Beginner-To-Band Drum-Set Ebook 5f8f463fca139

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 1
© OnlineDrummer.com LLC - For personal use only by Ana Pérez-Muñoz: aniuskka24@yahoo.es

About The Author
Dawn Richardson spends as many waking hours possible drumming,
helping others learn to drum and doing other various and sundry music-
type things. She teaches students of all ages and encourages all who are
interested to give drumming a try. Dawn strives to help each individual
student reach his or her musical goals using proven teaching materials
and methods to promote proper technique, while trying to make the
whole process fun and rewarding.
Always attempting to create more engaging learning resources, Dawn’s

previously published drum methods include “Chart Topping Drums Fills
– The 60s Through Today” and “Rhythm Reader.” Other books/charts
available through Mel Bay Publications are “Building Blocks of Rock,”
“Block Rockin’ Beats,” “Kid’s Rock Drum Method,” “Beginning Rock Drum Chart,” and “Fill Workbook.”
Dawn has been a member of many bands over the years and has toured or recorded with a wide range of
diverse musical artists. Highlights include Tracy Chapman, Shana Morrison, Elettrodomestico (featuring Jane
Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s), Joe Gore (P.J. Harvey/DJ Shadow), Penelope Houston, The Loud Family, The Martini’s
(featuring Joey Santiago of the Pixies) and Vicki Randle (The Tonight Show). Dawn is perhaps best known for
her work as the drummer of 4 Non Blondes. As a member of that successful rock band, she received gold and
platinum records for sales in the United States and internationally. She toured the world opening for such
rock legends as Aerosmith, Neil Young, Pearl Jam and Prince and appeared on both national and international
television performing on shows such as Late Night with David Letterman, The Billboard Music Awards and
England’s Top of the Pops.
Dawn got her start on drum kit in Southern California with Jim Volpe and Jim Vessiny as private instructors.
She holds her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Percussion from Cal State University Los Angeles, where she studied
with the retired principal percussionist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Raynor Carroll. She has also studied
with studio greats/educators Steve Houghton, Peter Magadini and Greg Goodall. Dawn is endorsed by Zildjian
Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, Drum Workshop Hardware and Pedals, and Pacific Drums.
2 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

Table of Contents
UNIT 1: GETTING STARTED WITH QUARTER NOTES................................7
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS..................................................................................................8
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................9
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................11
UNIT 2: ADDING EIGHTH NOTES............................................................15
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................18
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................24
UNIT 3: INTRODUCING SIXTEENTH NOTES.............................................26
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................29
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................35
UNIT 4: RUDIMENTS AND SYNCOPATION..............................................37
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................40
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................44
UNIT 5: ALL LIMBS ON BOARD...............................................................47
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................50
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................54
UNIT 6: ACCENTS AND ALL FOUR...........................................................57
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................60
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................64

UNIT 7: COMBINING NOTE VALUES........................................................67
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................70
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................75
UNIT 8: MORE FIGURES AND FILLS.........................................................78
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................81
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................85
UNIT 9: BUZZ STROKES AND NEW DOTTED FIGURE................................88
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................90
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................96
UNIT 10: MORE BUZZ STROKES, FIGURES AND FILLS...............................99
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................101
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................109
UNIT 11: MORE TECHNIQUE AND NEW COMBINATIONS.........................112
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................114
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................120
UNIT 12: MORE FUN WITH FIGURES AND TECHNIQUES...........................123
SKILL BUILDERS..............................................................................................................126
TUNE-IN & TURN IT UP!..................................................................................................132

How to Use this Book
Introduction
Using insights gained from years of experience as both a professional teacher and performer, much
care has been taken to design a useful, effective and practical guide for learning to play the drums.
This book can be used as a self-directed learning guide or as a course template to work along with
an instructor of your choice. The goal is to help you become proficient in all that is necessary for you
to get out there and play the drums with other musicians.
Chapter Section Explanations
Each unit is divided into three main sections:
✔ Essential Elements
Focusing on sticking technique and reading, this section will help you to increase dexterity
while learning new rhythmic figures, sticking patterns and ways to strike the drum.
✔ Skill Builders
This section introduces new concepts and rhythmic figures, as applied to playing drum set,
while building upon the skills learned in previous units.
✔ Tune-in & Turn it Up!

