Breeze-Easy Method for Drums, Book II: Drum Book

The Breeze-Easy approach strips away unnecessary complexity without sacrificing genuine musical learning. Kinyon and Anzalone built this series on real classroom constraints—limited time, mixed ability levels, group and solo instruction—so every exercise serves a purpose, and students stay engaged rather than grinding through busywork.

Steady, achievable progress that builds real confidence. Exercises progress logically without sudden jumps in difficulty, so students experience consistent small wins rather than hitting a wall. The writing respects both the instrument and the learner's time.

Snare drum students in their second year of study, whether learning in private lessons, group classes, or band settings. This book assumes foundational knowledge of basic grip, single strokes, and simple rhythms from Book I and advances technique, sight-reading, and musicality in incremental steps.

• Establish consistent grip and stick height early; uneven hand position compounds quickly in snare technique and makes progression to double strokes and rolls frustrating.
• Reinforce counting aloud throughout Book II, especially when introducing rests and syncopation. Silent counting masks rhythmic insecurity that emerges under performance pressure.
• Practice rudiments away from the full method sequentially rather than cherry-picking exercises. The pedagogical order matters for building muscle memory without injury.
• Record yourself periodically and listen back. Snare students often feel their dynamics are louder or softer than they actually are, and recorded feedback corrects that gap fast.

Use Book II as the core method for second-year percussionists in band or as the spine of a private snare lesson curriculum. Pair it with ensemble parts from the same series to reinforce sight-reading and ensemble awareness simultaneously, creating continuity across individual and group settings.

• Double stroke rolls and control
• Reading rhythmic notation with rests, dotted rhythms, and syncopation
• Dynamic control (soft playing with clarity)
• Foundational snare rudiments
• Sight-reading fluency at early intermediate level