You can check out the book at :

http://tinyurl.com/7gnvwb2

“Just have had a quick overlook at your new book, and I think it is awesome. Very good for all those bands looking for scores for those typical tunes every band plays. You can find lots of Grade 1 scores on the net but in the majority of the times, bands looking for scores are not grade 1 bands so, the scores you can find on the net don’t fit their needs, and now they all have a source for good scores fitting the melody and fit to their level. And of course the mp3 help to get the score sounding exactly as you wrote it. Great job James!” – Diego Puron Celoria, Spain

James receives many requests for drum scores that will accompany some of the most famous bagpipe tunes played by the majority of pipe bands. James wanted to help by providing the Worlds largest library of drum scores for Pipe Band Marches that can be played by almost any Scottish Snare Drummer who possesses the fundamentals of drumming.

- The Worlds Largest Collection of Grade 4 Drum Scores

- 64 Drum Scores including MP3′s

- 2/4 Marches

- 3/4 Marches

- 4/4 Marches

- 6/8 Marches

- 9/8 Marches

Take a look at the Contents Page to see the full listing of scores.

All of this for only $49.99

Get your copy today!

James has a creative and musical approach to composing drum scores, his ensemble knowledge was greatly influenced by his years in the SFU Pipe Band along with an exciting Irish twist from his days growing up in Northern Ireland amongst great players and tutors such as Andrew Scullion, Bobby Rea, Gary Moore, Reid Maxwell and David Rea.

If you feel a drum score is too difficult or too simple for your needs, please email James and request that the score be modified to suit your skill level. If the drum score you are looking for is not featured in the book, email James and he will compose the score you require.

The core of the book is based on structured step-by-step development of the three key skills required to improve your drumming. RHYTHM, PHRASING and TECHNIQUE. In addition to the book, you can use the accompanying audio tracks to enhance your learning experience.

What have drummers been saying about the Guide to Pipe Band Drumming Volume 2?

“Hey James, I just wanted to let you know I got your new book and am loving it.” – Andrew Hoinacki, Top Grade 1 Scottish Drummer.

“Check out James Laughlin’s new book!! I was lucky to see it it before release which means I’ve got a jump on all of you! haha Great mental work out for advanced drummers and has really lit a fire under my score writing. What a great tool! Thanks, James! ” – Glenn Kvidahl, Leading Drummer with the LA Scots Pipe Band.

Check out more information about the book, and the AUDIO TRACKS!

You can get your copy here!

The Canberra College of Piping and Drumming hosted their annual Workshop for bagpipers and drummers. This special event brought in players from all over Australia, U.K and New Zealand. The Worlds top piping and drumming experts offered their advice, skills and knowledge.

The teaching line-up included Jim Kilpatrick, Tyler Fry, Jori Chisholm, Greg Wilson, Stuart Liddell, James Laughlin, Brenton Earl, Richard Hawke, Grant Cassidy and Ken Maltman.

Pipe Band drumming lessons were offered to students of all levels.  People arrived, wanting to know how to play the Scottish drums, and they left with all the skills and ability to play the pipe band drum!

What topics were covered at the pipe band drumming workshop ?

Drum Rolls

Paradiddle Development

Rhythmic Exercises

Playing drum scores

And way more!

James Laughlin released his new book, Learn Pipe Band Drumming Volume 2, at the Canberra piping and drumming workshop. You can get your hands on a copy here.  If you are just starting to learn pipe band drumming, then James Laughlins Guide to Pipe Band Drumming Volume 1 would be the best option for you!

Don’t forget to check out the C2D Studio – the worlds first and only digital scottish drumming studio.

Regards,

James Laughlin

http://www.come2drum.com

The recent string of of earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand has left the city shaken and frail.  The city is home to a large and vibrant pipe band community.  I am fortunate enough to be a part of the Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band.

Having spent almost 6 years in New Zealand, I have noticed a very competitive rivalry between the bands, a healthy and positive environment.  However, it is evident that the bands are all very inter-connected and their love of the music unites them.

