This is a drum chart I made for students who are studying towards a grade four exam. I am doing exams through MTB which is brilliant as they allow students to choose whatever they want to play as long as it meets the criteria of the grade being worked on. So I am building a collection of songs with my students that broaden the possibilities. Plus I am using tracks I’ve created in Moises so the poor exam candidates don’t have to play along to the, ummm, less that brilliant cover versions provided by the other popular boards. So here’s Hard To Handle. I wanted to pack it in to one page but I don ..read more

This is a drum chart showing you hopw to play Start! by The Jam. Do you even need a chart to play this? If you do, it’s here. It’s a fun song to do if you’re looking for something with a little energy but not too complex. Begginer plus level, I’m guessing? Download the PDF The post Start! by The Jam – Full Drum Chart appeared first on Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online ..read more

I recently did a chart for a sturdent of mine who’s learning Dakota by The Stereophonics. It’s a great song, it’s fun to play and a god one to know for covers gigs. Here’s the chart for your delectation: Download the PDF here. The post Dakota by The Stereophonics – Drum Sheet Music appeared first on Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online ..read more

Here’s my instructional video on how to play Chris Layton’s energetic groove on Stevie Ray’s Testify. It’s a brilliant groove to learn and to play and gives us a chance to focus on doing the dynamic strokes (Full, Down, Tap and Up strokes) on the snare. The post How To Play Testify By Stevie Ray Vaughan On Drums appeared first on Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online ..read more

My latest YouTube video covers the topic of using paradiddles as grooves between the snare and bass so instead of playing R L R R L R L L you play B L B B L B L L and so on. It’s a great way to develop your ghost notes including balancing the ghosted and accented notes in different ways. It will also improve bass drum coordination and can be used to increase bass drum speed and endurance if you’re inclined so to do. Feel free to download this PDF which contains transcriptions of the 16 different combinations you can play in 2/4. The post Playing Paradiddles As Grooves appeared first on Joe Th ..read more

Check out this wonderful clinic presented by Brazilian drummer Isac Jamba who has come to my attention via YouTube. He offers a really comprehensive introduction to the Brazilian samba drum kit vocabulary and style. Topics covered include fundamental rhythmic patterns, the standard foot ostinato, how to play really fast Samba without your hands falling off, how to apply rudiments, approaching stick grip and stroke (oh those 16ths look so relaxed OMG, 16ths @135bpm! It’s slow hahaha), additional rhythms and on and on. There’s a lifetime of stuff here. Highly reccomended. The post Isac Jamba Te ..read more

Here’s a follow up to the recent video I made about the world famous Purdie Shuffle. In this one I cover playing a ghost note after the backbeat accented snare note and the ope hihat options. Enjoy. The post More On The Purdie Shuffle appeared first on Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online ..read more

Here’s an introduction to how we can use paradiddles in a groove context and make patterns with which we can practice and improve our ghost note playing. I demonstrate how to make grooves with the single Paradiddle and its three permutations and use those patterns between the hihat or ride and the snare to create busy grooves with soft and loud notes played on the snare. The post Improving Your Ghost Notes With The Paradiddle appeared first on Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online ..read more

After getting my 20″ Zildjian ride lathed and improved by Dave Collingwood, I was delighted he agreed to have a conversation with me where I asked him about his journey as a cymbal maker, being self-taught, the desire to share knowledge for the benefit of others and the challenges of learning and teaching in general. I enjoyed it very much and learned a lot. I hope you do too. The post Conversation With Cymbal Maker Dave Collingwood appeared first on Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online ..read more

I had my clunky 20″ Zildjian Ride modified by UK cymbalsmith Dave Collingwood who lathed a bunch of metal off it. In this video I explain the process and demonstrate the differences between the original and modified versions of the cymbal. The post 20″ Zildjian Ride Modification Result appeared first on Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online ..read more