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Lesson 1: Technique

Beginning Performers
Read the intro material on page 9 slowly and carefully at least once. Then, do the 14 Minute Daily Chop Builder every day that you practice. The 14 Minute Chop Builder (page 10) and Beat Grouping (page 12) are your two warm up routines for volume 1 and occasionally after that. It is important to do this warm up once per day as many days per week as possible (4 or 5 times a week is perfect).

What you need:

• Sticks
• Practice Pad
• Timer (a kitchen timer works great)

Goals:

• Play as fast as comfortable
• Strive for a smooth and even sound
• Use your regular stroke - don't play too hard or too soft

Advanced Performers
Add this warm up to your regular list of warm ups. This is an excellent 14 minute warm up.

Drumset Players
Use these exercise to warm up your hands and feet.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Use the 14 Minute Daily Chop Builder as the warm up for the student through most of this book. When you get to 16th notes in lesson 7, introduce exercise 7 "Stick Control" from Appendix A: Warm Up Set 1 (page 53).

If the student is going to play drum set, then have them do this with their feet as well.

Note When I go camping, we usually go with some neighbors. I like to take extra drumsticks and for the neighbor kids, I introduce them to sticking patterns such as what is included in the 14 Minute Daily Chop Builder.

For Advanced Students
Determine how they warm up. If they have several warm up routines, encourage them to consider adding this one to their warm up routines. If they don't have regular warm up routines, encourage them to use the four warm ups in this series as a starting point.

Lesson 2: Tempo and Beat Grouping

Beginning Performers
Perform exercise 1 to a metronome AT LEAST ONCE to each tempo indicated. Perform exercises 2-10 to a metronome set to 100 BPM.

Advanced Performers
Skip exercise 1. Use the Beat Grouping exercises 2-10 as a quick warm-up/chop builder. Play them as fast as comfortable.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Do not skip this lesson. It is a great lesson for absolute beginners and starts developing the students ability to control tempo and understand meters right from the beginning. I generally go through exercise 1 just once to stress playing to different tempos.

For Advanced Students
Have them take the tempo test to point out tempo control issues. Then, play the Beat Grouping exercises 2-10 along with the student on a real drum as fast as comfortable.

Lesson 3: Whole, Half, Quarter

Standard lesson.

Lesson 4: Snare and Bass

Standard lesson.

Lesson 5

Standard lesson.

Lesson 6

Standard lesson.

Lesson 7

Standard lesson.

Lesson 8: Closed Rolls

Standard lesson.

Lesson 9

Beginning Performers
Standard lesson.

Advanced Performers
Standard lesson.

Drumset Players
Standard lesson.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Introduce the concept of a single stroke roll and have them start developing it. I'm usually not too particular about this lesson but it is a great idea to introduce it early. I usually have them perform this lesson on a crash cymbal using mallets.

For Advanced Students
Test the student to see how good their single stroke roll is. Make sure they're using their fingers.

Lesson 10

Beginning Performers
Standard lesson.

Advanced Performers
Standard lesson.

Drumset Players
Standard lesson.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
This is a sight reading and timing lesson. Introduce the material during one lesson and quiz them during the next. Have them perform the exercises on a practice pad to a metronome set between 90 and 105 BPM.

For Advanced Students
Standard lesson.

Lesson 11

Beginning Performers
Standard lesson.

Advanced Performers
Standard lesson.

Drumset Players
Standard lesson.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Standard lesson.

Optionally, give them a written quiz.

For Advanced Students
Standard lesson.

Lesson 12

Standard lesson.

Lesson 13

Standard lesson.

Lesson 14

Standard lesson.

Lesson 15

Standard lesson.

Lesson 16

Standard lesson.

Lesson 17

Standard lesson.

Lesson 18

Beginning Performers
Standard lesson.

Advanced Performers
Standard lesson.

Drumset Players
Standard lesson.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
This is a sight reading and timing lesson. Introduce the material during one lesson and quiz them during the next. Have them perform the exercises on a practice pad to a metronome set between 90 and 105 BPM.

Optionally, give them a written quiz.

For Advanced Students
Standard lesson.

Lesson 19: Flams

Standard lesson.

Lesson 20: Ruffs

Standard lesson.

Lesson 21: Double Strokes

Beginning Performers
Standard lesson.

Advanced Performers
Standard lesson.

Drumset Players
Standard lesson.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Standard lesson.

Make sure the student understands the importance of double strokes for playing all types of percussion instruments.

For Advanced Students
Standard lesson.

Lesson 22

Standard lesson.

Lesson 23: Triplets

Standard lesson.

Appendix A: Warm-Up Set 1

Beginning Performers
With this warm up, you now have three warm ups to choose from: this one, the 14 Minute Daily Chop Builder from lesson 1 (page 10), and Beat Grouping from lesson 2 (page 12).

Advanced Performers
This is a quick and fun warm up when you only have a few minutes to warm up.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Introduce the material during one lesson and quiz them during the next. Have them perform the exercises on a practice pad to a metronome set between 90 and 105 BPM.

For Advanced Students
xxx

Appendix B: 8th Note Accent Patterns

Beginning Performers
Practice the exercises as written and Sharpen the Saw variations 1-3. The other 27 variations are intended for advanced players.

Advanced Performers
This is a wonderful system to warm up with and to develop chops.

To use the Sharpen the Saw system to warm up with, pick 1 to 3 variations and practice each one 2 to 4 minutes each prior to a practice or performance session.

To use the Sharpen the Saw system to build chops, pick 3 to 8 variations and practice each one for 5 to 10 minutes (but not longer). The chop building session should last from 15 minutes to 60 minutes.

Note I recommend that you DO NOT build chops with the Sharpen the Saw system for longer than 60 minutes a day. You have other aspects of drumming to focus on. If you wish to do more chop building, add other chop building ideas to your practice session such as the various warm up sets available with this series.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Introduce them to the Sharpen the Saw series, but, for now, limit them to variations 1-3.

For Advanced Students
Introduce them to the aspects that apply to them.

Appendix C: Snare Solos

Beginning Performers
Practice each of the solos.

Advanced Performers
See how well you can perform these solos. Record yourself. Try to bring out the full sound of the drum at all dynamics and play with feeling.

Teacher Guidelines

For Beginning Students
Have the student choose ONE solo and perform it for you as a graduating peice.

For Advanced Students
Have the student perform each solo in a performance like situation.