I got 'Progressive Steps to Syncopation for The Modern Drummer' by Ted Reed in the mail this morning. At first glance, I'm thinking that all the exercises look pretty easy, but I know this is a highly commended drum book, so I'm gonna work through it properly.

Anyway, I wanted to make sure I'm doing it right, hence this post. What I started doing is this:

1) Playing the first exercise on the snare drum, keeping time with the bass drum (as it's written. The bass drum is my left foot as my kit is currently set up left-handed) at a slow tempo (80bpm), leading with the right hand.
2) As above, leading with the left
3) Repeating 1 and 2 keeping time on the hi-hats, with my right foot.
4) Repeating 1, 2, and 3 at a faster tempo (120bpm).
5) Repeating 1,2 and 3 at a faster tempo (140bpm).

Then moving on to the next exercise.

I also started playnig around with different sticking patterns once I could do all of the above for each exercise, playing paradiddles and its variations.

Anyway, does this seemms like a good way to practise each exercise? I've read Bart's thread on 'Expanding Stick Control' and plan on doing some of those ideas with these exercises once I've got through each section like this.

I really want to make sure I get the most from this book.

The one thing I noticed playing these exercises is that my left foot really started to ache pretty soon into it. I guess I need to work on it a lot, hence me setting up my kit left-handed.

Oh, and another  thing. The other day I wanted to give my left foot a break for a while, so I moved my hi-hats to the left hand side of the kit, and straddled the floor tom, and played like that. It's a bit of a  stretch to get my left hand onto the snare from there, but it got me playing some interesting fills.

Anyway, I'm gonna go get back to that book, but I just wanted to get some feedback. This is my first post, but I've been lurking here for a a while, and this has been a very helpful forum.

  Hey DONB,

    The reason why the Ted Reed book is seen as a must in every drummer's library is because the reading pages can be used to learn ANYTHING.

   For example, I'm learning to play double kick right now and I go through Lessons 4-12 (different ones each day) and play the pages on the kicks pedals while playing a basic rock pattern with my hands. It has been HUGE in my development of playing double pedals.

   Also, I was having trouble playing continuous 16th note double kick and soloing over top. So what did I do? I played continuous double kick and then went through the reading pages of Ted Reed. Did it help? YES!

   When I was learning jazz comping, I went through the Syncopation reading exercises near the end of the book and played the exercises on the snare, on the bass drum, hi-hat, different combinations etc. By the end of it, I was a comping (and reading) whiz.

   I've used 'Syncopation' for dozens of other purposes because it's just what the doctor ordered in terms of reading charts to learn different things that I'm working on.

   Using the book for it's original purpose is great as well. It gives you independence between the bass drum and snare drum which is VERY important. And it improves reading skills which is also VERY important.

   DONB, your off to a good start with the book, as long as it's doing what you need it to do. If the exercises are too easy then maybe use them for a different purpose. Try playing the exercises with the bass drum on the 1/4 notes and the hi-hat on 2 & 4. This is a handy skill to have and works well with soloing in many different styles. Good luck!

   Hippie out......