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 first two snare drum variations from the Jazz Samba page: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17pjkCZ1jfMdjwRqFBMaPIG_hKMb3gQGz?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Start out by playing the snare rhythm for each new variation all by itself. Then try putting this rhythm together with the foot pattern. Then put the snare rhythm together with the cymbal pattern. Then play the cymbal and the feet together and practice counting the snare rhythm out loud. Finally, try to play all three parts together. Take it very slow at first, and then once you’re secure with the coordination, then try to go a little faster.
Elliot
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the one-measure patterns from “Lesson 5”: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10YGpSqgr9Z2SExyhXz7k1evG3C0t2VEc?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Just like we practiced with the half-measure patterns, first figure out the rhythm between the bass drum and snare drum. Then practice playing it together with the eighth note pulse on the hi-hat. Once you feel comfortable playing the beat, then try practicing it at different speeds and playing it with drum fills.
Damian
Recommended minutes to practice: 5-10 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the three new “12/8 beats” from the page I have provided: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jaROP8emrq7yGkV13Mt_Js4NVtEz-sCl?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Remember that these beats all have groups of three note played on the cymbal between each bass and snare note. It is important while you are playing these beats that you can count those cymbal notes “1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3” etc. Also, watch out for the extra bass drum notes in #2 and #3.
Nate O.
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: Keep working on the Funk beat and R&B beat from the Groove Essentials collection: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lsS6FvGAobS96Y5mFUDE_7L1HGfAK0_s?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: You’ve done really well learning these beats, Nate! Now, keep on perfecting them by trying to play them at a variety of speeds and with a strong feeling of groove. Each note that you play should feel very deliberate and connected to the larger phrase of the beat. Next week we will work on playing these beats with backing tracks.
Noah
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the two-measure beats and the application section from Lesson 6: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dga1ZBRWaN_Ka4O1G009w-74c4VaZCj7?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Remember to practice these beats slowly as well as fast. It’s better when you are first learning a new beat to take it slow so that your brain has time to process each rhythm and the coordination necessary to play the beat. Once the beat starts to feel secure and you can play it consistently, then speed it up. Also, keep working on drum fills together with these beats.
Koel
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Take a look at the intro and verse 1 of “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SCS8WVjfR1OZVlYmt8a1r2LTxo2NJOpN?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Most of this beat is very straightforward, but the rhythm of the bass and snare is a bit odd right at the beginning. Look closely at the notes I have provided and work your way through the top line slowly. After that see if you can figure out the fills at the end of each subsequent line. We will work on putting it all together next week.
Sylvie
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice jazz ride pattern and the two different foot patterns on the new sheet I provided: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KGeo9VGh3JOWzwpGhEe1DbXMRuQiG7lL?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Keep in mind that these rhythms are all triplet-based, meaning that you should be subdividing the beat into 3 when you play: “1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3” etc. There are two different foot patterns that you should practice together with the jazz ride pattern. Also, practice the exercise at the bottom of the page that has three bars of the jazz ride pattern followed by one bar of triplets on the snare drum.