drumming
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Rock Perspectives - Double Bass Workout, Part 1
Welcome to the first installment in a series of articles focusing on double bass. In this lesson we’ll explore fill ideas where we’re mixing 16th notes, sextuplets, and 32nd notes over 8th-, 16th-, and 32nd-note foot patterns. TO READ THE…
Strictly Technique - Playing the Sixes
It can be difficult to get young students to feel excited about sitting down and working on rudiments. The material in this two-part series is designed to encourage drummers to dig into some of the basic rudimental sticking patterns and…
Rock Perspectives - Double Bass Workout, Part 2
In this lesson we’ll explore some challenging yet practical double bass grooves. We’re mixing 16th notes, 16th-note triplets, 32nd notes, and 32nd-note triplets. Remember to always practice to a metronome or click track. Start off slowly and master each pattern…
Strictly Technique - Chops Builders: Hemiolas, Part 1
This month we’re going to start a three-part series on hemiolas. The word hemiola has Greek roots and means “containing one and a half,” “half as much again,” or “in the ratio of one and a half to one (3:2),…
ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC - Hidden Rhythms Part 2 Odd Groupings
Last month we explored the endless rhythmic and textural ideas hiding inside a measure of 16th notes, including clave and cascara patterns, partido alto phrases, and more. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
JAZZ DRUMMER'S WORKSHOP - Timetable Warm-Up
As drummers, we’re often taught the importance of warm-up exercises. These drills are typically designed to help loosen the muscle groups of your wrists, forearms, and fingers. A good warm-up routine develops your reflexes and helps you produce an articulate…
BASICS - Backstage Warm-Ups
In this lesson, I’m sharing some of the warm-ups I use before hitting the stage with Jason Aldean each night. I improvise with rudimental figures that isolate both sides of my body, which helps me focus on my weaker hand.…
Swing Style 101 - Part 3: The Most Common Song Forms
To finish out the series, we’re going to prepare you for when it comes time to play some jazz tunes on the bandstand, by discussing the most standard forms used in this style. Understanding these forms is the key to…
BASICS - Six-Stroke Success
The six-stroke roll is easily one of my favorite rudiments. I was hooked on it after hearing the first few bars of the Temptations’ “My Girl.” This popular lick has crept its way into all types of music—from big band…
STRICTLY TECHNIQUE - Nine Over Two
The simplest way to think about a nine-over-two polyrhythm is by dividing each partial of a quarter-note triplet into another triplet. In this lesson, we’re adding accent patterns to this polyrhythm. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG…
CONCEPTS - Organize Your Gear
I’ve had many requests to discuss selecting, organizing, and maintaining equipment, so this is the first part in a short series on those subjects. I’m starting with the organization of gear and how to take it to jobs so that…
Bass Drum Development - 4 Focused Exercises for Building Raw Speed
One of the most common questions I get asked in clinics is, “How did you develop your foot speed?” And that is often followed by, “What pedal do you use?” I can promise you this: Bass drum speed has almost…
BASICS - Advanced Disco
BASICS Advanced Disco Beyond Four on the Floor by Rich Redmond Disco, a style of music popularized in the 1970s, launched dance crazes, drove up record sales, and sometimes caused a lot of frustration among the era’s working drummers. (Some…
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - Bone Custom
Bone Custom has been handcrafting drums in Slovenia since 2005. This year it launched the Essence series, which is designed to be more affordable without sacrificing the high-end quality and bold look that Bone employs on its custom-shop kits. TO…
