- Groove Library 01: Quarter Note Ride Pattern
- Groove Library 02: Eighth Note Ride Pattern
- Lesson 01: Your First Rock Beat
- Lesson 02: Learn About Drumsticks
- Lesson 03: The Grip and Proper Setup
- Lesson 04: Learning the Basic Stroke
- Lesson 05: Introducing The Snare Drum
- Lesson 06: Bass Drum Pedal Technique
- Lesson 07: Introducing the Hi-Hat
- Lesson 08: Hi-Hat Foot Techniques
- Lesson 09: Music Notation
- Lesson 10: 8th Note Rock Beats
- Lesson 11: The Crash Cymbal
- Lesson 12: Drum Fills and the Flam
- Lesson 13: The Ride Cymbal
- Lesson 14: Introducing The Toms
- Lesson 15: Tom Grooves and Fills & 16th Notes
- Lesson 16: Open Hi-Hat Sizzle Sounds
- Lesson 17: New Stroke Styles, Accent Patterns, 8th Rest
- Lesson 18: Syncopated Left Hand 16ths, Buzz Roll, Drag
- Lesson 19: Syncopated Bass Drum Beats, Rimshot, New Implements
- Lesson 20: 16th Note Ride Pattern, Musical Song Form
- Zildjian Drum Set Method: Elastic Subdivisions
Zildjian Drum Set Method: Elastic Subdivisions
Depending on the musical style of a song, the group of musicians you're playing with or the tempo of the tune, the subdivision of the groove might vary somewhere between "STRAIGHT" (metronomic 8th notes) and "SWING" (triplets). As a drummer, it's very important to be able to play any subdivision that matches the style of the music. The ELASTIC SUBDIVISIONS METRONOME below may be useful as you're working to develop that "halfway between straight and swung" feel.
- 90 bpm - Straight 8th Subdivision 00:00
- 90 bpm - Swing/Triplet Subdivision 00:00
- 90 bpm - "Halfway Between" Subdivision 00:00
- 90 bpm - "Almost Straight" Subdivision 00:00
- 90 bpm - "Almost Swung" Subdivision 00:00
HOW TO GET STARTED:
Play this 16th based groove in a medium tempo at 90 beats per minute with the "straight 8th" track. Depending on the style of the music, the feel of that groove might be too "metronomic" – like a programmed drum machine without any feel.
Switch to the "swing/triplet" track. While that might feel great with certain types of music, it probably would feel a little "ricky-ticky" for most pop/rock/country styles.
Now, try to play it along with the "halfway between" track, LISTENING CAREFULLY to line up your subdivisions with the hi-hat sound play-along. That subdivison should sound more relaxed and feel better in most musical situations.
Of course, it still might not be perfect - so try the "almost straight" or "almost swung" tracks. Somewhere in there will be just the right feel for the groove you're playing!
You can use these metronomes with almost any style of 8th or 16th note grooves, or even jazz swing or world music styles. Depending on the tempo and the type of music you're playing, some subdivisions will sound better than others. Experiment and have fun while you work to develop your feel!
STRAIGHT 8TH SUBDIVISION
"HALFWAY BETWEEN" SUBDIVISION
SWING/TRIPLET SUBDIVISION
"ALMOST STRAIGHT" SUBDIVISION
"ALMOST SWUNG" SUBDIVISION
WANT TO HEAR A DRUMMER WITH A GREAT FEEL?
CHECK OUT ASH SOAN'S PERFORMANCE FROM ZILDJIAN LIVE!
– WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR USING YOUR EARS! –
Hopefully these tools will be helpful to you – but they are no means the best way to develop a great feel. Any great drummer will tell you to LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN to a wide variety of music from a wide range of artists. Pick a song that feels great, learn the groove, then play along. Record yourself, then listen back to see how close you're coming to matching the style of the drummer on that track.
