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2
Contents
The drum kit 3
Tuning the snare 4
Holding the sticks 5
Reading music 6
Join the band 7
Basic rock rhythms 8
Play with the band 10
Bass drum patterns 11
The rhythm section 12
Snare drum patterns 13
The crash cymbal 14
Snare and bass drum patterns 15
Drum fills 18
The ride cymbal 19
A classic rock fill 20
The grand finale 21
3
The drum kit
Setting UpYour Kit
Almost every drummer sets up the
kit differently. Some choose a basic
four- or ve-drum kit while others
may decide on a more elaborate
ten- or twelve-drum kit with a
vast array of cymbals.
However, every exercise in this
presentation can be played on a
basic four-drum kit, which
should include the following:
Bass Drum, Bass Drum Pedal,
Snare Drum, Snare Drum Stand,
Floor Tom, Hi-Hat Stand, Hi-Hat
Cymbals, Ride Cymbal, and Crash
Cymbal, as shown.
Bass drum
Snare Drum
TopTom
Floor Tom
Hi-Hat Stand
Snare
Drum
Stand
Bass Drum Pedal
Cymbal Stand
Hi-Hat
Cymbals
Ride Cymbal
Crash Cymbal
4
Tuning the snare
The Snare Drum
When tuning the snare drum, have both heads
quite tight with the snares just taut enough to stop
them from rattling.
If the snares are adjusted too tight, it can stop them
vibrating freely, causing them to sound choked.
Tune each tension rod in sequence by one turn
(as shown in the diagram) until the required
sound and feel are obtained.
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
3
5
Holding the sticks
There are two basic ways of holding the sticks:
the Matched Grip, where both sticks are held in
the same way. Most contemporary drummers prefer
this grip for power and speed.
the Traditional Grip (shown below).
6
Reading music
Reading music
is easy once
you understand
the basics you
will take to it
in no time.
Drum music
is written on
five parallel lines
called a staff.
Each drum is
notated on a
different line
within the staff,
as shown.

Cymbal or Hi-Hat
(played with sticks)

Top Tom
Snare
Floor Tom Bass Drum
Hi-Hat
(played with foot)
7
Join the band
In the first example you will need to concentrate
on counting. As this track is written in common
time (or four-four), you will hear a four-beat count
at the start. Keep the hi-hat closed with your left
foot on the pedal and play the quarter-note closed
hi-hat pattern with your right hand.
Count 1, 2, 3, 4 throughout the track,
making sure that each count coincides exactly
with each strike of the hi-hat. If you get
out of time with the music, stop and start again
from the beginning.
?
4
4

1 2 3 4
H.H.
Clutch
Felts
Tilter
The hi-hat
8
Basic rock rhythms
Stage 1 Play the following eighth-note rhythm on
the closed hi-hat with your right hand.
Say the count as you play: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & etc.
?
4
4
.
.

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.
This symbol is called a repeat sign and it means you play
all the measures that fall between two such signs twice.
The first repeat sign is usually left out if it comes at the
beginning of a piece.
Tip
Stage 2 Play the hi-hat rhythm as before, but now
also play the snare drum with your left hand on
beats 2 and 4. This means that on beats 2 and 4
you play both the snare and hi-hat simultaneously.
?
4
4
.
.

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.
Snare
If you have trouble putting the snare and hi-hat
parts together, isolate the snare part and just play
on beats 2 & 4. Once youve got that rock steady,
add the eighth-note hi-hat part.
9
?
4
4
.
.

1
H.H.
Snare
Bass
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

Stage 3 Play the bass drum with your right foot on
beats 1 and 3. When playing the bass and snare
parts, make sure every beat falls exactly in time with
the hi-hat pattern. Dont forget to keep counting!
10
Play with the band
Having practiced the basic rock rhythm on its own, lets have some fun and try using it with the band.
?
4
4

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

?
.
.

11
Bass drum patterns
?
4
4
.
.

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

J


?
4
4
.
.

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

Now that you have gained some coordination among your hands and feet, lets try some rhythms using
different bass drums patterns.
Example 1
Example 2
12
The rhythm section
?
4
4

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

?
.
.

