Drum Apprentice

Looking for some challenging material?

2011-03-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

There are many influences that I would have to give much credit to for where I'm at as a drummer today. Jim Burk, a neighbor of mine growing up, was a huge influence in showing me new stuff and inspiring me to play and practice. Jim Krutz was a professor at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska and "forced" me to relearn my stick grip and learn to play the fundamental rudiments on a practice pad. Both of these influences really have helped me get to where I am today as a player.

In later years, there is one book that I have to give much credit to. I still haven't mastered everything in it, and I've been working through it slowly for a few years now. When I want a challenge that is bound to help me improve my drumming, I open my copy of Marco Minneman's Extreme Interdependence: Drumming Beyond Independence (With Audio CD).

The exercises can be fairly abstract, but you'll find yourself applying this stuff in ways you never thought you would. I played drums for a conference a couple weekends ago, and one of the songs involved me playing a relatively straightforward snare and bass portion (think marching percussion sound for the chorus of a rock worship tune). The bassist was hitting some tight grooves that I wanted to lock into and accentuate, so when practicing I locked in a foot pattern between the bass drum and hi-hat that went along with his grooves quite nicely. When I switched between playing the snare part to the playing a beat on the full kit, I maintained the exact same foot pattern, which added a nice cohesion to the mix. Had I not studied Extreme Interdependence, I would not have been able to maintain this pattern with my feet regardless of what my hands were doing. This book contains paradiddle exercises on steroids to help you develop complete interdependence and autonomy on the drum kit.

I have found that actually getting away from the kit and practicing independence patterns on a practice pad and using my feet on the floor is actually very helpful, which Minneman recommends at his clinics. Here's an example of some basic independence patterns to give you the general idea (sorry for the poor vocal quality, the "drumming" quality is good, though). This is Minneman giving the basic example:

And here is an application on the kit (again by Minneman), just to give you an idea of what possibilities this could open up for you as a player. Notice that when he is going crazy he is also maintaining some kind of pattern with at least two of his limbs:

I have really come to believe that the application of fundamental skills and rudiments to the set and independence drills applied to grooves are the two marks of an extremely talented player. Sadly, most drummers learn neither. I had been playing for almost six years before I "went back" to learn them, so don't give me any excuses. It's never too late to improve ;)

I hope this material is as helpful to you as it has been to me, or at least I hope it inspires you. You can buy this book online by following the link below or most Guitar Centers and other music stores tend to carry it (although it's probably cheaper online).

Polyrhythms: '5 over 2' and '7 over 2'

2011-01-30T11:37:00.000-08:00

I saw these really great videos by Todd Walker over at the Drum Zone. Enjoy!

Central Indiana Rock Solid Blues Band Seeks Drummer

2010-10-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

A reader requested I post an ad:

"I’m with a central Indiana band , rock solid blues we currently have a drummer who has been with us less than 2 months and our in our 20 year span we have been fortunate to only have 2 both now retired , one to school , one due to foot injury. Just not sure he will stick or continue to work out.

We will be booking 2-3 times month all seasoned musicians who write and do originals and covers. We have practice hall and studio. Would like to know your interests and goals. No drama /heavy alcohol or drugs. Would like to network if possible. We are also looking to add someone capable of playing bass/bk up / lead guitar if we can find the right person. All are seasoned musicians, writers so we are getting to record our 4th CD."

Vicki Hornbaker
Vmh promotions
Mud Eye Joe Band
Mudeyejoe.net

Consistent Drumming

2010-06-14T05:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted! I just wanted to drop a quick line about playing consistently. A lot of bands and drummers never play songs consistently, they play songs differently every time.

I'm not saying it is wrong to experiment. Experimentation is necessary to improve music, but there comes a time when you need to stop experimenting and stick to something. The drummer is the foundation to the music, and if the foundation keeps shifting, everyone is thrown off and a lot can go wrong.

