Many songs with just percussion?

G

GreenDank

New member
Can anyone point me toward links of songs with percussion used as the main "drum" section rather than a kit or digital/programmed drums? I'm wanting to do a really natural non-programmed song with electric guitars, bass, & vocals, but instead of a kit, I'd like to use just simple percussion stuff (hand drums, bongos, shakers, tambourine, wood block, etc.). If you've heard of similar stuff, please post it here. Yes, I'm sure there are plenty with a kit AND percussion, but I'm looking for no kit at all. I'd prefer a rock realm, even though the things I listed are more "Latin" style.
 
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Listen to most Santana. I'm pretty sure "Black Magic Woman" has no drums, for example. Maybe even "Evil Ways" and a few others. Don't quote me on that, but I'm pretty sure those songs are all percussion.
 
RAMI said:
Listen to most Santana. I'm pretty sure "Black Magic Woman" has no drums, for example. Maybe even "Evil Ways" and a few others. Don't quote me on that, but I'm pretty sure those songs are all percussion.
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ah, cool. I was thinking he always had drums going on, so those suggestions help a lot. thanks.
 
Those Santana cuts have drums but the drums are not up front. Check out Clapton's
Derek and the Dominos record and the song called "I am yours" specifically
The backing percussion is different than what you mentioned but it has good movement and rock instrumentation with Duane Allman on electric bottleneck guitar and Bobby Whitlock on Hammond organ with acoustic guitars as well.

A few years back I did some stuff with just latin style percussion, bass , rythym guitar and a lead "surf type" guitar. It is a nice texture. I built the track up from a drum machine's latin rythym and then brought in a real latin percussion player. He added clave,bongos,timbales,congas,maracas, and wind chimes. Have at it and have fun!!!!!!
 
Rico 52 said:
Those Santana cuts have drums but the drums are not up front. Check out Clapton's
Derek and the Dominos record and the song called "I am yours" specifically
The backing percussion is different than what you mentioned but it has good movement and rock instrumentation with Duane Allman on electric bottleneck guitar and Bobby Whitlock on Hammond organ with acoustic guitars as well.

A few years back I did some stuff with just latin style percussion, bass , rythym guitar and a lead "surf type" guitar. It is a nice texture. I built the track up from a drum machine's latin rythym and then brought in a real latin percussion player. He added clave,bongos,timbales,congas,maracas, and wind chimes. Have at it and have fun!!!!!!
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thanks! yeah, I'm not having fun with drum machines anymore. I don't mind programming them, but I want to sit back and say: "I played everything on this recording."
 
Tom Waits. Especially the more recent stuff.
When i saw him live, the drummer was using a concert bass (4 feet or so diameter) as a kick, and had all these huge drums everywhere, and many of the rythms were a far cry from traditional rock, gives a real interesting flavor and somerwhat exotic feel.

Alternately, i had freinds in a semi-acoustic band where the drummer had a set that sort of transitionsed into congas and other hand percussion stuff. he would switch back and forth in the middle or between songs.

Much latin music skips the set and uses straight percussion. Most of the time you will see the typical straight 4 style on a set be replaced with a more complicated or just different beat when you take the kit out.

Sounds like you want to be creative, don't feel you can't have elements of a kit in there too.
 
There's not many rock tunes with absolutely no drums.
The Who's slip kid has real nice percussion and what drums there are are quite restrained by Keith's standards.
The Great Curve by Talking heads has prominent percussion. A lot of the later David Byrne stuff has mucho percussion.
Also Zeps 4 Sticks is kind of percussion-oriented too.
 
Rico 52 said:
Those Santana cuts have drums but the drums are not up front.
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I beg to differ. I just litened to "Black Magic Woman" to make sure. There is no "drum set". It's ALL percussion. I'm going to listen to a few more to make sure, but I'm almost positive "Evil Ways" has no drum either.
 
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