Learning to play with a great feel takes time, but as long as you keep in mind that IT'S NOT WHAT YOU PLAY - IT'S HOW YOU PLAY IT, you'll be on your way to making the music feel great.
PLAYER FAVORITES
ABOUT THE ZILDJIAN DRUM SET METHOD:
The Zildjian Company has been synonymous with setting the standard for the development and manufacture of high performance musical instruments since 1623. As the world’s leading maker of cymbals, drumsticks, and percussion mallets, Zildjian products are sold across the globe, under the Zildjian, Vic Firth, and Balter brands, and are the standard to which all other cymbals, drumsticks and mallets are measured. From the beginner to the world’s greatest rock stars, jazz performers and concert percussionists, amateurs and pros alike choose Zildjian, Vic Firth, and Balter products to allow them to experience and share the joy of music.
The vision of the Avedis Zildjian Company is to INSPIRE PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THROUGH MUSIC. With this project, our desire is to produce high-quality, FREE content available to as many potential drummers as possible, making the pathway towards learning to play the drums FUN. Our goal is for you to fall in love with making music, just as we have!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE AVEDIS ZILDJIAN COMPANY
LOOKING FOR TRACKS TO PLAY ALONG WITH?
Here are some inexpensive digital downloads that we really love! All tracks have metronome markings & drumless versions "with click" and without for practicing the new material you've learned in this lesson!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THE ZILDJIAN DRUM SET METHOD:
MARK WESSELS is the Director of Education for the Avedis Zildjian Company and an internationally respected author and educator. As a publisher, his “Fresh Approach” method books are among the most successful in the world, with over 300,000 copies in print.
From 1983-2000, Mark taught percussion in some of the most successful public school programs in Texas and launched one of the first internet sites devoted to percussion education. As a result, he was hired as the “Director of Internet Activities” in 2000 for the Vic Firth Company and built one of the most popular online destinations for drummers today. Through the years at Vic Firth, Mark created the vast library of educational resources, many of which were ground breaking in its day. From Essential Rudiments, Groove Essentials and other popular posters to video lessons, play-along tracks, “In the Lot” and “Learn the Music” videos, Mark has been at the forefront of percussion education for over two decades.
During his tenure at Zildjian, Mark has also been responsible for producing thousands of drum set, marching and concert performance videos from all over the world. Working with the other dedicated members of the Zildjian team, he also produced and directed the popular “Zildjian Underground”, “Zildjian Live” and “vfJAMS” video series.
Outside of his work at Zildjian, Mark continues to publish new projects through his website at WWW.MWPUBLICATIONS.COM. If you love these lessons and want to learn more, check out Mark's very popular books, "A Fresh Approach to the Drumset" and "A Fresh Approach to the Snare Drum", published through Mark Wessels Publications.
ABOUT WAYNE:
Wayne Salzmann II is a drummer, educator, author, and composer based in Austin, Texas. He has been the Drum Set Instructor at the University of Texas at Austin for over a decade and has given clinics and masterclasses worldwide. In addition to his extensive touring and recording with Grammy winning guitar virtuoso Eric Johnson and iconic songwriter Bob Schneider, Salzmann has also performed and/or recorded with Steve Miller, Kenny Rogers, Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Cross, Joe Satriani, Mike Stern, Robben Ford, Chris Potter, Dick Oatts, Bill Watrous, Diane Schuur, Bobby Shew, UT Jazz Faculty, San Antonio Symphony, and many others.
He has hundreds of recording credits, including a Billboard no. 1 Jazz record, a Billboard no. 1 Blues record, and feature film soundtracks. His book Developing Melodic Language on the Drums has received high acclaim from legendary drummers Peter Erskine, Ed Soph, Carl Allen, John Riley, and from Modern Drummer Magazine.
Wayne currently serves as a member of the Drum Set Committee for the Percussive Arts Society, and is an artist/clinician for DW Drums, Pedals, & Hardware, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, and Vic Firth Drumsticks.