Charley Wilcoxon Drum Method: Drum Book

Wilcoxon's method has the rare quality of feeling neither dated nor trendy; it teaches fundamental patterns that transfer across every drumming context your students will encounter. The integration of rudimental work with swing and drum set techniques means beginners aren't learning one style in isolation but seeing how techniques function in real musical situations.

Methodical and purposeful. Wilcoxon's writing has the clarity of a teacher who has explained these concepts thousands of times and knows exactly where students get stuck. The progression feels natural rather than arbitrary, and students experience steady competence building.

Beginning drummers who need a structured path through rudiments and basic drum set coordination. This book works equally well for students starting on snare drum in a concert band setting or those jumping directly into drum set.

• Start with the basic rudiments at a deliberate tempo where students can hear the stick articulation clearly. Speed comes naturally once the muscle memory establishes itself.
• Apply swing exercises to actual drum set playing as soon as students show readiness. The bridge between snare technique and drum set coordination becomes much less mysterious when it's intentional.
• Have students play through the rudimental sequences without worrying about perfect uniformity at first. The goal is understanding the logical pattern; polish comes with repetition.
• Record your students playing the same exercise over several weeks. Hearing their own progress is remarkably motivating and clarifies which areas need more focus.

Use this as your primary method for any beginning percussionist, whether they're heading toward marching arts, jazz ensemble, or concert percussion. The rudimental foundation supports everything from band drum parts to independence on the drum set, making it an efficient curricular choice.

• Single and double strokes with clear articulation
• Rudimental patterns (flams, drags, paradiddles) and their applications
• Basic swing rhythm interpretation on drum set
• Coordination between hands and feet on drum set
• Reading and maintaining consistent tempo across extended exercises
• Transferring snare drum technique to drum set playing