On the Beaten Path: Beginning Drumset Course, Level 2: Drumset Book, CD, & DVD

Lackowski anchors every lesson in recordings and performances by the drummers who shaped blues and jazz, so students aren't learning abstract patterns but internalizing the actual feels that made these genres distinctive. The integration of video with the book and audio means beginners can hear the groove, see how it's physically executed, and then apply it themselves—a pedagogical combination that accelerates understanding and builds authentic musicianship from the ground up.

Energetic and grounded in real music. Every beat and fill comes from drummers you've heard on records, so there's instant relevance and inspiration. The progression from simpler grooves to fills with ghost notes and accents feels natural and rewarding, and the blues and jazz language gives you permission to play with feel rather than just mechanical accuracy.

Beginner drumset students who have mastered basic hand and foot coordination and are ready to explore the blues and jazz idioms that define modern drumming. This level works well for young players moving into their second year of instruction or adult learners picking up drums for the first time who want to connect immediately to song-based repertoire rather than traditional snare-drum exercises.

• Develop your ghost notes gradually by practicing them softly on the snare while maintaining steady quarter-note strokes with your dominant hand; this control becomes the foundation for reading cues and call-and-response patterns.
• Record yourself playing the beats and fills from the CD alongside the recorded tracks, then listen back to identify where your timing sits relative to the groove; this trains your ear to lock in rather than rush or drag.
• Practice double-stroke rolls and buzz rolls on a practice pad at progressively faster tempos, focusing on evenness and rebound rather than power; the DVD demonstrations show how economy of motion matters more than muscle.

Use this as the core curriculum for a Level 2 drumset student over a full year, combining book lessons with the CD and DVD as your primary teaching tools. Supplement with transcribed performances from the featured drummers so students can study their vocabulary beyond what the course covers, and consider programming Level 2 students into jazz combos or blues ensembles to apply the grooves and fills they're learning.

• Double-stroke rolls and buzz rolls
• 9-stroke roll technique
• Accents and dynamic control (crescendos and decrescendos)
• Ghost notes and rim clicks
• Blues and jazz groove recognition and execution
• Call-and-response patterns and reading cues
• Basic improvisation and fill development
• Transcription and performance from audio recordings