The Drum Method Volume 1
ISBN
Volume 1:
Dotted notes, ties, pickup measures, meter changes, the dynamic levels 'forte' and 'piano'.
Volume 2:
Upstroke/downstroke, the flam, crescendo/decrescendo, accents, the rim click, the stick shot, the open hi-hat sound.
Volume 3:
The closed roll, alla-breve-measures, the tap, ghost notes, tempo changes.
Volume 4:
The double stroke, the ruff (drag).
Volume 5:
The paradiddle, swing-coordination.
Important!
This book should not be worked through page by page. After a short introduction there are thematically different chapters, which - according to the needs of the respective student - can be worked on simultaneously.
Depending on the students preferences, abilities and experience you can start with any chapter; during the process you will find yourself working on various chapters at the same time.
This system gives the teacher the opportunity to arrange individual practice schedules without neglecting crucial aspects in the long term perspective. Notes in the book indicate when a technical topic has to be mastered first to continue with the next piece or exercise.
Children Songs
Play-Alongs
Technique
PLAY-ALONGS
Snare DrumNote values, dynamic markings, tempo markings, repeat signs
Hello! My name is Max.
I will guide you through this book and help you become a great drummer.
Pretty soon you will be able to read music just like a pro and play all kinds of cool stuff on the drums.
All it takes is regular practice!
Follow your teacher's instructions and include the practice sessions into your daily routine.
On basics-drum-book.com you can find more info and material that goes with the book.
What You Need to Get Started
A pair of drum sticks
Not too thin, not too heavy.
When you begin it is good to really be able to 'feel' the stick in your hand, so a thicker but lightweighted stick is perfect for your snare drum exercises. The wood of those sticks are relatively soft though, playing the cymbals of the drum set will wear them out quite quickly. It would be a good idea to have a second pair of harder wood to play the drum set pieces with. Choose a model that fits the size of your hands.
A snare drum or a practice pad
The drum stand should be high enough for you to play standing up.
A metronome
Should be an electric one or a metronome app.
Holding the Sticks
The stick touches the first joint of your index finger.
Your thumb keeps hold of the stick.
All the other fingers enclose the stick. At the basic position the back of the hand is on top.
You mainly hold the stick with the index finger and the thumb. Consider the stick to be in one line with your forearm as much as possible, instead of holding it crosswise in your hand.
The Basic Position
Adjust the drum stand so that the top hoop is at the height of your waistline.
Keep your back straight, let your shoulders hang loose and spread your elbows slightly from the body.
Hold the tips of the sticks about an inch above the drumhead.
If you reach the center of the head like this, you‘re standing at the appropriate distance to the drum.
The exercises on the snare drum should be played standing up. This makes it easy to get used to a straight posture and to execute the movements properly.
Using a practice pad will save you from constantly having to switch the snare drum between the drum set and the high drum stand, which you‘ll need for the main exercises.
How to Find Out When to Play
The first snare drum exercises (from page 21) are written in 4/4.
The first sign (note or rest) always falls on beat '1'. The next note or rest follows on the next free beat. With every note you strike the snare drum once.
Here we examine the frst two bars of the 3rd exercise on page 25. Half notes and quarter notes sound the same, because a regular stroke on a snare drum always sounds short:
From beat 1 you go a half note step further
Half note
Quarter rest
From beat 3 you go a quarter note step further
Quarter rest Quarter note
From beat 4 you go a quarter note step further
Quarter note Half rest
From beat 1 you go a half note step further
Half rest
Quarter note
From beat 3 you go a quarter note step further
3
4
Quarter note Quarter note
How to Work on the Snare Drum Exercises
Play the snare drum exercises in this book several times with each symbol standing for a different style of playing.
The first time play the pieces on the snare drum standing up; count aloud and walk on the spot as in the prepatory exercise.
The speech bubble tells you how to count. Always walk on the beats that are underlined.
The cube means that you play the same piece on the drum set. Instead of walking, your feet play the bass drum and the hi-hat as a backing throughout the exercise. On the right side of the cube you can see when the bass drum is played and on the left side when you have to play the hi-hat with your foot.
This sign tells you to follow the dynamic markings in the brackets.
Finally you play the exercises along with a metronome. The point here is not to play as fast as possible, but instead to learn playing together with a foreign pulse and develop your ability to play together with the bass player in a band or with the beat of a conductor in an orchestra.
After a while you can work on different exercises in this book simultaneously.
Overview of the Different Symbols
Walk and count aloud
Follow the dynamic markings
70
75
80
90
You play the exercise on the snare drum, while your feet play the bass drum and the hi-hat as an accompaniment throughout the whole piece.
Play with a metronome
to do done
Your teacher will mark your progress:
When you see this symbol later on (from exercise 9) count only the quarter notes aloud. So no more 'ands' or 'ta tas' (for triplets)
Every exercise with this symbol can be played with music, which you can find on the book's website
basics-drum-book.com
Do you remember the meanings of these signs?
Ignore the the dynamic markings, when you play the exercises 1 - 8 for the first time
(f = forte = loud and p = piano = soft).
Instead play all notes with the elbow movement or - in case you haven't mastered it yet - with the wrist movement.
Play the upper line. On the website of this book you can find the teacher's part as a play-along for practicing.
measure number
A new note!
The eighth note is half as long as the quarter note. Two eighth notes fit on one quarter note beat.
flags
This is an eighth rest
Eighth notes belonging to the same beat are usually connected with one beam.
Eights notes have one flag (single notes) or one beam (which ties two or more notes together).
In the next exercise, if you play two eighth notes in a row, the second eighth note falls exactly between two steps. To play the notes between the steps without problems, try counting 'and' between the quarter note beats:
Count the 'ands' throughout the whole piece, but walk only on beat 1, 2, 3 and 4, like you did before.
As in the first exercises you have to find out when to play the notes.
Now you take differently sized steps 'in your mind' to find the next available beat. The longer the note (or rest), the bigger the step!
In measure 7, you start to play for the first time on the 'and' of the beat. This means between your steps. Do not walk on the 'ands'.
