Hi everyone,
With the transition 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:
Will
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the LH/feet rhythm combinations on the back of your Jazz Samba page.
How to practice it most effectively: Take it slow with the left hand samba rhythms. It is important to understand how these rhythms fit together with the foot pattern and to be able to play them together comfortably before adding the right hand. Once the rhythms start to feel comfortable with the feet, then try adding in the right hand part on the ride cymbal.
Elliot
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Play all the way through pages 1 and 2 of “Can’t Stop” and practice page 3: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10YGpSqgr9Z2SExyhXz7k1evG3C0t2VEc?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Begin each practice session with a run-through of pages 1 and 2. It is important that you can get through all of this material without stopping. After that, work on the fill that leads into Verse 3. Remember that the fill begins on beat 3 of measure 80 and it carries over the bar line into the next measure.
Damian
Recommended minutes to practice: 5-10 minutes per day
What to practice: Have a listen this week to “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac and work on beat #1 from the Basic Rock Beats page as it is the main beat from this song: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jaROP8emrq7yGkV13Mt_Js4NVtEz-sCl?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: The most important aspect of this beat is that the bass drum and snare drum are played together on 2 and 4. Therefore, the bass drum plays a consistent quarter note pulse throughout the whole beat. Focus on keeping this pulse steady as you practice the beat.
Nate O.
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: Have a look at the beats from the two new pages I have provided from Groove Essentials: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lsS6FvGAobS96Y5mFUDE_7L1HGfAK0_s?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: These pages each provide a beat to practice at the top of the page, two variations of the beat, a chart to practice using the beat, and a description of how to practice the beat in the context of a song. For now, just focus on learning the main beats and the variations. We will work on practicing the chart with the song at some point in the new year.
Noah
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice playing the main beat from “Chameleon” with the recording of the song and keep working on your drag: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dga1ZBRWaN_Ka4O1G009w-74c4VaZCj7?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: When playing this beat with the recording, remember that it should feel relaxed and the accents on the hi-hat create the right feeling for the groove. The beat is not too hard to play, but it is very important that it has the right feel. When practicing the drag, always grip the stick between your index finger and thumb and use the other fingers wrapped around the stick to control the bounce.
Koel
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the new material from “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SCS8WVjfR1OZVlYmt8a1r2LTxo2NJOpN?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Remember what we discussed in your lesson about keeping a steady pulse throughout each of the fills. It is important to maintain the pulse that you establish while playing the beat. When practicing these new fills, think about how they fit within the quarter note pulse and focus on staying steady.
Sylvie
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: If you want to practice over the holiday break, take a look at the first two lines of rhythm from Syncopation page 28: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KGeo9VGh3JOWzwpGhEe1DbXMRuQiG7lL?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Pay close attention to the two rhythms that are circled at the top of this page. The eighth note is the note that is only attached by one line at the top. When the eighth note is first, the rhythm is “1 &a” or “long short short.” When the eighth note is at the end, the rhythm is “1e&” or “short short long.”