Quarter Note Grooves

These grooves have your lead hand (so RIGHT for right-handed people, LEFT for Left-handed people) on the Hi Hat playing 4 beats. The count for this is 1-2-3-4 but (and this is important ... ) the 'ands' are still there - be aware of them, count them if you need to but don't play the hi hat on them. We can now add a 'back-beat' on the '2' and the '4'.

Ok, so we have the basic quarter note pattern for our hands, we can start to add bass-drum beats underneath. Remember that in a band-situation what the bass-drum would play is based on what the bass player is playing - the groove!

Below is a list of quarter note grooves, moving the bass-drum beats around underneath the basic lead-hand hi hat / following-hand 'back beat' pattern.

REMEMBER - The 'ands (+)' fall in between the quarter notes.

8th Note Grooves

These grooves have your lead hand (so RIGHT for right-handed people, LEFT for Left-handed people) on the Hi Hat playing 8 beats. The count for this is 1-and-2-and-3-and-Four-and. Then we add a 'back-beat' on the '2' and the '4'.

Ok, so now we have the basic pattern for our hands, we can start to add bass-drum beats underneath. Remember that in a band-situation what the bass-drum would play is based on what the bass player is playing - the groove!

Below is a list of 8th note grooves, moving the bass-drum beats around underneath the basic lead-hand hi hat / following-hand 'back beat' pattern.

Basic Warm-Up Exercises

These exercises are designed to carried out every time you sit down at the drums.

Start by playing 4 beats on each drum, working your way around the drum kit.

R L R L on the snare drum

R L R L on Tom 1

R L R L on Tom 2

R L R L on Tom 3

Then ...

3 beats on each drum, working your way around the kit. So ....

R L R on the snare drum

(Ok, but now you've got to change hands so ....)

L R L on Tom 1

(changing hands again)

R L R on Tom 2

(then changing hands again)

L R L on Tom 3

Then ...

2 beats on each drum, again working your way around the kit.

R L on the snare

R L on Tom 1

R L on Tom 2

R L on Tom 3

Then ...

1 beat on each drum, changing hands as you got around the kit.

R on the snare drum

L on Tom 1

R on Tom 2

L on Tom 3

REMEMBER - Try to keep you 'hand speed' the same all the way through this exercise.

Biffy Clyro

Suggestions for Songs

Hi Everyone!

Ok, I'd like everyone to start to suggest some songs or musical styles for us to cover in lessons.

Post your suggestion as a comment after this post and let's see what happens...... this is going to be fun!