Technic Today, Part 2: Drum Book

Ployhar designed this book to sit directly alongside Band Today, Part Two, meaning every exercise aligns with what your students are reading in their method book without the disconnect that often comes with generic supplement books. The 24-page format is lean enough to integrate into rehearsal without overwhelming your percussion section, yet substantial enough to build genuine facility with the technical patterns intermediate drummers need to play with confidence and control.

These exercises are straightforward and unadorned, designed for clarity rather than musical storytelling. Each page builds incrementally on the previous one, creating a steady progression that feels manageable without ever becoming tedious.

Percussion students working through the Contemporary Band Course at the intermediate level will find this book essential for building the technical foundation their band repertoire demands. Drum kit players in concert band settings who need targeted exercises in rhythm patterns, dynamics, and control will use this as their primary supplement to the method book.

• Work through the exercises slowly at first, focusing on consistent stick height and grip stability across all dynamic levels.
• Use a practice pad for all exercises to isolate technique from equipment noise and develop precision before transferring to the drum kit.
• Correlate each technical exercise with the specific passages from Band Today, Part Two so students understand why each skill matters in context.
• Record yourself playing sections at progressively faster tempos to identify where muscle tension or stick control breaks down, then slow back down to rebuild.

Assign pages sequentially as you move through Band Today, Part Two so percussion students master each technical concept at the same pace as your full band. Reserve rehearsal time for one or two exercises per week while students complete the remainder during practice sessions, ensuring technique work strengthens rather than crowds your sectional schedule.

• Rhythm pattern recognition and execution at intermediate complexity
• Stick control across varied dynamics and tempos
• Coordination between hands and feet on a drum kit
• Reading percussion notation in concert band contexts
• Developing consistent tone and articulation on snare drum