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The Drum Channel Method

A step by step method to learning to play the drumset.

Welcome to the Drum Channel Method! This innovative method teaches the How, What and Why of playing the drum set.

Each course consists of five main topics: technique, vocabulary development and rudiments, notation reading and general music terms, independence, and repertoire development.

Students develop and expand the critical fundamentals of sound quality, body motion, and hand and foot technique. Music notation is introduced and drilled in musical rudimental and orchestral exercises and snare drum Etudes. Students develop vocabulary on the drum set and hone their technique by practicing exercises designed to promote proper hand and body motions. As you progress through the method, bass drum and Hi-Hat exercises, ostinatos as well as hand and foot combinations are studied to continue the development of the interdependence between the legs while reinforcing the appropriate bass drum motions and sound quality.

The Drum Channel Method consists of 10 online courses containing over 250 video lessons, 60 playalongs and downloads. The curriculum is presented in books and is structured into 4 levels designed to aid in the development of the drummers understanding of the fundamentals and the creative process of playing the drum set.

Level 100: This book is perfect for anyone who is new to the drums and is just starting out. You do not need to have prior experience to use this book. It’s also great for someone who has played for a while and wants to brush up on some of the important fundamentals of playing the drum set and/or reading music notation.

Level 200: Level 200 builds on the material covered in the 100 level. To get the most out of this book it’s best if you have some fundamental knowledge of how to read music notation, you can play basic rock beats with ghost notes, and can play single and double strokes.

Level 300: Level 300 guides students through intermediate and advanced concepts. Students who are ready for this level understand and can implement basic hand and foot technique, play single and double stroke sticking concepts, can read rhythms from 8th notes through 32nd notes, and play common rudiments.

Level 400: Level 400 provides students with advanced material that builds on the previous three levels. To get the most benefit from the book, you should have a good grasp of hand and foot techniques and motions, have some experience reading drum charts and snare drum etudes, be able to play styles including jazz, rock, funk, and samba, and understand odd meters.

I just spent some time looking through your books and I have to say they are really well done. Bravo and congratulations! Super smart and thorough in the way it’s laid out. Great information and lots of opportunities to practice playing. Nice work! If I had a drumset class, I’d be using it in a heartbeat!

My name is Mike Hiebert, and I’ve been teaching at my studio, GrooveHound Studio since 2000, and have had over 40 students per week consistently, and sometimes as many as per week. My frustration with drum education has been to find songs that utilize the exercises and techniques being taught to the student at the moment that they need them. The other massive frustration for me and the students, is having a solid curriculum without significant “holes”, where you need three other books to fill it in. With The Drum Channel Method, Mike Packer has bridged the gaps filled in the holes, and provided play-alongs that immediately use the material students are working on, in a very logical, and step by step approach which makes SO much sense!! I’m overjoyed to finally have a solid base of material to work from, and not have to spend my “free time”, finding the right song for each person. Mike, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for ending the decades-long search!!

As a former student of Mike's I knew these books would be great. But reading the content and watching the corresponding videos was like a throwback to the amazing lessons we had back in L.A. He is not only a great drummer, but an inspiring educator as well. I still thrive on Mike's teachings, even after 25 years as a professional player. These books are a must for every beginner and a great way to review your basics as an advanced player.

About the Author

Mike Packer is the Vice President of Education at 1500 Sound Academy in Inglewood, Ca. Mike earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Northern Colorado and his Master’s in Education, Leadership, and Policy from Boston University.

As a drummer, Mike performs regularly both domestically and abroad. Performance credits include clinics and concerts with the jazz-classical quartet Free Flight, Wilson Phillips, Diane Reeves, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Steve Allen, Carl Anderson, Nils Lofgren, Lorna Luft, Regis Philbin, Susan Lucci, and Ben Vereen. Television credits include Grounded for Life (WB), Mad TV (Fox), The People’s Choice Awards (CBS), the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th CableAce Awards (TNT) and the 1995 Easter Seal Telethon.

Mike’s teaching experience consists of 25 years of private and classroom instruction and several clinics in the USA, Europe, and Asia. Mike is the author of Feet Don’t Fail Me Now (Hal Leonard Publications) and Bass Drum and Hi-Hat Technique DVD (Hal Leonard Publications) and has authored articles for Modern Drummer and Drum! Magazine. Mike has a series of Bass Drum technique lessons on Drumchannel.com.

The Drum Channel Method

A step by step method to learning to play the drumset.

Drum Channel Method: Level 100

Drum Channel Method: Level 200

Drum Channel Method: Level 300

Drum Channel Method: Level 400

The Drum Channel Method Bundle

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