Total Drummer

This is designed to work for any ability so all anyone can start this. We are trying to push your creativity and get you soloing. Most students are terrified of drum solos at first so this is an easy way to get started.

It involves playing a solo around ensemble stabs, ala Dave Weckl or pretty much any fusion drum solo. A good example as this type of solo is seen on Dave Weckl’s version of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Higher ground’. That version has Dave trading solos with Chris Coleman around some band stabs/hits so it’s a cool example.

That video might scare the living daylights out of you but remember that those are the best in the world. We are going to start very easily so you can achieve what we are doing..

What is the format?

In this lesson you have some sheet music and a backing track. The track loops a sixteen bar phrase which involves playing a basic rock beat for eight bars then a solo for eight bars. That repeats for a few minutes over and over so you get lots of chances to try it. The eight bars of solo is actually four bars repeated.

The solo has some basic ensemble hits. Here is how we can structure your learning process:

1. Practice the timing of JUST the hits. Just clap those hits or hit the snare.
2. Once good play the stabs with a crash cymbal/bass drum
3. Start to add solo ideas one bar at a time. Use simple phrases first like quarter notes just to mark the time and get used to playing between the stabs.
4. Once you have basic ideas for all four bars try to string it together slowly.
5. Once that’s good build up towards the backing track speed
6. Once that’s good try to develop the solo ideas. Orchestrate around the drums more, add different note values such as triplets, sextuplets, etc.
7. Once that’s good improvise ideas. I like to set a rule which is: every solo has to be different. Never repeat the same ideas.

With this structure anyone can work through this lesson. The beginner guys can stay at basic level. The more advanced drummers can go as far as they want to.

Full video demonstrations of this are included in the lesson, along with sheet music and drumless backing track.