Moving around the kit with rates and groupings

This idea, exercise, works on moving around a be-bop kit with fluidity while maintaining single strokes.

The initial exercise is moving around a three-piece bop kit in triplets using single strokes. This creates a three-beat phrase that takes three bars to resolve. The tricky part is the switch of singles on the repeat - you are starting with the left-hand.

The next two exercises change the grouping but retain the rate. So, in [A1] we are now playing four beats on each drum - a one bar phrase. And in [A2] we are playing two beats in each drum - a two beat phrase.

Each of these groupings provide multiple ideas for phrases around the kit that can be used in solos or fills.

In the PDF, the same idea is explored at two other rates - sixteenths and eighth notes.

With the sixteenths, exercise [B], we just move around the kit, again creating a three beat phrases because we are playing around a three-piece kit.

In exercise [B1], we shift to three beats per drum, and interestingly this takes nine bars to resolve.

And in exercise [B2], we play two beats per drum, which again takes three bars to resolve.

Similarly with eight notes, the basic exercise [C] playing two beats per drum resolves in three bars; the three beat exercise [C1] takes nine bars to resolve; and the four beats per drum again comes back round in three bars.

As I said at the start, the idea behind these ideas is to improve fluency around the kit and working at different rates provides flexibility for playing at different tempos and in different styles.

First, you need to get used to the movements around the kit - indeed this is the main point - so start slow and gradually work up as you get used to the exercises.

Obviously, nine bar phrases aren’t immediately useful. You will have to find ways to use the same idea in shorter phrases.

With the three and four beat patters, you can experiment with adding a bass drum on the first or last beat of each grouping.

Finally, these exercises all move around the kit in a clockwise motion. You should also practice the reverse and build them up in a counter-clockwise motion as well.

Have fun. Make music.