BPM**: 136 original, often sped to 160+ for jungle / DnB
- **Why iconic**: Most-sampled drum break in history. Foundation of jungle,
  drum & bass, breakbeat, hardcore. Coleman died homeless; we owe him.
- **Pattern (4 bars)**: K _ s _ | K _ s _ | s K _ s | _ K _ s
- **Technique**: ghost-note snares, open hat splash on the and-of-4
- **Lesson**: TBD

### Funky Drummer
- **Origin**: James Brown — "Funky Drummer" (1970), Clyde Stubblefield
- **BPM**: 100
- **Why iconic**: 2nd most-sampled break. Public Enemy, NWA, Run-DMC,
  literally every '90s rap track has touched this.
- **Pattern**: 16th-note hat steady, kick on 1 + 3 syncopated, snare on 2 + 4,
  ghost-note 16ths sneaking in the gaps
- **Technique**: dynamic ghost notes, micro-timing variation
- **Lesson**: TBD (intermediate Brooklyn lesson candidate)

### Apache
- **Origin**: Incredible Bongo Band — "Apache" (1973)
- **BPM**: 124
- **Why iconic**: First break Kool Herc looped at the rec room party. The
  birth of hip-hop is on this loop.
- **Lesson**: TBD

### Impeach the President
- **Origin**: The Honey Drippers (1973)
- **BPM**: 93
- **Why iconic**: Sampled by LL Cool J ("Around the Way Girl"), Janet
  Jackson ("That's the Way Love Goes"), Audio Two ("Top Billin'"), countless
  others. The boom-bap kick + crispy snare template.
- **Lesson**: TBD

### Synthetic Substitution
- **Origin**: Melvin Bliss (1973)
- **BPM**: 105
- **Why iconic**: Sampled by Ultramagnetic MCs, Naughty by Nature
  ("OPP"), Public Enemy. The other foundational hip-hop break.
- **Lesson**: TBD

### Think (About It)
- **Origin**: Lyn Collins / James Brown production (1972)
- **BPM**: 100
- **Why iconic**: "It Takes Two" by Rob Base, used everywhere. The
  "Woo!" + "Yeah!" sample comes from this same record.
- **Lesson**: TBD

---

## ☐ Players
The drummers whose voice shaped genres.

### Clyde Stubblefield
- Style: dynamic ghost notes, micro-timing, James Brown pocket
- Signature: "Funky Drummer" — the gold standard of funk drumming
- Technique to learn: ghost notes between the back beats
- Lesson: TBD

### Bernard "Pretty" Purdie
- Style: half-time shuffle, triplet feel
- Signature: Purdie Shuffle — Steely Dan "Babylon Sisters", Toto "Rosanna"
- Technique to learn: triplet hat against the half-time backbeat
- Lesson: TBD

### Tony Allen
- Style: afrobeat — kick on 1, snare answers, ghost ride bell
- Signature: Fela Kuti band, "Zombie", "Sorrow Tears and Blood"
- Lesson: practice → Lagos → Afrobeat

### Questlove (Ahmir Thompson)
- Style: behind-the-beat precision
- Signature: D'Angelo's Voodoo, every Roots record
- Lesson: TBD (related to Loose / Dilla)

### J Dilla (James Yancey)
- Style: drunk timing, swung 16ths, unquantized everything
- Signature: Donuts, Slum Village, Welcome 2 Detroit
- Lesson: practice → Tokyo → Loose / Dilla

### Aston "Family Man" Barrett
- Style: one-drop reggae bass + drums, deep pocket
- Signature: Bob Marley & The Wailers
- Lesson: practice → Kingston → One Drop

### Mulatu Astatke session crew (Tesfa-Maryam Kidané et al.)
- Style: Ethio-jazz shuffle, slow swung Mulatu pocket
- Lesson: practice → Addis Ababa → Ethio Shuffle

### Ginger Baker / Tony Williams
- Style: jazz-rock crossover, polyrhythmic
- Signature: Cream / Lifetime
- Lesson: TBD

### Stewart Copeland
- Style: reggae-influenced rock hat work, ride-heavy
- Signature: The Police
- Lesson: TBD

---

## ☐ Techniques
The vocabulary of drum playing — the moves you stack into a style.

### Ghost Notes
- **What**: very soft snare hits between the main hits
- **Where**: funk, R&B, hip-hop, samba, anywhere with pocket
- **How**: main snare ~100% velocity, ghost ~25–30%
- **Lesson**: TBD (advanced add-on to boom bap)

