The Complete Guide to Playing Brushes: Drumset Book & DVD

Modern Drummer's five-star endorsement reflects what makes this resource stand out: it tackles brush playing with the rigor and clarity that this demanding technique deserves. The combination of detailed illustrations and video demonstrations removes ambiguity from movements that are notoriously difficult to learn by ear alone, giving your drummers a reliable reference they'll return to throughout their jazz and pop careers.

Brush playing demands a different kind of physicality than stick work: softer, more controlled, with movements that feel almost like painting on the drum head. This guide strips away the mystery, showing you that mastery comes from understanding each component of the motion and then building grooves that feel natural under your hands.

Drummers working to master brushes for jazz, pop, and small-group settings will find this resource invaluable whether they are beginning their brush journey or refining advanced techniques. The book and DVD combination serves both self-study drummers and those learning under a teacher who can assign specific sections between lessons.

• Isolate one sweeping motion for an entire practice session before layering it with tap sounds; this builds muscle memory without overwhelming the coordination demands.
• Study the video demonstrations multiple times at different playback speeds to observe how the brush actually moves through the snare head, not just the final sound produced.
• Apply each rudiment pattern to brushes in a jazz or pop groove context rather than practicing them in isolation; this anchors the technique to real playing situations.
• Record yourself playing along with the demonstrations to hear how your brush tones compare and to identify tension in your grip that might be limiting sweep clarity.

Incorporate this as a foundational resource in your jazz ensemble curriculum, particularly before assigning groove-based charts that call for brushes. Students who work through the rudiments and sweeping techniques early will be far more confident and musical when ensemble rehearsals demand clean brush sounds and control.

• Brush rudiments and patterns (rolls, drags, flams adapted for brush technique)
• Sweeping motions with consistent tone and control
• Tap sounds and their application in grooves
• Jazz and pop brush grooves
• Coordination between sweep and tap techniques
• Brush tone quality and dynamics