Alfred's Drumset Method, Book 2: Drumset Book & Online Audio/Software

Book 2 picks up where the first volume left off without repetition, respecting what students already know while opening new stylistic territory. The inclusion of professional recordings makes the sound world tangible; students hear exactly how blues grooves, Latin rhythms, and brush techniques sit in an actual ensemble context rather than imagining them.

Book 2 cracks open the variety that makes drumset playing rewarding. Blues grooves sit in your hands differently than rock beats; brush patterns demand a lighter touch and finer control; Latin feels pull the body into new rhythmic spaces. The professional recordings anchor each style so you're not just reading notation; you're apprenticing alongside actual musicians.

Drumset students who have completed Book 1 and are ready to expand beyond rock and jazz into multiple genres and swing feels. High school band students seeking supplemental, style-specific training alongside their concert band curriculum will find targeted material here, as will private studio drummers preparing for auditions or performances in diverse settings.

• Assign the recorded accompaniments strategically. Play them during individual practice sessions so students internalize the band sound before ensemble play, then mute the drums on the recording during group practice to develop listening independence.
• Approach brush technique gradually. Start by isolating brush patterns without the recording, building comfort with stick control before layering in tempo and dynamics from the professional tracks.
• Use the 3/4 and blues material as ear-training moments. Have students tap the ride cymbal pattern against the bass drum while listening, strengthening their internal pulse in less familiar time signatures.
• When introducing Latin styles, separate the listening experience from the learning experience. First, play the recordings to familiarize students with the flavor; then work hands-feet coordination apart from the recording.

Introduce this material during the second half of the school year, after fundamental rock and jazz vocabulary is secure. For students working toward jazz ensemble placements, the blues and Latin chapters provide essential audition preparation. Private instructors can assign chapters thematically, pairing a blues chapter with repertoire assignments that feature blues-influenced grooves.

• Rock and jazz groove expansion with increased dynamic control
• Blues phrasing and feel in 12-bar structures
• Reading and executing brush patterns and techniques
• Playing in 3/4 time with proper emphasis and pocket
• Latin rhythms and clave-based coordination patterns
• Listening transcription skills through professional recorded models
• Band context awareness and playing behind singers or soloists