Practice Routine
- Bass and Knitting Needle Finger Exercises
- French Grip German Grip Fingers and HH
- Left Arm Rebound
- Rudiments For Sound
- 3 over 2 Polyrhythm
- Drum Concepts and Technique
- Mambo
- Sparse Samba
- Solos
Reminders:
- Physical: relax and breathe.
- Posture: sit up straight, chin up, elbows hang by sides.
- Time: play evenly and with correct rhythmic placement of subdivisions.
- Motion: accurate, consistent, controlled and efficient.
- Sound: pleasant, consistent, same tone for sticks, sticks and drums resonate.
- Music: vary dynamics, use accents appropriately, play melodies.
- Practice: Practice music, exercises should be made musical, put the seed of music in everything you do.
Practice at a slow enough tempo to accomplish all of these.
Matched Grip Wrist
Suggested: No HH or bass. No Metronome. Start from medium low stick height.
- Free drop down stroke, four times.
- Free drop down stroke followed by up stroke, four times.
Notes: Play very slowly and work on accuracy and sound. Do only a few repetions. Experiment with grip close to end of sticks and close to fulcrum. Use some forearm rotation to drive motion.
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Left Arm Moeller
Suggested: No HH or bass. No Metronome.
- Group of 4 quarters, 4 eigth notes, 4 triplets, 4 16th notes.
Notes: Use low catch and drop taps. Use some forearm rotation. Let wrist hang as elbow is rising. Let wrist turn at apex of motion. Work on accuracy and economy of motion. Repeat the series a few times.
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Left Arm Rebound
Suggested: No HH or bass. 60bpm 8th notes. Use combination of forearm rotation and wrist turn. Grip stick near fulcrum.
- Play for at least 2 minutes.
Notes: Work on accuracy, control and consistency.
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Rudiments For Sound
Suggested: No HH or bass.
- Single Stroke Roll. 50 bpm 8th notes. At least 1 min each.
- Right hand lead.
- Left hand lead.
Notes: Work on getting sticks to sound the same. Use wrist turn, keep thumb in contact with index finger, don't raise stick too high, keep index finger near fulcrum (watch for LH below fulcrum and RH above fulcrum.) Try to match grip subtleties of each hand.
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3 over 2 Polyrhythm
Suggested: Sing 1 trip a let.
- HH on 8th notes as 2, Hand to hand triplets as 3. 35 8th notes, 3min.
- Left hand on snare as 2, right hand on ride as 3. 50 8th notes, 2min.
Notes: Work on making rhythms even. For (a) use DTU strokes; try both holding near fulcrum and holding near ends. For (b) use arm and fingers for right hand, grip stick near fulcrum with pad of index and thumb, accent the 1's; use wrist and fingers for left hand, grip stick near fulcrum.
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Stick Control
Suggested: Work at a comfortable tempo corresponding to 2min each exercise for 20-30x. Use SD1 sticks on black VF pad, or SD9 stick on aquarian pad; play HH on quarter or eigth notes as appropriate for exercise.
- Exercises from Stick Control
Notes: Use German grip; experiment with grip close to end of sticks and close to fulcrum; use down and tap strokes for lower tempos, use rebound strokes for faster tempos.
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Stick Control Combinations in 3/8
Suggested: 60 3-beat 3 min each line 30x, or 80 3-beat 2 min each line 26x, or 92 3-beat 1 1/2 min each line 23x each line; use SD1 sticks on black VF pad, or SD9 stick on aquarian pad; play HH on eigth notes.
- Free drop down stroke, quarters.
- Free drop down stroke followed by up stroke, 8th notes
- Exercises from Stick Control
Notes: For 3 minute tempo, review exercise in first minute, repeat 20x in next two minutes, similarly for faster tempos but with less review; use German grip close to end of sticks; use down and tap strokes for lower tempos, use rebound strokes for faster tempos.
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Jazz Ride Cymbal and Groove: Sound Quality
Suggested: Count whole notes. Take as much time is needed to get these to sound good.
- Play along with practice track or music.
- Ride with skip notes on 2,4, quiet HH 24 with snap, feather bass.
- Play "tl" on snare. Suggested 100 q.
- Play "tl t tl t" on snare. Suggested 110 q.
- Play "l's" on snare. Suggested 120 q.
- Improvise.
Notes: Grip stick behind fulcrum; use arm, wrist, and fingers; keep arm and hand relaxed; keep fingers in contact with stick. Work on getting the ride cymbal to sound relaxed, constistent, and driving forward; get phrasing of skip note to swing and get skip note to sound light. Record this practice.
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Jazz Ride Cymbal and Groove: Isolated Skip Notes
Suggested: Count whole notes; 76 q; as much time is needed; use tl on snare as needed.
