This weeks warm up/fill ex

A basic 8th note "linear" phrase for you to start messing bout with. As always take it slowly, each step at a time making sure your comfortable with the co-ordiantion of each one before speeding it up gradually and then moving onto the next ex.

Well be using this as a theme for the next 6 weeks so the more you get stuck in now the easier you will find things later on.

Enjoy :)

Half Term Homework Part 2 - The Video

Half Term Homework (Part 2)

Ok, so hopefully you've had the time to have a go at the first groove. The song is SMK by the Chilli Peppers and can be found here from the PS Drums spotify playlist (I've linked to the Karaoke version because of the F words!). I hope you'll find this track both challenging and interesting as its 'Riff-lead' with the drums sticking to the riff pattern in the form of grooves.

In Groove 1 I have omitted the 'extra' bass drum beat on 3 of the second bar, which on the recording I have, I couldn't hear.

This is Groove 2 from further into the song. Work through it slowly making sure that in Bar 1 you keep an eye out for the bass and snare drum beats NOT with the Hi Hats.

Video to follow ....

Half Term Homework Part 1 - The Video

Half Term Homework (Part 1)

OK, here's part 1 of your half term homework / prep for next week.

For starters, I'd like you to have a look at this groove ...

More coming soon ......

Bo Diddley Grooves

Ok, so this week we looked at fast, Bo Diddley-based grooves. The first one we looked at was 'Town Called Malice' - The Jam. There are two grooves to deal with - Groove 1 is from the Intro (after the bass riff) and from the Chorus, Groove 2 is from the verse - play is straight NOT swung!

The second song we looked at was the classic - 'Can't Hurry Love' - Phil Collins. It's very similar to the Intro / Chorus groove above - with the addition of a bass drum on 3 of the second bar.

The third groove we looked at was 'Valerie' - Amy Winehouse / Mark Ronson. Slight change but again the same 'feel' and tempo.

5 stroke roll ex 2

Here's this week's warm up exercise. Again based on the sticking for the 5 stroke roll but voiced in a different way across the kit creating a "phrase".
The first line is the basic sticking playing the 1st and fourth stroke on the toms (right hand on the floor tom left hand on the high tom). Take care with the second part starting with the left hand on the three this will feel odd to begin with!!!
The second exercise is the same but after playing the right hand lead there isn't such a long gap before starting the left hand lead. This creates a really nice syncopated feel. Take your time with it and count!!!
The last two lines are just examples of how you could use the above stickings as a fill with a groove. Remember play three bars of str8 groove before the bar with the fill.
This should get your hands and your brain working good and hard :) enjoy!!
Pete

Break Beats

Dear All

A Few weeks back, we covered a couple of the essential grooves that have have been sampled over and over by Hip hop acts and DJs from way back in the day.

The first one we looked at was the classic .... as played by Clyde Stublefield on the James Brown track ' Funky Drummer' which you can hear here.

The basic groove is here below (click it to go full screen on you phone).

The second one, another classic much used, from way back in 1969 (good year for drummers!) from a band called The Winstons on a track called Amen Brother. Its a 4 bar break with a displaced back beat - you'll know it as soon as you here it!

Enjoy!

For the 8pm Thursday Class

The first page of the pretender :) nice playing last night guys dead impressed. Make sure once you've got the different grooves practice the transitions from one to the next like mad. It's a quick tempo so you won't have time to read it note for note when you play it to speed!!! START SLOW
Can't wait to get stuck in again next week :)

Pete

EDITORS NOTE : Here is the link to the track on the Playsomething Drums Spotify Playlist 

New Track to look at for my 7pm Monday Crew

Here ya go guys,
                           Have a look at the groove to this track (it starts about halfway down the page !). If you get the chance have a listen to the song as well, see if you can get whats on the page to match up with the music and we'll play it next week. Keep up the good work

Pete

EDITORS NOTE : Here is the link to the track on the Playsomething Drums Spotify Playlist

5 Stroke Roll Ex. 1

Hey guys this weeks technical exercise/ warm up is based on the sticking of the single stroke 5 stroke roll.
Again it's broken down in to stages so go through each one carefully before moving onto the next one :)
The 2nd ex just takes the sticking around the kit. There are so many combinations so find a few of your own.
The last ex uses part of ex2 as a fill. This mostly just shows you one way of fitting in the ex into your playing. Once you have this mastered come up with your own variations around the kit. Next week we'll look at another variation using the same five stroke sticking. Have fun and rock out guys :)

Foo Fighters

We looked at 2 Foo Fighters' tracks which can be found on the Spotify Playlist 'Times Like These' and 'Everlong'.

The Intro to 'Times like These' is below. Remember, the Intro is in 7/4 which means an even count of 7 beats per bar :-

Everlong, is in 4/4 but is grouped in 7 bar phrases. The basic groove is a 16th note pattern which you can find here, but as we found in class ..... its fast!

And finally ..... Get Well soon to John L, hope to see you back soon.

1/8th note paradiddle fill ex

Heres an introduction to the paradiddle sticking (RLRR LRLL) payed as 1/8th notes. Get used to it on the snare drum first marking the 1/4 note on the bass drum. Once you have mastered this try the variation playing the paradiddle around the toms as well. (See if you can come up with your own examples as well keeping to the RLRR LRLL sticking).
The next line uses this variation as a one bar fill around the kit. Take your time and count carefully through the groove and fill.

The next example is a favourite of mine using just the 2nd part of the fill (the LRLL).

It's simple but creates a nice phrase in a very country/rock style. The groove it's combined with happens to be that of "take it easy" by the eagles so try having a play along and see if you can get the fill to fit.

 Catch you soon :)

Pete

Greenday Fill ex's

Here's the green day fill you all mastered the other week. I have written out all the stages we went through to get to correct rhythm in case you needed reminding. Remember when you practice the fill and groove together to play three bars of fill and then the groove to create the all important 4 bar phrase.
Good Luck :)

Pete