drums - absolute beginners
DESCRIPTION
Drums - Absolute BeginnersTRANSCRIPT
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THE
CO
M
PLETE
STEP-BY-STEP
G
UIDE
TO
PLAYIN
G
D
R
UM
S
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2
Contents
The drum kit 3Tuning the snare 4
Holding the sticks 5
Reading music 6
Join the band 7
Basic rock rhythms 8Play with the band 10
Bass drum patterns 11
The rhythm seSnare drum pa
The crash cy
Snare and bass drum pa
Drum
The ride cyA classic ro
The grand
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3
The drum kitSetting Up Your Kit
Almost every drummer sets up thekit differently. Some choose a basicfour- or five-drum kit while othersmay decide on a more elaborateten- or twelve-drum kit with a
vast array of cymbals.However, every exercise in thispresentation can be played on a
basic four-drum kit, whichshould include the following:Bass Drum, Bass Drum Pedal,Snare Drum, Snare Drum Stand,Floor Tom, Hi-Hat Stand, Hi-HatCymbals, Ride Cymbal, and CrashCymbal, as shown.
Bass drum
Snare Drum
Top Tom
Hi-Hat Stand
Snare
Drum
Stand
Bass Drum Pedal
Cymbal Stand
Hi-Hat
Cymbals
Ride Cymbal
Crash Cymbal
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4
Tuning the snareThe Snare Drum
When tuning the snare drum, have both heads
quite tight with the snares just taut enough to stopthem from rattling.
If the snares are adjusted too tight, it can stop themvibrating freely, causing them to sound choked.
Tune each tension rod in sequence by one turn(as shown in the diagram) until the required
sound and feel are obtained.
1
2
4
6
7
8
9
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Holding the sticksThere are two basic ways of holding the sticks:
the Matched Grip, where both sticks are held inthe same way. Most contemporary drummers preferthis grip for power and speed.
the Traditional Grip (shown below)
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6
Reading musicReading musicis easy once
you understandthe basics you
will take to itin no time.
Drum musicis written onfive parallel lines
called a staff.
Each drum isnotated on adifferent line
within the staff,as shown.
Cymbal or Hi-Hat(played with sticks)
Top TomSnare
Floor Tom Bass Drum
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Join the bandIn the first example you will need to concentrate
on counting. As this track is written in commontime (or four-four), you will hear a four-beat countat the start. Keep the hi-hat closed with your leftfoot on the pedal and play the quarter-note closedhi-hat pattern with your right hand.
Count 1, 2, 3, 4 throughout the track,making sure that each count coincides exactly
with each strike of the hi-hat. If you getout of time with the music, stop and start againfrom the beginning.
?44
1 2 3 4
H.H.
Clutch
Felts
Tilter
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8
Basic rock rhythms
Stage 1 Play the following eighth-note rhythm onthe closed hi-hat with your right hand.Say the count as you play: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & etc.
?44
1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
etc.
This symbol is called a repeat sign and it m
all the measures that fall between two such
The first repeat sign is usually left out if it c
beginning of a piece.
Tip
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Stage 2 Play the hi-hat rhythm as before, but nowalso play the snare drum with your left hand onbeats 2 and 4. This means that on beats 2 and 4
you play both the snare and hi-hat simultaneously.
?44
1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
etc.
Snare
If you have trouble putting the snare aparts together, isolate the snare part anon beats 2 & 4. Once youve got that radd the eighth-note hi-hat part.
9
?44
1
H.H.SnareBass
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
etc.
Stage 3 Play the bass drum with your right foot on
beats 1 and 3. When playing the bass and snare
parts, make sure every beat falls exact
the hi-hat pattern. Dont forget to keep
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10
Play with the bandHaving practiced the basic rock rhythm on its own, lets have some fun and try using it with t
?44
1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
etc.
? ..
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Bass drum patterns
?44
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
J
etc.
J
?44
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
J
J
etc.
J
J
Now that you have gained some coordination among your hands and feet, lets try some rhyth
different bass drums patterns.Example 1
Example 2
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The rhythm section
?44
1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
J J
etc.
J J
? ..
J J
J
J
This next example takes the rhythm you have just been practicing and shows how the bass acan work together.
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Snare drum patternsIn this next example the snare falls on beats 2 and
on the & 4 &. The hi-hat and bass drum play the
?44
H.H.
etc.
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1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
etc.
same pattern throughout. Practice the
parts together and then add the hi-hat
Heres another variation on the same basic rhythm, with a different snare pattern.
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14
The crash cymbal
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1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
etc.
? ..
Check out this repeated four-bar phrase, whichfeatures the crash cymbal on beat one of bars 1, 5,
and 9. Note also that in the fourth andthe snare drum plays a slightly differen
Dont forget to keep counting as you p
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15
Snare and bass drum patterns
?44
1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
J
etc.
J
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1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
J
etc.
J
So far we have looked at rhythms using differentbass and snare drum patterns in separate exercises,
but now we will combine these ideas
interesting rhythms.Example 1
Example 2
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16
? 44
1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
J
etc.
J
?
J
Now lets join the band again this time youregoing to play a rhythm with an interesting
snare and bass drum pattern that workthe parts played by other members of
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?
J
J
?
J
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Drum fills
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1
R
2
L
3
R
4
L
1
R
&
L
2
R
&
L
3
R
&
L
4
R
&
L
1
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
2
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
3
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
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RR RL LR LL
1 2 3 4
RR
&
RL
2
LR
&
LL
3
RR
&
RL
4
LR
&
LL
1
1
RR
e
RL
&
LR
a
LL
2
RR
e
RL
&
LR
a
LL
3
RR
e
RL
&
LR
a
LL
Double Stroke Sticking
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19
The ride cymbal
? 44
1
RIDE
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
1
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
2
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
3
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
4
R
The next example contains two contrasting bars:In bar 1, use your right hand to play the cymbalpattern on the ride cymbal and your left foot toclose the hi-hat on beats 2 and4(simultaneously
with the snare).
In bar 2, play a measure of sixteeth nosnare drum, maintaining a steady beatthe bar with the bass drum and hi-hat
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A classic rock fillHeres another variation on the one-bar drum fill
youve just learned. The third and fourth sixteenth
note of each group of four has been replaced by
? 44
1
RIDE
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
1
R
e
L
&
R
2
R
e
L
&
R
3
R
e
L
&
R
4
R
an eighth note on the &. The first baas in the previous example.
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The Grand Finale
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1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &
etc.
?
1 & 2 & 3 & 4
R
Now you have the chance to play a full drum part,complete with fills, along with the backup band.
Youll have a chance to use all of the youve developed.
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22
RIDE
?
?
1 & 2 & 3 & 4
R
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H.H.
?
?
1 & 2 & 3 & 4
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
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WARNING The law provides severe penalties forunauthorized reproduction or public broadcasting ofcopyrighted videos or DVDs.
Absolute Beginners Drums
2002 Omnibus Records & Tapes
Newmarket Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3YB
Order Number: OV11924www.absolutebeginners.com
www.musicsales.com
BOOKLET
Original Absolute Beginners method written by Phil Mulford
Music processed by Paul Ewers
Design by Chloe Alexander
Editing by Sorcha Armstrong
Photographs by George Taylor
DVD
Original video production by Matej Dimlic/ Rockschoo
DVD authoring by New York DVD
DVD developer: Brian Brodeur
Menu design: Jonathan Ratcliff
Music recorded, mixed and mastered by Kester Sims
Drums played by Dave Zubraski
Voice over artist: Anthony C. Barrett