Neil Peart. “Pieces Of Eight.” Rush. Full Percussion Transcription Score by Ben Grauer.

[@marleyorange]

Neil Peart will never cease to amaze

[@caleboliver275]

I second that

[@terrybanksmusic196]

Just like in Guitar Player Magazine where they had a record featuring Rik Emmett Alex Lifeson Liona Boyd and Ed Bickert called, Beyond Borders. Our Canadian Musicians sure made an impact on the World in the 80s 🇨🇦

[@georgeerwin2794]

He is a joy to listen to. I was introduced to RUSH music in 1976. I haven't looked back.

[@eloypintos6764]

Massive Mike Oldfield vibes, great work!!

[@troygier991]

NEVER FORGET GOD BLESS CANADA AND Peart family.

[@williamgrice4790]

Really proves that Neil Peart's drum solo's were actual musical scores and not just showing off. Glad I got to see him (and the rest of Rush) live a few times before his passing. Thanks for this. keep up the great work.

[@mdm6098]

Fantastic! Neil the genius.

[@AnubisXII]

I don't know whats more impressive. Neil's playing, or your ability to transcribe it. Great video.

[@patricktiglao]

Dude. This brings back memories of the floppy 45 and article.

[@graemegunn3460]

Well done ,to transcribe that is insane,well done

[@art31david]

Thank you! :)

[@joeydrumstix]

Thank you for saying his last name correctly

[@saulocpp]

For those who feel it sounds famliar and maybe you heard it before, you probably did. The marimba part is actually Alex Lifeson's guitar riff in Natural Sciences (1980).

[@heatmyzer9]

Not feeling it. You sure?

[@davebasch5995]

Similar for sure, but more widely recognized as an interlude in his drum solos

[@diegoeduardodesade2294]

​@@davebasch5995that's right dude 🤘🏻

[@breauxcewayne1971]

He’s right that definitely is the riff from Natural Science. The drum rhythms aren’t exactly the same so that’s why it might not sound the same but trust me (and mainly him for figuring it out) IT IS.

[@RoadKingLeo]

My mind is blown!!! Your right

[@MichaelVLang]

When this came out, it was like sci-fi drumming. Many years later, I understand more of what he was doing, and can follow the transcription. Love his playing after all these years. Thanks for doing this!

[@drmccommons]

The first Modern Drummer magazine I purchased had "Pieces of Eight" in this issue. I played and fell in love with the music and the drummer. Starting listen to Rush and was inspired to play rock music. RIH Neil Peart, thank you sharing your gift.

[@michaelarnold1008]

i still have the issue and my copy of the flexi disc... so heart broken right now. RIP Professor

[@kevinhurst3709]

I miss him.

[@maximomartinez6843]

Love u Neil

[@petbadger]

To say that I am thankful is an understatement. I have waited for something like this since it originally came out in Modern Drummer magazine. Peart's genius is a given on this tune and in everything he did; and your transcription is equally impressive. Thank you.

[@morganrothe-gn6er]

Thanks Man👍😀

[@art31david]

You're welcome!

[@bentetzner4263]

very nice ! Thanks !

[@art31david]

You’re welcome. And thank you!

[@jerrypeters811]

I still have all those sound supplements from MD in my old boxes of drum books! They are mint.

[@philippecordeau6777]

Lord Peart. Hope you're rocking up there. Rest in peace.

[@philippeforest8502]

A quantum leap forward...in time and space...for all the drum and percussion community... Very generous of you to share this brilliant research and work ! It sets the record straight on the fact that Neil Peart composed and wrote his drum parts, as seriously as he did for most of the Rush lyrics.

[@tripbreaker]

Wow, this dates back to the Hold Your Fire tour. Yep, I saw that one too!

[@randallratay3712]

I don't understand why a good man and the best drummer in the world would die so young.

[@afterimage289]

Always a pleasure hearing this song

[@vanlifeson6773]

Thank you Thankyou Thankyou Thank you🎵🎶🥁

[@JoannaGalacticTutor]

wow - amazing - I love watching these videos - how to get the music to either play and remember by ear or they had it written ou t- amazing - thank you

[@art31david]

Thank you so much. Means a lot. :)

[@calmingchannelbillbistak]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart! When I received this transparent 45 record in the middle of Modern Drummer I played it 2 times and the record accidentally tore and I never heard it again in its entirety - until now:) Thank you!!!!! Love Neil. Miss Neil. Our beloved Neil.

[@mookyyzed2216]

PLEEEAAAASE, all you phenomenal percussionists out there who can read music well, take this and recreate this piece! I've only seen people in pairs covering this song here on KZbin, and as great a job as they do, the lack of additional people playing the other parts keeps me wanting more. It'd be so awesome to see 6 people knocking this one out! 🤞

[@art31david]

Mookyyzed by popular demand, I am working on the individual parts.

[@mookyyzed2216]

@@art31david Sweet! I can not wait!

