Table of Contents

 
Introduction
Skills Accomplished
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
 
  
 
The Easy Way To Advance Your Drumming
Book 2
Steve Laffy Drum Book Series
  
 
 
 
 
  Copyright © Steve Laffy 2012
  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not,  by way of
trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without
the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in
which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition
being imposed on the subsequent publisher.
The moral right of Steve Laffy has been asserted.
  
 
Dedication
THANKS
 
Thanks to all the people in my life who have supported and encouraged
me to achieve what I have managed so far.
I would like to give special thanks to Rene Go for his help in getting me
started in music, Poli Palmer for writing the songs in the book and for his
invaluable help in getting the whole thing together. Thanks to Dan Patey for
inspiration, Tim Hill for the great photos, Ian Gunning at Macology, Colin
Tennant at Premier, Craig Fenney at Music Shipping for the Aquarian heads
and Wayne Andrews for layout and design.
 
Love and thanks to my wife Lynn, daughters Joy and Melody,
Mum and Dad and all the rest of my family.
Thanks also to my drumming colleagues Ross Elder, Sam Kelly and
Colin
Woolway (check out Colin’s very fine Drumsense books.)
 
I would like to pay my respects and thanks to all of the great musicians
whose music has inspired me to make my own contribution. Also to all of the
great musicians I have had the pleasure of working with and finally to send my
best wishes to all those studying and playing the drums now, and to the music
makers of tomorrow.
 
Cover photo courtesy of Premier Percussion
Back Cover and Inside photos by Tim Hill
www.timhill.com
 
Any comments, questions, suggestions can be emailed to
stevelaffy@onetel.com
 See Steve’s web site www.drums-uk.com for further books, information,
and support etc.
Also available in the Steve Laffy Drum Book Series;
The Really Easy Way To Play The Drums
ISBN 0-9544928-0-3
Steve Laffy is the copyright owner of all the material in this book. All
rights of the reproduced works are reserved. Unauthorised copying or lending
prohibited.
Published by Steve Laffy
  
 
Contents
 
 
Welcome
Record of your accomplishments
1 Tips on practising
2 Positions, Tuning and Kit Care
3 Feet playing eighths
4 Give it a rest mate
5 Leave it out!
6 Roll with it
7 Groovin’ in the Gap
8 It’s a drag (and a flam and a ruff)
9 Press On with a Press Roll
10 Tom, use your head!
11 Syncopated sixteenths
12 Sixteenth bass drum variations
13 Opening time
14 Spare me a Quarter
15 Playing with Paradiddles
16 Bossa Nova Beat
17 Triplet tricks
18 Get into the Swing Thing
19 Piece 1. Chucca Rock
20 Piece 2. Be nice to the Bossa
21 Piece 3. Funky Socks
22 Piece 4. A Swing and a Prayer
  
 
 Introduction

Welcome
 
Welcome to Book 2 in the Steve Laffy Drum Book Series.
This book entitled ‘The Easy Way To Advance Your Drumming’ is for
the drummer who has already progressed from a beginner and has decided to
become a good (or even exceptional) player rather than a basic drummer.
If you look through this book and it seems a bit tricky for you at this
stage, may I suggest that you work through my previous book ‘The Really
Easy Way To Play The Drums’ Book 1. This will prepare you with all of the
skills you will need to move onto this stage and will give you a solid
foundation to make easy progress on this book.
If you are ready for this book now, then I would like to say
CONGRATULATIONS! You have proved to yourself that you have what it
takes to become a really good drummer. You have not given up when it gets
difficult, in the early stages of learning to play the drums. You have shown you
have the self-discipline, the focus and the patience that is required to develop
your drumming skills to a higher level. Well done!!
People often ask me how many hours they will need to practise in order
to become really good. This is for each of you to decide for yourselves. The
amount of commitment, the amount of time, energy and practice is up to you. I
will say however, that if your goal is to become really good and maybe even
try to make drumming your profession, you are looking at practice lasting for
hours rather than minutes each day, for a number of years. Don’t be put off by
this, take each step one day at a time and reward yourself at every stage you
accomplish. Remember that a journey of 1,000 miles is started with the very
first step. That is the hardest part, taking that first step.
You should also remember that everyone who has become really good at
playing the drums has had to go through the same process. Have faith in
yourself and don’t ever doubt your abilities. “I will succeed” - this is the
phrase you should repeat to yourself on your journey.
I am honoured to have your company on this journey of discovery and I
have tried my very best to make this book a useful guide and tool to help you
on your way. If you put in the required dedication and thorough practice on the
exercises and pieces in this book, you will develop your skills considerably
and be on the way to becoming the great drummer that you imagined you are
capable of being.
Feel free to work on the exercises in any order you like. All the exercises
are written as a single bar with a 1 bar example on the audio-track. Repeat
each of these as many times as you need to be able to play them smoothly and
confidently and practise them slowly at first, then build up the speed. If
something seems too difficult at the moment, leave it try something else and
then come back to it later. It may seem clearer at another time.
O.K. Let’s get to work…
 
