A Rhythm a Week for Band: Drum Book

Witt's drum book isolates the exact rhythmic patterns that trip up young percussion students, giving drummers a focused daily practice tool that builds automaticity without overwhelming them. The 52-unit progression is practical for any rehearsal schedule and genuinely addresses the rhythmic gaps you see in your section, rather than offering generic patterns that don't match the problems in your actual repertoire.

Clear, straightforward, and efficient. Each rhythmic unit stands alone for focused practice, and the progression from familiar patterns to more complex combinations builds confidence without surprise or frustration. The major and minor scale contexts ground the rhythms in tonality rather than treating them as abstract exercises.

This book is essential for concert band drummers and percussionists who need systematic reinforcement of the rhythmic figures that appear most frequently in band repertoire. It works equally well for students in school ensembles and those in private study, whether they are beginners building foundational skills or intermediate players who need to shore up weak spots in their rhythmic vocabulary.

• Work through one rhythm unit per rehearsal rather than trying to cover multiple units at once; students retain patterns better when they have time to internalize each figure before moving forward.
• Have drummers practice the same rhythmic unit across different scales to solidify the pattern independent of pitch context.
• Use the unison format to check that all percussionists are hearing and executing the rhythm identically before applying it to their parts in full arrangements.

Integrate one rhythm unit per week into your rehearsal warm-up; the 28-page format aligns naturally with a full school year of percussion sectionals or full-ensemble rhythm drills. You can also assign individual units as homework to address specific rhythmic problems that emerge in the pieces you're preparing, turning it into targeted remediation rather than rote practice.

• Reading and executing common band rhythms with precision and consistency
• Coordinating rhythmic patterns across major and minor tonalities
• Developing rhythmic automaticity so patterns transfer to full repertoire
• Matching articulation and feel across percussion sections