Take Control of Your Accents

Book Pages

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  p.1 — Leading-Hand Accents

  Start your journey with leading-hand accents. In these alternating sixteenth-note patterns, if you begin with your right stick, all accents will land on the right (and vice versa for the left). This foundational exercise builds control, precision, and confidence in your lead hand.

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  p.2 — Off-Beat with the Leading Hand

  In this context, accenting the ‘off-beat’ means emphasizing the ‘&s.’ This subtle shift creates an upbeat, funkier groove that adds energy and makes the listener want to move their feet.

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  p.3 — Accenting the Secondary Hand

  Up to this point, you’ve practiced grooves with accents on the leading stick. Now, these grooves take it further by adding a secondary-hand accent on the ‘ah,’ introducing more syncopation and a richer rhythmic texture.

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  p.4 — Secondary Hand on the “E”

  Just like on the previous page, the ‘E’ falls on the secondary hand. These grooves place accents on the ‘E’ immediately after a leading-hand accent, creating a bouncier, more syncopated feel that enhances groove and dynamics.

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  p.5 — Both Hands

  Put your leading-hand and secondary-hand accents into action to craft lively, syncopated grooves. These exercises will help you develop dynamic control and rhythmic flow in your playing.

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  p.6 — Syncopated Accents

  Syncopated accents can blur the downbeat, creating a unique and dynamic feel. However, they can also be tricky to keep in time. To stay locked in, try tapping your foot, playing the bass drum, or closing the hi-hat on the downbeats as a timing reference.

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  p.7 — More “E” Syncopation

  Just like on the previous page, these grooves use syncopation in a way that can sometimes blur the downbeat. To maintain solid timing and stay locked into the groove, be sure to count the rhythms and tap the downbeats with your foot, bass drum, or hi-hat.

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  p.8 — More Traditional Rhythmic Accents

  These exercises introduce rhythmic accents that follow traditional patterns commonly used in rock and funk drumming, particularly in drum fills. Mastering these will help you develop fluid, dynamic fills that seamlessly blend into your grooves.

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  p.9 — Three Accents in a Row

  Practice playing three accented notes in a row. Transitioning between a longer string of accented notes and regular strokes can be tricky, but mastering this will improve your control and touch. Focus on developing your dynamics to keep your playing smooth and expressive!

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  p.10 — Two-Bar Repeating Grooves

  Things really heat up on this page! Up to now, you’ve played grooves that repeat every one bar. These grooves extend into two-bar repeating patterns, making them sound less repetitive, more dynamic, and undeniably cooler.

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  p.11 — Four-in-a-Row with Two-Bar Patterns

  These exercises introduce four consecutive accents within two-bar repeating patterns, creating a bold and powerful rhythmic statement that adds drive and intensity to the groove.

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  p.12 — Advanced, Modern Two-Bar Applications

  Bring it all together with these advanced, modern accent applications phrased over two bars. These patterns are perfect for modern rock, funk, and pop drumming, and they shine in drum solos, adding dynamic movement and groove.