Rock Perspectives
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Applying The Paradiddle-diddle
As a student, I always try to seek out new ways to use rudiments on the drumset, and as a teacher, I encourage my students to do the same.
Paradille Funk
There seems to be a lot of controversy today concerning the usefulness and importance of drum rudiments. This column is not an attempt to justify all of the 26 American Drum Rudiments but, rather, to demonstrate how we can take…
Study In 8th-Note Triplets
This month’s Rock Perspectives examines some time feels involving the use of the 8th-note triplet. When practicing these examples, remember to concentrate on the two sound levels (dynamics): Accented notes should be played forte (f), and unaccented notes pianissimo (pp).…
The Five-Note Fill/Solo Concept
Here is an idea for use in either fills or soloing. The study is based on the following five-note pattern: The five-note pattern, when played as consecutive triplets or 16th notes in 4/4 time, comes back to where it began…
Burning on Double Bass — Basic Hand/Foot Patterns
There are no shortcuts in gaining control in drumming. Just as it takes time to develop speed and accuracy with your hands, the same applies to your double bass playing. The important things are to be focused in your practice…
Double Bass Workout
Part 6: Paradiddle Patterns For the final lesson in this series we’re going to have some fun with paradiddles, double paradiddles, and paradiddle variations over 16th notes, 16th-note triplets, and 32nd notes. Remember to play to a metronome or click…
The Art of Soloing
I may as well admit the obvious: I am, indeed, a practitioner and partisan of that much maligned and oft-persecuted musical form, that thudding, plodding, torment of tedium, that dazzling display of passion and virtuosity—the drum solo. Much contempt has…
A Beat Study
The following musical examples comprise what I term a “beat study.” It is by no means exhaustive (every possible variation), but simply presents related time feels. Bar 1 is the pattern on which all the others are based. The focus…
The Military Sound
The application of rudimental/military type patterns to the drumset has added another dimension to contemporary music. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Live Drum Soloing
Getting Started In this article we’ll give some insight into how to conceive, construct, and execute a drum solo in a live rock context. For those who’ve never performed a solo, it can be a very scary idea. But…
Rock Perspectives - Playing Simple
The following material is a presentation of some simple ideas I've developed for use with my private students.
Rock Perspectives - Three Beats
The following two examples are simple hand/foot patterns that can be put together as one. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Rock Perspectives - Modular Rock
Modular Rock TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