This is why it is imperative that you play songs consistently! Not to mention, this allows fans to follow your music more easily, as they come to expect certain sounds and patterns in your music. Go to a concert with a good drummer and watch for drummers in the audience, they'll often be playing "air drums" and matching the drummer fill for fill. This is not a bad thing and fans like it.

Of course it's alright to go crazy every once in awhile and change things up, but there's a big difference between changing things up for fun and not being consistent.

H/T Dan Brown

Chicago Street Drummers

2010-01-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

Every year for almost as long as I can remember my family and I or just friends will go to Chicago around Christmas (we live close). Every year we see these same street drummers, or variations of them. I found a video of them that had been posted to YouTube, shown below:

They clearly have some marching band potential, if not past experience. It's just another reminder that you don't need a huge drum set, tons of expensive cymbals, and other "goodies" to play and enjoy it. If you're anything like me (and most drummers), any random surface or item can instantly become a percussion instrument. These guys grabbed some sticks and some buckets and are probably seen by thousands - all in the name of having fun drumming (and perhaps scoring some pocket change in the process). Sometimes it's helpful to be reminded of the simplicity of percussion instruments, which only contributes to drumming's infinite complexity....

Drummers wanted for Bagpipe Band (Chesterton, IN)

2009-09-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Looking for existing drummers or those who want to learn Scottish style drumming and interested in playing with bagpipes.
See http://pipersanddrummers.com for band details.

Country Gospel Band Needs Drummer and Rhythm Player (Starke County)

2009-07-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

From Craigslist:

thenewvisionband.com. A christian country band called "The New Vision Band" is in need of drummer and acoustic rhythm guitar player one of these people need the ability to sing tenor. We play for donations and if your a good musician and a Christian contact us. You can find out more about us on are website thenewvisionband.com

thenewvisionband.com
bandmix.com/the-new-vision-band

Drummer needed in South Bend, Indiana

2009-07-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

From Craigslist:

We are Ronus. we are an original Thrash Metal band. We are in need of a drummer. we are ready to gig with the right person. serious inquiries only. the ability to play double bass is a priority. If you think you can keep up contact us at jmwaldron78@yahoo.com. or Ronus@rock.com. We are also on my space. www.myspace/ronusband.com. Also myspace/rocker_4_lif_78.com

Polish Those Cymbals!

2008-11-06T18:22:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I’ve learned some definite do’s and don’ts where cymbal polishing is concerned. These tips will save you time and frustration.

I suppose if you really want to go crazy you can use a powered buffer, but I recommend you still use the following as a guideline.

Product: You can use just about any cymbal cleaner available at music stores, but I use basic BRASSO ® brand brass cleaner, which you can pick up at any local market or drug store. It’s less expensive then cymbal cleaner and does a great job.

THE DO’S

Of course read the cleaning product directions
Suit Up! It’s going to get dirty quick. Wearing household cleaning gloves and work clothes is a must. The stuff that comes off in the cleaning process is nasty, and will make your skin smell and feel really funky.
Do this job outside or in the garage. Cloths used in the cleaning process will get very dirty and create a strong odor. Your work area will also get dirty, so prep a large flat work surface area and cover it with plastic, cardboard or butcher paper.
Apply the cleaner with a dry cloth or paper towel. Apply in small sections and with the grain of the cymbal. I reiterate, SMALL SECTIONS WITH THE GRAIN OF THE CYMBAL. I work on each section of the cymbal like it’s in pieces of a pie. This will save you time! Bigger sections are not better. You’ll spend more time having to go back over your work.
Keep the cleaning product wet when applying. Immediately after applied, get a clean soft cloth or paper towel and rub very hard to remove the product and tarnish. This is KEY to doing the job right – put lots of elbow grease into it!
Overlap your sections to avoid creating lines of demarcation
A second or third application is optional, but I have found in some cases it doesn’t improve the shine.

