Contemporary Drumset Techniques: Drumset Book & 4 CDs

Latham's linear approach cuts through the noise of generic technique books by showing drummers how to build coherent, musical vocabulary rather than isolated chops. The pairing of printed exercises with Latham's own recorded performances means students can hear exactly how these patterns should breathe and lock, making the learning curve far steeper than most method books at this level.

Opening this book, you encounter not exercises for their own sake but musical building blocks that sound and feel modern. The writing carries the clarity of someone who has spent thousands of hours in the studio, understanding which patterns actually work in real songs and which ones are just theoretical.

Advanced intermediate and professional drummers looking to deepen their understanding of linear techniques and incorporate them into contemporary and funk playing. This book demands serious study and works best for drummers ready to move beyond basic coordination patterns into more sophisticated rhythmic construction.

• Start with the recordings at slow tempos to internalize how each linear pattern sits rhythmically before adding your own interpretations.
• Map out the hand and foot relationships in each exercise on paper first; linear drumming demands clarity about what the bass drum is doing while your hands navigate complex stickings.
• Apply these exercises across the drum kit rather than isolating them to the snare; that's where the practical musicality emerges.

Assign this as a summer intensive for advanced students preparing for auditions or looking to strengthen their funk and contemporary playing before ensemble season. The accompanying CDs also work well as listening assignments to train the ear for linear patterns, especially for drummers studying alongside bands playing funk-inflected repertoire.

• Linear sticking patterns and their application across the drum kit
• Bass drum independence from hand stickings
• Rhythmic phrasing and groove placement within contemporary music contexts
• Transcription and internalization from recorded models
• Reading and interpreting complex rhythmic relationships