I was touched when a friend from Wellington contacted me to say that NZ’s bands were putting on a concert to help with the Earthquake relief, and then another phone call from Dunedin in the south with the same intention.

Emails have been coming in from Mexico, Canada, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe,  Australia and the United States.  Our community is truly a special thing, and very tight-knit.  People have been reaching out offering money to replace instruments, offering their homes to get away from it all and sending their love and best wishes.

It  is times like this that really make us appreciate how special the pipe band fraternity is.  It is not just a hobby for us all, but a passion and lifestyle.

Long may this international community remain strong.

James Laughlin

www.come2drum.com

Pipe Band Drumming lessons are available on Skype, you can also download the ” Learn Pipe Band Drumming” Book.

COME2DRUM.COM – The internet’s source for all things related to Scottish drumming.

Winner of the last C2D Contest

C2D is now offering two Drummer’s Christmas Packs for the Winners of the Christmas Drumming Challenge.

To be in with a chance, please submit your own Drum Fanfare, Hornpipe or Jig. No traditional Marches, Strathspeys or Reels will be counted.

One Drum Fanfare will be chosen and One hornpipe or Jig will be chosen as the winner of the COME2DRUM Christmas packs.
Please submit all scores to james@come2drum.com

I will be posting all of the scores submitted for everyone to enjoy on my site.

www.come2drum.com

Kelsey  – Winner of the B.C. Mini Meet Grade 3 in Canada

Graham – 3rd Place in the B.C. Mini Meet Grade 2 in Canada

Steven – Winner of the Grade 3 North American Drumming Medal 2010, U.S.A

Conan  – 3rd Place at the Strathallan drumming solos, Novice. Scotland

Joerg  – 6th place Intermediate drumming at the Machern Solos, Germany

Carter – Winner of the March Medley Grade 3 drumming Stone Mountain, U.S.A

So what is available to those who want to learn more about Scottish drumming?

Learn Pipe Band Drumming Book and MP3′s – Available as an INSTANT DOWNLOAD or a hard copy book. The perfect start for any snare drummer. Whether you are an absolute beginner, an intermediate player trying to improve the basics, or a drummer with a different background dabbling in scottish drumming for the first time, this 65 page e-book and 43 track MP3 accompaniment outlines snare drumming from the very basics of learning how to hold the stick, understanding basic theory, developing basic rhythms, mastering the essential rudiments and learning your first drum settings.

Scottish Drum Scores to Download –

The collection of pipe band drum scores are all composed by James Laughlin.  James focusses strongly on the ensemble aspect of composition, all drum scores match and enhance the bagpipe melody to offer the listener a balance of excitement and swing. Click on your favourite pipe band drum score and have it instantly in your inbox with a clearly written drum score, and a high quality recording!

Free Pipe Band Drum Socres –  Enjoy 100 + Free Scottish drum scores at http://www.come2drum.com

Online Pipe Band Drumming Lessons – Scottish drumming lessons available to anyone in the World who wants to enjoy quality tuition from a World Champion drummer.   The drumming lessons are performed over Skype with web cam and mic – the results have been amazing!

You can also check out the following Youtube, Twitter and Facebook pages to keep you informed with information about Scottish drumming and the Pipe Band scene :

C2D Scottish Drumming Facebook Page

C2D Scottish Drumming Youtube Channel

C2D Scottish Drumming Twitter Page

Brought to you by http://www.come2drum.com

- Your Pipe Band Drumming Supplier and Educator.

The Scottish Side Drum ( also known as the scottish snare drum, the high tension side drum or the pipe band snare) is the high-pitched drum with a very high-tension system.  The top head is made of Kevlar (Remo Cyber max and the Andante Core Tec are the two main brands) and the bottom head is made of mylar(Remo Ambassador is the main brand).  The key drum manufacturers are Andante Percussion, Pearl and Premier. They all make a great drum but they all offer different benefits. 