Putting the new concepts to practice, this section provides basic templates that challenge you
to apply, improvise and solidify your skills while playing along with recorded music.
Tips
Keep a log of your practice time and the pages you're working on. Set goals for yourself, and do
your best to practice often. Practicing a little bit everyday will yield better results than locking
yourself in the drum room for 8 hours one time a week. This isn't a sprint to the finish line!

Practicing
Practice can often be a misunderstood concept. There is a big difference between playing and
practicing. Practice with purpose, with specific objectives and goals in mind — and enjoy the
learning process. It takes much repetition for us to become solid drummers. Possessing that skill is
very rewarding, but it only comes with time and experience.
Final Thoughts
Go slowly at first to make sure you are playing the exercises correctly. If it is difficult and you keep
stopping and starting – go SLOWER. Really, it works. It is always better to play slowly and be
accurate than to practice something incorrectly at a faster speed over and over. Give yourself the
freedom at some point in your practice sessions to just play – to be in the moment and not worry
about the technical aspects or reading. Have fun and be creative with the things you learn.
Drum Key
Dynamics
p Soft mp Medium soft mf Medium loud f Loud

UNIT 1
Essential Elements

QUARTER NOTES ON THE SNARE
✔ The symbol at the end of each line is called an end-repeat, which means to return to the start-repeat
and play the section again. For exercises like these, it's good practice to repeat the sections many times.

UNIT 1
QUARTER NOTES ON THE KIT Skill Builders
✔ The quarter rests and quarter notes make the kick and snare line add up to 4 total beats.

UNIT 1
QUARTER NOTES – ADD CRASH Skill Builders
✔ The crash cymbal notation is one ledger line above the staff.

UNIT 1
INTRO TO PRACTICE TEMPLATES Tune-in & Turn it Up!
Tune-In & Turn It Up!

Now here's the fun part — playing songs! After you understand the basics, you get to apply it to tunes. As
drummers, knowing the tempo, grooves and the form of the song are key. Once you understand how to map
out a song, playing along with recordings and playing in a band are a lot more fun. The best (and most
practical) way to start is by practicing along with recordings. You will need to count bars at first, but the more
you do this, the more you will start to feel the changes from one part of the song to another. When you are
playing with other musicians, understanding song form can help you be a leader instead of just following
along or guessing when the changes are going to happen.
We will start with some basic form charts and work our way towards more complex charts as the book
progresses. A great exercise is to practice making your own charts. This will be easier to do with songs you
know and enjoy. This also becomes more comfortable as you become a more experienced player. Listen and
practice counting measures. Most songs utilize the same basic elements (discussed below). Once you can
recognize them and start playing and charting songs yourself, you will recognize the predictable patterns in
most songs.
Common Parts of Songs:

Introduction: This is the beginning of the song. Sometimes it is subdivided into more than one part. The
entrances of the instruments might be staggered or the introduction could be played by only one instrument,
part of the band, or by the whole ensemble.
Verse: The vocals usually enter during the verse, and this is the section of the song that tells the story
lyrically. There are usually between two and four verse sections in a song and most often the music/chords
remain essentially the same during each verse throughout the song while the lyrics usually change. Verses
are usually 8 to 16 bars long, but they can be any length. There are most commonly 4 bar phrases that make
up the longer segments. The verse is often the second section of the song that begins after the introduction.

UNIT 1
INTRO TO PRACTICE TEMPLATES Tune-in & Turn it Up!
Chorus (or Refrain): The chorus is the repeated section of the song. It is sometimes called the “hook” and the
part that folks usually sing along with — the most recognizable and catchy section. Often the song title is
sung in the chorus section. It's usually the same, melodically and lyrically, every time throughout a song.
Interlude/Instrumental: There is often a short 4 to 8 bar break between sections, especially from the chorus
before it goes back to the verse, but it can occur anywhere and be any length. Usually, there are no vocals
during this section.
Pre-Chorus: Sometimes songs have a short section between the verse and chorus called the pre-chorus.
Usually, the lyrics remain the same for this section throughout the song.
Bridge (or Middle 8): The bridge is a new, or contrasting, section of the song. Different from the verse or
chorus, this section can be with or without vocals. Usually there is only one bridge in a song but occasionally
it happens two or more times.
Solo: Often, there is an instrumental solo over the chord changes of one of the existing sections (i.e. verse,
chorus, bridge, etc). Occasionally, it is an entirely new section or modified version of one of the sections.
Sometimes, these sections are open-ended, and someone in the band cues the end or the return to song.
Vamp: This is a repeating section of the song. Often, the solo is played over a vamp. A vamp can also be at
the beginning or end of a song and is usually played until there is a cue to change. It can be of any length.
Often, musicians “jam” over a vamp.
Outro (or Coda): The outro is the end (or last) section of a song. It often sounds similar to the chorus with
some added elements but could also be a vamp or something completely different.

