In this lesson, I’m going to show you here is one way to expand your musical vocabulary and stimulate creativity by playing on other sound sources, in particular the toms. But feel free to expand on this concept to use other sound sources such as cowbells, rims, sound effect cymbals, etc.

To begin, start playing a constant eighth note ride pattern. While you most likely are familiar with playing on the ride or hi hat, how about moving the ride pattern to the toms. First, we’ll practice playing the new drum pattern on the floor tom alone. This way you will be getting use to playing a ride pattern on a sound source other that the hi hat or ride cymbal. Next, add the rest of the patterns: bass drum on counts 1 and 3, snare and hi hat on counts 2 and 4.

Now, play the ride pattern between 2 of the toms. Try beginning with tom 1and the tom 2. Notice that you are playing the quarter notes on tom 1 and the eighth notes on tom 2.

After you are comfortable playing this way, try to add tom 1. This time play tom 1, tom 2, floor tom, tom 2, tom 1, tom 2, floor tom, etc. Notice how the quarter notes are now split between tom 1 and the floor tom, while the eighth notes are all played on tom 2.

Add as many toms as you like, or have. At this point you should understand this concept enough to apply it to your own patterns. Also, try experimenting with cymbals or what ever other sound source that you may have. This same concept can be applied to sixteenth note patterns. For many different drum patterns, check out my new books, “Studies in Drum Set Independence Vol.1 & Vol. 2” available through Mel Bay Publications.

EXERCISE 1 – The Pyramid

This exercise is meant to be played one foot at a time. I call these exercises the Pyramid because you start out playing quarter notes, and progress from eighth notes, triplets, sixteenth notes, back to triplets, eighth notes, to quarter notes. After one succession has completed, switch to your other foot and repeat the exercise.

EXERCISE 2

You should recognize this exercise from the Chop Builder section. All of the hand patterns now will be played using your feet.

EXERCISE 3 – Pyramid 2

These pyramids start out with quarter notes and progress to thirty-second notes. This time you will be alternating strokes with your feet.

EXERCISE 4

This is an exercise designed for developing rolls around the drum set. I did not include a key for what drums to play the hand patterns on to stimulate your own creativity!

EXERCISE 5

This is a basic half-time feel: sixteenth note triplets on the double bass, while maintaining constant eighth notes on the hi hat or ride cymbal, with 2 and 4 on the snare.

EXERCISE 6

This is another half-time feel: this time there are thirty-second notes being played on the double bass, while maintaining constant eighth notes on the hi hat or ride cymbal, 2 and 4 on the snare.

Here is a quick tip that will help you further reinforce any new drum set pattern that you are working on, use it in a four bar phrase. For those of you have never heard of a “four bar phrase”, it is simply counting out four measures of time while you are playing.

The measures are counted out loud as: 1 an 2 an 3 an 4 an 2 an 2 an 3 an 4 an 3 an 2 an 3 an 4 an 4 an 2 an 3 an 4 an Where the big, bold 1, 2, 3, 4 are telling you what measure that you are in. Once you finish playing the four bar phrase, crash a cymbal of beat “1” in the next measure and continue counting the four bar phrase over. Repeat this exercise until you are comfortable with your progress.

The next step in this process is to play the new drum set pattern; this time add a fill on beats “3 and 4” of measure 4, still add the crash cymbal on beat 1 of the next measure, then continue counting out the four bar phrase. Repeat this exercise until you are comfortable with your progress.

Enough of the long explanation, here it is written out for you. Good luck.

Welcome back to another installment of my warm ups. The following 3 examples few roll exercises that I have been playing since my old marching band days back in upstate New York. Thanks goes to Jim Ahearn and Matt Savage. Just like my other warm ups, these exercises are meant to build ‘chops’. Pay attention and listen closely to make sure the rolls are played evenly.

EXERCISE 1

Exercise One is repeating sixteenth notes mixed with nine-stroke rolls. This is a 2-bar repeating phrase in 4/4 time.