This next example takes the rhythm you have just been practicing and shows how the bass and drums
can work together.
13
Snare drum patterns
In this next example the snare falls on beats 2 and
on the & 4 &. The hi-hat and bass drum play the
?
4
4
.
.

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

?
4
4
.
.

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

same pattern throughout. Practice the bass and snare
parts together and then add the hi-hat part.
Heres another variation on the same basic rhythm, with a different snare pattern.
14
The crash cymbal
?
4
4

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

?
.
.

Check out this repeated four-bar phrase, which

features the crash cymbal on beat one of bars 1, 5,
and 9. Note also that in the fourth and eighth bars
the snare drum plays a slightly different pattern.
Dont forget to keep counting as you play!
15
Snare and bass drum patterns
?
4
4
.
.

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &


J

etc.


J


?
4
4
.
.

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

J


So far we have looked at rhythms using different
bass and snare drum patterns in separate exercises,
but now we will combine these ideas to form more
interesting rhythms.
Example 1
Example 2
16
?
4
4

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &


J

etc.


J


?

Now lets join the band again this time youre
going to play a rhythm with an interesting
snare and bass drum pattern that works well with
the parts played by other members of the band.
17
?

J


?

18
Drum fills
?
4
4
.
.

1
R
2
L
3
R
4
L

1
R
&
L
2
R
&
L
3
R
&
L
4
R
&
L

1
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
2
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
3
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
4
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
?
4
4
.
.

R
R
R
L
L
R
L
L

1 2 3 4

R
R
&
R
L
2
L
R
&
L
L
3
R
R
&
R
L
4
L
R
&
L
L

1
R
R
e
R
L
&
L
R
a
L
L
2
R
R
e
R
L
&
L
R
a
L
L
3
R
R
e
R
L
&
L
R
a
L
L
4
R
R
e
R
L
&
L
R
a
L
L

Double Stroke Sticking

19
The ride cymbal
?
4
4
.
.

1
RIDE
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

1
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
2
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
3
R
e
L
&
R
a
L
4
R
e
L
&
R
a
L

The next example contains two contrasting bars:

In bar 1, use your right hand to play the cymbal
pattern on the ride cymbal and your left foot to
close the hi-hat on beats 2 and 4 (simultaneously
with the snare).
In bar 2, play a measure of sixteeth notes on the
snare drum, maintaining a steady beat throughout
the bar with the bass drum and hi-hat.
20
A classic rock fill
Heres another variation on the one-bar drum ll
youve just learned. The third and fourth sixteenth
note of each group of four has been replaced by
?
4
4
.
.

1
RIDE
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

1
R
e
L
&
R
2
R
e
L
&
R
3
R
e
L
&
R
4
R
e
L
&
R

an eighth note on the &. The first bar is the same

as in the previous example.
21
The Grand Finale
?
4
4

1
H.H.
& 2 & 3 & 4 &

etc.

1 & 2 & 3 & 4

R
e
L
&
R
a
L

Now you have the chance to play a full drum part,
complete with lls, along with the backup band.
Youll have a chance to use all of the new skills
youve developed.
22
RIDE
?

1 & 2 & 3 & 4

R
e
L
&
R
a
L

23
H.H.
?

1 & 2 & 3 & 4

R
e
L
&
R
a
L

WARNING The law provides severe penalties for

unauthorized reproduction or public broadcasting of
copyrighted videos or DVDs.
Absolute Beginners Drums
2002 Omnibus Records & Tapes
Newmarket Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3YB
Order Number: OV11924
www.absolutebeginners.com
www.musicsales.com
BOOKLET
Original Absolute Beginners method written by Phil Mulford
Music processed by Paul Ewers
Design by Chloe Alexander
Editing by Sorcha Armstrong
Photographs by George Taylor
DVD
Original video production by Matej Dimlic/ Rockschool Limited
DVD authoring by NewYork DVD
DVD developer: Brian Brodeur
Menu design: Jonathan Ratcliff
Music recorded, mixed and mastered by Kester Sims
Drums played by Dave Zubraski
Voice over artist: Anthony C. Barrett