THE DON’TS

DO NOT LET THE PRODUCT DRY! I can’t emphasize this enough. As soon as you apply it on the pie shaped section, get a new dry cloth and start rubbing it off. This is the key to speed and ease
Don’t apply the product to the whole cymbal at once. The process will take a great deal longer and you’ll waste lots of time trying to get the dry product off once it has dried.
Don’t do this task when you are tired. It takes a lot of arm strength, and if you have a lot of cymbals it will be a lot of hard work.

Using these tips, you’re polished cymbals will make your whole kit shine. That shine is what is called "the symbol of a shining cymbal."

Before and After:

MP3 Players found to cause hearing loss

2008-10-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

Not exactly drummer news, but definitely interesting for anyone who loves music. Reuters reports:

Millions of youngsters across Europe could suffer permanent hearing loss after five years if they listen to MP3 players at too high a volume for more than five hours a week, EU scientists warned Monday.

The scientists' study, requested by the European Commission, attacked the concept of "leisure noise," saying children and teenagers should be protected from increasingly high sound levels -- with loud mobile phones also coming in for criticism.

"There has been increasing concern about exposure from the new generation of personal music players which can reproduce sounds at very high volumes without loss of quality," the Commission, the EU's executive arm, said in a statement.

"Risk for hearing damage depends on sound level and exposure time," it said. More and more young people were exposed to the significant threat that leisure noise posed to hearing, it said.

Commission experts estimate that between 50 and 100 million people listen to portable music players on a daily basis.

If they listened for only five hours a week at more than 89 decibels, they would already exceed EU limits for noise allowed in the workplace, they said. But if they listened for longer periods, they risked permanent hearing loss after five years.

I guess us drummers are screwed if they think MP3 players are too loud. . . .

Travis Barker Survives Plane Crash, but Loses Friends

2008-10-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

My deepest sympathies go out to for former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM, both of whom lost close friends in a tragic plane crash this past weekend. My thoughts are also with the families and many other friends of Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City; Charles Still, 25, of Los Angeles; pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills and co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, Calif. all of whom lost their lives in this tragic accident.

Initial reports from the the NTSB indicate that the crash, which occurred just before midnight on Friday, may have been caused by a tire blowout. Travis Barker and DJ AM are being treated at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia for second and third degree burns. Both are expected to make full recoveries.

Barker and AM had just performed at a free show in the Five Points area of South Carolina, along with Perry Farrell and Gavin DeGraw. The best in-depth coverage that we’ve found on the accident was on mtv.ca News. Barker is most widely known for his drumming in Blink-182, but he also played with +44, Box Car Racer, Transplants and Expensive Taste.

High School drummer wanted for Aerial Attack band

2008-10-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Another craigslist posting:

"About us: We are a very technical ‘harmonic metal’ style band. Basically we like to rock as hard as we can while still keeping a clear melody. (Sort of like Children of Bodom with less screaming and a more melodic singing)

Aerial Attack is a High school band looking to make some cool music and meet some cool people along the way. If this is for you... read on.

Requirements: You must be able to drum… duh… and you need your own set.
Hopefully you can drum in a metal style: lots of bass pedal, tons of fills, maybe some tempo changes… … … cowbell???…

We’re going to aim to practice once a week or so. Once we’re ready, we’ll get as many gigs as we can (Moderate commitment level)

Audition: We can arrange a meeting probably at wherever the drum set is. If you have a recording, audio, video, or both, we could take a look at that."

Check out the craigslist posting for more info!

Looking to Jam in NWI?

2008-10-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

This craigslist posting looked interesting:

"Bass and Guitar player looking for a drummer/keys/guitarist to Jam with. Classic Rock/funk/blues influences. We have some people we play with but not often enough...we have been told we have a classic rock/pop/ "unique" sound.

Both self taught and creative people who need an outlet after the long work week. No commitments or obligations just looking for some normal guys to jam.
If it leads to more that would be cool too.