UNIT 1
PRACTICE TEMPLATE Tune-in & Turn it Up!
While you are beginning to build skills, you will use limited patterns when playing songs. In You Dropped a
Bomb on Me (shown below), listen to the four-bar phrases. This makes it easier to count and hear the
sections of the song. Focus on time-keeping and playing the groove consistently. There are short fills on the
recording, which are not included below. If you already have the skill set to improvise and add fills, go for it!
You Dropped a Bomb on Me – The Gap Band
Tip For Keeping Your Place:
A great way to keep track of where you are in the music is to replace count #1 with the number of the bar
you're on. For example, the bold counts below replace count #1:
“ONE, two, three, four, TWO, two, three, four, THREE, two, three, four, FOUR, two, three, four, etc.”

UNIT 1
In Psycho Killer, listen for the crash on beat 4 at the end of the introduction to cue the verse. Most of the
time, the written patterns below are what you hear on the recording, but there are a few improvisations in
the drum part. Use these first two songs to help enrich your understanding of song form and time-keeping.
Note the new symbol used in bar 6. This is called a measure-repeat and means to repeat the previous bar.
Psycho Killer – Talking Heads

UNIT 2
EIGHTH NOTES ON THE SNARE Essential Elements
✔ Counting is the same for each exercise on the page.

✔ Eighth notes have half the value of quarter notes (i.e. two eighth notes for each beat).

UNIT 2
HANDS TOGETHER Essential Elements
✔ Play both hands together for these exercises.

✔ These will help prepare you for playing drum fills.

UNIT 2
EIGHTH NOTES ON THE KIT Skill Builders

UNIT 2

UNIT 2
EIGHTH NOTES – ADD CRASH Skill Builders

UNIT 2
BASIC FULL-BAR FILLS Skill Builders
✔ Notice the new symbol representing a crescendo in bar 4, which means to gradually get louder or “build.”
✔ First practice without the crash cymbal on beat 1, if that element is new to you.

UNIT 2
BASIC FULL-BAR FILLS Skill Builders

UNIT 2
BASIC TWO-BEAT FILLS Skill Builders
✔ These are basic two-beat drum fills using eighth notes, with two-bar phrases for practice.
✔ First practice without the crash cymbal on beat 1, if that element is new to you.

UNIT 2
The introduction of Beverly Hills has a great closed roll example. We will be working on developing this skill
later in the book. The sections of this song are eight bars each, except the introduction. The crash on beat 4
marks the changes between sections. Note the move from hi-hat to ride cymbal on the bridge/instrumental
section. After that, there is a break in the beat for the first half of the final verse. Again, the recording has
slight exceptions to the practice template below. As always, feel free to improvise if you have the ability.
Beverly Hills – Weezer

UNIT 2
The main sections of this song are eight bars each, except for the intro and outro. This is a good song to
practice short build fills, especially going into the bridge section from the chorus and back to the verse. The
end of the outro uses something usually referred to as a “tag” in popular terminology. You will likely hear this
at the end of songs from time to time – a sort of “tagged on” part.
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – The Beatles

UNIT 3
SIXTEENTH NOTES Essential Elements
✔ There are four sixteenth notes in the space of one quarter note (i.e. one beat).

UNIT 3
SIXTEENTH NOTES – ADD BASS Essential Elements
✔ This section adds the kick drum to help keep the pulse (on the quarter notes).

UNIT 3
✔ Note the new split between kick and snare of the eighth note figure.

UNIT 3
TWO-BAR DRUM BEATS Skill Builders
✔ Be aware that these are longer patterns. The two bars are now different from each other.

UNIT 3
BASIC SHORT FILLS Skill Builders
✔ These are basic one and two-beat fills using sixteenth notes – two-bar phrases for practice.

UNIT 3
BASIC SHORT FILLS – ADD TOMS Skill Builders
✔ These one-beat fills utilize the toms in addition to the snare.

