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: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the last two fills from Watermelon Man (the short one and the long one): https://drive.google.com/open?id=17pjkCZ1jfMdjwRqFBMaPIG_hKMb3gQGz
How to practice it most effectively: Be sure to listen to the song a few times this week and identify the places in the song where each of these fills/transitions take place. As you practice them, try to hear the song in your head while you play. Work on fitting all the different beats and fills together so you can play through the whole cycle.
Elliot
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice playing the intro and verse from “Highway to Hell” along with the recording and the chorus just by itself: https://drive.google.com/open?id=10YGpSqgr9Z2SExyhXz7k1evG3C0t2VEc
How to practice it most effectively: Remember to count the beat while you practice, especially when you get to the bar and half of rest in the chorus. If you don’t count the rests, you won’t be able to consistently come back in at the right time. Once you feel comfortable with the chorus, focus on the transition from the end of the chorus back into the verse beat.
Aidan
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the first 7 lines of the new snare drum solo: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yJPRmQn7QZuvnmvhe8ji-CCGmJPGLDZi
How to practice it most effectively: Focus on the two sections we worked on in your lesson: the two-bar rhythm that repeats 3 times at different volumes, and the new section with all the flams. Spend time this week really working hard on the rhythm in these two sections. It is important to understand how the rhythm relates to the pulse and to be able to count it accurately/consistently.
Noah
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice playing the new 12/8 beats in different combinations with the fills that we worked on: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dga1ZBRWaN_Ka4O1G009w-74c4VaZCj7?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Remember that in a 12/8 beat, the 8th notes need to be in groups of three and the 16th notes need to be in groups of six. Each of the fills I wrote down contains either 8th notes or 16th notes. Some of them are played only on the snare drum while some of them move around on the toms. Practice each of the fills together with the three different beats I gave you last week.
Nate M.
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice the ghost note beats (#s 19-21) as well as Beat #1 from Watermelon Man: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UJYz7hx_AeAM7Std0aj1Y1IyVd-8f86S?usp=sharing
How to practice it most effectively: Work on identifying the rhythm of the bass drum and snare drum in each of these beats. You should be able to play the bass and snare separately from the hi-hat and still maintain a consistent rhythm. Also, be sure to distinguish clearly between the accented snare notes and the ghost notes. With the beats from Watermelon Man, listen for how they fit into the song and the transitions from one beat to another.
Nate O.
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 minutes per day
What to practice: Practice beats #9-12 from the sheet of 16th notes beats as well as the new beat “Come and Go” by Juice WRLD: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lsS6FvGAobS96Y5mFUDE_7L1HGfAK0_s
How to practice it most effectively: Great work with the 16th note beats this week. Just keep working on identifying how the bass drum and snare drum notes line up with the hi-hat notes. Count in your head while you play and try to play each beat consistently 4-8 times in a row. With the beat from “Come and Go,” have a listen to the song and try to hear the rhythm of the bass drum. This will help with learning the beat.