The Scottish Tenor Drum is a much lower and richer sounding drum than the side drum. It is also played with different mallets (the TyFry Tenor Mallet is the most commonly played mallet universally) that produce a much softer and more subtle sound.  Tenor drummers also create a very cool visual effect by flourishing or “twirling” the sticks. Check out this video to see for yourself.  Both the top and bottom head are made from mylar (Remo PowerMax and Aquarian Hosbilt are the main brands).

The Scottish Bass Drum – this is a much larger (usually 28″ by 16″) drum and produces a very rich and deep sound in comparison to the other drums.  Again, this drum is played with a mallet – much softer than the side drum sticks.  The Bass drum is considered the “heart-beat” of the band. Both heads are also made of mylar and are often decorated with logos.  Hosbilt, Andante, Pearl and Premier all manufacture quality bass drums.

To find out more about pipe band drumming please contact james@come2drum.com or visit www.come2drum.com 

There are also some learning options for those of you who would like to learn Scottish Drumming.  You can download the “Guide to Pipe Band Snare Drumming” instantly from www.come2drum.com

So what is available to those who want to learn more about Scottish drumming?

Learn Pipe Band Drumming Book and MP3′s – Available as an INSTANT DOWNLOAD or a hard copy book. The perfect start for any snare drummer. Whether you are an absolute beginner, an intermediate player trying to improve the basics, or a drummer with a different background dabbling in scottish drumming for the first time, this 65 page e-book and 43 track MP3 accompaniment outlines snare drumming from the very basics of learning how to hold the stick, understanding basic theory, developing basic rhythms, mastering the essential rudiments and learning your first drum settings.

Scottish Drum Scores to Download –

The collection of pipe band drum scores are all composed by James Laughlin.  James focusses strongly on the ensemble aspect of composition, all drum scores match and enhance the bagpipe melody to offer the listener a balance of excitement and swing. Click on your favourite pipe band drum score and have it instantly in your inbox with a clearly written drum score, and a high quality recording!

Free Pipe Band Drum Socres –  Enjoy 100 + Free Scottish drum scores at http://www.come2drum.com

Online Pipe Band Drumming Lessons – Scottish drumming lessons available to anyone in the World who wants to enjoy quality tuition from a World Champion drummer.   The drumming lessons are performed over Skype with web cam and mic – the results have been amazing!

You can also check out the following Youtube, Twitter and Facebook pages to keep you informed with information about Scottish drumming and the Pipe Band scene :

C2D Scottish Drumming Facebook Page

C2D Scottish Drumming Youtube Channel

C2D Scottish Drumming Twitter Page

Brought to you by http://www.come2drum.com

- Your Pipe Band Drumming Supplier and Educator

So what attracts all of these talented people to play in the pipe band world?  Well, I can only hazard a guess, and report on some of the feedback I hear from students. Passion for Scottish tradition, music and culture.  This is the main reason I come back to time and time again. The sound of the Scottish Bagpipe and the swing of the snare drum is certainly unique, and almost mesmerising.  I know for me as a young student, it was the coolness of playing drums, and the funkiness of the bagpipe that appealed to me.  Over a short time, you catch the pipe band  bug!

Scottish drumming has become so Global in every way. People are traveling 1000′s of miles for competitions, workshops and tuition.  With the culture spreading so far and wide, people have found it increasingly more dificult to access quality education, tuition and learning materials.  To make this less of an issue, Come2Drum.com has put together some great pipe band drumming resources, services and tools to make it all more accessible to the global Scottish drumming fraternity.

So what is available to those who want to learn more about Scottish drumming?

Learn Pipe Band Drumming Book and MP3′s – Available as an INSTANT DOWNLOAD or a hard copy book. The perfect start for any snare drummer. Whether you are an absolute beginner, an intermediate player trying to improve the basics, or a drummer with a different background dabbling in scottish drumming for the first time, this 65 page e-book and 43 track MP3 accompaniment outlines snare drumming from the very basics of learning how to hold the stick, understanding basic theory, developing basic rhythms, mastering the essential rudiments and learning your first drum settings.