We both qualify as being able to hold our own/been playing for over 10 years each (we are both 29 and 30). We are family guys so people who reply should have those same values etc. I can send you some files of stuff we have done if you want. We are not into straight covers."

Check it out on craigslist!

Gaining Left Hand Independence

2008-08-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Most drummers seem to have difficulty developing left hand speed and independence, unless you're a lefty -- in which case your right hand is probably lagging (for lefties, do this backwards). While paradiddle exercises will effectively help develop left hand speed, often drummers neglect gaining independence because they are not aware of any good drills to help them do so, and to try on one's own to develop it can be tortuous.

Here's Mike Johnston on developing independence with the left hand:

Drummers 'are as fit as elite athletes'

2008-08-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

Drummers' cardiovascular systems may be in as good of shape as many athletes'. I saw this article at ABC News and I had to share some of it here. I'd highly recommend that you read the entire article for yourself.

"Led Zeppelin's John Bonham was a renowned drummer who put his whole body into his work and his famous 20-minute solos.

Now a new study suggests that he might have been as fit as a highly tuned Olympic athlete.

Sports scientists from two universities in the UK hooked up rock drummers to a series of wires and breathing apparatuses to monitor their heart rate and oxygen intake during a gig.

Their most famous test case was Blondie drummer Clem Burke.

Sport scientist Steve Draper from the University of Gloucestershire says drummers have as much stamina as elite athletes.

"The most startling thing for us was when we first got heart rate traces from Clem's concert is, we looked at them, and they could have been a premiership footballer," he said.

"That's where we would like to make the comparison because it's 90 minutes, it's intimate in exercise, the heart rate is very high."

The researchers found that during a performance, Burke lost about two litres of fluid - which is similar to what an athlete running 10,000 metres loses.

His heart rate could get as high as 190 beats per minute, which is equal to the world's best footballers during a game."

Very interesting. So the next time your spouse bugs you to get on a treadmill, go jam out a 30 minute drum solo. Happy drumming!

Forming Contemporary Christian Pop/Rock Band (Lowell, IN)

2008-08-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a recent craigslist posting, for all you Christian or spiritually-seeking musicians out there. Notice they already have a drummer, but I'll bet that if any of you are inclined percussionists they might be willing to have you on board. I play Latin percussion at my church along with a drummer, it's a much funner sound. Here's the ad (minus contact info, go to craiglist to get that):

"Let's start this by first saying that you don't have to be of the Methodist faith and/or leave your current place of worship to play in this group. We just ask that you have some sort of faith. We're not looking promote any kind of religious agenda or convert anyone.

OK, with the disclaimers and fine-print out of the way....I'm a drummer seeking other like minded musicians to form a Contemporary Christian Pop/Rock band to celebrate the glory and love of Christ. Practice at 1st United Methodist Church in Lowell, IN. Looking to play at their Sunday 10:30am service once a month and other regional church functions and beyond.

Looking at covering contemporary Christian Pop/Rock artists such as but not limited to: Chris Tomlin, Rich Mullins, Third Day, Newsboys, StorySide:B, Jars of Clay, Casting Crowns, Sixpence, Mercy Me, Matt Redman with the possibility of collaborating on original material as well.

Looking for dedicated, reliable individuals who are willing to practice once or twice a week. PA and practice space at the church.

Seeking lead & rhythm guitars, bass, keys, lead & backup singers.

The plan is pretty simple: celebrate Christ while making good music and have a lot of fun in the process. Very low pressure here.

All will be considered and as I said before, you don't have to be of the Methodist faith to join don't expect you to change your current place of worship."

Happy drumming!

How to Listen to Music With Your Whole Body

2008-08-10T22:42:00.001-07:00

"In this soaring demonstration, deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie leads the audience through an exploration of music not as notes on a page, but as an expression of the human experience. Playing with sensitivity and nuance informed by a soul-deep understanding of and connection to music, she talks about a music that is more than sound waves perceived by the human ear. She illustrates a richer picture that begins with listening to yourself, and includes emotion and intent as well as the complex role of physical spaces, instrument, concert hall and even the bones and body cavities of musician and listener alike."