[@PUBHEAD1]

This is awesome

[@MrRezRising]

Back in 1985 I bought Drum Techniques of Rush by Bill Wheeler. It basically taught me how to read music. And I still have the floppy MD record. Really enjoyed the video. Since I can sight read now, it was a blast seeing it written out and playing along. Great job!

[@DaGretschguy]

It helped me learn to read as well! It was great to see more complex beats, fills and odd-time and multi-tom fills written out!

[@MrRezRising]

@@DaGretschguy My copy was in my backpack for years. 🥁🤘

[@NoisyLittleCampers]

I got that audio out of the modern drummer magazine. It was a small thin vinyl.

[@SteveHolmesDrums]

Great job - thanks for all the effort. Fond memories of listening to this MD supplement back then.

[@dorian2112]

mostly in 7/8 but called "pieces of eight" love it!!

[@mckaychamberlain3215]

Hi Ben. Just wanted to say thanks for the mention in the video. Too bad it didn't exist a few years ago so I wouldn't have had to learn it by ear. I would love to get my hands on the music and individual parts when you're finished with them if possible. This would be a lot of fun for the marching front ensemble that I teach. Thanks again for sharing this!

[@Thewiz666]

Getting the full Hyperspace riff of Natural Science at the start throughout in that telltale 7 feel

[@physics2817]

Awesome Job 💪

[@duffwood3598]

Well done. Nice breakdown and thoughtful of you to provide. Thank you.

[@richardgrudzinski2973]

Well done Ben! And thanks for the mention.

[@art31david]

You welcome Richard, and thank you very much for your help!

[@LSA2013]

As a bassist and someone who absolutely loves that synth part during the bridge (and fellow Rush fan), this makes me extremely happy. Thank you for doing what I wish someone would've done many years ago! I really hope they give this an official release beyond the old copies.

[@johnh5367]

Thank you so much for your diligent and hard work! I don't know if the marimba part can scale to a tongue drum, but your notation gives this non-musician something to grok on and learn from. Thanks again!

[@xsgpercussion]

I have been waiting for something like this to finally be transcribed!! The first time I heard Pieces of Eight, I had to figure out how to play it! This whole transcription is very impressive!! RIP The Professor

[@ccmarshall1094]

THANK YOU SOOOOO much for doing this project. A few years ago, I went loking for something like this but never found anything close. Today, 4 days after his passing, here it is! Is there anywhere that I could download or print this score? "Suddenly you were gone. From all the lives you left your mark upon..." RIP, Profesor

[@kisterdrums]

Thank you so much for doing this. I’m 16 and play drum set and I learned this by ear, but it’s nice to know what the other instruments’ notation too

[@ryankovacs3852]

Great job Ben!

[@art31david]

Thank you Ryan, and thank YOU for introducing me to Rush in '89!

[@billtennant9878]

@@art31david This is fantastic work! How long did this project take you start to finish? Props to you again!

[@jerrygates6811]

Looks great, Ben - don't stop now, you're just getting started. Thanks for the credit!

[@art31david]

You're welcome Jerry, and thank you for your help and encouragement both during and after my time at Berklee!

[@ccmarshall1094]

@@art31david THANK YOU very much for doing this project!! Is there anywhere to get a 'hard copy' or link to where we could print it out?

[@dmonshaw]

Can't wait to see this! I'll stop back on May 14th :)

[@michaelschroeck2254]

My friend got this when it came out in the magazine. His was folded a bit so it didn’t play quite right…… but it was great!

[@willisingo]

4:38 rules. Not a drummer but what a joy to follow the transcription. Nice work.

[@PUBHEAD1]

Ha, I just found that very Magazine in my old box of music stuff in my storage room.

[@markdisanzo3796]

A great undertaking, sir. I'm curious about the fast driving sections, such as at 1:20. It is impossible for me not to hear this as being simply 11/8 (4+3+4), but you've written it out as 7/8, 8/8, 7/8. It's interesting how people hear things so differently.

[@art31david]

True indeed Sir. Everybody interprets music differently, and you are NOT wrong to think 11/8. However, I wrote it with familiar time signatures to try to keep it simple. Thanks for your input.

[@magicsinglez]

Natural science actually sounds beautiful. . .what a surprise.

[@RCAvhstape]

Funny thing is that it sounds like a Rush song, not just the drums, but the music itself sounds like something Alex and Geddy would write, just imagine these parts being played on bass and guitar.

[@MrRezRising]

I believe the marimba part is Alex's Natural Science riff.🙂🎸

[@daverose2279]

2 1 1 2 love the sense of humor

[@art31david]

Thanks! It was purely coincidental and a surprise to even me that it ended on measure 211 from my meter interpretation. 😊

[@daverose2279]

@@art31david you sense of humor but also Neil's. Sorry I think that was his intention for people who really looked to find it. They all don't take themselves too seriously.

[@j.jester7821]

It reminds me of some of the percussion Stewart Copeland has written.

