Very happy to have found your website Scott, after seeing a few videos, I'd thought "who is this guy, where did he come from, and how did he come up in his drumming world?" Now, it's so fun reading all about you, and putting what I've been watching into perspective. I am 61 yrs and 11 months old right now, and have only this year decided to take time off from my band and learn rudiments, and how to do a few crazy licks on the drums to kick up my performances, which up to ... Read More

Very happy to have found your website Scott, after seeing a few videos, I'd thought "who is this guy, where did he come from, and how did he come up in his drumming world?" Now, it's so fun reading all about you, and putting what I've been watching into perspective. I am 61 yrs and 11 months old right now, and have only this year decided to take time off from my band and learn rudiments, and how to do a few crazy licks on the drums to kick up my performances, which up to now have been "timekeeper", no soloing, just keeping it simple, dynamic, and musical. I first got interested in drums after seeing Ringo on Ed Sullivan in the 5th grade. My parents wouldn't allow me to play drums (Gene Krupa got arrested for marijuana!), so I took up the trumpet in the 6th. After a two year stint in military school during high school, and marching everywhere I went, drums came back to me again. Never interested in rudiments and technical drumming, I just wanted to play in a rock band. Now that I'm old, I feel that it's time to learn and actually start "practicing". I want to understand what my new heroes are doing, guys who make your jaw drop, you know them. Not that I will ever be able to do that before I ride off into the sunset, but I sure would like to try. Thanks Scott for what you are doing, from the simplest beats and fills to the jaw-droppers. There is no one else like you on the web.

I am quite an advanced pianist and I have a reasonable understanding of drumming from watching, listening to and having conversations with drummers, but I have no technique to speak of because I rarely get access to a kit. I have a practice pad use from time to time. My circumstances have led me to have a good opportunity to practise on my pad for a few months and I would like to build up a bit of technique with a view to get a kit in the future. Which rudiments would you suggest would be ... Read More

I am quite an advanced pianist and I have a reasonable understanding of drumming from watching, listening to and having conversations with drummers, but I have no technique to speak of because I rarely get access to a kit. I have a practice pad use from time to time.

My circumstances have led me to have a good opportunity to practise on my pad for a few months and I would like to build up a bit of technique with a view to get a kit in the future. Which rudiments would you suggest would be most useful to practise in my situation? My thoughts are these ones (using PAS terminology):

Single-stroke roll
Double-stroke open roll
Single paradiddle
Flam
Flam paradiddle (which I have heard called a flamadiddle)
Drag
Anything else from your 9 Killer Rudiments

I would also just do a single beats with my left, right and alternating hands to a metronome pulse and would use a metronome for all the above (as recommended by a drummer friend). I love my metronome!

I'm not looking to solo. I want to play standard rock and pop patterns solidly and do some interesting fills.

How would you amend my list?