 
 Skills Accomplished

Record of your accomplishments

 
Stage 1
Four way independence with the feet playing eighth notes, alternating on
bass drum and high hat. The hands playing eighths and sixteenths in
combinations of singles, doubles and paradiddles on all drums of the kit.
Stage 2
Understanding quarter, eighth and sixteenth note rests, and practising
rhythms using single eighth and sixteenth notes. Learning about dotted notes
and how to read and play them. Leaving spaces in groups of sixteenth notes
and the rhythms they produce.
Stage 3
Learning about the 5, 6, 7 and the 9 stroke roll. How to use double strokes
as definite rolls and how to fit these into drum fills.
Stage 4
Learning to groove using eighths on the high hat and various
combinations of eighths and sixteenth notes on the snare and the bass drum.
Developing your skills in funk drumming and how to hold down a solid
groove.
Stage 5
Learning about grace notes and how to play the flam, drag and ruff. Then
learning to use these with a drum roll and adding additional character and
colour to your drum sounds.
Stage 6
Learning about the indefinite bounce and how to produce the press or
buzz roll, and how to use this in a drum fill. Sixteenth note beat placements
using the toms and cymbals for interest and added colour to your playing.
Stage 7
Discovering the interesting beats that can be found when playing the
syncopated beats within the group of sixteenth notes. Further development of
your soul and funk styles with additional sixteenth note bass drum beats.
 Stage 8
How to open the high hat on all of the eighth note options producing that
familiar and funky high hat sound. Playing quarter note beats on the high hat,
cymbal or cowbell for further variation and interest.
Stage 9
Really developing your understanding and skill with paradiddles, first
with the hands and then between the snare and bass drum. Also learning the
variations of forward, inward and reverse paradiddles. Learning the Bossa
Nova beat and understanding Latin music.
Stage 10
Further understanding and development of eighth note triplets, and
learning about quarter and sixteenth note triplets. Developing the basic feel for
swing or jazz music, and learning some basic four way independence in the
swing style.
Additional Stage
Playing the pieces and reading from charts. Developing your chart
reading skills and learning to play in four different styles. Playing in time with
a backing track and how to add fills and solos to express your own playing
style.
 
