Listen

I’ve always been a bit of a method book addict. I love finding new ways to present and explain concepts to my students. However, I have generally been unhappy with the way drum set methods are presented. In my experience, students will not take their practice seriously if they are presented with a bar of groove that they must repeat until vomiting ensues.

What I aimed to create here are ten complete solos that a beginner can learn after gaining a respectable understanding/achievement of the basics.

The solos present musical concepts that are important for music literacy and are often left out of other drum set books (specifically, metronome markings, dynamics, crescendo, decrescendo). I don’t intend to replace the method books I typically use, but supplement them with these solos.

I wanted each solo to be easily digestible for the beginning musician. Only a few skill sets are required for each solo. All solos fit on a single page and don’t run over two minutes. They are also broken up in chunks by rehearsal markings so it is easy in lessons to take the learning process in manageable modules that don’t overwhelm the student. In addition, it was important to me that these solos felt complete and presentable for student performances. When parents hear their child practicing, I want them to feel like the student is playing music and not just exercises.

As the solos progress, the student is organically exposed to new concepts without putting too much on their plate at once.

Notes on the solos

Solo #1

A straightforward rock beat solo. The piece kicks off with a fill down the drums, flams can be fairly loose (and many young players play them loose anyway!).  At letter B, the students will play half time, it is a good strategy to have the student practice A-C and B-D so they get plenty of practice switching between the rock beat and the half-time. At letter D it is important to emphasize the dynamics. Letter E is another half-time feel with some extra material. The build G-end should be a dramatic forte-piano, using the edge of the snare drum to create a more dramatic effect. In the third bar of G, allow the student to choose from the cymbals that are available.

Solo #2

A dramatically faster tempo than the previous solo. The roadmap of this solo is similar in regard to switching between the straight rock beat and a half-time feel. “Ruffs” are introduced at letter B. If the student is uncomfortable playing a double stroke, they may play alternating sticking and the ruffs may be more open than traditionally demanded.

Solo #3

A fairly straightforward and repetitive solo inspired by some “heavy” rock music.  One of the goals with this solo is just to start getting a dotted rhythm in the students head (cymbal and bass drum A-B). Letter B offers interplay between the steady kick drum and the ride cymbal and the student gets to play on the ride bell in letter C. A HiHat sixteenth note beat is also introduced in this solo at letter D.

Solo #4

I don’t recall being asked to mute a cymbal until I was in college. It is important for the student to recognize how long cymbals ring and that they can end that sound by muting them.  It is also important for a drummer to be able to manage some space without playing. In A-B, the student must count through the 2/4 and 4/4 time signatures as well as alternating between staccato and L.V. (Let Vibrate) cymbal hits. This is also just a good opportunity to make sure the student knows the definition of “staccato.” The remainder of the solo has an up-beat feel to it, once again preparing the student to play more rhythms that are “off the beat.”

Solo #5

The student now plays a true dotted rhythm. The first bar is a “pick-up” measure, be sure that concept is understood. B, D, and F offer a pretty simple quarter-note based beat. A, C, and E involve a bit of demand moving around the drums while playing some syncopated rhythms.  Note how in letter C, the rhythms in the second and fourth measure are the same, but written differently, it is good for the student to understand that both ways are common practice.

Solo #6

The solos from this point forward are bumped up in the level of difficulty. I felt that “Solo #6” HAD to be in 6/8, the student should go letter by letter patiently learning the 6/8 feel and developing an understanding of the various sixteenth note rhythms inserted in this solo.  Make sure the term “subito” is understood at letter C. The rudiments at letter D can be performed with either “Swiss Army” or “Flam Accent” sticking.  Whichever the student feels most comfortable, but make sure to pick a sticking and stay consistent with it!.

Solo #7

Introducing a student to swing can often be headache inducing, but it is a style all drummers should be exposed to. While the triplet notation is not reflective of the “true” interpretation, I feel it is the best way to introduce the concept. Beginning with a paradiddle sticking, the left hand is removed to create the essential swing groove (first two bars of letter B). Following this, the groove is played with a variety of additional elements throughout the solo. This is also likely the first time the student will be working the HiHat with their foot for an extended period of time, be patient! This one can be a difficult challenge for many.

Solo #8

After the previous solos, it felt like a good idea to put a fun one for the drummers who like to “keep their hands busy.” The “funk” groove is filled in with the snare to make a very fun and busy groove. There are also some exciting sixteenth note based fills to delight the student. I chose not to write “ghost” notes in the grooves here because I do not feel that it is best for the learning drummer to get too caught up on playing those notes too soft. It is much more important in the learning stages to play accurately and clearly. Ghost notes can always be introduced in later study.

Solo #9

At this point, the student will likely be able to learn this solo in a short amount of time.  Its primary purpose is to introduce the concept of a DS al Coda. The other challenge is playing sixteenth notes consistently for an extended period of time.

Solo #10

I remember being asked to play a bossa nova groove in 8th grade and I had NO CLUE what that meant. This solo builds the student up to at least be able to “fake” a latin groove. The student plays rim knocks for the majority of the grooves here, letter C offers a 3/2 clave pattern for the student to work on coordination. The final cowbell part (letter D) can be played on the ride bell if there isn’t a cowbell available.