Remember, this lady is deaf -- this is amazing!

Jared Falk Drum Solo

2008-08-08T07:47:00.001-07:00

Here's a drum solo by Jared Falk, one of the head guys for RockDrummingSystem.com. There's some good fundamental drumming going on here that you should check out. I'm sure anyone could learn some new things by watching. Complete with aerial views and various angles:

Pataflafla Application

2008-07-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is a beginner application for the pataflafla rudiment. Before we begin, let's learn the rudiment:

Notice that this is in standard 4/4 time, 16th notes. The challenge of this rudiment is playing two flams back to back, in alternating hands. For more resources to learn this rudiment, visit Vic Firth's website. Now listen to this rudiment from open to close (slow to fast):

First practice the rudiment by itself on the snare or a practice pad before moving on to its application elsewhere on the kit. Practice it from open to close just like in the above video until you can play it fast while remaining loose, i.e. without tensing your forearm muscles. Then check out this video to apply it as a groove and as a fill! Happy drumming!

Loose Grooving

2008-07-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is a neat video I found from Metro Drum School where the instructor shows some methods for loose grooving. He uses some flam accents to change/loosen your cymbal beats and such. Check it out!

Buddy Rich's Left Hand Technique

2008-07-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

For those of you looking to emulate Buddy Rich's amazing left-handed rolls, here is a traditional grip solution:

Probably one of the best ways to do this for a matched grip player would be the Moeller technique. Here's a video of Dave Weckl demonstrating the Moeller technique:

Happy drumming!

13-15 yr old drummer needed for blues/rock band

2008-07-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

Much too young for me, but if you are in Northwest Indiana and would like to jam with a serious group of 13-15 year olds, check out this craigslist posting.

The post says, "Looking for skilled and clean drummer (no drugs or alcohol). No egos. Ages 13-15. We are serious and looking to start gigging ASAP. Influences: SRV, Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eagles, Classic Rock and Classic Blues."

This looks like it'd be a great opportunity for a young drummer to play in their first band. I started by playing in punk/metal/rock bands when I was in high school -- it's good experience. There's a lot more to drumming than keeping a beat, and gigging will get you used to sound/technical issues, setting up microphones on your kit, playing in various environments with good or bad acoustics, booking shows, dealing with egos in a band, etc. It's best to learn those lessons early on, and it sounds like this group has already gotten a head start on some of that based on the definition of what they're looking for.

Drummer Needed in NWI - Craigslist Listing

2008-07-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

I don't post contact information here, I simply refer you to Craiglist. There is a band called Charlotte's Nightmare based out of Merrillville, Indiana that is looking for a drummer. Check out their website and see if it's anything you'd be interested in. If so, you can find their contact information at craigslist. Check it out!

Dan's First YouTube Video - Triplet Sticking Exercises

2008-07-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Here is my very first YouTube video of myself! If you notice, under the "Topics" section in the sidebar you will find the topic "Teaching Aids." While anything on this blog could be a teaching aid, the posts with this label contain specific exercises which I find particularly helpful to teach and learn various concepts of drumming. You can use them to master the concepts yourself or to pass the knowledge down to your students.

With that said, this is a great sticking exercise for the good ol' practice pad and metronome. A lot of these can be made into fills or neat solo parts. Pardon some of the notation, I use free software (Finale Notepad in this case) so it doesn't always make things as neat as I'd like. For instance, the groupings of six sixteenth note triplets (sixtuplets) should simply say six, not 3 and 3, but you get the idea. Pay attention to the sticking, that's the main point of the exercise. You'll see several rudiments in this exercise: double strokes, single paradiddle-diddles, swiss army triplets, and flam accents. Enjoy!

