Free Drum Lessons + Exercises

The 2,289+ hours of free play-along sheet music + video lessons below are designed to improve your drumming chops, technique, + limb independence. Whether you play drum kit or march drumline for school, WGI, or drumcorps (DCI or DCA), these exercises allow you to practice with perfect rhythmic interpretation. Music educators can also use this content to teach percussionists how to read sheet music + charts, develop drumming chops, refine drumming technique, + develop limb independence.

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Featured
All 42 chop exercises
All 42 chop exercises

All chop exercises in one playlist

4-2-1-0 shopping spree
4-2-1-0 shopping spree

This variation on shopping spree cuts the overall check + rudiment in half after each repeat + then removes the check altogether to create a fun exercise that works your chops.

Blue Devils '99 shopping spree
Blue Devils '99 shopping spree

This shopping spree was performed by the 1999 Blue Devils snareline.

Chicago book report
Chicago book report

This exercise is a variation on the Chicago exercise previously played by the Blue Devils + more recently played by the Bluecoats (in combination with the exercise “Suzie”).

Chug variations
Chug variations

Chug is a classic chop exercise that can be used with a variety of rudiments and sticking variations found in this playlist.

Common rudiments
Common rudiments

This pdf includes the names + stickings for commonly used rudiments.

Fast - Slow - Fast
Fast - Slow - Fast

This rudiment practice tool is designed to work on both your chops + technique. Simply select a rudiment you'd like to improve, pick a tempo range, then play that rudiment along with the video. Each tempo range starts as fast as 240 bpm + goes down to 40 bpm, moving down one click every four beats, holding for 16 counts at 40 bpm, + then gradually working back up to the maximum bpm.

Float drag variations
Float drag variations

Playlist with a shopping spree variation that uses a variety of rudiments + float drag variations.

Slow - Fast - Slow
Slow - Fast - Slow

This rudiment practice tool is designed to work on both your chops + technique. Simply select a rudiment you'd like to improve, pick a tempo range, then play that rudiment along with the video. Each tempo range starts at 40 bpm + goes as fast as 240 bpm, moving up one click every four beats, holding for 16 counts on the highest tempo, + then gradually working back down to 40 bpm.

Slow paradiddle (RLRR) variations
Slow paradiddle (RLRR) variations

This playlist with shopping spree variations is called "slow paradiddle" because the accents create a paradiddle on the first line (RLRR LRLL).

Stock shopping spree
Stock shopping spree

Shopping sprees are an excellent way to develop your chops + technique. While there are many variations that various drumlines perform in DCI, WGI, DCA, + at various schools, they are built off of the fundamental rudiments in this stock version. Practice this one slow with controlled taps, grace notes, + accents, then use the timestamps in the description to gradually speed up your playing to improve your drumming.

Suzie
Suzie

This exercise is a classic previously played by the Blue Devils + more recently played by the Bluecoats (in combination with the first half of the “Chicago Book Report” exercise).

Velvet Knights 5/4 shopping spree
Velvet Knights 5/4 shopping spree

This shopping spree was performed by the Velvet Knights (DCI) snareline.

Drum Kit Limb Independence

  • Patterns
  • Permutations
  • Play-along charts
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    Limb Independence Patterns

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    Limb Independence Permutations + Exercises

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    Limb Independence Play-along Charts

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    Straight charts

    Swung charts

    16th Note Grid Variations

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    Featured
    All 65 technique exercises
    All 65 technique exercises

    All technique exercises in one playlist

    16th note diddle variations
    16th note diddle variations

    Playlist with 16th note diddle exercises from 20-160 bpm

    Accent tap variations
    Accent tap variations

    Playlist with a variety of exercises that assist with improving accents and taps.

    Diddle timing variations
    Diddle timing variations

    Diddle timing is an exercise for improving your drumming technique + diddle timing by intentionally slurring + rushing diddles so that you can control the rhythmic interpretation of diddles from 40-200 bpm.

    Double beat variations
    Double beat variations

    A variety of double beat exercises to work on your hand consistency and timing.

    Endurance and speed exercises
    Endurance and speed exercises

    The exercises in this playlist are a great way to build up your hand speed and endurance.

    Fast - Slow - Fast
    Fast - Slow - Fast

    This rudiment practice tool is designed to work on both your chops + technique. Simply select a rudiment you'd like to improve, pick a tempo range, then play that rudiment along with the video. Each tempo range starts as fast as 240 bpm + goes down to 40 bpm, moving down one click every four beats, holding for 16 counts at 40 bpm, + then gradually working back up to the maximum bpm.

    Five stroke roll timing variations
    Five stroke roll timing variations

    Five stroke roll timing is an exercise for improving your drumming technique + roll/diddle timing by intentionally slurring + rushing five stroke rolls so that you can control the rhythmic interpretation of diddles from 40 to 200 bpm.

    Isolated double stop variations
    Isolated double stop variations

    The double stop exercises in this playlist allow you to compare the timing and volume of each hand to assess the differences in touch with different rhythmic patterns.

    Rebound
    Rebound

    Rebound is a drumming practice tool that can be used to improve your overall timing, technique, limb independence, + coordination. For example, you could use this exercise with different sticking patterns (e.g., RRLL, RlrrLrll, etc.) or on the tenors to work on crossovers by doing double stop crossovers every other note. Another way you can use this is to work on your overall sound quality by having all strokes start + end up, with the upstroke being a direct result of the rebound + not lifting the stick.

    Rebound canon
    Rebound canon

    Rebound Canon is a drumming practice tool that can be used to improve your limb independence + coordination through polyrhythms. For example, you could use this exercise to work on your overall sound quality by having all strokes start + end up, with the upstroke being a direct result of the rebound + not lifting the stick.

    Roll timing
    Roll timing

    Roll timing is an exercise for improving your drumming technique and diddle timing by shifting between normal and inverted rolls as sixtuplets. The constant shift between the two diddle variations helps with becoming more intentional with the placement of the first and second note of each diddle.

    Rudiment zoom zooms
    Rudiment zoom zooms

    The exercises in this playlists include a variety of fun variations for speeding up different rudiments and sticking patterns.

    Slow - Fast - Slow
    Slow - Fast - Slow

    This rudiment practice tool is designed to work on both your chops + technique. Simply select a rudiment you'd like to improve, pick a tempo range, then play that rudiment along with the video. Each tempo range starts at 40 bpm + goes as fast as 240 bpm, moving up one click every four beats, holding for 16 counts on the highest tempo, + then gradually working back down to 40 bpm.

    Stick control variations
    Stick control variations

    Playlist with stick control variations from 20-160 bpm

    Timing permutation exercises
    Timing permutation exercises

    Playlist with timing permutation exercises from 40-240 bpm

    Triplet diddle variations
    Triplet diddle variations

    Playlist with triplet diddle exercises from 40-200 bpm

    Marching bass drum

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    Tips, Lessons, + Livestreamed Practice Sessions

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