READING

Being a great reader saves practice time. In professional situations, there is often no time to practice.

Part of the reason I often play a 4-piece kit is because I can position the music stand with ease over the left ride cymbal. I use a music stand extension that clamps onto a regular Manhaset stand. That way my music stand is almost front and center, instead of way to the left.

I can play all styles of drum set with just 2 toms. Engineers love a small kit because it is easier to place mics. It also takes a minimum amount of time and effort to set up and cart.

If I ever need another tom, I might place it to the left of the Hi Hat, or have both rack toms to the left of the bass drum on their own stand.

Take Reading in Steps

Good sight reading is only good if you can execute what you are reading as well as if you are not reading.

I therefore recommend reading at very slow tempos at first, one measure at a time. You can then group two measures at a time and repeat them. Then four measures at a time and so on.

After a while you'll be able to read the whole page down.

Then you'll be able to read an entire book (i.e., all the exercises of Syncopation or the New Breed) in one sitting.

More Tips

Especially at very fast tempos, it is absolutely important to keep your eyes 1-2 measures ahead of where you are actually playing. This skill takes much time to master.

If there are repeated measures, it is helpful to be able to count repeated measures rather than read them.

Some Exercises to Improve Reading

Take a Wilcoxen rudiment book and read it in its entirety over a repeated foot pattern. Read the Wilcoxen exercises that are in 6/8 as an overlapping time feel in 2/4 i.e., each measure of 6/8 takes up 1.5 measures of 2/4.

Examples of foot patterns:

Practice these exercises with brushes to get used to playing with brushes.

Invent your own foot patterns.