Hi everyone,
Now that we have transitioned to ZOOM video lessons, I am no longer able to write down notes and musical material in the students’ books/binders. Instead, I have created PDF documents for each of you and dropped them into a Google Drive folder. The link to your documents is listed in the What to practice heading under your name below. You should be able to access the documents simply by clicking on the link. Here are your practice assignments for this week:
Aidan
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day
What to practice: The three main beats from “Watermelon Man” by Herbie Hancock and the first 12 exercises from Lesson 6. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yJPRmQn7QZuvnmvhe8ji-CCGmJPGLDZi
How to practice it most effectively: Listen closely to the Watermelon Man recording and see if you can figure out some of the fills and rhythmic variations that happen continually throughout the song. Try applying some of these fills and shots when practicing the beats. If there is anything that you can’t figure out on your own, let me know next week and we’ll work on it. Also, practice the first 12 exercises from Lesson 6. We’ll work on them next week.
Will
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: The fills from the bridge and outro in “Arabella” by the Arctic Monkeys and the first 6 exercises from Lesson 6. https://drive.google.com/open?id=17pjkCZ1jfMdjwRqFBMaPIG_hKMb3gQGz
How to practice it most effectively: Take a close look at each of the rhythms in Lesson 6. Make sure that you can count them out loud before you try to play them. Practice the bass drum and snare drum rhythms first by themselves. Then add in the eighth notes on the hi-hat. It is essential to keep the rhythm of the hi-hat steady. This is what will help you establish the groove.
Elliot
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice playing “Come Together” by the Beatles from start to finish with all the fills as well as the rhythms the I wrote down for you. https://drive.google.com/open?id=10YGpSqgr9Z2SExyhXz7k1evG3C0t2VEc
How to practice it most effectively: Study the form of “Come Together” which I have written down for you. Use it to practice playing the song from start to finish without stopping. Also, take a look at the rhythm exercises I wrote down. Practice looping each one while playing quarter notes on the bass drum.
Alexy
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day
What to practice: Exercises 13-16 from “Lesson 5” as well as the syncopation exercises from the page I’ve scanned for you. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MOQ0wuxOjWJ3H46kSSuJleBV6eZMuaZi
How to practice it most effectively: Take a close look at each of the rhythms in Lesson 5. Make sure that you can count them out loud before you try to play them. Practice the bass drum and snare drum rhythms first by themselves. Then add in the eighth notes on the hi-hat. It is essential to keep the rhythm of the hi-hat steady. This is what will help you establish the groove. Also, practice moving the syncopation exercises around the drums in different ways.
Oscar
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day
What to practice: The first eight measures of the “A” section of “Sonata” by J. S. Bach. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VYJX4ERbTiJ1d8ePZ2h7ldbheEz5yKpq
How to practice it most effectively: Identify the patterns that help connect different sections of this piece to others. Look for specific measures or passages that repeat transposed up or down a diatonic step. Also, think about ways that you can shape the melodic line with dynamics (loud and soft playing).
Nate O.
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: The beats and fills from “The Seed 2.0” by The Roots as well as the rhythm exercises from the page I have scanned for you. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lsS6FvGAobS96Y5mFUDE_7L1HGfAK0_s
How to practice it most effectively: Try playing “The Seed 2.0” from start to finish along with the recording. Using the fills that I wrote down for you a few weeks ago and the ones we worked on this week, you should be able to play all the elements of the song. Also, practice playing the first two or three lines of rhythms from the page I scanned for you. Try playing each bar individually and moving the rhythm around the drums.