By Tiger Bill Meligari
This time we’re taking some variations on the exercises from our previous lesson and applying them to the drum set. If you yet haven’t seen Part 1, I suggest that you work on that before moving on to this one.
Video Lesson
Refer to the music notation and then watch the video for a demo of these exercises. The key is to start slowly and gradually increase your speed without developing tension. As far as speed is concerned, you’ll find the limiting factor to be the transition from one type of roll into the next. Due to the fact that you’ll be moving these patterns around the drum set, I also want to draw your attention to getting a clean and distinct sound between your closed and open rolls, especially on the toms.
Practice Tips
After you’ve got the first two exercises down using both right- and left-hand leads, start working on the third. In this one, I want you to build an extended drum solo based on just two techniques: open- and closed-stroke rolls! If you practiced these rolls on a single drum in my previous lesson, it should be easier now because you’ll have use of your entire drum set. Even so, forcing yourself to use a limited selection of stickings will greatly increase your creativity. Try it! I guarantee you’ll find yourself developing patterns you would normally not have thought of had you remained in your comfort zone. Throughout these drills, as always, concentrate on staying loose and relaxed especially as you increase your speed.
If you have any questions on this lesson, please leave a comment for me below.
Until next time: Have fun and stay loose!