Intermediate Drum Set (Mini Book)

Book Pages

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  p.1 — Accented Drum Fills

  An accented note is played louder than the unaccented notes around it. Accents create another layer of rhythm and dynamics in your drum fills, making them more interesting and meaningful to the song and to the listener.

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  p.2 — Alternating Sixteenth-Note Hi-Hat Beats (A)

  So far, you’ve played straight eighth notes on the hi-hat. Now explore playing sixteenth notes on the hi-hat. The sixteenth-note hi-hat technique is common in rock, pop and funk drumming. Notice the difference in feel that this approach brings compared to the straight eighth note technique.

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  p.3 — Alternating Sixteenth-Note Hi-Hat Beats (B)

  Play more complex beats with syncopated bass drum placements and open hi-hat embellishments to bring the grooves alive.

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  p.4 — 6/8 Time (A)

  Many rock and pop ballads use a six-eight time signature, or even a combination of the six-eight time signature and the four-four time signature you’ve played so far. In six-eight, there are 6 beats in a measure, and the eighth note is counted like a quarter note is counted in the four-four time signature.

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  p.5 — 6/8 Time (B)

  Explore more six-eight beats including some sixteenth-note phrasing on the snare drum and bass drum.

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  p.6 — Embellishing with Diddles (A)

  So far, you’ve explored embellishing beats with open hi-hats, ghost strokes and accents. The diddle is a different stroke type where instead of letting the tip of the stick hit the drum head one time, you apply pressure to the tip to make it bounce so that it hits the drum head twice. The more you practice, the cleaner you’ll be able to play it.

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  p.7 — Embellishing with Diddles (B)

  Explore more drum beats with diddles, including alternating sixteenth-note hi-hat beats. When a diddle isn’t ghosted (i.e. doesn’t have the parentheses around the note), it’s to be played at normal volume instead of a light, ghosted tap.

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  p.8 — Intermediate Drum Set Etudes

  Play three drum set etudes that incorporate some of the concepts you’ve practiced so far in this book

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  p.9 — Intermediate Drum Set – Test Yourself

  Test yourself with this 32 bar solo that incorporates the techniques and skills you’ve practiced in this book.