Scottish Drum Scores to Download –

The collection of pipe band drum scores are all composed by James Laughlin.  James focusses strongly on the ensemble aspect of composition, all drum scores match and enhance the bagpipe melody to offer the listener a balance of excitement and swing. Click on your favourite pipe band drum score and have it instantly in your inbox with a clearly written drum score, and a high quality recording!

Free Pipe Band Drum Socres –  Enjoy 100 + Free Scottish drum scores at http://www.come2drum.com

Online Pipe Band Drumming Lessons – Scottish drumming lessons available to anyone in the World who wants to enjoy quality tuition from a World Champion drummer.   The drumming lessons are performed over Skype with web cam and mic – the results have been amazing!

You can also check out the following Youtube, Twitter and Facebook pages to keep you informed with information about Scottish drumming and the Pipe Band scene :

C2D Scottish Drumming Facebook Page

C2D Scottish Drumming Youtube Channel

C2D Scottish Drumming Twitter Page

Brought to you by http://www.come2drum.com

- Your Pipe Band Drumming Supplier and Educator.

Claymore Pipes and Drums

G’day Everyone!  It has been a week or three since I have posted anything to you all.  Lots has been happening in the pipe band World and the contest season in the Northern Hemisphere is well underway. With one major and a few minor contests out of the way shall we see some bands step up the game and put pressure on the big bands?  It will certainly be interesting to see how this weekend goes with the Major in Annan, Scotland.  Keep posted for results!

Thanks to those who are following COME2DRUM on twitter, I am delighted to announce that isoacustic is the winner of the pipe band drum sticks (J.Reid Maxwell by Andante). The winner of the Come2Drum T-Shirt will be announced at the end of the month…so you still have time to subscribe to the COME2DRUM blog and be in with a chance to win!

COME2DRUM is delighted to share 100+ pipe band drum scores with you all. As of today, you can visit www.come2drum.com and look at our “music” section. You will find pipe band marches, strathspeys and reels. They are written from composers all over the World and for different skill levels. We have even posted massed band drum scores from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America!  Go and check it out, if you would like to submit some scores then please email them directly to james@come2drum.com.  (Another COME2DRUM T-Shirt is up for grabs for the best pipe band drum score!).

It still amazes me that Scottish music is thriving in the most unusual places.  Dubai, Berlin, South Africa, India, South America and the list goes on.  People clearly have a connection to their Scottish heritage or simply love the sound of Scottish pipe bands!?  Recently I received a CD in the post from an online drumming student in Germany.  The CD “Claymore Pipes and Drums – Live in Munich” is a great example of great pipe band music, innovative arrangements and a fun recording.  It was pleasurable listening, with some old classics, modern compositions and intriguing transitions.  A very smart layout – kicking off with Green Hills of Tyrol and then finishing the CD with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. Clearly a band that enjoys performing, trying new things and presenting traditional Scottish music.  Well done Guys on a great job!  If you would like to support the band and enjoy some great tunes then you can buy the cd @ http://www.c-p-d.de/bestellung.html

Here’s a wee bit of food for thought for you drummers : “Practice smart and often.  Set yourself some clearly defined short-term goals, so when you sit down to practice you have a plan and an outcome.  Even a 20 minute practice should have meaning.  Happy drumming!”.

So what are your thoughts on the direction that pipe bands are taking?  Have a listen to this performance from the City of Regina Pipe Band.  A very innovative approach to the pipe band competition medley. I feel that this is the direction we need to take our art form if we want to continue attracting people to watch and take part.

In the meantime – Happy Drumming…and piping!

Brought to you by :

Come2Drum –  the internet’s premier resource for pipe band drumming education.  Come2Drum is a leading supplier of pipe band drumming products and offers professional Scottish drumming tuition.

