Online Membership Levels & Pricing
Membership levels that expand along with your rhythm mastery
| Memberships | ESSENTIAL | UNLIMITED |
| Member Benefits |
$12 monthly
$9 mo. for 12 months
|
$22 monthly
$19 mo. for 12 months
|
| Primary Rhythms | 16 | 20 Additional |
| 2-Drum Rhythms | 12 | 32 Additional |
| Dialogue Rhythms | 16 | 72 Additional |
| Ensemble Rhythms | 12 | 40 Additional |
| Solo Rhythms | 8 | 36 Additional |
| Bell & Clavé Patterns | 12 | 24 Additional |
| Break Phrases | All 15 | All 15 |
| Special Phrases | 10 | 50 Additional |
| Artist Spotlight | Yes | Yes |
| Member Showcase | Yes | Yes |
| Drum Group/Band Showcase | Yes | Yes |
| Spotify Playlists | Yes! | Yes! |
| Bonus Rhythms | Yes! | Yes! |
| 11 Categories of DrumBlog Articles | Yes! | Yes! |
| Drum Beat Community Newsletter | Yes! | Yes! |
| Store Discount (Books, Drums & Packages) | 5% | 10% |
Online Membership Details
Meticulously Curated,
Simply Presented
Easily learn 700+ African & Afro-Caribbean drum, bell and clavé and patterns.
Over-the-Shoulder Video
Easy-to-read Rhythm Notation
Play-Along Audio (in 4 speeds)
8 Rhythm Categories
to Explore
Designed to reveal the power and grace found within the rhythms of Africa and Her Diaspora.
Rhythms for All Drummers
Primary Rhythms contain the underlying rhythmic and musical principals found in most African and Afro-Caribbean music.
ESSENTIAL: Includes 16 Primary Rhythms
UNLIMITED: Essential Primary Rhythms + 20 More
2-Drum Rhythms are played by one person on two drums. Most of the rhythms we’ve assembled are from Cuba (with a few from Brazil, a few from Peru, one from Trinidad and one from Puerto Rico) and are traditionally played on congas. However, you can play on any two different pitched drums.
ESSENTIAL: Includes 12 2-Drum Rhythms
UNLIMITED: Essential 2-Drum Rhythms + 32 More
These Dialogue Rhythms of Africa and Her Diaspora are each made up of a high drum and a low drum pattern. They not only contain some of the world’s most beautiful and sophisticated rhythmic relationships, they also contain a wonderful melodic dimension. As the tones of the two parts weave in and out of each other, melodic figures are created. In this section I have chosen pairs of rhythms, extracted from traditional African and Afro-Caribbean ensemble settings, which best express the marriage between rhythm and melody.
ESSENTIAL: Includes 16 Dialogue Rhythms
UNLIMITED: Essential Dialogue Rhythms + 72 More
These Ensemble Rhythms, collected over the years by Master Teacher Will Matthews, come to us from various African and Afro-Caribbean cultures and are presented here in a basic, one-bar ‘root’ form. They were chosen for their power and grace as well as for their accessibility to beginning and intermediate study groups.
ESSENTIAL: Includes 12 Ensemble Rhythms
UNLIMITED: Essential Ensemble Rhythms + 40 More
The 8-bar Solos in this section have been carefully crafted to provide the drummer with a sense of variation and artistry that a lead drummer employs while playing to dancers in an ensemble context. By tracing the shapes of well developed solos and phrases, I believe that we not only get inspired, but we begin to perceive the underlying ‘soloing sensibility’ which in turn informs the structure of our own solos and phrases. At some point along the way, our own ‘drum stories’ begin to emerge.
ESSENTIAL: Includes 8 Solos
UNLIMITED: Essential Solos + 36 More
These traditional Bell & Clavé Patterns create the backbone, the ‘internal shape’ of African and Afro-Caribbean music. The drums, in turn, reinforce these shapes by either moving with or against them.
ESSENTIAL: Includes 12 Bell & Clavé Patterns
UNLIMITED: Essential Patterns + 24 More
Break Phrases are used to create introductions and mid-rhythm breaks, as well as to signal the end of a rhythm. We have gathered a handful of traditional African and Afro-Caribbean breaks to get you started.
ESSENTIAL & UNLIMITED:
Includes all 15 Break Phrases
This impressive collection of 2-Bar Special Phrases are drawn from various djembe solo settings and were chosen for their inherent “call and response” qualities as well as for their ability to teach the drummer how to ‘dance’ around the pulse.
