Free Drum Lessons
5 Face-savers for a Gigging Drummer
Whether you're just starting as a gigging drummer or have the desire to gig someday, "saving face" is something we all strive to do. I'd like to present you with 5 suggestions that will help you avoid the all-too-common mistakes that drummers make when gigging.
Don't Be Afraid. They're Only Skeleton Fills.
Skeleton fills sound great and bring a different "touch," but they're also a great exercise to encourage creativity. By limiting yourself to only the "bones," you're forced to come up with creative ideas to express yourself. You might find yourself becoming more dynamic, exploratory and aware of the intricacies of the kit. You can later translate that to the full drum set.
Bag o' Short Fills
This lesson focuses on a few short fill ideas. Short fills generally take up a half measure or less, hence the name.
Short Triplet Fills You Can Play Today!
Learn a handful of easy-to-grasp triplet fills that sound great. In this lesson, we explore re-orchestrating these patterns around the kit.
Extending the Drum Fill Ideas
Learn a simple technique to add some flare and pop to the end of your drum fills. This lesson explores 8 examples to help you get started with the technique.
Triplet Short Fills
Because triplets are phrased in threes (as the name "triplet" implies), playing them in groups of two creates a syncopated feel. In the examples below, the toms change every two strokes (i.e. groups of two) within the triplets.
Twelve Fun Drum Fills to Play Today
Each set of four drum fills below share the same rhythms but re-orchestrate those rhythms around the toms and crashes.
Crashing The '& Ah'
In this lesson, the "& ah" is accented with two crashes (and bass strokes). The technique can be used at the end of a drum beat, as shown in example 1. Or, it can be added to the end of a drum fill like in examples 2 through 4.
Sixteenth-Note Triplet Fills and Exercises
These exercises serve as a great workout for improving coordination, dexterity, and timing around the kit. They also make unique-sounding, punchy drum fills to use within your own playing.
A Fun Groove To Play - Go Go Style
These grooves all feature syncopated, go-go beat style patterns. Beat #1 uses the bass drum to emphasize the syncopation, while grooves 2 through 6 play the syncopation on the ride bell.
Finding Your Hi-Hat Pulse
Learning to play new drum beats is a lot of fun and very rewarding. Many beginner to intermediate level drummers tend to play new drum beats at face value without further exploring ways to add their own personal touch to make the beat feel the way it needs to in order to meet their given situations.