- Quarter notes on ride, add quiet HH 24, add feather bass
- Isolate skip note for each quarter note - alternate bars w/ and w/o skip note
- Isolate skip note for each quarter note - back to back bars
- skip note on 1 and 3 only
- skip note on 2 and 4 only
- skip note on all quarters
- Improvise
Notes: Grip stick behind fulcrum; use arm, wrist, and fingers; keep arm and hand relaxed; keep fingers in contact with stick. Get quarter notes on ride moving forward and get swing phrasing of skip note. Record this practice.
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Mambo
Suggested: Count 8th notes; 100q, 120q, or 140q; spend as much time needed.
- Start with ride, add HH, then add bass, cross stick and toms.
- Experiment with variations
- Improvise
Notes: Work on playing quiet, then work on increasing tempo. Experiment with singing parts.
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Sparse Samba (Authentic Phrasing)
Suggested: 40 2-beat.
- Cut time 16th notes: Bass 2; HH - &'s
- Ride 16th notes; Snare 1 2, 1 a2, Whistle rhythm, improvise
- Whistle rhythm between hands
- Whistle rhythm variation add "e of 2" on left at last bar
- Samba Rhythms from Erskine book
- Cut time 16th notes: Bass 1 2; HH - &'s
- Ride 1 2; Snare 1 2, 1 a2, Whistle rhythm, improvise
- Floor tom mute 1 open 2; Snare 1 2, 1 a2, Whistle rhythm, improvise
- Whistle rhythm between hands
- Whistle rhythm variation add "e of 2" on left at last bar
- Samba Rhythms from Erskine book
Notes: Use cross stick at drums or backstick at pads.
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Samba (Authentic Phrasing)
Suggested: 40 2-beat.
- Cut time 16th notes: Bass - 1 a2 a1; HH - &'s; Ride - 1e& 2e&.
- Isolate each 16th note on snare
- Isolate a 16th note for both quarter notes on snare (i.e. "e of 1" and "e of 2", etc.)
- Whistle rhythm on snare (isolate each bar)
- Whistle rhythm on snare (isolate each bar in correct place in phrase)
- Whistle rhythm on snare (isolate notes 1,2,3; notes 4,5,6; notes 6,7,8)
- Whistle rhythm on snare
Notes: Use cross stick at drums or backstick at pads.
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So What 16th Note Feel
Suggested: 56q.
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, 8th notes; Optional LH 2,4 on snare; Bass on 4, "a of 4"
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, 8th notes; LH 2,4 on snare; Bass on 1, "e of 1"
- Improvise extra notes, hh openings, accent and ghost notes.
Notes: Experiment with combinations and improvise.
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So What (New Orleans in between straight and swing)
Suggested: 52q.
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, 8th notes; LH 2,4 on snare; Bass on 4, "a of 4"
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, 8th notes; LH 2,4 on snare; Bass on 1, "e of 1"
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, 8th notes; LH 2,4 on snare; HH open on "& of 1"
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, ride, or bell, quarters; LH 2,4 on snare; Bass on 4, "a of 4"
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, 8th notes; LH nothing; Bass on 4, "a of 4"
- One bar 16th note grove: RH on HH, 8th notes; LH 2,4 on snare; Bass on "a of 4", "e of 1"
Notes: Experiment with combinations and improvise.
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Rudiment Preparation for 2nd Line Marches
Suggested: 58q (a-d), 88q (e-f).
- 9 stoke open roll played on 2 and 4 as 32nd notes (hand to hand)
- 9 stoke buzz roll (hand to hand)
- Flam triplet march (Take it to the Street, pg 9, line 2) (lead each hand)
- single stroke skeleton
- skeleton with drag
- skeleton as doubles
- drag and doubles
- Flam triplet march (Take it to the Street, pg 9, line 2) closed drag and roll (lead each hand)
- 5 stroke roll on 2 and 4 as 16th notes (hand to hand)
- 5 stroke buzz (hand to hand)
Notes: Experiment with adding Bass on q's and HH on 2,4. Experiment with grip, dynamics, accents and press rolls.
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5/4 (Take Five)
Suggested: Count quarter notes; 92 bpm, 5 quarters; as much time as needed.
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; quiet bass 1,4; skip note on 2; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; quiet bass 1,4; skip note on 4; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; quiet bass 1,4; skip note on 2 and 4; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; feather bass; skip note on 2; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; feather bass; skip note on 4; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; feather bass; skip note on 2 and 4; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; no bass; skip note on 2; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; no bass; skip note on 4; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- quarters on ride, quiet HH 2,3,5; no bass; skip note on 2 and 4; practice isolated 8th notes on snare
- Single stroke roll: Trade 3 bars of 5/4 quarters with 5 bars of 3/4 quarters
Notes: None.
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Brushes Exercises
Suggested: Use fingers and hands w/o brush on drum head to explore motion.
