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No Drumset Required~Your First Drum Lessons was written for the drumming curious and enthusiast alike after teaching hundreds of first drumset lessons to many students who did not yet have a drumset. As a matter of fact it was a full year after getting my first pair of drumsticks before I got a drumset myself! There are many, many exercises you can do to explore your interest in drumming and start learning right now. This book covers your first drum lessons as I teach to private student. I hope these grooves and patterns will both motivate and inspire the creativity in you. Enjoy your lesson and don't forget to check out the accompanying online audio examples, hearing it can make all the difference!   - Glenn R. DeFever

Coming soon:

No Drumset Required vol.2, vol 3 & vol 4.

Arm Chair Hand Drummer: -Basic Beats,
African, Persian, Indian, Cuban, Asian, Brazilian.


About the author:

Reid DeFever is a 25 year professional drummer and percussionist, composer and instructor. DeFever has taught drum lessons in Los Angeles for 20 years. Drumset was his gateway instrument leading to a full time career in music. Reid earned his Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from California State University Northridge in 1997 after which he began touring internationally. He has several solo releases in the World (The Sacred Language series), Orchestral, Rock and Electronica genres including . He has recorded on countless tracks for amazing and diverse artists, composed for TV and Film. Founder of DeFever Drum Co. Reid designs and building and sells his custom drums including: Tabla, Taiko, and Cajonbek® (drum in photo). Leader of DRUMTOUR offering drum intensive adventures currently in Costa Rica, New Zealand and Mexico taking participants out of their daily life routine and diving deep into global rhythms.

Please visit www.defever.com for live performance schedule, and more information about this amazing artist!


"We all have rhythm, all you have to do is listen to your heart and play along!" -Reid DeFever

No Drumset Required~Your First Drum Lesson vol. 1
by Glenn R. DeFever

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Right Hand / Left Hand
3. Air Drums
4. Your Makeshift Drumset
5. Basic Rock Groove - Singing
6. Drum Fills
7. Getting Creative!!
8. Walking & Counting
9. Counting 2s and 3s
10. Basic Blues Groove
11. More Patterns - Rock & Blues
12. Play along to your Favorite Songs
13. Purchasing a Drumset -what to look for
14. Audio & Links
15. Other Works

preview Chapter 5:

Ch 5 Basic Rock Groove


notation:
BD=bass drum (right/dominant foot), SD=snare drum (left/non-dominant hand), HH=hi-hat (right/dominant hand)
Or the opposite if you are a lefty, note the non-dominant foot has nothing to do for now, use it to keep you firmly planted!

reading:
Play the all notes in vertical columns below the count, for example beat 1 has hi-hat and bass drum, play both at the same time.
The '&' following 1 is hi-hat only, beat 2 is hi-hat and snare drum together, you get the idea..

count 1  &  2  &  3  &  4  &
HH=  x  x   x   x  x   x   x  x
SD=          S                 S
BD= B                B


and traditional music notation

Audio sample 5

Singing: If you can sing it you can play it!! Practice singing all of the grooves using the following vocalizations.
Doot=bass drum. Dat=snare drum. ts=cymbal (witout an accompanying bass or snare)
Since most of us can't sing two sounds at once, as when there is a cym and drum, we will sing the most important part, the drum, leaving out the cymbal for thet beat.

singing example of the groove above:
Doot - ts - Dat - ts - Doot - ts - Dat
...

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