Drumset Essentials, Volume 2: Drumset CD

This recording captures Erskine's encyclopedic approach to intermediate and advanced drumset vocabulary at a level that respects what students actually need to hear and internalize. The focus on coordination challenges, tempo extremes, fills, and chart reading prepares drummers for real-world playing across jazz ensembles and small groups, not just isolated technical exercises.

Clear, methodical, and deeply grounded in real playing situations. Erskine's voice guides you through the logic of each concept, making abstract coordination challenges feel achievable and contextual rather than arbitrary.

Intermediate to advanced drummers who are ready to tackle the coordination and reading demands of small group and big band contexts. This resource serves drummers preparing for jazz ensemble placement, college auditions, or serious study of contemporary jazz drumming.

• Isolate the hand independence sequences before working at tempo; let your feet settle into the pocket first, then layer the complexity.
• Listen to the fills multiple times at performance speed before attempting them; understand the musical intent and phrasing, not just the mechanics.
• When studying brush techniques, pay attention to tone quality and the sweep patterns Erskine demonstrates; the sound matters as much as the rhythm.
• Use the slow tempo passages to develop control and clarity; rushing these sections defeats their pedagogical purpose.

Use this alongside active playing in jazz ensemble and combo settings; the concepts directly reinforce what students encounter in rehearsal and performance. Assign specific sections to drummers preparing for auditions or working toward mastery of chart reading and ensemble communication.

• Advanced hand and foot coordination across simple and complex beat structures
• Reading and interpreting drum charts in big band and small group contexts
• Fill and solo construction with musical intention and phrasing
• Brush playing techniques and stylistic comping
• Managing tempo control at both slow and fast speeds
• Rhythmic independence and listening within an ensemble