22/01/18

Today we developed the your warm up. You should all be working towards playing the single stroke and double stroke ex at 90bpm +. Everyone needs to focus on the 16-32nd note singles and doubles section. Also practice the the paradiddle combination excercise. When it starts to feel secure work in the 1/4 note bass drum and up beat left foot to develop 4 way coordination. 

We also looked at the 16th note snare drum syncopation ex's from last week. These were looking much stronger. Use the beats page to start applying this skill. Record your playing see what it sounds like and how you migh improve it. 

Your goal for next week is to play along to school boy crush by average white band. Listen to this track first. See if you can work out he groove, use the sheet music for reference. Again record your self, make sure your time feel is even and secure. 

Use bar 1 and bar 9 of the 48 bar exercise to start practicing reading and playing 8th and 16th note combination rhythms. 

15/01/18

Today we re-capped your warm up going through different subdivisions of the beat to a metronome. Please spend some time focusing on your double strokes especially. 

Well done for the work you put in on unwind yourself. There were some very nice performances this week. Keep working on youthful expression for next session. 

Some good progress on the syncopation EXERCISES from last week. These need more work focusing on playing even time and focusing on your coordination and creating a clean articulate sound. Warm up with a couple of easier ex's before moving on to the examples that you find more challenging. 

Next week we will be applying this skill to some of the BEATS. 

Below is the accented paradiddle exercise we started. Practice ex 1+2 to push your technical development especially in regard to internal dynamics and ghost not control. 

"Taste of Freedom": this week you should be listening and practicing playing along to this track. You all have a good sense of the form and style. Just be careful as you practice that you BUILD your part and don't just throw everything at it. You are all starting to add ghost notes open hi-hats and bass drum syncopations to play make this track your own. Record your self to make sure you are not overplaying and that your fills are phrased and accurately played. 

08/01/17

Today you started work on 16th note snare drum syncopation. This technique will help you develop your groove playing and is especially useful in funk and hip-hop. You looked at two classic breaks:

Remember to listen to each break a few times first. Play through them individually first then see if you can play them to the track. If a particular bar or section is difficult use the exercises below to work on your reading or coordination 

Focus on the exercises that you find challenging. Record your self playing so you get the feel and the sound as solid and controlled as you can. 

If you want to try some of the breaks below. If a particular groove challenges you break it down see. Search for some drumless tracks on YouTube you can apply these grooves to:

Lastly over the next few weeks you will prepare your performance of "taste of freedom" by The P B Underground to be recorded before half term. Listen through this track on spotify, there are also live versions on YouTube that would be good to watch. Remember this is about you creating your own performance of this track so don't be afraid to get creative.