Free Drum Lessons
Put this Warm-up in Your Grooves
One of my favorite go-to warm-ups, this pattern can also double as a slick technique to use within your drum beats.
Bring the Herta to Your Drum Fills
The herta patterns is a fun-to-play, versatile pattern that can be applied to create head-turning drum fills and beats.
Funkin' Five Stroke Roll Variations
The placement of the five stroke rolls creates a displaced, funky back-beat on the “ah” of beat 3. We can add a little flare to the technique by re-orchestrating the right stick to different surfaces during the five stroke rolls.
Bag o' Short Fills
This lesson focuses on a few short fill ideas. Short fills generally take up a half measure or less, hence the name.
Paradiddle Breakdown
The humble paradiddle's combination of single and double strokes lends itself to being accented on the beat. The double strokes allows a split-seconds extra time for the other stick to prepare for an accented stroke. Stick height is the most important element in playing accented sticking patterns with the right dynamics.
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.
Swiss Army Triplet Groove
This lesson focuses on expanding the Swiss Army Triplet rudiment into a cool groove & drum fill.
Groove Embellishment
Starting with a foundational groove, this lesson adds embellishments to develop the groove and create two-measure repeating patterns.
Drum Roll Please - 5-strokes & 9-strokes
This week's lesson takes the basic 5-stroke and 9-stroke roll rudiments and applies them in interesting ways around the kit. Playing these rudiments within your beats and fills can make your rudiment practice time more fun ... plus, they sound great.
Two Most Common Patterns In Drumming
This lesson takes a step back to examine the grooves we play, breaking down and discussing two of the most used patterns in drumming. Being able to recognize and play these patterns will help you to grasp new grooves more quickly.
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!