 
 Chapter 1

Tips on Practising
 
Practising is the most important element in making progress with your
drumming. We are all blessed with the amount of talent that we are born with
and we can all develop this further by believing in our talent and fostering it,
also by focusing our attention on our talent and that of other people.
What really makes drummers of distinction, are the ones who dedicate
their time to developing the talent they have, with regular practice. I say
regular practice because it has been shown that anything done on a regular
basis will have a greater effect than something done only occasionally. You
have to be the person to decide how much time you wish to set aside for
practice. This will depend on many things. Some of these will be; What do
you want to achieve with your drumming? How much time can you spare? Do
you have the space and equipment to practise? How high have you set your
sights? Have you managed to make your practising routine interesting so you
do not get bored? Can you visualize yourself being the kind of drummer that
you would like to become?
This book has been designed to help you make easy progress towards
becoming an accomplished drummer. It has many of the rudiments of
drumming which are so essential to obtaining the technique you will need to
master, and to play at an advanced level. It is laid out in exercises that will
allow you to develop those rudiments into drum phrases that you will use in
your playing. The exercises will also help you to develop the hand and foot
coordination needed to play the drums properly, and to make a good sound
from the drum kit. This book covers a lot of different variations and styles
which will help to keep you interested, by not having to repeat similar types of
exercises page after page.
The accompanying audio-tracks have all of the examples played for you
and some spoken advice too, so if you are not sure what to play, you can have
a listen to what each part should sound like. At the end of the book there are
four drum parts written out in four different styles: Rock, Bossa Nova, Funk
and Jazz. These are common styles, which are all incorporated into modern
music and will give you a very strong basis on which to build. Each part has a
corresponding audio-track with drums on already and a track without the
drums. This will allow you to study and practice the part and then once you
are ready, play along with the band yourself. This gives you the experience of
good time keeping, playing with a band and also the opportunity to develop
your own style and ideas.
Good luck, believe in yourself and never doubt your amazing potential.
Steve Laffy. August 2012
 
 Chapter 2

Positions, Tuning and Kit Care

 
This picture shows the correct hand position for the rim click, (stick
across rim.)
 This picture shows the correct hand positions for flams and drags.
 
 Never hit crash cymbals directly on the edge. This picture shows the
correct angle to hit crash cymbals avoiding damage.
 
Some tips on kits, drum tuning and care of your drum
kit.
 
If you are working on this book you will already have a kit, at least a
beginners kit. When you can afford it, get the best equipment you can, as this
will make a better sound and inspire you to play more, and get you prepared
for going out and doing gigs. You will need something that is sturdy and
sounds and looks good. Second hand kits that are in good condition are
absolutely fine and can be cheaper. Cymbals and pedals etc. can be added as
and when your budget allows. Check out what is available and go regularly to
your drum shop and see what is on offer. Drumheads can also make a big
difference to the sound of your kit so experiment with the different brands and
types available.
The main thing about care for your kit is to make sure it is not damaged
when being moved around. Kits being made mostly of wood and metal don¼t
like getting wet, being in damp conditions or being left out in direct sunlight,
so avoid these as much as possible. When you start gigging or rehearsing out
of your house, good cases are an essential part of your kit, (as is transport or a
very willing parent or friend.)
There are as many ways to tune a kit as to play one (we are a very unique
bunch us drummers). Basically the drum wants to be tightened evenly across
the head, and each drum wants its own tone and to have its own sound, as
distinct from the other drums and cymbals. Most importantly the kit wants to
produce a good sound that will inspire you to play it. Experiment.
 
 Chapter 3

Feet playing eighths

 
Play these following bars of eighths and sixteenths with your feet
alternating eighth notes on the bass drum and high hat. Make your feet a
strong part of the rhythm. Try this first bar with the hands playing singles
RLRL. When you can play singles easily, then try as doubles that’s RRLL,
then as paradiddles RLRR LRLL. Left handed players can start all exercises
leading with their left hand.

Try this next bar as singes RLRL, doubles RRLL, then paradiddles RLRR
LRLL.

Now the same as the bar above, but around the kit.
 This 4 bar piece is in the style of Samba, a Latin American beat. The very
first note is on the crash cymbal, but only play this in the first bar of each 4, so
that it comes after the 1 bar fill. Make up your own fill for the fourth bar.

Here are some more exercises to try out using singles and doubles.
 Play the last 2 groups of sixteenths as singles, then doubles, then
paradiddles. First practise the 2 groups of paradiddles, then add the rest of the
exercise.

Learning to play the drums is a discovery, so use your imagination and

make up your own beats. Developing your own ideas will enable you to
develop your own style of playing. Take everything you learn and try to make
it into something that is your own. Learn everything you can and learn about
yourself in the process, remembering that you are developing yourself as a
person, as well as a drummer.
 
 Chapter 4

Give it a rest, mate

 
Rests are important in music, they leave spaces and make drum rhythms
more interesting. We will look at 3: quarter, eighth and sixteenth note rests.

Work out your own sticking (which hands to play with) on these 4 bars.
Also try with the feet alternating bass drum and high hat.

