Learning to read music opens new worlds of music to us. An important part of our journey to proficiency.

Drumming history is full of inspiring music to learn. Working and exploring music outside of our immediate interests will help us master the key areas of music and keep us from becoming bored playing the same old same old.

Here are some key benefits to learning to read scores. 

1. Endurance: no quitting until the end. 
2. Time awareness. We learn to play steadily by reading our parts while playing along with the recordings.  
3. Orchestration is choosing which instruments to play. Studying transcriptions quickly gives us insights. 
4. Vocabulary is the ability to sound convincing in a particular style. 
5. Dynamics is how we fit in with the ensemble and how we balance the instruments we are playing within our part. 
6. Repertoire is knowing tunes. The person who knows the most tunes wins every time. 
7. Rudiments The scores show us how to apply them in musical ways. 
8. Historical awareness. Your knowledge of drum history will colour everything you play now and in the future. 

Have fun, 

​David

1. Learning to play with a metronome takes some preparation. Start by playing quarter notes, alternating hands (RLRL) with one click per stroke/note, then 2 notes per click. Vary the tempi. Count aloud. 1-2-3-4 then 1&2&3&4&. 
2. Then work on a single isolated section of one of your etudes.  Start slow, count aloud, not in your head. 
3. Then connect the chunks together. 
4. Repeat daily. 
5. Later apply to other rudiments.

​If I can help you, call me. 

David

Later this month my drum students will join in with my piano students in a joint jazz performance workshop. Our first pairing since the before times. For some students who play electric drums at home it will be their first go on a traditional drum kit. Here are some tips to get ready for this experience. 

1. Practice the rudiments and snare etudes softly this month. The power strokes and general joyous thrashing possible on electric drumkits won't work in an acoustic environment with pianists playing jazz. 
2. Jam with jazz recordings this week. The album below is an iconic introduction to jazz drumming.
3. Practice the required pieces more than you might normally do. 
4. Prepare to have fun. Playing with other humans, making improvisational music is thrilling. Music is a team sport. 

David

​Covid protocols will be in effect. 

A drummer is an accompanist who creates beats, textures, parts, tone, and excitement.

In short, they are a team leader, team player and exhibitionistic showman/woman all wrapped up in one.

Drummers make it feel, sound, and look good.

Drummers make the other musicians glad they came to the session. In short, we bring joy and competence to the stage/studio/jam.

How do you go about this?

1. You need to learn to play your instrument. Our heroes play so well that showing off doesn't throw them off the main task of making it all sound musical. 
2. You will need to practice daily your time feels, sticking etudes, and independence exercises  with your metronome. No time, no gigs or invites to play. 
3. Repertoire development. If you want to be a country drummer, study country music from its inception. Learn about its development, major players, and core repertoire. Learn the repertoire. This will take a lifetime. Get started today. Start listening, watching, and playing along with tracks. 
4. Take lessons. Without direction and accountability, you will just spin your wheels, get bored and quit. Or worse mess never making progress. Or even worse think you've figured it out from watching YouTube, go to a jam and make a jackass of yourself. Then quit. 
5. Find a bunch of people who share your enthusiasm and hang out online and more importantly in person. Attend drum conventions, drum camps, workshops, etc. 

A caveat, the following ideas assume the student comes from a place of privilege with access to time, money, and resources in a supportive family situation. For those lacking these privileges, some societies offer community recourses or school programs. So don't give up. Seek out opportunities in community centres, possibly churches and city/town recreational centres. People want to help. 

​David 

A rudimental warm-up based on the 40-bar exercise from Syncopation, the timeless drumming manual. 

This was inspired by the video below. Creativity comes from limitation. Doing more with less, moving the accents, and exploring the idea for 2 hours. JoJo's advice. Have fun. 

​David

​On the pads start at 40 BPM, softly, then 150, then 50 then 140, then 60 then 130 you get the idea. If you are a beginner start at 70 BPM for a few weeks, then start trying out other tempi. Slower is harder to control.
On the kit: My 12-year-old copy says 40 BPM. R=alternating feet, L=hands. 
Other ideas play Samba feet under the sticking patterns. Or a Nola pattern, or even a Cuban tumbao rhythm pattern.
 
Make every note sound intentional. 

• all soft
• all loud
• soft with accents
• crescendos and diminuendos
• straight/swung

 
it goes on and on. 
 
There are numerous ways to play this famous page. Head over to Nick Ruffini’s page and ask for copy of his book. Mailing List - Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. (nxcli.net) And enjoy his podcasts. I’ve listened to over 500 of them!
 
The key word is intentional practice.
 

One of the the joys of drumming is getting the hands together while playing with others.

On the other side of the pandemic I look forward to some Saturday afternoons teaching this to my drumming students.

​We'll be making a glorious music. 

David