Learning a Drum Beat with the “Limb by Limb” Technique

Some drummers prefer to learn a beat by mastering each limb separately and then putting all the limbs together to create the full groove. The example below outlines how to learn the “Mother of All Rock Beats” from page 5 using the “limb by limb” technique. You may choose to learn the limbs in a different order than presented, but for the sake of this example, we’ll start with the hi-hat.

Step 1

Firstly, learn the hi-hat limb. Practice until you’re very comfortable with the part.

Step 2

Secondly, learn the snare drum limb, again practicing until you can play it comfortably.

Step 3

Thirdly, learn the bass drum limb.

Step 4

At times, you might find it beneficial to learn the hands’ parts together before playing the full groove.

Step 5

Finally, put all the limbs together to create the full groove.

Final Thoughts

Whether the “limb by limb” technique is your preferred choice or not, it’s good to keep it in your back pocket. This technique might come in handy with a pesky groove down the road.