[@TheCentralScrutinizerAgain]

great! i had this on vinyl/plastic, and lost it in a move!

[@dorian2112]

you mean plastic from the mag as a sound supplement? but i hear ya, i had it too.

[@mjm5081]

❤

[@Novaheart1998]

I have this record, or had it, I can’t find it. 😢

[@Born2RockU1]

HUGE QUESTION- WHY did you NOT write the measure 32-34, the 'THEME'' PHRASE, in a repeated 11/8... (4/8,3/8,4/8) ??? ~Loved your transcription. Thank You for taking the time to do this video, as well.

[@art31david]

11/8 also would have worked, but I felt the shift on the downbeat might have been confusing to some, in addition to complex meter counting. So I chose to keep the chart friendly with time signatures no higher than 7/8, and beaming all parts equally.

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

Sounds like a cross between Bill Bruford and Mike Oldfield, I wonder in Neil wrote that opening riff for The Spirit of Radio.

[@TheMighelon]

Thank you for your hard work!!! Is it possible have pdf transcription of Piece of eight? Thank you

[@naamanpratt]

🥁💫🥁

[@gregsherman1]

This is awesome. Would you have the sheet music available to share? My sons percussion ensemble would love to play this. R.I.P. Neil

[@anthemgunaether2914]

gregsherman1 The conductor above asking the same question offered to pay a fee. I think that’s appropriate and by no means am I shaming you into doing the same. But it’s crazy-difficult to transcribe this. I would offer to Paypal some finds to this fine gentleman for his hard work. Just a thought and thank you for supporting your son and his ensemble.

[@gregsherman1]

@@anthemgunaether2914 I have the entire score. I took a screenshot of each page and put it together in a pdf.

[@anthemgunaether2914]

gregsherman1 Then you’re a piece of garbage. Aka: thief of intellectual property.

[@LandonPeckham]

Can I please have the music for a percussion ensemble to play? This would great! You did a great job!

[@Technoxity]

The person you are congratulating is no longer here but in spirit you can pass on the word and maybe you'll get confirmation from the dead musician itself.

[@MichaelMahadeen]

Hi Ben, I'm a big Rush fan and NYC-based orchestrator and arranger, mostly working in commercial music/musical theater. Is your score (in any format) available for purchase? Please message me and let me know--thanks!

[@vancedrums]

Is it possible to purchase the transcription of this from you?

[@russellroesner6073]

I can read along but I still don't understand why 6-8 goes to 3-8 back to 7-8 to 8-8 and beats are never lost. Plus the dreamy feeling has to have something to do with these time signature techniques.

[@sleightofmind2016]

Why wasn't this on any album?

[@unclerhombus]

Sounds like a Street Fighter 2 soundtrack song.

[@landonpeckham7752]

Where can we find the sheet music and also individual parts?

[@russellroesner6073]

Usually its a bad sign when band members go solo. However, I wish Neil Peart had played with the other extraorndinary players of his day. Imagine him playing with Jaco Pastorias and John Maughlin for example. Or heck just Jaco and Neil.....Rush was unique in that everything they played was predetermined and arranged ahead of time it seems. However I wish somewhere there may be jam sessions where they are screwing around somewhere on the planet. Do you think they ever really jammed in the studio for fun?

[@byronlemay2166]

Could be a King Crimson number...sounds like a pattern Fripp would play.

[@kyzzgazz]

i got that flexi

[@gregcampwriter]

How many musicians do you need to play it? One.

[@cymbalism1]

is it just me, or does this seem inspired by Tubular Bells?

[@davebasch5995]

I thought the same...the first key change is similar to the one in Tubular Bells

[@davebasch5995]

Or perhaps, the theme song from "Halloween" movie?

[@TheOneTrueSpLiT]

Don't get sucked in... he's a robot, obviously. (from a punk/rock/metal rhythm guitarist)

[@bradhart6487]

Remember when this came out - the idea was it was to be a showcase for his new Ludwig drum kit. I remember being very disappointed - didn't really want to hear him fart around on his digital marimba, stealing a riff from an old Rush song with the new drums in the background...

[@DrumPhil-ss7wn]

Dude, seriously.... why is it, people can't pronounce his last name correctly. It's not eeeer!!! It's ER.. as in UR, as in BURR... DAMN, people! REALLY?!?

[@packerbacker64]

What are u talking about? It's definitely pronounced "pier-ert"

[@gabrieledwards1066]

🧎‍♂️ P👂T

[@davebasch5995]

I did a tour of DW Drums factory this month and got to meet Louie, the guy that did all the custom graphics and paint schemes on all of Neil's kits for the past 15 yrs or so...even Louie didnt pronounce Peart correctly...I was stunned

[@A7XGuitar999]

beginning sounds like Natural Science

[@kylekelley9504]

Is there any way to purchase the sheet music?

[@art31david]

Working on it.

[@kylekelley9504]

@@art31david awesome! I showed this to the director of my college's percussion ensemble and he seemed interested so please keep me updated!