Masterclass: Tim Kroker – Finger Drumming
Have you heard? Tim Kroker, drumming legend and Head of Drums at BIMM Berlin, is presenting a free finger drumming Masterclass to help you become a better performer, DJ or producer!
Presented by BIMM Berlin and Sample Music Festival 2018 (SMF 2018), the Masterclass will run on Saturday 1 September 2018 from 11.45am to 1.30pm.
A fundamental of the electronic scene, finger drumming is amazing fun, combining the latest in music technology with the rush of live performance. This workshop will see you develop your percussive skills, helping you compose beats on the fly to create an epic sound, or simply take part in some awesome jam sessions.
The 90-minute session will cover plenty of topics, including:
- Why finger drumming?
- How to get started with finger drumming?
- Working with the single stroke roll – creating fill-ins and grooves
- Working with the double stroke roll in a sliced loop context
- How to slice a groove and add new sounds
- Working with an easy-to-achieve finger pattern that enables you to create complex rhythms and grooves
Across this career, Tim has spent 25 years as a top live and session musician, and has been the drummer of Belgian electronic body music (EBM) band Front 242 since 1997. He’s recorded and performed with German artists including Drum Connection, Ich + Ich, Micatone and Cascada. Tim currently runs his own recording studio in Berlin, writes for a number of German music magazines and publishes his own finger drumming blog, Pad Sounds, where he hosts ‘how to’ tutorials using Native Instruments’ Maschine performance and production system.
Participants will benefit enormously from Tim’s interest in using finger drumming as a creative tool for live performances (solo or with DJs and musicians) and in the studio.
Tim says of this Masterclass:
“I’m a professional drummer and finger drummer, and happy to participate in SMF. With an ever-growing community of controller players, I think it’s time to exchange ideas. Because this musical ‘instrument’ is quite new, there are no established techniques and ways to play. In my workshop I’ll explain my approach to finger drumming, and it would be great to see all kinds of people there, from beginners to professionals. I’m looking forward to meeting you at SMF 2018.”
Sample Music Festival is a mostly free annual three-day event running from Friday 31st August to Sunday 2ndSeptember 2018. It’s held across several Berlin venues, including the nightclub and cultural centre Cassiopeia, HHV record store, the Generator Hostel, Café Wendel and our very own BIMM Berlin. The festival is a showcase of handmade electronic music, otherwise known as turntablism, live controllerism and finger drumming. SMF18 features jam sessions, open discussions and live performances, and is a renowned international podium to exchange expert knowledge.
So… as part of this incredible music festival, come and join your fellow musicians in one of BIMM Berlin’s Mac Labs, and be sure to take advantage of the Q&A session with Tim and other BIMM staff members afterwards.
To find out more about studying music at BIMM Berlin, order a prospectus, book to attend one of our Open Days, or contact our Admissions Team on
+49 303 11 99 186 or by email at [email protected]