Last week, Andante Percussion released their new Pro Series Bass and Tenor drums.  This week, Hosbilt announced that it will now be offering Bass and Tenor drums again as part of its product range.  Hosbilt established itself as one of the leading manufacturers for top-quality sound back in 1994.  The turnbuckle system made tuning these great instruments very easy and efficient. Please stay tuned for more information on these new drums. You will be able to purchase through Laughlin’s Pipes N Drumz, or email James Laughlin at james@come2drum.com.

Tyler Fry and Jim Kilpatrick organised the Innovation weekend in London, Ontario last weekend. Snare drummer Nathan McLaren and tenor drummer Kyle Heaney were the co-winners, decided by audience vote, of the first Drumming for Drinks event held outside of Scotland, before a sell-out audience at the London Mocha Shriners Club.  Each prize winner received a Pearl drum and a Hardcase drum case. Overall winners split a cash purse and received a Remo Pro Pad.  Be sure to attend Drumming For Drinks in August at the Lord Todd Bar, Glasgow.

Canberra, Australia will be hosting an unforgettable pipe band workshop and recital in September 2010.  Participants will enjoy top  instruction from an unbeatable line up of World Champions, Gold Medallists and Clasp winners.  Instructors include Jim Kilpatrick, James Laughlin, Tyler Fry, Richard Hawke, Jori Chisholm and Greg Wilson.  This incredible event will take place at the Canberra Burns Club on the 24, 25 and 26 of September. Register online at www.canberracollegepipesdrums.org.au

Check out these scottish drumming and bagpipe downloads at Pipebandtunes.

Brought to you by COME2DRUM – The internet’s premier resource for online drumming lessons and products.

Australian Nationals, Caloundra

Contesting Success

Canada

Simon Fraser University Pipe Band cleaned up at the BC Annual Gathering contest, beating Triumph Street to the 1st place victory.  Grant Maxwell lifted the Pro Drumming trophy for the first time, taking the Arran Campbell Trophy. Steven Wheeler and Kelsey Dougan, students of COME2DRUM.COM took 1st place and 2nd place in the Grade 3 MSR event.

Australia

Scottish drumming is in a very healthy situation across Australia, with 45+ bands turning out for this sunny event in Queensland. The Pipe Band Club of Sydney took the Grade 1 contest and also the drumming prize. This is their 2nd “Ozzie” title in a row, congratulations to the band. Grade 4 had 20+ bands  fight it out with University of Ballarat taking the drumming prize. Grade 3 was dominated by a kiwi band, the Manawatu Development band.  Grade 2 was a highly competitive grade, with Hawthorn enjoying the 1st place prize. Drumming victors, University of Ballarat took 1st in both circles. Canberra Burns Club took 2nd place overall in drumming. Both Ballarat and Canberra have a very strong personell base and seek advice from come2drum.com, Richard Hawke, Jori Chisholm and Tyler Fry.  Highlight of the Day – Queensland Highlanders Drum Corps MSR performance.

New Zealand

The annual Hastings Easter Solo contest saw Greg Wilson and Brian Switalla take the piping prizes.  B and C Grade drumming was dominated by COME2DRUM.COM students Aaron Mitchell and Hamish Petersen, with Hamish taking straight firsts in all events.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Laughlin’s Pipes N Drumz proudly presents the Andante Percussion Pro Series Bass and Tenor Drums, and also the Military series drums. Laughlin’s is the Australia/New Zealand Agent, they are now selling the Pro Series Mid Section drums as played by the Simon Fraser Universtity Pipe Band. Contact james@come2drum.com for more information on the drums.

Andante Drums

The Southern Hemisphere is drawing its Pipe Band season to a close, as the Northern Hemisphere kicks off. Here’s to a great 2010!

Brought to you by – www.come2drum.com The internet’s Premier resource for Pipe Band Drumming Lessons, Products and Advice.

Check out – www.pipebandtunes.com Top Quality drum scores, pipe scores and recordings by World Champion composers.

Happy Drummin’!