The Drumming Tradition of Sweden

The Drumming Tradition of Sweden has always been very vibrant. Drummers through all ages have shaped their own playing, borrowed, made new, developed, and changed their playing to fit the occasion. A drummer of the Skaraborgs regiment would play differently than his colleague in the regiment of Dalecarlia, even if they have the same instructor and follow the same manuals. Even today, drum parts are interpreted differently between the three professional military bands in Sweden which are Swedish Army Band, Swedish Navy Band and Swedish Cavalry Band. The contents of this book represent personal interpretations that I continue to use today. They are strongly influenced by the drumming skills I acquired while employed by the Swedish Army Band from 2006-2015, where the drumming tradition continues to evolve. As a freelance musician I have also been privileged to have recurring engagements with all three military bands. Historical sources have also inspired this book, drawing partly from drill manuals, drumming methods and instructors, as well as from texts and documents from the Swedish National Archives. The most important source that has shaped my way of playing the marching drum comes from playing and conversing with the wealth of experienced people who have generously shared their knowledge within the field. Thus, the purpose of this book is not to point out what is right and what is wrong, but rather to inspire a continued living drumming tradition in Sweden. Rolf Landberg