The 12/8 time signature Following on from our previous article about the basics of constructing a groove in a triplet time feel, this article takes the idea a step further and suggests some ways to play grooves in the 12/8 time signature. 12/8 is an example of what is... Read More
JamSocial is a music workshop for adults learning an instrument to develop band skills and break down the barriers to performing on stage. Hosted by Elephant Drums, the structure for the event includes skill-specific workshops in the morning, band / group sessions in... Read More
Traditionally at this time of year we review our picks of free online drum lessons. These are some of best bits from the drumming archives: Popular topics in 2012 Most viewed topic: Practice Routine Topic with most social shares: Drum Techniques Most commented topic:... Read More
By altering familiar drum beats using permutations and variations you can create new drum beats without a huge amount of effort. Take a drum beat or phrase you’ve got “in the bag” (one that you can play without even thinking about it), and alter it... Read More
Dynamics are an important part of playing drums. There are two basic ways to use dynamics in your playing; short dynamics that apply to a specific note, or long dynamics which apply to a series or group of notes across time. “Short” dynamics A loud note... Read More
This is a ‘dinosaur’ of a challenge based around groups of 3 notes, hence the name Triceratops Triplets. It is deceptively simple when broken down into its component pieces, but as these components get layered the challenge develops some interesting... Read More
A technical teaser with a creative twist for you this time… We’re going to combine the Bo Diddley rhythm with paradiddles – to give us “Bo Diddley Diddles”. First things first If you’ve never encountered the Bo Diddley rhythm or... Read More
There is no universally correct method for how you should practise drums – some things will work better for some, whilst other things will work better for others. That said, there are a few basic principles that you can follow to get the most out of your time... Read More
It’s that time of the year when we delve into the archives and pull out some of the best bits from our free online lessons. Popular topics Most viewed topic: A career in drumming Most educational topic: Drum lessons Most commented topic: Lifestyle / Practise... Read More
Choreographing a Drummer. One of the services we provide is drum coaching for films, TV, adverts and other visual media. It involves training actors who have not played drums before to look like a convincing drummer on screen. Essentially, it’s drumming... Read More
Triplets are groups of 3 notes. They are used in many different forms of drumming, whether constructing drum fills, solos or grooves. In this article we’re going to look at using triplets to construct a groove. Andy Burt gives us an introduction to triplets and... Read More
Some of our previous articles have been based around the theme of ‘drumming as a language’. We looked at the written language of drumming and visited the idea of punctuation in drumming. The Elephant Drums teaching method is all about the application of... Read More