The exercise can be counted: “1 E & Ah, 2, 3 E & Ah, 4, 1 E & Ah, 2 E & Ah, 3, 4”

EXERCISE 2

Exercise Two is based on Exercise One. This time the sixteenth note groupings and the rolls are played twice as long.

This exercise can be counted as:

“1 E & Ah, 2 E & Ah, 3,4, 1 E & Ah, 2 E & Ah, 3,4,

1 E & Ah, 2 E & Ah, 3 E & Ah,4 E & Ah,1,2,3,4”

EXERCISE 3

Exercise Three is the 6/8 version of Exercise Two. There are alternating measures of eighth notes played in 6/8 time, and open rolls.

This exercise can be counted as a continuous ” 1,2,3,4,5,6 “, alternating between the eighth notes and rolls.

Welcome to my second group of warm up exercises. The common theme in this group of exercises is accents. Remember to always practice with a metronome. Not only will this help you work on your timing; it can also help you keep track of your speed. Remember to start off at a slower speed, then once the warm-up is learned, increase the tempo. Pay close attention to really bring out the accented note.

The first warm up is a two bar repeating pattern:

Use the following stickings as different ways to practice this exercise:

(1) All right handed

(2) All left handed

(3) Alternating strokes

(4) Both right and left hand at the same time

(5) Double strokes on the accented note

(6) Paradiddles (for a little challenge)

The next warm up is a three bar repeating triplet pattern:

Use the following stickings as different ways to practice this exercise:

(1) All right handed

(2) All left handed

(3) Alternating strokes

(4) Double strokes on the accented note

(5) Both right and left hand at the same time

The last warm up is a sixteen bar repeating phrase:

Use the following stickings as different ways to practice this exercise:

(1) All right handed

(2) All left handed

(3) Alternating right and left hands

(4) Double strokes on the accented note

(5) Paradiddles

These exercises are designed specifically to build control and speed for both the hands and feet. When working on the hand exercises , pay close attention to technique. Concentrate on getting big, full strokes. To get the most benefit out of these exercises, mimic the action of knocking on a door or playing with a yo-yo. (This is technique is roughly the MOELLER Method.) By doing so you will be stretching out and building your muscles as well as using less energy!

Also, I recommend practicing these exercises atleast 15 minutes a day.

Please email me with any questions or comments.

EXERCISE 1

(A) RRRR RRRR RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RRRR RRRR RLRL RLRL RLRL R

LLLL LLLL LRLR LRLR LRLR LRLR LLLL LLLL LRLR LRLR LRLR L

(B) RRRR RRRR RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL RRRR RRRR RLRR LRLL RLRR L

LLLL LLLL LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR LLLL LLLL LRLL RLRR LRLL R

(C) RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR L

(D) RLRL RLRL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RLRL RLRL RRLL RRLL RRLL R

LRLR LRLR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LRLR LRLR LLRR LLRR LLRR L

(E) RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL R

LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR LLRR L

EXERCISE 2

(A) RLRLRL RL RLRLRL RL RLRLRL RLRLRL RLRL

(B) RLRLRR LR LRLRLL RL RLRLRR LRLRLL RLRL

(C) RLRLRR LR LRLRLL RL RLRLRR LRLRLL RLRR

LRLRLL RL RLRLRR LR LRLRLL RLRLRR LRLL

(D) RRLLRR LR LLRRLL RL RRLLRR LLRRLL RLRL

LLRRLL RL RRLLRR LR LLRRLL RRLLRR LRLR

EXERCISE 3

(A) Hand Pattern: RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL

Foot Pattern: R L R L R L R L

(B) Hand Pattern: RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL

Foot Pattern: R L R L R L R L

(C) Hand Pattern: RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL

Foot Pattern: R R L L R R L L

(D) Hand Pattern: RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL

Foot Pattern: R L R L R L R L

(E) Hand Pattern: RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL

Foot Pattern: R L R R L R L L