### Half-Time Shuffle (Purdie Shuffle)
- **What**: triplet hat over a half-time backbeat
- **Where**: 70s rock (Purdie), Toto "Rosanna", Steely Dan
- **How**: hat plays "ti-ki-ti" triplets, kick + snare on 1 + 3 (half-time feel)
- **Lesson**: TBD

### Tresillo (3+3+2)
- **What**: the 3+3+2 rhythmic cell — the most exported African rhythm
- **Where**: cumbia, reggaeton, dembow, contemporary pop, son cubano
- **How**: hits on beat 1, the "and of 2", and beat 4 (in a 4/4 bar)
- **Lesson**: practice → Medellín → Cumbia

### One-Drop
- **What**: kick + rim ONLY on the 3 — no backbeat
- **Where**: reggae (Aston Barrett, Sly Dunbar)
- **Lesson**: practice → Kingston → One Drop

### Linear Drumming
- **What**: no two limbs hit at the same time — pure independent sequence
- **Where**: Steve Gadd, gospel chops, modern fusion
- **Lesson**: TBD

### Open Hat Shuffle ("tss tss")
- **What**: open hi-hat on every "and" — disco / French house tick
- **Where**: disco, French house (Daft Punk), Italo
- **Lesson**: practice → Paris → TSS TSS

### Backbeat
- **What**: snare on 2 + 4. The single most important rhythmic invention
  of the 20th century.
- **Where**: every rock, pop, hip-hop, R&B, country track basically
- **Lesson**: practice → Brooklyn → Boom Clap

### Four on the Floor
- **What**: kick on every quarter note
- **Where**: disco, house, techno, EDM
- **Lesson**: practice → Paris → Four on Floor (also Berlin → Techno 4/4)

### Tamborzão
- **What**: Rio baile funk's iconic kick cluster pattern
- **Where**: Brazilian baile funk
- **Lesson**: practice → Rio → Baile Funk

### Dembow
- **What**: the boom-ch-boom-chk pattern derived from Shabba Ranks' "Dem Bow"
- **Where**: reggaeton, Latin trap, dembow
- **Lesson**: practice → CDMX → Dembow Rebajada

---

## ☐ Producers / Programmers
The desk-side architects who weaponized the machines.

### DJ Premier (Gang Starr)
- Aesthetic: chopped breaks, dusty SP-1200 boom bap
- Signature: "Mass Appeal", "Mathematics", every '90s NY rap record
- Lesson: practice → Brooklyn → Boom Bap

### Pete Rock
- Aesthetic: jazzy chops, lush horns, soulful soul samples
- Signature: "TROY", "Reminisce Over You"
- Lesson: practice → Brooklyn → Boom Bap

### Hi-Tek
- Aesthetic: Reflection Eternal era — soul-jazz pocket
- Lesson: practice → Brooklyn → Boom Bap (Am9 stab)

### Madlib (Otis Jackson Jr.)
- Aesthetic: drunken tape, lo-fi crate dig, MPC chops
- Signature: Madvillainy, Quasimoto
- Lesson: practice → Tokyo → Loose / Dilla (sister)

### Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest)
- Aesthetic: relaxed pocket, jazz samples
- Signature: Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders
- Lesson: TBD

### Daft Punk (Thomas Bangalter + Guy-Manuel)
- Aesthetic: filtered disco loops, vocoder, 909/707
- Signature: Discovery, Homework
- Lesson: practice → Paris → Around the World

### DJ Mustard
- Aesthetic: minimal LA ratchet — kick, clap, hi-hat
- Lesson: TBD

### Metro Boomin
- Aesthetic: Atlanta trap — booming 808s, ghost hi-hats
- Lesson: TBD

### Lex Luger / Southside
- Aesthetic: trap's defining hi-hat triplet rolls
- Lesson: TBD

---

## ☐ Hardware
The boxes that defined the sounds. Each one links to a room in the lessons
app (thespacepit.com/lessons/...) and ideally — eventually — a playable UI
that recreates the hardware itself.

