Free Drum Lessons

Stressed Out Drum Beat

Learn a cool funk rock groove from the song Stressed Out and how to apply the hi-hat technique to your own grooves.

Learning to play new drum beats is a lot of fun and very rewarding. Many beginner to intermediate level drummers tend to play new drum beats at face value without further exploring ways to add their own personal touch to make the beat feel the way it needs to in order to meet their given situations.

Galloping Combos - Practice Pad Exercise

This drill features six sticking variations for the above galloping rhythm. It is designed to improve your coordination and stick control through playing combinations of alternating, double, and accented strokes.

Marching The Drum Set

Steve Gadd immortalized the marching drum set with his solo titled "Crazy Army." The following march uses similar rudiments and concepts, starting with a base march and then embellishing with rolls and flams.

Snarin' The Boom Shalock Lock Boom - Drum Lesson

A great technique to groove up a groove is to play sixteenth notes on the snare drum instead of the traditional eighth notes on the hi hat. While this technique won't fit every situation, it really is a cool way to change the feel of the groove.

How You Measure Up

This lesson explores gaining full control over your dynamics. Stick control is important to express the feel of the groove appropriately.

Expression With Accents

This lesson explores the technique of accenting to create more expressive grooves. Snare Drum Workbook Chart-Topping Drum Fills

Accented Sixteenth-Note Development

This week's Monday lesson explores accented sixteenth-note patterns that can be expanded around the kit to create a lot of groove ideas.

How To Play Pompeii by Bastille

This lesson accompanies Nate Brown's video drum lesson teaching an excerpt from Steve Ley's full drum sheet music for Pompeii – Bastille. Learn the second pre chorus's very recognizable drum part, including some great Bo Diddley snare grooves.

Don The Hat - Subtle Hi-Hat Dynamics

This lesson explores adding rhythmic layers to your grooves using subtle hi-hat dynamics. It's surprising how much a little dynamic control can improve the sound of your overall playing.

Come As You Are - Pre-chorus & Fill

This week, we'll be taking a look at the main groove and fills from the pre-chorus of Come As You Are by Nirvana. This drumming style paved the way for grunge rockers and beyond.

The Pad - Exercise 1

The first of a series of Practice Pad exercises designed to build speed, control and coordination when you're away from the kit. Get down to the basics!