UNIT 3
TWO-BEAT DRUM FILLS Skill Builders
✔ These two-beat fills can be played with or without the kick drum. Try both ways for more practice.

UNIT 3
Directions: Improvise your own drum fill orchestrations over the slashed note heads at the end of
each exercise below.

UNIT 3
Secret was recorded with a simple, one-measure drum pattern and is a great practice tune. Listen to the song
form, and notice the odd amount of bars in the pre-chorus which helps create more tension going into the
chorus. Use this tune to practice basic, one-beat, sixteenth-note fills on the transitions, and develop good
time-keeping skills. Once you are comfortable playing the one-beat fill on the snare drum, experiment by
using some of the variations from the previous pages in this chapter.
Secret – Madonna

UNIT 3
In Family Affair, the main beat is a two-bar pattern. When playing time, remember to repeat both measures
of the two-bar foundational beat. Play the eighth-measure phrase that is notated in the introduction (i.e.
with the drum fill at the end) throughout the song. The electronically created groove in this song is great
time-keeping practice. We will also practice marking the sections with short fills. You can crash on the
downbeat after the fill, if you like. You can hear the changes and recognize changes in the song best by paying
attention to the vocals. Improvise by changing the way you orchestrate the fill on the kit (i.e. try creating
various tom arrangements).
Note: This song chart uses a two-bar repeating pattern. When the chart indicates to “play 8,” that means
eight bars and not eight times through the two-bar pattern. Four times through the pattern equals eight bars.
Family Affair – Mary J. Blige

UNIT 4
RUDIMENTS Essential Elements
✔ Rudiments are basic elements of drumming.

✔ Work on increasing your speed every time your practice.

UNIT 4
EIGHTH NOTES & RESTS Essential Elements
✔ Use alternating sticking (i.e. R, L, R, L ...) for these reading exercises.

UNIT 4
SYNCOPATED BEATS Skill Builders
✔ These patterns are considered syncopated, which means accentuating the weak beat.

UNIT 4
SYNCOPATED BEATS Skill Builders
✔ These exercises add syncopation on the snare part.

UNIT 4
TWO-BAR PATTERNS Skill Builders
✔ These patterns combine all of the elements worked on in the book to this point.

UNIT 4
TWO-BAR PATTERNS Skill Builders

UNIT 4
For (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay, listen to the four-bar introduction, and start counting time so that you
can enter with the vocal on the first verse. Except for the introduction, the sections of this song are all eight
bars long (i.e. two, four-bar phrases). Notice the change in pattern at the end of the chorus, utilizing the
eighth rest.
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding

UNIT 4
California Stars is basically a repeating eight-bar phrase throughout. The guitar starts and drums enter on the
second time around with the vocal. The music is the same with or without vocals. Improvise short fills at the
end of each section for practice.
California Stars – Billy Bragg & Wilco
Love Letter, on the following page, begins with a two-bar, solo drum intro. After the drum intro, this song is
all 4-bar phrases. Listen to the chord changes and vocals to help hear the song sections. There are two fills in
this practice template: the crash on beat 4, and the one-beat sixteenth-note fill. Continue to count and
experiment with the fill orchestration (i.e. try playing the pattern on various drums). Try listening to the song
before you play along. This will help you understand the arrangement and hear the sections more clearly.

UNIT 4
Love Letter – Bonnie Raitt

UNIT 5
ACCENTS Essential Elements
✔ An accent > means to emphasize a note or to play it louder.

✔ Play unaccented notes softer to help bring out the accents.

UNIT 5
RUDIMENTS – ADD ACCENTS Essential Elements
✔ In this lesson, you'll apply accents to common rudiments.

✔ Work on increasing your speed every time you practice.

UNIT 5
RIDE CYMBAL & HI-HAT FOOT Skill Builders
✔ This section focuses on beginning to use all four limbs (i.e. both hands and both feet).

UNIT 5
RIDE, HI-HAT & EIGHTH NOTES Skill Builders

UNIT 5
RIDE, HI-HAT & EIGHTH NOTES Skill Builders

UNIT 5
MORE EIGHTH NOTE FIGURES Skill Builders
✔ This lesson returns to the hi-hat and explores more advanced snare drum placements.

