Max Roach Solo – Delilah

Delilah drum solo transcription – a note-for-note accurate transcription of Max Roach’s drum solo on “Delilah”, from the album Clifford Brown & Max Roach. Every phrase is written out in clean, print-ready drum sheet music.

About Delilah drum sheet music

“Delilah” is a Victor Young theme that the Clifford Brown–Max Roach Quintet turned into a jazz classic on their first album. Its Middle Eastern-flavoured melody gives Roach plenty of colour to work with.

Max Roach’s solo is melodic and swinging, full of classic bebop vocabulary. At around 140 bpm, it is a great tempo to study how he uses the toms melodically and builds his phrases.

A drum transcription taken from the original recording

This Delilah drum transcription was written bar by bar from Max Roach's studio recording and checked against the track. It is not a live take and nothing is simplified – these are the Delilah drum notes exactly as they were played on the record.

The notation is clean and professionally engraved, with clearly marked sections and repeats, so it is quick to find your place when you jump to a fill or a chorus. Print it for your music stand or keep it on a tablet – both work well.

Song facts

• Artist: Max Roach
• Album: Clifford Brown & Max Roach (1955)
• Drummer: Max Roach
• Tempo: ♩ ≈ 140
• Style: bebop jazz drum solo

What you get

When you buy Delilah drum sheet music, you get:

• The full song, transcribed note-for-note from the original recording
• Clearly labelled song sections
• Professionally engraved, print-ready PDF
• Instant download after purchase

How to practise Delilah on drums

A step-by-step way to learn Delilah on drums with the sheet music:

1. Listen many times. Notice how the solo relates to the melody.
2. Learn phrase by phrase. Two bars at a time, slowly.
3. Use the toms melodically. Pay attention to pitch and order.
4. Use a metronome. Build up to ♩ ≈ 140.
5. Play along with the recording. Match the swing and dynamics.
6. Borrow ideas. Use the phrases in your own solos.

Why note-for-note sheet music?

Most free Delilah drum tabs are rough sketches – the main groove, maybe a fill or two, and rhythms that are hard to read. Note-for-note sheet music shows exactly what was played and when, so you learn the real part instead of an approximation, and you learn it faster.

Who is this sheet music for?

This transcription suits intermediate to advanced jazz drummers, students and teachers.

About Max Roach

Max Roach was a founder of bebop drumming. With trumpeter Clifford Brown he led one of the greatest hard-bop quintets of the 1950s, and he later recorded We Insist! Freedom Now Suite and many other landmark albums.

More jazz drum sheet music

Want more than one song? The Max Roach Drum Solo Transcriptions Collection includes Delilah together with other songs, at a lower price than buying them one by one. You can also get other jazz songs one by one: What Is This Thing Called Love, Rhythm, I’ll Remember April and Hard Wired. See them all on the jazz drum sheet music page.

Frequently asked questions

Does the sheet music cover the whole of Delilah?

Yes – every section from the first bar to the last, exactly as played on the original recording. It is not a shortened or simplified version.

Is it written as drum tabs or as drum notation?

As standard drum notation on a five-line staff. Tabs can show which drum to hit but not the exact rhythm – notation shows both.

How do I get the PDF after I buy?

The download link appears straight after checkout and is also sent to your email. You can print the PDF or read it on a tablet.

Is Delilah a good Max Roach solo to start with?

Yes – the medium tempo makes it a great one to learn early.

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