Below is a sixteenth note rest. Count out the beats.

 When you feel ready add these 2 bars to the 4 above and play as a whole
piece, being sure to keep a constant and steady quarter note bass drum beat.
 
Dotted Notes
 
A note with a dot after it means that it lasts for an extra half again of its
own value. Therefore a dotted quarter note is equal in time to 3 eighth notes,
instead of its usual 2 eighth notes.
This first beat is the same length as the third beat, the dot having the same
effect as the eighth note rest.

A dotted eighth note is equal to 3 sixteenths instead of the usual 2. As you

will see below, it is easier to use dotted notes rather than lots of sixteenth note
rests. Again adjust your sticking (the hands you play with) so that the rhythm
flows smoothly and feels easy to play.

Try this 4 bar piece. When ready, with the feet alternating bass drum and
high hat.
 
 Chapter 5

Leave it out!
 
Have you ever heard of the phrase ‘less is more’? Here we leave out one
of the sixteenth notes to make a more interesting rhythm. Note the sticking to
keep you leading with your right hand. (Reverse for left hand players) When
you can play each line easily, play the 4 bars as a whole piece.

Try this little 4 bar piece with the feet alternating bass drum and high hat.

Now we will use this idea as a bar of a fill.

Now play this around the drums and make up your own.
 
 Chapter 6

Roll With It
 
Try these double 5, 6, 7 and 9 stroke rolls. Practise hand to hand, that’s
starting with the right, then repeat starting with the left. Then just starting with
your right.

Practise this 6 stroke roll starting with any hand you like and build up the
speed.

Put it around the kit, then try the double sixteenths on the toms.
Experiment and make up your own ideas, or try leading with your left hand.

Do the same as above with these 9 stroke rolls.

 First play all the sixteenths as doubles and the eighths and quarters as
singles. Slowly at first, then play it fast. Then try any sticking you like. Try out
anything that will develop your skills and your interest.

Here is the 7 stroke roll.

Use bars of the 5, 6, 7 and 9 stroke rolls as fills whilst playing some of
your favourite beats, and remember the more you practise the better you get
and the more proud you will be of yourself.
 Learning to play the drums is a process of self discovery. Don’t ever
doubt your ability.
 
 Chapter 7

Groovin' in the Gap

 
On this page all of the high hat beats are played as straight eighth notes
with the right hand (left hand for left hand players). Keep them strong and
clear so the snare beats fit nicely in between, on the sixteenth notes.

The important thing here is to play it slowly at first, and also to really
count out the beats, ALOUD!
 With this next set of beats, the sixteenth note snare beat is coming in
between the 3 and the 7 note.

Now try both of the patterns together in one bar.

Have you heard this one somewhere before?

Now let’s get really funky.

You can join 2 bars together to make an even more interesting groove.
 Experiment with all of the above beats and make up your own 2 bar
phrases. Try and add fill in bars with the above beats and grooves. Play that
funky music!
If you decide you want to be really good at playing the drums you will
need to do a lot of practising. Anybody who has achieved a high standard, you
can be sure has put in a lot of affort and practice (Taking hours a day, not
minutes).
You will be the person who decides as to what level you want to play, and
how much you want to practise. It is not a competition against other people. It
is a tradition that we as drummers are all taking part in and it is our
responsibility to do the best we can and to use our music to the benefit of all.
Enough said, let’s get practising!
 
 Chapter 8

It's a drag (and a flam and a ruff)

 
Below are 3 rudiments called flams, drags and ruffs. The small notes are
called grace notes and do not have the same value as full notes. These are used
to add colour and flavour to your drumming and make your playing more
interesting and dynamic.

Here is a good way to learn to play these: see pictures in Chapter 2. For
the flam on the snare drum, have your right stick pointing to the roof and your
left stick about 2-3 cm from the drum head. Now strike the drum with both
hands, the left hitting a fraction earlier because it is nearer. When you have
struck, the left goes up to point at the roof and the right stays 2-3 cm from the
drum head, the reverse of how they started. Now repeat the above process.

The same as above for drags, except 2 little taps before the main beat.
Then reverse.

