This month we continue to feature the wonderful exercises from Joe Morello’s book Master Studies. While some teachers talk about speed and chops, Joe Morello focused on control and technique. Proper technique and controlling your hands, movements, and the sticks will eventually lead to “speed and chops,” but there are no short cuts. The section of his book simply called Control Studies is a priceless study to achieve these (and other) goals. This month we will include his chapter on dynamics. Enjoy! Dynamics These exercises are good for dynamic control, and they are also tremendous endurance builders. Within the crescendos and diminuendos, there should be no sudden changes in volume. They should be done smoothly so that with the crescendos, each note is louder than the one before, and with diminuendos, each note is softer than the one before. Take these slowly enough that you can control them. Each exercise […]

February 2023 Issue