Hi everyone,
Will
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice playing all the way through Beggin’
How to practice it most effectively: Focus on keeping a steady speed throughout the whole song. This will mean playing the easier sections a little slower that you’re used to so that you don’t have to slow down when you get to the harder sections. As it starts to feel more comfortable, try starting out a little quicker. If you think you’re up for it, try playing along with the recording of the song.
Damian
Recommended minutes to practice: 5-10 minutes per day
What to practice: Review the shuffle beats and fills, then practice the first two beats from the new page I have provided: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jaROP8emrq7yGkV13Mt_Js4NVtEz-sCl?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Have a listen to the song “Fool In The Rain” by Led Zeppelin and see if you can hear the half-time shuffle beat in the song. If you can, then try playing along with the first part of the recording. The beat changes part way through the song but don’t worry about that part. With the beats on the new page, focus on keeping a steady pulse on the cymbal and play the accents as much as possible.
Nate O.
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the sixteenth note accent patterns as well as the accent pattern from the beginning of “Welcome To The Jungle”: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lsS6FvGAobS96Y5mFUDE_7L1HGfAK0_s?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Review the first four accent patterns from the page we worked on in your lesson. Remember that you need to keep the quarter note pulse on the bass drum throughout every pattern. Also, be aware of which hand will play each accent and what the relationship is between the accent and the bass drum pulse. Once you feel comfortable with #1-4, then move on to #5-10. After that, then practice the accent pattern from the beginning of Welcome To The Jungle.
Noah
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the new Groove Essentials beat and variations: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dga1ZBRWaN_Ka4O1G009w-74c4VaZCj7?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: With Variation A, remember that there are no gaps in the rhythm. It’s just a matter of figuring out which hand/foot play each part of the beat and then practicing them slowly with a steady pulse. The first bar and the second bar are almost exactly the same except for one note. Also, remember that with the tied bass drum notes, you only play the first one, not the second one. With Variation B, practice rolling on the cymbals. Make sure that each roll has a clear beginning and end in time with the beat.
Koel
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Review the 12/8 beats and practice playing the fills with them too: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SCS8WVjfR1OZVlYmt8a1r2LTxo2NJOpN?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: With the eighth-note fills, the speed of the fill should be the same as the speed that your right hand is playing during the beat. With the sixteenth-note fills, the speed should be twice as fast as the speed of the right hand during the beat. Focus on keeping this timing consistent as you mix and match the fills with the beats. Also, practice playing the beginning section of “Oh Darlin’” by the Beatles with the fill at the end.
Sylvie
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the three 12/8 beats from the page I have provided: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KGeo9VGh3JOWzwpGhEe1DbXMRuQiG7lL?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Remember that 12/8 beats should feel more laid back compared to regular 4/4 beats. This is because they have groups of three eighth notes on each beat instead of groups of two. As you play these beats, focus on keeping the a steady pulse on the cymbal and fitting the bass drum and snare drum notes into this pulse. See how fast you can play these beats without losing the laid-back feel. Don’t worry about the fills at the bottom of the page. We’ll work on those next week.