@The Arts Unit Creative Classes
Sticking to the drum basics
Build on basic sticking technique and rhythm reading to create a rhythmic composition and performance
Student music resource developed by The Arts Unit
Years 7 and 8 music
What will I learn?
You will:
learn correct drumming techniques
read and play rhythm patterns
compose a composition using the rhythm patterns
perform your own composition.
Before you begin
You will need:
a pair of drumsticks
a metronome (you can get a free app on your device if you don't own one)
a drum or a surface to hit: for example a pillow or a desk
pencil and eraser
manuscript paper.
- Watch and learn
Here is a picture of a music note tree. The music note tree is a visual representation of how note values work.
Watch the following video to help you with the 2 exercises below.
First, with your drumsticks in your hand, follow Dave’s demonstration on how to hold the sticks. Make sure that you do exactly the same as he does for front stroke and back strokes.
Basic stick technique
Duration: 02:53Note:
L=left hand and R=right hand
The ‘x’ above the notes indicate the metronome click.
Exercise 1: single stroke
Join Dave in single strokes! Set your metronome to 80 bpm (beats per minute) to start.
Start alternating hands starting with right:
R L R L
These notes are called crotchets. The 4/4 means there are 4 of them in every bar. It is called the time signature.
Exercise 2: single stroke reversed
Join Dave in single strokes with reversed sticking and start with the left hand!
Start alternating hands starting with left:
L R L R
Watch the following video to help you with the following 2 exercises that introduce quaver beats (worth half a crotchet) to the single stroke pattern.
Single stroke pattern
Duration: 02:05Exercise 3: single stroke with quavers
Using single strokes, let’s try some more rhythm patterns. Set metronome to 80 bpm (beats per minute) to start.
Start alternating hands starting with right:
R L R L (repeat)
Swap sticking pattern to start with left:
L R L R (repeat)
These notes are called quavers. This notation divides the crotchet into 2 equal parts.
Exercise 4: single stroke with crotchets and quavers
Using the single stroke patterns you've learned in exercise 1, 2 and 3 put both crotchet and quaver patterns together.
Start alternating hands starting with right:
R L R L (repeat)
Swap sticking pattern to start with left:
L R L R (repeat)
Can you do these exercises maintaining the beat with your metronome tempo?
You can do this rhythm changing the tempo on the metronome making it faster or slower.
Make sure you listen to the metronome click and stay exactly in time with it.
2. Perform
Once you are comfortable playing in time with a metronome's beat, see how you go playing in time with music.
Play your single stroke rhythms using crotchets and quavers in time to the following two videos:
In Concert 2019 - Shostakovich folk dances
Duration: 04:12Schools Spectacular 2013 - War song medley
Duration: 03:063. Learn
Lets learn some more rhythms!
Now that you've mastered crotchets and quavers we'll now subdivide the crotchet beat into 4 equal parts, called semiquavers.
Note:
L=left hand and R=right hand
The ‘x’ above the notes indicate the metronome click.
Exercise 1: single stroke with semiquavers
Using single strokes, let’s try some more rhythm patterns. Set metronome to 80 bpm (beats per minute) to start. You can subdivide this pattern aurally as "1, e, and, a, 2, e, and, a, 3, e, and a, 4, e, and, a"
Start alternating hands starting with right:
R L R L (repeat)
Swap sticking pattern to start with left:
L R L R (repeat)
Exercise 2: single stroke crotchets, quavers and semiquavers
Once you can play semiquavers with single strokes and keep the sound regular and even, add it to the crotchet and quaver patterns and alternate through each pattern. Don’t forget to use your metronome. Start with the metronome set at crotchet = 80 bpm.
Start alternating hands starting with right:
R L R L (repeat)
Swap sticking pattern to start with left:
L R L R (repeat)
Exercise 3: double stroke quaver, semiquaver rhythm
Now that you've mastered single stroke with crotchets, quavers and semiquavers lets try a double stroke quaver, semiquaver pattern. There is a double stroke to begin each group i.e. right hand is used twice in succession (R R L repeat). Start with the metronome set at crotchet = 80 bpm.
Exercise 4: semiquaver, quaver rhythm
Try the rhythm as semiquaver, quaver groups. Play this rhythm hand to hand i.e. R L R, L R L repeat. Start with the metronome set at crotchet = 80 bpm.
Can you do these exercises maintaining the beat with your metronome tempo?
You can do this rhythm changing the tempo on the metronome making it faster or slower.
Make sure you listen to the metronome click and stay exactly in time with it.
4. Compose
Write a 3 part drum composition. Change your sound sources so that you have a high and medium and a low sound so it's easy to hear each part clearly.
You can notate your composition on manuscript paper, or use the rhythm pattern numbers eg. 1, 1, 4, 3 etc.
Use the 5 rhythm patterns you've learned.
You can use them in different orders or repeat one rhythm pattern multiple times.
Your imagination is the limit!
Pattern 1: crotchets
Pattern 2: quavers
Pattern 3: semiquavers
Pattern 4: quaver, semiquavers
Pattern 5: semiquavers, quaver
Here is an example of a 3 part drum composition using the patterns you have learned in order. By starting the first rhythm pattern a bar later than the others it creates an interesting rhythmic sound. The third stave is for a bass drum (or the lowest sound) which plays on every beat. This helps to stay in time (like a metronome).
Once you've composed your piece see if you can play it in time to the following video of 'The Washington Post by Sousa'.
You might also like to record your composition once you're happy with it.
You could write a second composition and change the rhythm patterns around to see what different rhythmic effects you can make!
The Washington Post by Sousa
Duration: 02:455. Listen
Watch the following 2 videos of 'Clapping Music' by Steve Reich to hear how the concept of rhythm can be used. This piece was composed in 1972.
The first video is the composer performing the piece and the second shows you the notation and how the rhythms shift throughout the piece.
'Clapping Music' by Steve Reich
Duration: 04:48'Clapping Music' by Steve Reich with notation
Duration: 03:55Extension
Watch the video and take the challenge to see how many drum patterns you can copy from the A Cappella Drumming item from Schools Spectacular 2012!
Schools Spectacular 2012 - A Cappella Drumming
Duration: 02:46
Well done!
You have mastered the basics of drummimg!
You have completed this @The Arts Unit Creative Class.
Third-party content attributions
Music note tree - accessed 17/06/2020
Schools Spectacular, 2012 and 2013 images, photographer: Anna Warr.
Student on drum kit - Festival of Choral Music, 2019, photographer: Anna Warr.
Student playing timpani - Festival of Instrumental Music, 2019, photographer: Anna Warr.
Student playing drum kit - International Jazz Day, 2019, photographer: Anna Warr.
Student percussion section - Festival of Instrumental Music, 2019, photographer: Anna Warr.
Student percussion section - In Concert, 2017, photographer: Anna Warr.