Belwin Intermediate Band Method: Drum Book

Purposeful and achievable. The material challenges students to develop independence between hands and feet while building confidence in rhythm reading and ensemble awareness.

Intermediate band drummers transitioning from elementary study into full concert band rehearsals. This book works equally well for students in structured band classes and those receiving private percussion instruction who need a sequential intermediate resource.

• Work through the exercises in order rather than skipping ahead. Each one builds on coordination and independence established in earlier pages.
• Practice with the recorded accompaniments that correspond to your ensemble's instrumentation. This locks your timekeeping into the actual band sound you'll play with.
• Focus on even stick control and consistent dynamics when playing the written patterns. Intermediate drummers often rush or lose precision under tempo pressure.
• Record yourself playing passages that feel unsteady, then listen back to identify where your hands or feet lose synchronization.

Use this as the primary resource for percussionists in your intermediate band, working through it systematically alongside your chosen concert band repertoire. Assign specific pages as preparation for the rhythmic demands you're encountering in your current concert pieces.

• Stick control and even dynamics across dynamic ranges
• Hand-foot independence and coordination
• Reading and executing rhythmic patterns in concert band contexts
• Ensemble timekeeping and listening to other instrumental voices
• Basic drum set coordination for concert and light jazz settings