At first, you may look at this and just say, “why?” I know. I get it. But I have begun to find use for this idea. Bear with me a moment, OK? We’ve been taught since the day we begin drumming that we should be able to play lots of figures with our limbs while […]

We began the exploration of this shifting cymbal rhythm with a previous post: Dotted Eighth Cymbal Independence Part One. After practicing that worksheet, and finding that it did indeed help me develop the desired independence, I decided it was time for more. In Part Two, we continue with common rock beats based on eighth notes, […]

Here’s a new spin on independence. The idea is to develop the same type of facility against a steady eighth note cymbal pattern that a jazz drummer has playing with the ride cymbal’s jazz pattern. Jazz drummers create conversations between their left hand and feet while playing the “classic” jazz cymbal pattern. I want to […]

The rhythm created by playing every third sixteenth note is one of my favorites. I’ve used it a lot in fills and soloing vocabulary. I think that I initially got the idea for applying this to a cymbal pattern in grooves from something (surprise!) I heard Vinnie Colaiuta play. I know, shocking. The only way […]