Free downloadable music for solos & ensembles
Brad Shores Music
Percussion solos
Solo Flyer An easy timpani solo involving 2 timpani.. Some sixteenth notes and rolls. (by Kurtis Koch)
Kettle Corn A timpani solo that is medium level. Three timpani needed
Dean's Dilemma Dean's Dilemma is dedicated to Dean Kranzler, percussion teacher in Salina, Kansas. Dean has been a musical inspiration to many people over his career. The solo features fun backsticking, rudimental rolls, flams, tempo changes and rhythmical notations. Grade around a 2 and in some measures a 2 1/2.
El Cumbanchero (mallet solo with piano)
Fiery and playable for younger and intermediate student
Stickplay -Middle school and easy high school
T.C.'s Dance- T.C.'s Dance is a grade 2+ Field Drum solo that uses changes in time signature and tempo while retaining a rudimental style. by Koch
Alpha One- Alpha One is a drumset solo using the standard four piece set. It's a fun grade 2+ solo showcasing different grooves and styles. by Koch
Sticky Business- Middle School and easy high school
Just North of Here- A marimba solo that introduces 3 mallets
Flicker Sticks- middle school drum solo
Bringing Heat- middle school snare drum solo
Pass in Review -Medium easy for HS
Elements -An easy entrance to a 4 mallet marimba solo
Turbo Boost- medium easy for middle school snare drum
Thunder Drummer - medium easy for middle school or advanced 6th
You're on a Roll, So Buzz Off! -A Fun new Snare solo by Kurtis Koch (good for HS) (by Kurtis Koch)
Bella's Walk- Kurtis'Koch cool marimba solo
Flam-Boyant- An excellent snare drum solo by Kurtis Koch
Tee Time -A snare drum solo with back sticking and diddles, grade 3ish
General Lee-a new snare drum solo from Kurtis Koch, dedicated to Bob Lee great for High School snare drummer by Koch
Warning High Velocity-A very challenging snare drum solo from Kurtis Koch
Stick Wars- A snare drum solo that will have audiences on the "rim" of their seats by Koch
Developmental Snare Studies -Exercises designed to help beg. or intermediate snare drummers obtain an approach to warming up and developing the snare drum roll. Test Solo by Koch
We To Contest Snare Drum solo grade 2 1/2. Usage of Drags and rim playing. by Koch
The Long and Short of It A contest solo for snare drum grade level 2. by Koch
Give a Flam "Give A Flam is a grade 2 snare solo by American born German composer Gustav Von Trommel (aka Kurtis Koch) The solo is in 6/8 time and, you guessed it, features the Flam. by Koch
Waltz for Marimba “Waltz for Marimba is a grade 2 1/2 work for three medium yarn marimba mallets.” by Koch
Double Bassin' by Kurtis Koch Double bass drumming has been around for decades. Sam Woodyard, Jack Sperling and Louie Bellson are some of the early pioneers of this musical drumming form. In the early eighties, drummer Joe Franco published his book on double bass drumming which really opened the door for this unique art form. Double Bassin' is a fun and moderately challenging solo for the double bass drum pedal.
"Amazons is a medium grade solo work for three timpani using the pitches low G, mid-range D, and high F.
I chose these notes because of the sound quality it gave to portray a mental and audio image of Amazon warriors.
Start out using medium felt mallets and then switch to hard felt mallets at the caesura to articulate the final closure of the piece." by Kurtis Koch
"Sometime in August" A light, and interesting two mallet marimba solo for the intermediate player. by Kurtis Koch
"Slam It and Flam It" Yes, this is a Snare Drum solo built around Flam rudiments. By Kurtis Koch
"Let the Good Times Roll" This Snare Drum solo uses combinations of drum rolls. by Kurtis Koch
"Once Upon a Time Signature" by Kurtis Koch Fluctuating time signatures makes this two Tom Tom solo challenging for the performer and interesting for the listener. Some visual cross sticking patterns add flair.
"Just for Fun" by Kurtis Koch This grade 2 snare drum solo is just what it says: "Just for Fun." It will work your flam technique.
School Was a Drag Today by Kurtis Koch. "Everyone has a rough day sometimes. Maybe it's a "drag." But a drummer can make the most of: School Was a "Drag" Today.
Rated R for Rudiments By Kurtis Koch. This is a grade 2 solo that will develop and strengthen a soloist's skills with various rudiments.
Lied for Marimba By Kurtis Koch. This grade 2 1/2 four-mallet marimba solo was written during the stay at home order during the spring 2020 pandemic. No hand gel is required. Here is a link to a performance of this piece. https://youtu.be/S2I6UemDjYQ
Alpha Two A drum set solo that starts off with the left hand playing a shuffle pattern on the hi-hat. It is joined later by the right hand playing the jazz ride cymbal pattern. The entire solo is played with a swing feel. Lots of triplet figures are used to challenge the performer's coordination. by Kurtis Koch
Brad's Beat Book This is a collection of drum set beats that drummers should be familiar with. It contains beginning bossa, swing, shuffle, reggae, soca, calypso, and rock beats.
Captain Samba Captain Samba(costume optional) is a drumset solo that is designed to introduce a drummer to the Samba style. "Buena Suerte." These words were left off underneath the last measure: telescoping brush. (by Kurtis Koch)
Most rudimental percussionists are familiar with the classic snare drum solo "Three Camps." My solo "Three Campsites," uses the motif from "Three Camps" in three different musical settings. (Correction: On Camp Two, measure 49, the forte dynamic marking was omitted.) (by Kurtis Koch)
A (Rim) Shot in the Dark
This solo utilizes the stick on stick rim shot. Hold the left stick at about a 45 degree angle, keep the tip of the stick on the head, and strike the left stick with the right stick. The quarter note equals 76 makes this solo playable. (by Kurtis Koch)
Oh, Just Brush it Off by Kurtis Koch
Video of brush technique (to help with the snare solo, "Oh, Just Brush it Off") by Kurtis Koch
https://youtu.be/0BU4Py4t2Sc Kurtis Koch
The use of brushes is an art form that percussionists need to learn. It's musical and can be quite expressive. Please watch the posted video to help with some of the brush techniques used in Oh, Just Brush It Off.