UNIT 5
Only Happy When It Rains has a repeating two-bar drum pattern throughout the song. There are additional
electronic percussion elements on the recording. Included below are the main drum kit patterns. Note the
change of pattern on transitions and watch for the stops at the end of the chorus and bridge. The amount of
bars in each section is more unusual in this song, so make sure to listen first and get familiar with the
arrangement.
Only Happy When It Rains – Garbage

UNIT 5
In Grazing in the Grass, play the “foundational pattern” throughout. Note that this practice template is on
the ride cymbal (not the hi-hat). The hi-hat is played with the foot on beats 2 and 4. This popular
instrumental from the late 1960s is mostly one sixteen-bar phrase or “chorus,” once through the melody. The
riff section on the recording varies slightly. Try to improvise the drum beat during the “Riff.”
Grazing in the Grass – Hugh Masekela
Green River, on the following page, has a two-bar repeating drum pattern throughout the song. The
challenge with this practice template might be the quick tempo. Stay relaxed with your hi-hat hand when
executing the eighth notes. Your arm might move a bit more because of the quick tempo, and a natural
accent on the downbeats (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4) may occur. If this is too fast for you to play right now, you can always
move on and come back to this song later.

UNIT 5
This song doesn't have the usual pop song format. The “A” sections are the main vocal parts. The “I” or
“Instrumental” sections are when he sings, “Well …,” and there is a guitar riff and slight change in the kick
drum pattern. Remember, it is often easier to keep track of long sixteen-bar sections by counting the four-bar
phrases.
Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival

UNIT 6
ACCENTS Essential Elements
✔ Remember that an accent > means to emphasize a note or to play it louder.

UNIT 6
RUDIMENTS Essential Elements

UNIT 6
FOUR ON THE KICK Skill Builders
✔ Drum beats with the bass on 1, 2, 3, 4 are sometimes called “Four on the Floor.”
✔ The kick and hi-hat patterns are the same for all exercises.

UNIT 6
FOUR ON THE SNARE Skill Builders

UNIT 6
OPENING THE HI-HAT Skill Builders
✔ The circle above the hi-hat indicates to open the hi-hat while hitting that stroke.
✔ Keep the hi-hat foot in contact with the pedal, lifting the front of the foot to open it.

UNIT 6

UNIT 6
We Will Rock You is a great song for practicing the flam rudiment. Even though there are no real drums on
this recording, these patterns work well. It is a good song to practice with, as most of us are already quite
familiar with it. Play the pattern with the hi-hat later in the song, after the guitar fades in for the outro
section. You can improvise short fills to mark sections or have fun changing up the beats once you feel you
have had enough flam practice and are comfortable with the arrangement.
We Will Rock You – Queen
Cool Blue Reason, on the following page, is another great song for practicing the flam. Remember to practice
both right and left-handed stickings. The song starts with the vocal section, which will be called the “A”
section for this tune. Listen for crashes on the emphasized measures. Watch and listen for the stalls (a break
in playing time) where the drums stop and crash on the downbeat. For added practice, improvise fills when
appropriate.
Reminder: The symbol as seen in bars 2 through 15 on the first line of Cool Blue Reason is called a measure
repeat. It means to repeat the previous measure. Or, in other words, play the same thing again.

UNIT 6
Cool Blue Reason – Cake

UNIT 6
Yellow has different drum patterns in each section. The intro, chorus and outro all have a crash on the
downbeat every other bar. The verse and outro have six-bar phrases instead of the more usual four or eight
bar musical phrase. Gradually open the hi-hat to create a crescendo the last two bars of the verse on the
transition into the chorus. Practice one-beat fills on the outro. The slashed circle above a hi-hat note (like in
the intro and outro beats below, means to play with the hi-hat loose.
Yellow – Coldplay

UNIT 7
SIXTEENTHS & EIGHTHS Essential Elements

UNIT 7
ADD THE BASS Essential Elements

UNIT 7
SIXTEENTH NOTES ON THE KIT Skill Builders

UNIT 7
SIXTEENTH NOTES ON THE KIT Skill Builders

UNIT 7
MORE RIDE & HI-HAT FOOT Skill Builders

UNIT 7
MORE RIDE & HI-HAT FOOT Skill Builders

UNIT 7
ONE-BEAT FILLS Skill Builders

UNIT 7
Drive My Car has some great flam fills and fill examples using the two-sixteenth-and-an-eighth figure in the
intro and outro. While the main sections are all eight bars, this song is an interesting example of variations
with the flam fills and stops. Make sure you listen and follow the practice template before attempting to play
along, or you may have trouble keeping up.
Drive My Car – The Beatles
fade