Play the ruffs with 3 quick little single (LRL) taps before the main beat.
Keep the stick low for this one and raise it to hit the last beat, this being the
main beat and not a grace note.
 Flams, drags and ruffs work very nicely at the start of a roll. As soon as
you play the fourth (last) beat, it is important to raise your hand quickly to be
ready for the flam and the drag, the ruff stays low for the little triplet. Try
these:

Now try the first group of sixteenths above on the snare and the rest of the
bar around the toms.
Below play 1 bar of an eighth beat, followed by one of the bars of a fill.
Play the fourth beat of the first bar as a crash cymbal or open high hat.
 Now try experimenting by yourself. Put the rolls around the kit using all
of the toms. Try with the ride cymbal instead of the high hat. Experiment and
have fun.
 
 Chapter 9

Press On, with a Press Roll

 
The press roll is another technique used a lot in drumming and can make
a great effect. As with everything else, practise it slowly at first. The way to do
it is to throw the stick at the head and let it bounce as many times as possible,
like skimming a stone across water. First counting quarter notes.

Now try with eighth notes, letting each stick bounce as many times as
possible and try to make each buzz smooth and even. Add the bass drum on
the quarter notes.

And now try the same thing with sixteenth notes making a smooth, even
buzz roll across the whole bar.

The press roll is most commonly written like this below. The line joining
the first and second notes is called a tie and literally joins the first note to the
text. Play the press roll like we have just done for the sixteenths, stopping with
a single clear beat, not buzz, on the next note (the second beat).
 
 Chapter 10

Tom, use your head!

 
Play these sixteenths as singles RLRL, with the first beat of each group
on the toms.

Here is the same idea with a 1 bar fill. Make your your own fill.

Now 4 bars and make up your own fill for the fourth bar.

Try playing the first beat of each group of sixteenths on the high hat, the
ride or the crash cymbals.
 
 Chapter 11

Syncopated Sixteenths
 
Repeat each of these bars of sixteenths individually using single strokes,
playing the accented notes on the toms. When you can play each bar by itself,
put them all together as a 4 bar piece.Then try 1 bar of an eighth note beat
between each one.

Now the right hand accents go around the kit on the toms, and the left
hand accents stay on the high tom. All other beats are on the snare.

Here is a piece combining them all. Practise each bar individually until
you can play them all, then play all 4 bars together as a piece.
 Experiment with the above bars as fills with the beats that you have
learned on the previous pages. Experiment and make up your own
combinations.
If you are still with the book up to this page, congratulations! You have
what it takes and you are making fantastic progress. Keep at it!
 
 Chapter 12

Sixteenth bass drum variations

 
If you are new to sixteenths with your bass drum, play these slowly and
count out the beat ALOUD. Notice that the sixteenth bass drum beat falls in
between the straight eighth notes on the high hat. Keep the high hat steady and
even.
 Once you are really comfortable with these bass drum patterns with
eighths on the high hat, try them on the ride cymbal or with sixteenths on the
high hat. Then try these patterns with some bars of fills.
 
 Chapter 13

Opening Time
 
On this page we are going to learn to open the high hat to get the sound
that is called ‘barking’. This achieved by lifting your toe, just a little bit, from
the high hat pedal, allowing the cymbals to open a little and then close them
with the next beat. The open beat is marked with an ‘o’ and closed on the ‘+’
sign. The first 4 bars opened on the off beats, that’s all the ‘ands’ of the count.

Try 4 bars with the high hat opening on the beat, and close again on the
‘off’ beat. Also try this on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th beats.

Here we open the high hats on more than 1 beat in a bar. Sounds cool!
Always close the high hats straight away on the next beat.
 
 Chapter 14

Spare me a Quarter
 
Play these following bars with quarter notes on the bell of the cymbal, or
a cowbell if you have one. The bass drum eighth notes fall square in between
the quarter notes.

And now with some sixteenth notes on the bass drum. Go back to Chapter
12 and try this beat with that page. Add some fill in bars. Experiment!
 
