To get the most out of this book, we should talk about some of the notation and terms that will be used throughout this text. Some of it you have seen before; some of it may be new to you.

First Things First

Before we do anything, please familiarize yourself with the notation key below. Be sure to refer back to this often. For more information on notation, see the Notation as a Tool section.

KEY

BD=Bass Drum

FL=Floor Tum-tom

SN=Snare Drum

SS=Side Stick (clave sound)

T2=13″ Rack Tom-tom

T1=12″ Rack Tom-tom

HH/Ride=Hi-hat or Ride Cymbal

CR/SP=Crash Cymbal or Splash Cymbal

The Goal of The Everything® Drums Book

The primary goal of The Everything ®Drums Book is not just to teach you how to play the drums, but rather, to teach you how to play music. You cannot play any instrument well unless you understand the full scope of music, an in-depth and interconnected art form. Therefore, this book is designed to help you better conceive of music as a cultural phenomena and way of life. In order to do this, you must learn how to channel feeling into musical expression. Music is a highly personalized act, and the quicker you understand this, the easier the learning process will be.

If you pick up the drumsticks and begin playing without any game plan or forethought, you will come up against a lot of roadblocks. In order to avoid this, you will be taught how to develop a perceptive, analytical musical mindset. This book leaves nothing to chance.

How You Can Use This Book

You can use this book in a variety of ways. If you're a beginner, it's best to follow the order as presented, chapter by chapter. By skipping around, you will miss valuable information and find that you become confused quickly. This book is set up cumulatively.

If you already have some academic knowledge of music and drumming, you may want to peruse the book for areas in your playing that need work. Maybe you never worked enough on your rudiments. Maybe you're not sure how to tune your drums. Maybe you don't know how to swing well in jazz. Whatever your deficiencies, you're sure to find easy-to-follow and credible information on a whole host of subjects.

The Everything®Drums Book covers a lot of ground. If you've always wanted to play the drums but didn't know where to start, this book is for you. All of the information and advice presented here can be applied in the real world. There is no filler or academic gibberish included on the following pages. Everything presented here is useful and practical. If you follow the musical path prescribed in this guide, you will be well on your way toward becoming a great drummer.

It's impossible to provide information about literally every aspect of drumming in one book. Given this, two appendices have been included in the back of the book for additional guidance and support.

Audio Examples

TRACK 1

As often as possible, the examples will be played on the audio CD that is included with this book. The examples are played at a moderate speed so you can hear the idea and also practice along with it. The examples that are on the CD will have this symbol next to the example number with a track number underneath it. These numbers correspond to tracks on the CD. The CD is a great tool that will help you unlock the more difficult examples and get them just right.

NOTE: The CD with the audio examples are only available with the physical book and are not accessible online.