With direct assistance from global drumming ambassador, Dom Famularo, the Learning Advantage program was engineered by Mapex to strengthen its ongoing commitment to music education.

Learning Advantage is supported by two core principles. First, Mapex ensures that dealers are equipped with well-maintained, high quality drum sets and hardware on which students can successfully learn. Secondly, Mapex provides an avenue for its member instructors to enhance their own education and, in turn, pass that knowledge along to their students.

Industry research reveals that students excel at a faster pace and are more likely to practice when their equipment is of high quality. Mapex Learning Advantage Dealers are offered extra incentives to keep their teaching studio gear replaced frequently and in excellent working condition.

Learning Advantage instructors have direct access to some of the greatest teaching resources in the world. Lesson plan archives, access to new teaching methods and direct contact with some of the industry’s greatest living instructors are just a few of the components that allow Learning Advantage Instructors to empower students of all ages and abilities.

With its goals firmly in place, Mapex is committed to challenging student drummers to reach their fullest potential and most importantly, have fun while doing it. The Learning Advantage Program places Mapex in a position to pave a path of learning that propels the next generation of drummers into the exciting world of modern drum set artistry.

When you are looking into percussion education, look into Learning Advantage and see the future. Mapex Learning Advantage... It’s not about the drums. It’s about the drummers

5/24/2007

Teaching Rock

By Dom Famularo and Stephane Chamberland

What style is one of the most popular for the younger generation? What style did many of us play first? What style do you most often hear at the radio and on TV? If you thought Rock…we are on the same page!

Teaching rock is fun and also very hip too. This could be a great way to start with a student who has never really played drums before and wants to play some music as quickly as possible. Like every style, the student needs to develop good independence, technique, coordination, groove and time. We hear Rock music everywhere in our life, so the influence is powerful making it easier to begin to understand its roots and rhythms.

Teaching grooves...
Playing Rock beats is fun! They often begin with eights notes on the hi-hats and then moves to the sixteenth notes and many times involves quarter notes. Our goal is to develop enough independence to play what we feel and what we hear in our head with cymbals, snare drum and the bass drum.
The sound balance of these beats focuses on the snare drum and bass drum….those two sound sources, This means that we have to play them louder than the other parts, Hi-hats and cymbals.

There are many great books to use in teaching Rock. For example, Eight Notes Rock and Beyond by Glenn Ceglia, or Ultimate Realistic Rock by Carmine Appice and Rock’n Bass Drum by John Lombardi and Charlie Perry are very popular. Once the student is able to play some grooves, the question that most of them ask is: “How do you play fills with the toms?”

Teaching Fills…
Fills are the announcement that the song will change form or you are setting up a different section in the tune. We often utilize fills as transition between sections. Playing eight notes or sixteenth notes on toms should be fun for the entry students. Make it simple and easy. Play for them to hear and see the sounds and movements.

For the more advanced players, using any snare rudimental reading book will assist. Play these phrases on the drum set choosing different toms or cymbals. This all depends on your imagination and the length of the notes for what you feel at that moment. A great book that we recommend is Unlimited Drum Fills by Neil Garthly.

Double Bass drums and Double Pedal…
Teaching Rock is a great beginning to introduce double bass playing. Louie Bellson first played the double bass drums in Jazz music and many people thought it would never last! Over 60 years later…It’s now a major part of the contemporary drum set of today’s top Rock players. It’s also a great way to develop your weaker foot.

Teaching how to incorporate it in Rock beats and playing bass drum fills adds an exciting sound to the students playing! Developing the muscles in your weaker side will help enhance your sound! Balance is very important in using both feet and hands! This discipline helps the student progress with muscle development and improves more physical awareness. All of this adds to a better understanding of the entire drum set!

Rock Drummers Rock…
There are many great Rock drummers of our time and before.John Bonham from Led Zepplin, Lars Ulrich from Metallica, Tommy Aldridge from Ozzy Osborne, Tommy Lee from Motley Cru, Ray Luzier from Army of Anyone, Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lib DeVitto from Billy Joel, Vinnie Paul from Pantera and Daniel Adair from Nickelback…just to name a few. Find out more about them at www.drummersworld.com.

Listen to their music and learn from them! Rock is part of the foundation of many drummers who also play many different styles like Jazz, Latin and Funk. It’s fun and rewarding to teach rock. This music is so popular and full of emotion and excitement that we must share with everyone! Light your fire and pass on the torch of great Rock music….and enjoy each note you play!