Topic: Subdividing Exercise

[Andy Ziker]

I'm going to be using this blog to post short lessons, transcriptions and comments. This may included text, music notation, and video segments. I hope that you enjoy and find it worthwhile.

I wrote the following as part of a original piece for an elementary/junior high percussion class (I teach at a school called Self Development Charter every Friday).



After taking a look at it a few days later, I realized that this would be a good teaching tool to help teach subdividing or "least common denominator."

Note: Right-hand lead sticking is detailed in lines 3-5. Of course, many other stickings are possible, though right-hand lead does help reinforce the concept of subdivision.

Drum teachers, band directors, and drummers trying to learn how to read might find this exercises, along with a series of articles that I wrote back in 2008 for Drummer Cafe: http://www.drummercafe.com/education/articles/teachers-workshop-its-all-about-rhythm-part-1.html.

My beginners book, Drumscapes(which is set to upgraded and released by Hal Leonard in 2012), expounds upon what you have seen here. (Bart did a review of Drumscapes a few years ago: http://www.drummercafe.com/reviews/books/andy-ziker-drumscapes.html.)