PATTERNS AND BEATS for the drum student
by
BRETT AUSTIN EASTMAN
Lost Lanes Publishing
Patterns and Beats by
BRETT AUSTIN EASTMAN
PUBLISHED BY
Lost Lanes Publishing P.O. Box 720042 San Francisco, CA 94172
© Copyright 2021 Lost Lanes Publishing All rights reserved.
PREFACE Patterns and Beats is a textbook for the student and teacher that provides very useful patterns and beats used in everyday drumming, from beginner to intermediate levels. These are exercises designed to familiarize the student with a wide variety of linear patterns and common rock-based drum beats. Linear patterns are one of the most important components in the syntax of drumming. Many rudiments, drum rolls and drum beats are examples of linear patterns, so the study of these patterns is paramount. Coordinating and conditioning the hands through daily practice of linear patterns is the first step toward learning the “language” of the drums. The Beats portion of the book provides a selected curation of beats written in the modern standard notation, but without time signatures. The beats are arranged in six chapters, each one focusing on a different theme. They are intended to be practiced in sequential order, as they progressively build in difficulty, but every student is different and the teacher may decide how best to use the book. The beats and patterns help develop the student’s creative intuition and muscle memory thereby providing a jumping off point for the student. The accents written in the exercises are optional. It is recommended the student learn to play the exercises both with and without the accents indicated. It is important to note what Patterns and Beats leaves out: Explanations are kept to a minimum. Technical approaches may vary considerably among teachers, so the material in this book is open to interpretation by the teacher and the student. I believe the teacher will understand how best to instruct the student. This book does not provide a course for learning rhythm and notation. There are plenty of great books out there for this such as Syncopation by Ted Reed, Primary Handbook For Snare Drum by GarwoodWhaley, Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone, to name a few. This book does not provide instruction for learning the rudiments, although some rudiments are to be found in the Linear Patterns section. Again, there are plenty of other great books a drum teacher can recommend and use for this purpose.
Table of Contents Linear Patterns I. II. III. IV. V.
4-beat patterns 8-beat patterns 16-beat patterns 3 and 6-beat patterns 12-beat patterns
1 2 4 6 7
I.
Fundamental Beats
9
II.
“The Backbeat” 1. Regular backbeat/eighth-notes/1 bar 2. Regular backbeat/eighth-notes/2 bars 3. Half-time backbeat/quarter-notes/1 bar 4. Half-time backbeat/quarter-notes/2 bars 5. Half-time backbeat/eighth-notes/1 bar
10 13 15 15 16
III.
“On-Beat Off-Beat” 1. Changing backbeat/eighth-notes/1 bar 2. Changing backbeat/eighth-notes/2 bars 3. Half-time feel/eighth-notes/1 bar 4. Half-time feel/eighth-notes/2 bars
19 21 23 23
IV.
“Four-On-The-Floor” 1. Regular backbeat/sixteenth-notes on snare/1 bar 2. Regular backbeat/sixteenth-notes on snare/2 bars 3. Half-time feel/sixteenth-notes on snare/2 bars
25 27 28
V.
“Busy Kick Drum” 1. Regular backbeat/sixteenth-notes on kick 2. Half-time backbeat/sixteenth-notes on kick
30 35
VI.
1. “Double-time” 2. “Six-eight”
36 37
VII.
“Funky Beats” 1. Regular feel/sixteenth-notes on kick and snare 2. Half-time feel/sixteenth-notes on kick and snare
40 44
Beats