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Keeping It Simple | Groov'n Flam Drumset Warm Ups

Groov'n Flam Drumset Warm Up

by Rob Leytham

With 90 private drum students coming in for lessons weekly, I try to get to my studio 30 to 45 minutes before to practice so to ensure that I am warmed up for my first student of the day. With outside prior commitments or family needs, I am not able to do that all the time.

If I know that I am only going to have 10 to 15 minutes to warm up, I do this quick exercise that will get my hands and foot independence warmed up and my mind focused on reading rhythms and music.

Look at the 16th note rhythms below.

If it is a beat or &, play it as a right hand flam. Play a left hand flam on e's and ah's.

Play alternating 16th notes on the snare drum. Treat the rhythms above as accents over the alternating 16ths. Play right or left hand flams on the appropriate accented notes.

Let's create a groove. Play the alternating 16ths with the right hand on the ride cymbal and keep the left hand on the snare playing ghost strokes. Play a walking 8th note pattern with the bass drum and Hi hat.

Play the rhythmic accents to the alternating ride/snare 16ths by adding the right and left hand flams to the accents.

Play it again using these different Foot Ostinatos:

Practice the 16th note rhythms below using the three methods practiced earlier.

Once these are mastered and comfortable to play, practice them to rhythms in my book titled OSTINATOS FOR THE MELODIC DRUMSET (MB96451) and have fun discovering the new grooves these flammed rhythms will create. Also these exercises will help you with the flammed rudiments used in solos in my book RUDIMENTAL DRUMSET SOLOS FOR THE MUSICAL DRUMMER (MB98415BCD). Both are available at any fine music store that sells MEL BAY sheet music or go online at www.melbay.corn.

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About the Author

Rob Leytham is a private drum instructor at Antioch Music Center in Kansas City, Missouri. He has written nearly 20 articles for MODERN DRUMMER magazine and 4 books for MEL BAY: Rock Drumming and Soloing Methods, Jazz and Blues Drumming (available as a download), Rudimental Drumset Solos for the Musical Drummer, and the award winning educational book Ostinatos for the Melodic Drumset. Visit Rob at www.robleytham.com.