UNIT 7
There She Goes keeps the same form throughout. The “A” section is an eleven-bar phrase, the last bar being
the fill. The introduction, bridge and outro are various lengths, as noted in the chart. If the hands-together,
eighth-note fill is too difficult with the kick, leave the kick out. Try to create the same smooth feeling the
recording has when switching from the beat to the fill.
Note: The 3x located at the end of the second line and the second-to-last bar of the last line means to play
the repeated section 3 times.
There She Goes – The La's

UNIT 7
In addition to the acoustic drum track, there are some other electronic percussion elements in Raspberry
Beret. These help to create the accent on beat 4 every other bar, but it's still good to try and create that
accent acoustically, as well. Although the recording has no fills, this is a good song for fill practice. The fill
examples are a good starting point. If the tempo of the fills is too quick for you, play two eighth notes instead.
Raspberry Beret – Prince

UNIT 8
EIGHTS & SIXTEENTHS Essential Elements

UNIT 8
EIGHTHS & SIXTEENTHS – ADD BASS Essential Elements

UNIT 8
TWO-SIXTEENTHS PATTERNS Skill Builders

UNIT 8
TWO-SIXTEENTHS PATTERNS Skill Builders

UNIT 8
HALF-BEAT DRUM FILLS Skill Builders
NOTES:

UNIT 8
ONE-BEAT DRUM FILLS Skill Builders

UNIT 8
In Lovesong, the two-bar drum pattern repeats throughout. When there is a fill, it happens at the end of the
second bar of the beat. Usually, the short, two-sixteenth-note fill is mid-verse, and the longer fill happens on
the changes from section to section. Hit the crash on the changes between parts of the song. Feel free to
improvise after you are comfortable with what is written.
Lovesong – The Cure

UNIT 8
In Let Her Go, hit the crash on the changes between parts throughout the song. Improvise fills throughout
(see the examples for guidance). During the instrumental section, switch to the ride cymbal, and stay there
until the outro.
Let Her Go – Passenger
(ride)

UNIT 8
Pop Life is a good song to practice short fills with. Try to utilize the new figures from the past two chapters, as
seen in the written fill examples. Note the crashes on beat 1 of the first bar of each eight-bar phrase. Listen to
the feel on the recording and try to emulate the slight swing feel when playing fills.
Pop Life – Prince

UNIT 9
BUZZ STROKES Essential Elements
✔ The Z on the stem of a note indicates to buzz that stroke.

✔ Create a buzz (i.e. multiple bounces) by pressing the tip of the stick onto the drum head.

UNIT 9
DOTTED EIGHTH NOTE FIGURES Skill Builders

UNIT 9
TWO-BAR COMBOS Skill Builders

UNIT 9

UNIT 9

UNIT 9

UNIT 9

UNIT 9
Blurred Lines uses the same foundational, two-bar pattern throughout, with some added percussion and
electronic elements on the recording. Like many dance songs, the main pattern will drop out in select spots,
as noted in the chart. This is another opportunity to work on keeping solid time and improvising fills to lead
into the various sections.
Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke

UNIT 9
Cinnamon Girl is slightly unusual in that it only has one main vocal section, which is identified as the “A”
section in the chart below. The instrumental guitar riff section repeats throughout. Watch for the fills. If you
attempt to add fills going to and from the instrumental section, be mindful of the pattern and make sure you
can get back to it while staying in time. It can be challenging switching between sections with the four-on-
the-snare pattern. Practice transitioning between the patterns before attempting to play along with the
recording.
Cinnamon Girl – Neil Young

UNIT 9
1979 combines electronic drum and percussion elements with acoustic drum tracks. This chart focuses on the
foundational pattern throughout. Once again, improvise drum fills where indicated.
1979 – Smashing Pumpkins

UNIT 10
MORE BUZZ STROKES Essential Elements

UNIT 10
NEW FIGURE ON THE KICK Skill Builders

UNIT 10
TWO-BAR COMBINATIONS Skill Builders

UNIT 10

UNIT 10

UNIT 10
ONE-BAR DRUM FILLS Skill Builders
Note: Use exercise #1 as a practice template for each of the drum fills on this page. In other words, play 3
bars of drum beats, and then play the drum fill. This will give you practice playing in the context of 4-bar
phrases — a phrasing style that is often used in popular music.

