Meet my new drummer:
When I started playing and recording again in 2013 I purchased Toontrack’s EZ Drummer, then shortly thereafter their more comprehensive Superior Drummer. My experience with both programs was relatively limited, occasionally writing my own midi drum tracks but most often using previously created midi loops to populate and construct rhythm tracks to fit songs I was working on or writing. I knew for The Stairway Project I would have to write out the proper drum tracks that John Bonham actually played as they were as specific and crucial to the song as any other instrument.
Superior Drummer loaded up in Reaper ready to go.
My first strategy was to go the visualization route. For a non drummer that proved more than difficult so my next step was to visit the many tutorials and play-a-longs found on YouTube of many capable (and incapable) drummers playing along with Stairway. After days and days of watching and listening to these I was no further along in writing out the parts myself but I was able to identify particular videos where drummers seemed to have it right. At that point I knew what I really needed was a proper drum score or drum transcription.
After a little searching I stumbled onto Rob Ferrell’s site and his drum transcription for Stairway. The first thing I looked at was if he had correctly notated the time at the orchestral fanfair section right before the guitar solo. He had! And then I took his sheet music and went back to the drum tutorials and play-a-longs that I had decided were the best on YouTube to audit his transcription. It looked pretty darn close and he seemed to have included all the ghost note hits on the snare that Bonham did so well and gave the song it’s swing and swagger. It looked like I had a keeper.
There were other scores that I found and used comparatively but Rob’s was the main one. Do a little digging and you’ll find all kinds of stuff out there.
Featured Image jason bonham ludwig kit3 by bigdrumthump.com CC by 2.0
