Education
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Brush Workshop Part 3: Linear Motion
Many drummers think that brushes can be used only in jazz, but if you’ve been following this series and practicing the various patterns in each article, you should realize by now that brushes can be used in any musical style.…
The Sounds That Drew Me In And What I Drew Out of Them
Think back to that first moment when you knew drums were it for you. For me, this happened after seeing a traditional Serbian folk group with a drummer who played a set of mounted bongos. TO READ THE FULL STORY:…
Memorizing Tempos
Tips for Finding Your Own Reference Points That seat we sit on is affectionately called a throne. This signifies to me that we are kings—or queens—of our domain. As such, we are in a position of power and honor. This…
A Look at Hybrid Rudiments
The Hairta and Its Application on the Drumset Hybrid rudiments are permutations, mixtures, or combinations of the classic forty rudiments established by the Percussive Arts Society. In this article we’ll take a look at how one of the more widely…
Sticking the Beat
A Four-Step Process to Discovering New Grooves In this article I’ll show you how sticking patterns can be applied to the drumset to create various grooves. Each groove is built from the ground up, progressing through four easy-to-understand steps. The…
The Journey of Self-Discovery
Thoughts on Developing Your Own Musical Voice One of the things I mentioned in last month’s column was how I feel there are way too many drummers who sound alike in the field today. Of course, this is…
Consecutive Flams Part 1: Spaced Out
This month we’re going to kick off a challenging three-part series on flams. All of these exercises will consist of single flams followed by sets of two, three, and four flams. Then we’ll reverse the order to end up back…
All Together Now! Focus on Unison Exercises
Practicing unison exercises is an excellent way to determine the accuracy and precision of your four limbs as they function together. Like links in a steel chain, the sturdiness of your groove depends on the strength of your weakest limb.…
The Paradiddle Polyrhythm Pyramid
Sharpen Your Rhythmic Awareness and Control The following exercise was going to be called the Paradiddle Polyrhythm Rudiment, but I felt that it was too long to be just one rudiment. Instead, it makes for a formidable polyrhythm exercise in…
Duple/Triple Single-Diddle Gear Shifters Part 2
16th Notes and Sextuplets This month we’re going to isolate timing and sticking gear shifts between 16th notes and sextuplets (aka 16th-note triplets). These exercises are great for improving your hand technique as well as your timing. Using singles and…
Color Your Groove Tips for Playing Drums and Handheld Percussion Simultaneously
Adding handheld percussion, like shakers and tambourines, to tracks in the studio is nothing new. Producers have long taken advantage of the opportunity to overdub layers of rhythmic texture without necessarily worrying about how it’s all going to be replicated…
Syncopation Revisited Part 6: Assorted Applications
Welcome to the final installment of our series on ways to interpret the classic Ted Reed book Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer. The following applications can be used with any of the seventy-two repetitive one-measure examples from…
Be Prepared! Long-Term and Short-Term Skills for Success
I thought I would use this month’s column to elaborate on the details of developing your product. Last month we discussed balancing artistry and commerce. We broke that down into the four parts of these vital components. First, make a…
Mind Matters - The Power of “No”
Q: My lead guitarist is finding fault with the drum parts I write. When we first attempt a new tune, he often rolls his eyes, makes a face, and stops the song. He’ll either start offering suggestions or ask to…