ESSENTIAL: Includes 10 Special Phrases
UNLIMITED: Essential Special Phrases + 50 More
Why Become An Online Member?
Over 700 rhythms from 18 countries at your fingertips
Cuba, Haiti, Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, Benin, Zimbabwe, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Colombia, Uruguay, Peru & Brazil
Two affordable membership levels!
ESSENTIAL
Monthly ($12 / month)
Annual ($9 month for 12 months)
UNLIMITED
Monthly ($22 / month)
Annual ($19 month for 12 months)
Comprehensive videos, notation & play-along audio
- Easy to follow Over-The-Shoulder Video
- Will’s Easy-To-Read Rhythm Notation
- Play-Along Audio
Monthly New Member Bonus Rhythms!
- New ESSENTIAL rhythms (video, notation & audio)
- New UNLIMITED rhythms (video, notation & audio)
- Rhythms for ONE and TWO drums
- Rhythms for THREE drums
- Original compositions
Rhythm Reverie play-along audio tracks
- Afro-House inspired tracks composed for each drum rhythm (featuring piano, bass, marimba and percussion)
- Designed for, and included with all Primary, 2-Drum and Dialogue rhythms
Extensive rhythm histories
- Cultural background and musical context
- Historical information
- Fosters appreciation for the people and
cultures these rhythms originate from
Curated Spotify Playlists
- Mali playlists
- Senegal/Gambia playlists
- Nigeria & Ghana playlists
- Togo & Benin playlists
- Cameroon playlists
- Congolese playlists
- Will’s Afro-House Mix
- Will’s African Dessert Blues Mix
- Will’s Congolese Rumba Mix
- Plus many more to come…
DrumBlog Articles
- Artist Spotlight – Worldwide, professional artists
- Member Showcase – Original music from our members
- Drum Group/Band Showcase – Non-pro drum groups/bands
- Spotify Playlists – Highlighting various African countries
- Bonus Rhythms – New monthly rhythms for members
- Rhythm Culture – Rhythm origins, histories and stories
- Drums, Percussion & More – Various drum/rhythm topics
- Deep Dives – In-depth explorations of rhythm cultures
- Site Features & Support – “How To” site feature articles
- Guest Articles – Written by artists and members
- Drum Beat – News, workshops, events & performances
Member Showcase
- Featuring Member musical and rhythmic recordings/compositions
- Diverse styles and ideas encouraged and celebrated
- Member winners receive community notoriety and a Fremont Drum T-shirt!
Drum Group/Band Showcase
- Featuring the recorded music of drum study groups/bands
- Diverse styles and ideas encouraged and celebrated
- Become a Fremont Drum member and submit your original music!
- Member winners receive community notoriety and exposure for their drum group/band!
Artist Spotlight
- Featuring local, national and world artists
- Interviews and insights from working artists
- Rhythmic and musical tips and techniques
Member discounts on instructional books
by Will Matthews
- Shadowing the Lion – Over 500 drum and bell patterns
- The New Conga Joy – “The Hand Drummer’s Bible”
- Drum Talk – 33 hand drum dialogues for two players
Member discounts on all Fremont Drums
- Hand carved drum shells from West Africa (Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast & Ghana)
- Headed with hand-picked West African goat and cow skins
- Assemebled in Seattle
- Choose from Djembes, Bougarabous, Ashikos and Dun Duns
Original Paintings
by Will Matthews
- Various sizes
- Bold, colorful works
- Framed, ready to hang
Custom Screened / Original T-shirts
by Will Matthews
- Fun animal designs for adults & kids
- Cool drum & dance designs for adults
- Unique assorted designs for adults
Rhythm Programs for educators & facilitators
- 3 Rhythm Packages to choose from
- Online meeting to assess goals
- Help choosing & arranging rhythms
- Includes practice files
- Pre-class launch support session
- Email support for two classes
Giving Back Programs
- A portion of all membership fees funds our Giving Back programs
- Provides young people with Internet access
- Sponsors children to continue their education
- Yearly donations to the NW African American Museum (Seattle, WA) and the International African American Museum (Charleston, SC)
What students say about Will’s
Classes, Workshops & Programs
Classes, Workshops & Programs
What students say about Will’s
Classes, Workshops & Programs
Classes, Workshops & Programs
