Drum Channel Method: Level 100

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. These concepts are universal to the instrument and are needed to play effectively in all musical genres. 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.

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.

Through this curriculum, students gain access to the concepts and material author Mike Packer has used throughout his 30 plus years as a player, clinician, private instructor and faculty member at various institutions in higher education. The goal of the series is to create an inclusive carefully constructed curriculum that properly guides the student from the very beginnings of learning the instrument to being prepared to play professionally and further their study in higher education if they choose to. Additionally, it is an excellent curriculum for teachers to use with their students.

Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of this grading book, students will be able to:

• Play the drums with proper hand and foot motion and technique
• Understand and play whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eight notes, and their respective
  rests
• Execute basic vocabulary on the drum set
• Play basic quarter note and 8th note grooves
• Perform six play along songs of varying styles, tempos, and grooves • Incorporate 16th note rhythms in to drum set grooves
• Understand and play ghost notes
• Play and incorporate rebound double strokes
• Perform 12 play along songs of varying tempos and grooves

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.

Other eBooks Available in this Series