### Akai MPC60 / E-Mu SP-1200
- 12-bit hardware behind boom bap. 26.04kHz sample rate, 60s total memory
- Why it matters: the grit and crunch IS the genre. Re-sampling everything
  through this gave hip-hop its sound.
- Lesson: practice/lessons/sp1200
- Playable UI: TBD (recreate the 12-pad grid + sample chop UI)

### Yamaha DX7
- FM synthesis — the '80s bell tone you hear EVERYWHERE
- Why it matters: defined R&B, pop, gospel for a decade. "Take My Breath
  Away", "Hard Habit to Break", every gospel keys part.
- Lesson: practice/lessons/dx7
- Playable UI: TBD (operator routing, envelope shapers)

### Moog Mother-32
- Semi-modular analog
- Lesson: practice/lessons/moog
- Playable UI: TBD

### Roland TR-909
- Techno's defining drum machine
- Lesson: practice/lessons/909
- Playable UI: TBD

### Roland TR-808
- Trap, hip-hop, electro, house. The bass kick that became the genre.
- Why it matters: that 808 sub. The cowbell. The clap. Generations of music
  built on this.
- Lesson: TBD
- Playable UI: TBD

### Buchla Music Easel
- West Coast synthesis — Don Buchla's interpretation
- Lesson: practice/lessons/buchla

### MOS SID (Commodore 64)
- The chiptune sound that defined NES/C64-era game music
- Lesson: practice/lessons/sid

### Ableton Move
- Modern hardware sampler / sequencer Nick uses daily
- Why it matters: the bridge between hardware and computer that finally feels
  right for finger drumming
- Lesson: TBD
- Playable UI: TBD

### Teenage Engineering OP-1 / EP-133 KO II
- Pocket-sized sampler/sequencer
- Lesson: TBD
- Playable UI: TBD (recreate the pad grid, knob layout)

---

## ☐ Lessons live (the practice room curriculum)
Every lesson currently authored in `finger_drum_practice.html`, with the
pedagogical premise. 14 cities × 4 lessons = 56 lessons total.

### BROOKLYN — boom bap arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | JUST KICKS | basic | 70 | feel the heartbeat. one finger, breathing gaps. |
| 2 | BOOM CLAP | basic | 80 | alternating thumbs — boom on 1, clap on 2. |
| 3 | ADD HATS | inter | 85 | hats live in the gap between the kicks. |
| 4 | BOOM BAP | expert | 90 | bones + ghost kicks + clap. Pete Rock territory. |

### PARIS — French house / Daft Punk arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | FOUR ON FLOOR | basic | 120 | every quarter — the foundation of all house. |
| 2 | BOOM CLAP HOUSE | basic | 122 | kick + clap stack on 2 + 4. two thumbs lock. |
| 3 | TSS TSS | inter | 122 | open hat between every kick — disco shuffle. |
| 4 | AROUND THE WORLD | expert | 124 | snare on the turnaround sells the 4-bar phrase. |

### MEDELLÍN — cumbia arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | CUMBIA PULSE | basic | 88 | four kicks, breathe between them. |
| 2 | BOOM CLAP CUMBIA | basic | 92 | snare on 2 + 4 — the cumbia heartbeat. |
| 3 | CUMBIA UP | inter | 96 | hats on every off — the guacharaca scrape. |
| 4 | CUMBIA | expert | 100 | full tumbao — bass anchors, hands answer. |

### CDMX — dembow rebajada arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | DEMBOW PULSE | basic | 68 | boom on 1, boom on 4. trust the silence. |
| 2 | DEMBOW RIM | basic | 70 | rim cuts where the boom does not. |
| 3 | DEMBOW SHUFFLE | inter | 73 | hat shuffle locks chunk and snap together. |
| 4 | DEMBOW REBAJADA | expert | 75 | rebajada = slowed down. let the rim cut. |

### BERLIN — techno 4/4 arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | KICK 4/4 | basic | 118 | kick on every quarter. lock in and disappear. |
| 2 | TECHNO CLAP | basic | 122 | clap on 2 + 4 — techno snare position. |
| 3 | OPEN HAT | inter | 125 | open hat every and — the sway. |
| 4 | TECHNO 4/4 | expert | 128 | full Berlin pattern with snare hit. |

### TOKYO — loose / Dilla arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | DILLA PULSE | basic | 78 | kick on 1 + 3, relaxed, no push no drag. |
| 2 | DILLA BACKBEAT | basic | 80 | backbeat straight first — swing it next. |
| 3 | DILLA SWING | inter | 82 | hats land a touch behind — actual Dilla swing modeled in data (hats at .55 not .5). |
| 4 | LOOSE / DILLA | expert | 85 | drunk on purpose. the swing IS the point. |

### ADDIS ABABA — Ethio shuffle arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | ETHIO BREATH | basic | 68 | Mulatu pocket — slow, breathe the gaps. |
| 2 | ETHIO SNARE | basic | 72 | snare on 3 — Ethio half-time feel. |
| 3 | ETHIO TRIPLETS | inter | 76 | triplet hat shuffle (.66 timing). half-time mind. |
| 4 | ETHIO SHUFFLE | expert | 80 | full Mulatu pocket. |

