Mcguire Drum Set

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Drumset FUNdamentals by Kristen Shiner McGuire

Practice Tips • • • • • •

•

Practice only as fast Practice fast as you can can play somethi something ng CORRECTL CORRECTLY Y (i.e., (i.e., all beats beats line line up together together.) .) This will lead to a good GROOVE. Rememb Rem ember—y er—you ou can’t can’t express express some somethi thing ng you can’ can’tt play play, so keep keep in mind mind that that TECHNIQUE + LISTENING = EXPRESSION. Work Wor k on your han hands ds every every day via mas master tery y of the RUD RUDIME IMENTS NTS.. Since keeping keeping TIME is is your main main job job as a drummer drummer,, practice practice playing playing with with a metronom metronome e or recordings recordings every day. Set GOA GOALS LS for for yourse yourself lf for for each each pract practice ice sess session ion or week. week. Each Ea ch pra pract ctic ice e sess sessio ion n sho shoul uld d incl include ude:: • snare drum technique for speed and evenness • coordination exercises • working on one or more styles/grooves Each Ea ch pra pract ctic ice e week week sho shoul uld d incl includ ude: e: • listening to great artists, especially drummers • copying beats/fills/solos from recordings • reading drum charts • sight reading

Working On Coordination • • • •

When first first learning learning a new patter pattern, n, use exagger exaggerated, ated, clear wrist wrist (not arm) arm) movement movements. s. Muscles Muscles will learn/retain patterns more easily this way. (Ex. 1) Practice Practi ce SLOWL SLOWLY Y and and LISTEN LISTEN to make sure all all beats beats line line up correct correctly ly.. (Ex. 2) COUNT COU NT ALO ALOUD UD while while you play play for for accura accuracy cy and and awarene awareness. ss. (Ex. (Ex. 2) 2) Play famil familiar iar snare snare drum drum solos solos while playin playing g bass bass drum/high drum/high hat patter patterns ns underneath underneath..

Ex. 1. Jazz Independance (swing the eighth):

Use full wrist upstroke so right hand is not “tempted” to play in unison with left hand.

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Ex. 2. Bossa Nova (hands only):

hi-hat

/ 44

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

x f

x

x

x f

x

x

x f

x

x

x

x f

x

x

x f

x

x

snare drum cross-stick

Speaking Your Way To Better Coordination These next examples show how fairly advanced patterns can be learned more easily by using your voice to “tell” your limbs what to do:

Ex. 3. Combining left hand and right foot in intermediate bossa nova:

A

/ 44 œ

Say:

j ‰ œ œ

both

hand foot

j

Play:

B

/ 44

Say:

f œ

both

‰

f

œ

œ

œ

hand

foot

hand

f œ

hand foot

C—Add steady eighth notes in hi-hat (RH)

foot hand

f œ

hand

œ œ Œ

foot

f œ

hand

foot hand

Œ

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Ex 4. Combining left hand and right foot in advanced bossa nova:

A

j 4 /4 œ ‰ œ œ

Say:

both

both foot

Play:

B

/ 44

Say:

f œ

both

‰

j

f œ

œ œ

œ

hand foot

foot

j œ œ œ œ ‰ œ hand foot foot hand

f œ

both foot

f œ

hand foot

œ

foot

f œ

œ

foot

‰ j œ

hand foot foot hand

foot

C—Add steady eighth notes in hi-hat (RH)

Applying Rudiments To The Drumset Beats Ex. 5. Single Paradiddle*

a—Snare drum:

b—Snare and bass drum:

c—Snare, bass, hi-hat:

*Note: this example is taken from One Surface Learning by Roy Burns and Joey Farris. Rhythmic Publications. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.

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Fills Ex. 6 Flam Accent: a—Flam accent #1:

b—Flam accent #2:

c—Shuffle beat with flam accent fill:

Ex. 7 Six Stroke Roll: a

b—Rock beat with six stroke roll fill:

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Recommended Books Great for 5th-6th grade beginners. Simple charts and songs with cassette.

Drum Sessions, Vol. 1 (2) by Peter O’Gorman Neil Kjos. $14.95 (book and cassette)

Good all around beginning book.

Alfred’s Beginning Drumset Method by Sandy Feldstein and Dave Black Alfred Pub. $14.95 (book and cassette)

Intermediate. Rudiments applied to drumset beats.

One Surface Learning by Roy Burns and Joey Farris Rhythmic Pub. P.O. Box 3535 Fullerton, CA 92634 $9.95

Jazz/Latin/rock styles. Prep for middle/high school jazz band.

Drumset Fundamentals by Dave Mancini William Allen Music $15.95 (book and cassette)

Great beginning play-along that covers all styles. Easy charts.

The Drumset Performer by Steve Houghton Warner Bros. Music (book and CD)

Intermediate/Advanced. Setup, chart reading, soloing, listening skills in all styles.

The Contemporary Rhythm Section—Drumset by Steve Houghton Warner Bros. Music (book and video)

Setting Up Your Drumset Your drumset should be set up for you, personally, to play. Make sure all drums and cymbals are easy to reach without stretching your arms or turning your torso. Keep the ride cymbal low enough so you don’t have to raise your arm for an extended time. Keep the stool, snare drum, and small ride tom lined up in a straight line so you don’t have to turn to play the floor tom. And try keeping the stool low enough so your thighs are approximately parallel with the floor. This will give you better balance when playing with both feet simultaneously.

Mcguire Drum Set

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