Hi everyone,

For those of you playing in the recital this Sunday, have a great show! You’re all very well prepared. For those of you not playing in the recital, please consider showing up to listen and support your peers. It will be a great opportunity to experience live music and hear some other drummers that are around your age. Here are your practice assignments for this week:

Aidan

Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day

What to practice: “In My Place” by Coldplay and the shuffle beats and fills that we worked on.

How to practice it most effectively: Try to play all the way through “In My Place” at least once each time your practice this week. The only way to get a good handle on the speed and the groove of the song is by practicing it regularly. Practice the shuffle beats and fills at a variety of speeds while maintaining a steady pulse and even subdivisions of the rhythm.

How parents can support practice: Encouraging your child to practice regularly and helping them develop a routine is the best way to be supportive.

Will

Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day

What to practice: “Can’t Stop” by the Chili Peppers.

How to practice it most effectively: You’re very well prepared with this song. Don’t over practice it between now and the recital. You don’t want to get bored of it! Just run it once a day and make sure that you’re not choking up to high on the sticks. Aside from that, everything is great. You’re going to rock it!

How parents can support practice: Encouraging your child to practice regularly and helping them develop a routine is the best way to be supportive.

Elliot

Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day

What to practice: Practice exercises #9-15 and also the rock beat/drum fill concept.

How to practice it most effectively: After running through exercises #9-15, play the rock beat a few times to make sure that you’ve got it right (it should sound exactly like exercise #11). Then try to transition between the rock beat and the drum fill. Keep the eighth notes steady – don’t speed up or slow down – and try to move them around the drums.

How parents can support practice: Encouraging your child to practice regularly and helping them develop a routine is the best way to be supportive.

Oscar

Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day

What to practice: The jazz rhythm exercises, #1-8.

How to practice it most effectively: Try to play the snare rhythm together with the foot pattern before adding in the ride cymbal. Once you can do that, then try to keep the sound of that rhythm in your head as you play with both hands. It’s important to be able to hear the snare rhythm against the ride cymbal rhythm.

How parents can support practice: Encouraging your child to practice regularly and helping them develop a routine is the best way to be supportive.

Alexy

Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day

What to practice: The 12/8 beats and rhythms that we have worked on.

How to practice it most effectively: Play the beats at a moderate speed and then try to transition into the rhythms without speeding up or slowing down. Make sure that you are always subdividing in groups of three eighth notes. This is essential in order to develop the right feel with these beats.

How parents can support practice: Encouraging your child to practice regularly and helping them develop a routine is the best way to be supportive.

Nate

Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day

What to practice: “Californication” by the Chili Peppers.

How to practice it most effectively: You’re very well prepared with this song. Don’t over practice it between now and the recital. You don’t want to get bored of it! Just run it once a day and make sure that you’re not choking up to high on the sticks. Aside from that, everything is great. You’re going to rock it!

How parents can support practice: Encouraging your child to practice regularly and helping them develop a routine is the best way to be supportive.