### LAGOS — afrobeat arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | AFROBEAT PULSE | basic | 96 | kick on the 1 only. snare + hat carry the rest. |
| 2 | AFROBEAT SNARE | basic | 100 | snare on 2 + 4 — Tony Allen pocket. |
| 3 | AFROBEAT RIDE | inter | 102 | ride bell hat steady — Fela's shimmer. |
| 4 | AFROBEAT | expert | 105 | full Tony Allen + ghost notes. |

### ACCRA — highlife arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | HIGHLIFE PULSE | basic | 88 | kick on 1 only — the rest is syncopation. |
| 2 | HIGHLIFE SNARE | basic | 92 | snare on 3 — palm-wine backbeat. |
| 3 | HIGHLIFE SHIMMER | inter | 96 | hat on every and. |
| 4 | HIGHLIFE | expert | 100 | syncopated kick, I-IV-V walk. |

### KINGSTON — one drop arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | JUST THE HAT | basic | 65 | no kick on 1. just the hat. trust the silence. |
| 2 | ONE DROP THE 3 | basic | 68 | kick drops ONLY on the 3. one drop per bar. |
| 3 | ONE DROP + RIM | inter | 70 | kick + rim drop together — Aston Barrett pocket. |
| 4 | ONE DROP | expert | 70 | full one-drop with 16th hats. |

### CUSCO — huayno arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | HUAYNO STOMP | basic | 78 | kick on 1 + 4. earth and sky. |
| 2 | HUAYNO SNARE | basic | 82 | snare between the stomps. |
| 3 | HUAYNO CHARANGO | inter | 88 | charango-bell hat shimmer. |
| 4 | HUAYNO | expert | 95 | full andean stomp + bell. |

### SALVADOR — samba arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | SURDO | basic | 82 | surdo on 3 only — heartbeat. trust the empty 1. |
| 2 | SURDO + AGOGO | basic | 88 | bell rides steady over the surdo. |
| 3 | SAMBA SNAP | inter | 94 | snare opens up the samba. |
| 4 | SAMBA | expert | 100 | full samba with agogô + clap. |

### RIO — baile funk arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | BAILE PULSE | basic | 115 | tamborzão kick — bottom cluster. |
| 2 | BAILE CLAP | basic | 122 | clap on the and-of-2 — iconic baile snap. |
| 3 | TAMBORZÃO | inter | 126 | double-kick cluster + claps. the funk. |
| 4 | BAILE FUNK | expert | 130 | full tamborzão. |

### BUENOS AIRES — tango / milonga arc
| # | Lesson | Level | BPM | Premise |
|---|--------|-------|-----|---------|
| 1 | TANGO 3-3-2 | basic | 92 | milonga kick — anchor + skip. |
| 2 | TANGO SNARE | basic | 98 | snare answers on the and-of-2. |
| 3 | TANGO BREATH | inter | 104 | bandoneón breath — hats on offbeats. |
| 4 | TANGO / MILONGA | expert | 110 | full 3-3-2 + heartbeat. |

---

## ☐ Scales / Modes (per city)
Each city in the practice room has a tonal identity. The drums lock to it.

| City          | Scale / Mode        | Root | Voice (synth)        |
|---------------|---------------------|------|----------------------|
| Brooklyn      | Dorian              | A    | Lo-fi Rhodes         |
| Medellín      | Mixolydian          | D    | Marimba              |
| CDMX          | Major Pentatonic    | D    | Wurli                |
| Berlin        | Aeolian             | E    | Saw pad              |
| Paris         | Aeolian (A minor)   | A    | Disco organ          |
| Tokyo         | Insen / Quartal     | D    | Koto                 |
| Addis Ababa   | Tezeta (Ethio)      | A    | Wurli                |
| Lagos         | Pentatonic minor    | F#   | Organ                |
| Accra         | Major               | C    | Marimba              |
| Kingston      | Aeolian             | A    | Organ                |
| Cusco         | Andean pentatonic   | D    | Charango / marimba   |
| Salvador      | Major               | C    | Cavaquinho           |
| Rio           | Minor (Dm)          | D    | Sub                  |
| Buenos Aires  | A minor             | A    | Bandoneón            |

---

## How to grow this catalog
- **When we learn a new player / break / technique** → add it here with the
  fields above. Even if there's no lesson yet, the entry is a placeholder.
- **When we build a lesson that's grounded in a catalog entry** → cross-link.
- **When we add a hardware lesson** → fill in the Playable UI field with
  what we built.
- **Goal**: this becomes the most thorough, sane, working drummer's catalog
  on the open web — the one nobody bothered to make.