 Chapter 15

Playing with Paradiddles

 
The first bar is the standard forward paradiddle (that we know and love!).
The following 2 bars have variations - first the inward and then the reverse
paradiddles. This is where rudiments become really interesting and you will
start to discover some great grooves. Here we go!

Now try the same principle with the right hand on the bell of the cymbal
and the left hand on the snare. Be careful to keep the correct sticking (Reverse
sticking for left handed players).
 Try the bell of the ride cymbal with the right hand, it sounds cool!
These next 3 bars are similar to the last 3, and now we are dropping the
bass drum on the second and fourth beat and adding the accent on the snare
drum in its place. These make some powerful and very funky beats. Get
funky!

Let’s go to town! Try these very funky combinations with paradiddles

played between the snare (left hand) and the bass drum (right foot) with eighth
notes on the high hat, played with the right hand.
Let’s try putting some paradiddle exercises around the toms.

Try these 2 bars, and then repeat the same idea with all of the bars above.

Here’s a paradiddle exercise with accents on the toms.

 Now play the paradiddles with the ride cymbal and bass drum together.
Also try with the left foot playing quarters and then eighths on the high hat.

These next 2 bars combine the above examples.

 
 Chapter 16

Bossa Nova Beat

 
 
The Bossa Nova is a Latin American beat from Brazil. It is featured on
famous tunes such as ‘Girl from Ipanema’, ‘Blue Bossa’ and ‘Mas Que Nada’.
It is a straight eighth feel with a 2 bar rhythm made up of the 2 following bars.
Practise each bar separately then put them together as a two bar phrase. This
beat sounds best with the rim click (stick across the snare head, see picture in
Chapter 2) as shown by the diamond note head.

Try with this foot combination. It’s trickier than it looks!

Now these next 2 examples.

Play these bars with a fill on the fourth bar.

 Listen to some Latin music. There is a whole other world of drumming to
be enjoyed.
 
 Chapter 17

Triplet tricks
 
If you have studied Book 1 (The Really Easy Way To Play The Drums)
you will know about triplets. They are 3 beats in the space of 2. So below we
have a bar of eighth note triplets which are 3 eighth notes played to every
quarter note. Play them as singles RLRL etc and be aware that the hands will
switch from right to left falling with the bass drum. Play all of this section
with the feet alternating bass drum and high hat.

Here we have quarter note triplets. They are counted as eighth note
triplets but leave out each alternate note. Watch to keep the bass drum on the
beat and count 1-2-3-4. This will take some practice. Try a bar of the eighth
then a bar of the quarter note triplets as a 2 bar exercise.

Play the accents on the first note of each triplet. Play as singles RLRL etc.

Now play the accented notes on the toms with a bar of triplets around the
drums after. Play each set of 2 bars then put them all together.
 Here we have sixteenth note triples. Still count the same as eighth note
triples but play 2 notes for each count, that’s 6 beats every quarter note.

Now as before with the accented eighth note triplets. Also try these below
with the sixteenth note triplets as doubles.

Here are some ideas combining eighth and sixteenth note triples. Make up
your own.
 
 Chapter 18

Get into the Swing Thing

 
This is a swing or jazz beat using triplets on the ride cymbal.

Leave out some of the triplet beats to get the basic jazz rhythm.

Now add the high hat on beats 2 and 4.

1 bar beat, 1 bar fill using triplets.

Try these fills and all of the ones in the last chapter.
 Try all of these hand and foot coordination exercises, and then add all of
these to the fills in the last chapter, and remember ‘Swing and do your Thing’.

Listen to some of the great Jazz drummers like Elvin Jones, Max Roach,
Art Blakey, Buddy Rich, Jo Jones and the generations of drummers who have
deveoped the drumming styles and techniques that influence the music of
today.
 
 Chapter 19

Chucca Rock
by Poli Palmer (arranged by Eva Bricc)
Rock 82s
 
 Chapter 20

Be nice to the Bossa

by Poli Palmer (arranged by P.R. Temp)
 
 Chapter 21

Funky Socks
 
by Poli Palmer (arranged by Little Feet)
 
 Chapter 22

A Swing and a Prayer

by Poli Palmer (arranged by the Playground Preache)