Education
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A New Year, A New You? Reviewing and Renewing Your Goals, Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of our new year/new you discussion. Last month we talked about reflection. This time we’re covering the topics of imitation and experience. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
1,000 Ways to Practice a Single Page - Part 2: More Rhythmic Interpretations
In Part 1 of this series, we began exploring different approaches to utilize and practice a single page of rhythm. We started on the snare with 16th-note subdivisions while accenting the rhythms on the page. In this lesson we’ll take…
A New Perspective - Part 2: Three-Over-Two Linear Polyrhythms
The three-over-two polyrhythm is made up of two contrasting rhythms (three equally spaced notes over two equally spaced notes) that are played simultaneously. We can build this polyrhythm by choosing one subdivision to act as a common denominator between the…
Threes and Fives - Fills With Odd Groupings
I’ve always found it fun and interesting to explore the possibilities available when using common subdivisions such as 8ths, 16ths, or 8th-note triplets. For example, we can play a double-stroke roll or paradiddle sticking within 8th-note triplets to create a…
Swiss Rudiments - Basel Drumming, Part 4
In this lesson we’ll take a look at a song from Camp Duty Update, my most recent book about the history of rudiments and their European roots. The melody of the tune “The Slow Scotch” was used in nineteenth-century military…
Groove Construction, Part 10: Exploring a Killer Cowbell Pattern
In this lesson we’ll examine a pattern that I get asked about often. I recorded this groove on the song “Rave Against the Machine” with Jan Delay and Disko No. 1 in Germany some time ago... TO READ THE FULL…
Beyond the Noteheads - Benefits and Strategies for Transcribing, Part 1
I recently thought about my first lesson with the great drummer and educator Ed Soph. I was eighteen years old at the time, and my parents drove me from our home in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to see Ed in New Haven,…
Odd Subdivision Offbeats - Ten- and Fourteen-Note Groupings
When examining 32nd notes, we see that they’re twice as fast as 16th notes. Similarly, we can take this idea of doubling subdivisions and apply it to any grouping. In this lesson we’re going to explore ten- and fourteen-note subdivisions,…
A New Year, A New You? Reviewing and Renewing Your Goals, Part 1
We’ve discussed before how the ability to finish something is much more valuable than the ability to start something. Most people are starters, but the most successful people are the finishers. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG…
Swiss Rudiments - Basel Drumming, Part 3
In the third installment of our series on Swiss drumming, we’ll continue exploring the European roots of rudiments. In the last lesson we introduced Tagwacht pieces—music that’s typically used to awaken soldiers. The piece “Three Camps” could be considered an…
Groove Construction, Part 9: Split Grooves
This month’s groove workshop introduces split patterns. In these phrases, the right hand alternates between two voices, the hi-hat and ride. The arm should hardly move; the motion should originate from the wrist. This concept is especially effective with patterns…
Papa Jo Jones Drum Fill - Incorporating a Classic Jazz Lick
In this lesson we’ll explore a versatile and great-sounding fill from jazz legend Papa Jo Jones. The basic pattern is notated in Exercise 1. Pay close attention to the sticking—it’s essential to start and end the fill with your lead…
A New Perspective - Displacing Two-Over-Three Polyrhythms
This month we’re going to vary the basic phrasing of polyrhythms. Typically, both sides of a polyrhythm begin together on the first note of the rhythm. We can vary this by displacing one or both sides of the rhythm. We’ll…
The Swampy Double Groove - Grease Up Your Phrases
With double grooves, the left hand plays every 8th note using unaccented strokes in between accented backbeats. I refer to these unaccented notes as “taps.” Combining this snare pattern with a standard 8th-note hi-hat figure results in a locomotive groove…
