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Drum practice pad exercises

60 BPM · 1 round per exercise · 0:52 including the count-in

Count four beats to begin. For each exercise, play the first pattern for two bars, then the second for two bars. Repeat this four-bar round the chosen number of times before moving on. Each row below shows one bar.

R = right hand · L = left hand · empty slot = rest

  1. 1. Single strokes

    R L R L. Alternate hands and keep each hit at the same volume.

    Eighth notes · play this bar twice

    R1
    ·e
    L+
    ·a
    R2
    ·e
    L+
    ·a
    R3
    ·e
    L+
    ·a
    R4
    ·e
    L+
    ·a

    Sixteenth notes · play this bar twice

    R1
    Le
    R+
    La
    R2
    Le
    R+
    La
    R3
    Le
    R+
    La
    R4
    Le
    R+
    La

  2. 2. Double strokes

    R R L L. Play two even strokes with each hand; start slowly enough to control both.

    Eighth notes · play this bar twice

    R1
    ·e
    R+
    ·a
    L2
    ·e
    L+
    ·a
    R3
    ·e
    R+
    ·a
    L4
    ·e
    L+
    ·a

    Sixteenth notes · play this bar twice

    R1
    Re
    L+
    La
    R2
    Re
    L+
    La
    R3
    Re
    L+
    La
    R4
    Re
    L+
    La

  3. 3. Paradiddles

    R L R R, then L R L L. Combine singles and doubles without changing the pulse.

    Eighth notes · play this bar twice

    R1
    ·e
    L+
    ·a
    R2
    ·e
    R+
    ·a
    L3
    ·e
    R+
    ·a
    L4
    ·e
    L+
    ·a

    Sixteenth notes · play this bar twice

    R1
    Le
    R+
    Ra
    L2
    Re
    L+
    La
    R3
    Le
    R+
    Ra
    L4
    Re
    L+
    La

Keep your hands relaxed and your strokes even. Slow down if the sixteenth notes feel rushed; stop if anything hurts.

Hear the patterns and practice along: www.freedrummer.app/tools/drum-warm-up

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