- 12 to 6 motion (or 11/1 to 7/5 as appropriate)
- 9 to 3 r, 3 to 9 l
- x top to bottom (~along axis of brush)
- x bottom to top (~perpendicular to axis of brush)
- Experiment with motions against axis of brush
- Experiment with deadstick, taps, and bounce
- Experiment with circles, ovals, and lines
- Experiment with accents with pressure, and accents with larger motions
- Experiment with bending wires
- Experiment with changing angle of attack of brush to head
- Experiment with adding rhythmic points
- Experiment with guiro rhythms
- Practice Erskine circle patterns
- Experiment with 3/4 time patterns
- Drum Concepts and Technique, pg 87, circles
- Drum Concepts and Technique, pg 87, circles with right articulation
- Drum Concepts and Technique, pg 88, circles jazz ride rhythm
Notes: None.
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Afro (Sabor a Mi)
Suggested: Brushes on HH, play along with recording.
- Basic rhythm: 1 a2 & 3 & 4
- Experiment with “& of 1”, “e of 3”, “& of 4”, and combinations of these
- Experiment with leading same hand, alternate leading hand
- Experiment with alternate sticking and bounces
- Experiment with accenting notes, and flam notes
- Experiment with eliminating note 3 or other notes
- Experiment with bass on 1 or other notes
- Experiment with HH opening on “& of 4” or other notes
- Experiment with dynamics
Notes: None.
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Traditional 2nd Line Snare Drum March Grooves
Suggestions: None.
- Take it to the Street page 9 Line 1
- Take it to the Street page 9 Line 2
- Take it to the Street page 9 Line 3
Notes: None.
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Solos
- Caravan
- Bye Bye Blackbird
- Softly as a Morning Sunrise
- Take Five
- Cello's Blues
Notes: None.
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To Do - Study
- Watch Everything is Timekeeping videos again
- Watch Peter Erskine's Brushes videos (extra features on video)
- Watch extra features from Everhything is Timekeeping
- Watch DVD rom extras from Everhything is Timekeeping
- Compare Everything is Timekeeping PDFs to Drum Concepts and Technique
- Compare Everything is Timekeeping PDFs to video
- Identify any exercises from PDFs not covert in book
- Watch Steve Gadd Videos
- Up Close
- In Session
- Watch Tony Williams 1985 Clinic
- Watch Art of Brushes again
- Identify play along tracks to use for Jazz exercises
- Review CD from Art of Bop Drumming ; identify tracks to use for Jazz exercises
- Identify recordings to play along with
- Watch sections in Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer
- Finger exercises (French grip and German Grip)
- Controlled strokes
- Doubles and Inverted doubles exercises
- Watch Ginger Baker video again
- Watch Jim Chapin Moeller Method video again
- Watch Steve Smith technique and history videos again
- Watch Jojo Mayer Foot Technique video
- Watch Joe Morello videos
- Drum Method 1
- Drum Method 2
- Read Danny Gottlieb's notes on Accents and Rebounds from www.stonepercussionbooks.com
Notes: None.
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To Do - Practice
- Shuffle
- Art of Bob Drumming pg 56
- Drum Concepts and Technique, pg 84-86
- Tumbao
- Notes from lessons with Tony Martucci
- Alan Dawson Method pg 34
- Drum Concepts and Technique, pg 68-69
- Ideas from Salsa Ear Training webpage
Notes: None.
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Practice Ideas
- Samba
- Work on other snare rhythms from Drum Concepts and Technique, pg 60-61, 63
- Work on all of this with the other ride patterns (1 &a2 &a1..., e&a e&a, 1e a2e a1..., all 16th notes)
- Play agogo rhythms from Brazillian Percussion Manual on snare over all five ride patterns
- Play agogo rhythms from Brazillian Percussion Manual on toms over all five ride patterns
- Play agogo rhythms from Brazillian Percussion Manual on toms with both hands
- Play other rhythms from Brazillian Percussion Manual in all the above ways
- Learn drumset groves from Brazillian Percussion Manual
Notes: Listen to Billy Hart in Art of Brushes Latin, Peter Erskine in Everything is Timekeeping , Steve Gadd in Up Close and In Session, The Art of Bop Drumming CD track 34, youtube videos, Black Orpheus soundtrack, and samba records for phrasing.
Notes: None.
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Reference
- Samba
- Art of Bob Drumming
- Drum Concepts and Technique
- Brazillian Percussion Manual
- Notes from lessons with Tony Martucci
- Alan Dawson Method
- Take it To The Street
- Generic Latin/Mambo/Mozambiqu/Tumbao
- Art of Bob Drumming
- Take it To The Street
- Drum Concepts and Technique
- Notes from lessons with Tony Martucci
- Alan Dawson Method
- Salsa Ear Training webpage
- Shuffle
- Art of Bob Drumming
- Drum Concepts and Technique
- Reggea
- Drum Concepts and Technique
- New Orleans Jazz and Second Line Drumming
Notes: None.
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