UNIT 10
ONE-BAR FILLS: SIXTEENTHS Skill Builders
Note: Use exercise #1 as a practice template for each of the drum fills on this page.

UNIT 10
ONE-BAR FILL COMBOS Skill Builders

UNIT 10
MORE ONE-BAR FILL COMBOS Skill Builders

UNIT 10
Stay is a long tune with plenty of opportunity to practice short fills. The two main patterns are quite similar. If
you listen closely to the recording, you can hear the changes in the grooves. Try to express the dynamics and
changes by improvising short, tasteful fills. There are also drum overdubs heard on the recording.
Stay (Far Away, So Close!) – U2

UNIT 10
In Cherry Bomb, although the whole tune has a basic one-bar pattern, there are plenty of other fun things to
try and catch. Check out the crash on beat 4 every other bar in the verse. There is a big guitar stab here to
help you find the spot on the recording. The chorus section has a “call and response” type feel and alternates
between the ride cymbal and hi-hat every two bars. Check out the short fill on the snare in between. This
section also has the crash on beat 4 but less often. There are some hand-clap overdubs that are mixed
prominently and some other various percussion overdubs in the song that enhance the groove.
Cherry Bomb – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

UNIT 10
Shut Up Kiss Me is very organic sounding with plenty of slight variations in regards to both the fills and the
grooves. The foundational patterns below will get you on the right track and are a great starting point. Listen
and improvise. Be mindful of the dynamics on the two-handed build fills — great examples of crescendos
there. Listen and improvise sixteenth-note fills like in the recording. Note that the chorus sections are played
on the ride cymbal, and the verses are on the closed hi-hat.
Shut Up Kiss Me – Angel Olsen
(hi-hat)

UNIT 11
BUZZ STROKES / BUZZ ROLLS Essential Elements

UNIT 11
NEW FIGURE ON THE KIT Skill Builders

UNIT 11
TWO-BAR COMBOS Skill Builders

UNIT 11
HALF-BAR DRUM FILLS Skill Builders

UNIT 11

UNIT 11

UNIT 11
NOTES:

UNIT 11
Play Mary Jane's Last Dance with swung sixteenth notes, as heard on the recording. The means the “e” and
“ah” are a little bit late. Keep this in mind when you are improvising fills that have sixteenth notes in them.
Notice the unusual hi-hat opening pattern as well.
Mary Jane's Last Dance – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
(hi-hat)

UNIT 11
While Clocks might look simple at first glance, the drum pattern presents some unusual challenges. It is quite
a long time to keep this quasi-backward beat going and to stay consistent. If you do stray from the main beat
by improvising fills, it can be difficult to get back on track. So, first practice that skill without the recorded
music playing to get used to turning the beat back around.
Clocks – Coldplay

UNIT 11
Low has a slight swing feel, which once again means the “e” and “ah” are a little bit late, or not exactly even.
Listen and try to play with the swing feel that you hear on the recording. Keep this in mind when you are
improvising fills that have sixteenth notes in them. The dynamics are created mostly by how you play the hi-
hat. The tighter hi-hat on the first half of the verse helps bring the level down.
Low – Cracker

UNIT 12
BUZZ ROLL FIGURES Essential Elements

UNIT 12
CLOSED (BUZZ) ROLL NOTATION Essential Elements

UNIT 12
NEW GROOVES Skill Builders

UNIT 12
NEW GROOVES Skill Builders

UNIT 12
MORE GROOVES Skill Builders

UNIT 12

UNIT 12
NEW RIDE & HI-HAT OSTINATO Skill Builders

UNIT 12
NEW RIDE & HI-HAT OSTINATO Skill Builders

UNIT 12
The main groove that's on the recording may be a challenge to execute at tempo. If that is the case, use the
second pattern shown below with the dotted eights and sixteen-note figure on the snare drum. You can
practice to get the pattern up to tempo or improvise another groove. Experiment with the orchestration of
the flam on the pre-chorus. It could be played on the rim or by clicking the sticks. You can also improvise fills
from section to section and play the snaps during the rest sections, if you like.
My House – Flo Rida

