A blog to help with learning and teaching Drums. Written by Theo Lawrence / TL Music Books.
Put the metronome on at 60pm and try to play this sheet. Line 1 will be 1 note per click. Line 2 will be 2 hits per click (stricking R L R L). Line 3 will be 4 notes per click (again, R L R L sticking). Line 4 and 5 are duplicates of line 1 and 2, so follow the instructions for those.
Try the exercise at faster speeds when you have mastered 60bpm.
10 pages of 16th note accent exercises, which includes accents and doubles around the kit. This ebook is designed to help progress technique and explore creative concepts by moving sticking exercises around the kit in various different ways.
Most exercises in the ebook are suitable for all ability levels, played at varying speeds.
This ebook covers a lot of ability levels in just 10 pages. There is content from Grade 1 up to Grade 8 in there. You’ll be able to dip in and out of this ebook when you want to work on accents, fills and double strokes.
Recommended Reading for use with this ebook:
Accent Techniques – Down, Tap, Up, Full Strokes →
16th Note Hi Hat Grooves With Accents →
Reading Buzz Rolls And Double Stroke Markings →
There are just two note grouping patterns (if you can count the 1st one), and the whole snare drum piece uses various combinations of these.
Most beginners pick this up quite quickly, and it’s a great way for them to understand the ‘twice as fast’ speed difference between quarter notes and eigth notes (crotchets and quavers). It’s also a good idea to introduce the metronome when it’s sounding good, starting at about 60 or 70 beats per minute and going up to 110 or more.
Related (Premium): The Level 1 book included in the download is slightly harder than this sheet – 10 Snare Drum Pieces – Book 1
These 5 practice tests are to help with practicing for grade 3 sight reading on drums. This is aimed at the 2006-12 syllabus, so when this is out of date, you should if the grade 3 sight reading is still snare drum based and in the same sort of format. Update: The 2012-18 syllabus has the same format.
For each test, play the metronome for 4 clicks so you know how fast you will be going. Prepare each exercise in 70bpm, 80bpm and also 90bpm, but you can randomly pick one of those for each exercise you do. Give yourself up to 90 seconds to practice, as it says in the exam book, and then try to play it with the metronome.
After having a try at the sheet slowly, try playing this snare drum piece with a metronome (play it slowly at first). Focus on getting the 2 beat notes in time with the click. Also work hard on the rests, in particular the half beat rests.
Related (Premium): 10 Snare Drum Pieces – Book 1 – Levels 1-3
These exercises should be played on the snare drum or a practice pad. The counting is shown below the notes. Every exercise is based on the first one, with notes taken away.
For example, on the second line, you can still coun’t the full “1 E + a”, but don’t hit the drum when you count the “E”.
