Learning a Drum Beat in Small Chunks

Chunking a drum beat into smaller parts is often helpful when learning a new groove. With this technique, you first learn all the strokes in beat 1. Once you’re comfortable with them, learn the strokes in beat 2. Then, play beats 1 and 2 together. Keep progressing through the groove this way until you’ve learned it.

See the example below demonstrating how to learn the “Mother of All Rock Beats” from page 5 by chunking.

Step 1

Firstly, practice beat 1. Play it until you’re comfortable with it.

Step 2

Secondly, practice beat 2 until you’re comfortable with it.

Step 3

Now add both beats 1 and beats 2 together.

And so on…

Continue this way until you’ve learned the entire groove.

Final Thoughts

As a side note, this is also a great technique for memorizing entire songs, learning the song measure by measure until you’ve memorized the whole song.

Sometimes the technique that works best for you depends on the beat you’re trying to learn. If you’re struggling with a groove, try learning it a different way. Eventually, it’ll stick (pun intended).