UNIT 12
Come As You Are, on the following page, uses mostly the foundational beat notated first. Verses are played
on the ride cymbal, and the loud sections are usually played loudly on the crash. You can try substituting the
sloshy hi-hat if that gets too loud for your practice sessions. The chorus section is played on the sloshy hi-hat.
The pattern written for the pre-chorus is what you usually hear on the recording, but there are variations.
Feel free to listen and improvise, or find a full transcription if you are interested in playing the fills exactly as
you hear them.
Still Breathing, on page 135, is a fast song. Learn and practice the fills before trying to put them into the song
arrangement. There are clear four-bar phrases in the chorus. Listen to the song and make sure that you
understand the form and where the patterns fit before you attempt to play along. The chorus is loud, and it is
played on the crash cymbal on the recording. You can substitute sloshy or half-open hi-hats for practice.
Crash on the transitions.
God Put a Smile Upon Your Face, on page 136, uses mostly a repeating one-bar pattern that has all four
downbeats on the snare drum. The changes and dynamics are created by changing the articulations and
playing on both the hi-hat and ride. Most of the song is played on the hi-hat. There is a crescendo from the
verse to the chorus in the last two bars by gradually opening the hi-hat. In the chorus, play the crash on the
downbeat every 4 bars.
NOTES:

UNIT 12
Come as you Are – Nirvana

UNIT 12
Still Breathing – Green Day

UNIT 12
God Put a Smile Upon Your Face – Coldplay


Beginner-To-Band Drum-Set Ebook 5f8f463fca139

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Beginner-To-Band Drum-Set Ebook 5f8f463fca139

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 1

© OnlineDrummer.com LLC - For personal use only by Ana Pérez-Muñoz: aniuskka24@yahoo.es

Always attempting to create more engaging learning resources, Dawn’s

2 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

UNIT 2: ADDING EIGHTH NOTES............................................................15

UNIT 3: INTRODUCING SIXTEENTH NOTES.............................................26

UNIT 4: RUDIMENTS AND SYNCOPATION..............................................37

UNIT 5: ALL LIMBS ON BOARD...............................................................47

UNIT 6: ACCENTS AND ALL FOUR...........................................................57

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 3

UNIT 8: MORE FIGURES AND FILLS.........................................................78

UNIT 9: BUZZ STROKES AND NEW DOTTED FIGURE................................88

UNIT 10: MORE BUZZ STROKES, FIGURES AND FILLS...............................99

UNIT 11: MORE TECHNIQUE AND NEW COMBINATIONS.........................112

UNIT 12: MORE FUN WITH FIGURES AND TECHNIQUES...........................123

4 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

Chapter Section Explanations

Each unit is divided into three main sections:

✔ Tune-in & Turn it Up!

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 5

6 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 7

8 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

QUARTER NOTES ON THE KIT Skill Builders

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 9

QUARTER NOTES – ADD CRASH Skill Builders

10 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

INTRO TO PRACTICE TEMPLATES Tune-in & Turn it Up!

Tune-In & Turn It Up!

Common Parts of Songs:

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 11

INTRO TO PRACTICE TEMPLATES Tune-in & Turn it Up!

12 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

PRACTICE TEMPLATE Tune-in & Turn it Up!

You Dropped a Bomb on Me – The Gap Band

Tip For Keeping Your Place:

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 13

PRACTICE TEMPLATE Tune-in & Turn it Up!

Psycho Killer – Talking Heads

14 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

EIGHTH NOTES ON THE SNARE Essential Elements

✔ Counting is the same for each exercise on the page.

16 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

HANDS TOGETHER Essential Elements

✔ Play both hands together for these exercises.

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 17

EIGHTH NOTES ON THE KIT Skill Builders

18 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

EIGHTH NOTES ON THE KIT Skill Builders

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 19

EIGHTH NOTES – ADD CRASH Skill Builders

20 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

BASIC FULL-BAR FILLS Skill Builders

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 21

BASIC FULL-BAR FILLS Skill Builders

22 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

BASIC TWO-BEAT FILLS Skill Builders

Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET 23

PRACTICE TEMPLATE Tune-in & Turn it Up!

Beverly Hills – Weezer

24 Beginner to BAND: DRUM SET

PRACTICE TEMPLATE Tune-in & Turn it Up!

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – The Beatles