Boise Drum Studio syllabus

My teaching approach is rooted in the tradition of Joe Morello, legendary drummer and pedagogue best known for his work with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. While I did not study with Morello directly, I have studied his approach and sought out his top students to get as close to the source as possible.

My approach has also been shaped by direct guidance from Alan Abel of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Gary Rockwell of the U.S. Army Band, as well as the legacy of Murray Spivack.

My technical approach to all percussion instruments is informed by my understanding of snare drumming. Most techniques developed on the snare drum transfer immediately to the drum set, keyboard percussion instruments, timpani, and auxiliary/world percussion instruments.

1. Introduction to stroke types: full, half, tap strokes
2. Add down, whip, whip-up strokes
3. Introduction to buzz roll
4. Introduction to Level System
5. Controlled strokes: down and up strokes
6. Controlled double stroke roll rudiments
7. Paradiddles
8. Accents
9. Flam rudiments
10. Introduction to arm strokes
11. Doubles strokes - transition to bounces
12. Ruffs/drag rudiments
13. Triple strokes
14. Introduction to finger control
15. Basic wrist/finger throws
16. Wrist & finger compound techniques
17. Arm, wrist & finger compound techniques
18. Refining the buzz roll
19. Advanced techniques

Whether it's timpani, drum set, or four-mallet marimba, most of the technical challenges presented by one of those instruments references one of the snare drum techniques listed above.

These techniques will serve as a reference points as we explore the curricula I've created for the other percussion instruments.

The skill of reading music may seem insurmountable to many people. However, I have taught many, many students how to read successfully. 

I've surveyed the existing texts related to reading rhythms and found that most of them do not present reading material in a thoughtful, incremental fashion. The ones that are organized incrementally typically do not have enough material to drill with and often suffer from the seemingly random interpolation of technical material without sufficient (or, in some cases, any) lead-in.

As such, I've created a series of incremental reading materials that start from the very basics and progress logically to compound rhythms, "odd" time signatures, and mixed meter. 

For very young beginners (ages 7 and under), I've also created a rhythm primer to jump-start the reading process.