Category Archives: Experienced

Aspen Bank

This weeks shared drum score was written for the strathspey Aspen Bank. It’s another tune that I remember playing earlier on in my pipe band drumming journey with Holbæk Pipe Band. I believe that the tune is relatively easy for the pipers, however it can be tricky for drummers with the number of tachums in there that we should try to express as well. In this drum score I was aiming for the experienced level, however some might suggest that this should be for the advanced level, and therefore I will tick both categories for this drum score. Especially the Continue reading →

I See Mull

This weeks shared drum score was written back in June during the selfmade challenge I gave myself of writing a drum score every day of that month. It’s written for the 3/4 march I See Mull, which I have known since I played it back in the early nineties with a grade 4 band in Copenhagen, Denmark. Back then, we played it as the last of four 3/4 marches, and I remember being a little bit exhausted/tired/bored by the end of that set at the time. Now I actually fancy the tune – funny how things change some times. The level for this drum score was meant to be for the Continue reading →

Hamiltons Nutsack

The beats shared this week was written for the exciting tune Hamiltons Nutsack. The first time I heard this tune, it was played by the 1st Royal Engineers from Sweden. And then later I played the tune with Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band in 1999. I decided to give it a shot, to write a drum score for this tune on my June-challenge of writing a drum score every day in that month. The level is for the experienced player. The tune itself is very interesting a suggests a lot of off beats in the drumming, so that’s what I sort of Continue reading →

Fraser Of Cairnie

This weeks shared drum score was written for Paul Wilson, who wrote me a suggestion for a drum score I should write when I did my June-challenge of 1 drum score pr. day in June. It’s written for the march Fraser Of Cairnie. It’s written for drummers at the experienced level. I particularly like the endings of this tune, and find the drumming here very Continue reading →

The Duke Of Gordon’s Birthday

This weeks shared score was written back in 2001 for a Danish grade 4 band. It was meant to be played in a medley. The level of the drum score is for the experienced drummer. There some drag movements in there that can be tricky to master, for example in the endings with the accented rolls. The key part in this drum score is the Continue reading →

High Drive

This weeks shared drum score was written back in 2001 for a Danish grade 4 band to be played in their medley. It’s written for the great tune High Drive composed by Gordon Duncan. The aim, when I wrote the score, was to fit the level of the drum corp at the time, and also really try to fit what was natural for the LD in that corp to play. So I played it over some times with her before laying down the final version of this drum score. I think it’s important to make sure that Continue reading →

Ian McMaster

This drum score was written back in 2016 for a grade 4 band to be played in concerts. The tune a simply a masterpiece, in my opnion, written by Lincoln Hilton. When I was writing the drum score, I only had the sound of the tune and not the sheet music, so therefore I wrote the drum score in 6/8, although the tune is actually in 12/8. Bear that in mind when drumming this drum score. The drum score has some phrases where it’s a little bit tricky, but the most tricky thing would probably be Continue reading →

Strathann Reel

This weeks drum score was made for the reel, written by Andrew Bonar, Strathann Reel. The drum score was meant to suit the level of experienced grade 4 drummers. It was going to be the first reel of two in a medley selection. I first heard this tune played by SFU Pipe Band back in the nineties. It’s easy to add some effective Continue reading →

The Big Surprise

This drum score was written back in 1999. It was written for a tune called The Big Surprise composed by Bernard Bouhadana, named after, when Bernard discovered that he was going to be be an uncle. I believe that this tune was also played by Maple Ridge Pipe Band back in 2001 or 2002, when Bernard played with them. I know that the tune appears on the Debut CD by Holbæk Pipe Band from 2000. Write to Bernard directly, if you’re interested in the piping music for this beautiful tune, or find it in Ann Gray’s Collection – Music for the Great Highland Bagpipe volume 2.

The tune is very catchy, and has a good swing to it. A perfect tune for marching down the streets. The drum score was written early on in my drum score writing journey, so there’s some stuff in there that I would write differently today. For example I can’t believe that I wrote that drag stuff in the 4th part. However Continue reading →

High Road To Linton

This weeks drum score is an extension of the previously shared 2 parted drum score for High Road To Linton. I’ve modified the 2nd part a little bit to give a wee twist before entering the 3rd part. This drum score was actually written for perhaps the smallest band in the entire world, a band located in Scandinavia of retired players who only Continue reading →

79th Farewell To Gibraltar

This drum score was written for a grade 4 band for the tune 79th Farewell to Gibraltar. It was meant to be the first tune in their MAP MSR. The tune was chosen because it seemed easier overall than some other tunes the band had tried on.

The level of the drum score is somewhat around the experienced level. It was meant to fit drummers coming off the standard scores and beginning to be presented Continue reading →

Hag At The Churn

This weeks shared drum score was written earlier this year for a medley for the international band Cross Borders Pipe Band. It was written to be the last tune of the selection following a 9/8 jig. That thing is sweet in general – from 9/8 to 6/8 jig is like starting a tempo party or something. Since the tune itself is rather short, this arrangement is made for playing the tune twice. On the repeat the pipers will play harmonies, and drums will layer their re-entry towards the 2nd part of the tune.

One of the most fun stuff about writing this drum score was, to write the Continue reading →

The Brolum

This weeks drum score is for the traditional Irish tune “The Brolum”. I first heard the tune played by Simon Fraser University years ago, and have ever since really liked the uplifting spirit of that tune. This year, when we were picking tunes for a medley for the Cross Borders Pipe Band, I came to think of this tune for a reel, and wrote a drum score for it.

The idea with the drum score was to secure the drive of the tune and to make room for big dynamics. We, as drummers, can turn the volume of the pipe band up & down. I like to take advantage of that, rather than trying to be Continue reading →