On the Beaten Path: Beginning Drumset Course, Level 2: Drumset Book, CD, & DVD (Hard Case)

Level 2 grounds students in real drumming by teaching beats and fills pulled directly from recordings by Steve Jordan, Chris Layton, Max Roach, and Buddy Rich. The approach makes jazz and blues vocabulary feel achievable rather than abstract, and the DVD integration means students can watch how these patterns actually sound and feel in context.

Grounded and soulful. You're learning from the masters by studying their actual work, not recreating exercises. The repertoire pulls from decades of recorded music, so there's real personality and swing in every groove.

Drummers with some fundamentals in place who are ready to explore the rhythmic language of blues and jazz. This course works well for students transitioning from basic rock patterns into styles that require more nuance and listening.

• Work with the DVD slowly at first. Pause after each beat or fill, play it back several times, then move forward. Speed follows accuracy, not the other way around.
• Pay close attention to ghost notes and dynamics marked in the notation. These subtle articulations are what separate authentic blues and jazz grooves from generic timekeeping.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to build your time feel. Lock in with the bass and kick pattern before adding complexity with the snare.

Assign Level 2 to students who completed Level 1 and show early commitment to the instrument. The blues and jazz content pairs naturally with ensemble work in combos or jazz bands, and students who absorb these concepts become more sensitive listeners in any group setting.

• Double-stroke rolls, buzz rolls, and 9-stroke rolls
• Playing ghost notes and accents on the snare drum
• Reading and executing cues in ensemble contexts
• Blues and jazz beat vocabularies with authentic phrasing
• Call and response and basic improvisation concepts
• Dynamic control through crescendos and decrescendos
• Rim clicks and tonal variation on the drumset