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window/tab. I spent a lot of time putting this together based on my handwritten copy. I know it's not pretty, but the notation is all correct. Notice the grace notes indicating flams in the last two measures. I hope this helps! Happy Drumming!

Now here's my debut YouTube video performance of these exercises!

Marco Minnemann Toying With Samples

2008-07-11T23:40:00.000-07:00

Marco Minneman is a phenomenal drummer who truly has developed extreme interdependence. In this video, he takes random sound bytes/samples and plays drums to them. Maybe that sounds simple, but wait until you hear this video! He discovers the syncopations and time signatures of random clips and plays along. Very impressive!

Mastering the Triplet

2008-07-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a great video that deals with mastering the triplet. The instructor, Jonathan Dobson, gives some basic instructions on triplet grooves and teaches a basic example of one. This is more of a beginner lesson, but it never hurts to learn new grooves! Towards the end he throws in a five stroke roll combination with the triplets on the hi-hat that sounds really cool.

I managed to transcribe the basic triplet groove (with his sixteenth bass note addition) using Nic's Drum-Set Writer, a free drum notation utility. Yes, that was a shameless advertisement, but I assure you I receive no kickbacks for linking to a FREE utility.

Note that you can't actually play note 3 on both the snare and hi-hat with your right hand. This is a mistake that I made in transposition, but the editor won't let me fix it properly. The snare beat should be joined into the triplet, replacing the hi-hat beat on note 3, but the software isolates the note -- oh well. Just take note of it. Enjoy!

Another paradiddle-diddle application

2008-07-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

I recently posted a paradiddle-application. That post teaches the basic rudiment and then gives an application to the drum set. If you have not yet learned this rudiment, I would recommend first visiting that post by clicking here.

In this video, Mike Johnston shows some very cool paradiddle-diddle applications that can be used as fills or soloing. He is amazingly fast, but remember that with repetitive practice you can be the same.

Paradiddle-diddle Application

2008-07-10T12:26:00.002-07:00

The paradiddle-diddle is a fun variation of the paradiddle that is in triplet time. Since the paradiddle is R L R R (L R L L), it follows that you simply add another diddle: R L R R L L. The paradiddle-diddle looks like this on sheet music:

If you would like to watch this rudiment on a practice pad check out this YouTube video. For additional help learning this rudiment visit the Vic Firth web page that teaches it.

In this video, Steve White demonstrates the paradiddle-diddle and then teaches you how to apply it to the kit. It doesn't seem very impressive at first, but keep watching and notice how cool it sounds at faster tempos. It almost has a Buddy Rich sound without having to master the Moeller technique.

Very Neat Drumming

2008-07-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

This is a drummer who goes by "Stav." Apparently he does sound samples for various recording artists, I'm pretty sure I've heard some of his grooves in the background of some hip-hop stuff. Anyways, he does some pretty amazing stuff in this video and has amazing stick effects. Not only does he continually spin his sticks, but wait until the end and he will juggle them as well! Check it out:

Six Stroke Roll Application

2008-07-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

Some have said that the six stroke roll is the drummer's secret weapon, partially because of its unique sound, and also because it can be played effectively on a kit of any size. Buddy Rich, Dave Weckl, and many others have used this rudiment as a fill in lots of music.

First let's cover what the six stroke roll looks like:

For additional resources to learn this rudiment, check out this link at the Vic Firth web site. If you have difficulty reading music or you would like to see another example you can also watch this YouTube video demonstrating the six stroke roll being played on a practice pad from open to closed (slow to fast).

In this video, the instructor will play the six stroke roll in triplet time so that each note is evenly spaced: R L L R R L

Watch the video to learn how to use this rudiment as a fill:

I hope this has helped you apply this rudiment! Check back for more applications soon!

Welcome to Drum Apprentice!

2008-07-10T08:17:00.001-07:00

This is just a new experiment I'm playing with. I plan on posting instructional videos, music, and more for you to become a better drummer with. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!