About

Today’s young drummers have so much information available to them. The amount of instructional material on the internet is abundant. The level of technical proficiency shown in the videos is astounding. Everything is fast tracked and immediate these days. Band directors need a drummer in their jazz ensemble now. Students want to play their favorite song or learn something they saw online before they are truly ready to do so. Developing fundamentals through a step-by step process seems to be a thing of the past. 

My original inspiration to author this book was to provide the college percussion major with a condensed yet comprehensive course for drum set that could be completed in one semester. This course would cover all the prerequisite styles and skills necessary to audition for graduate school and excel at a variety of performance opportunities. One month into this project, I found myself writing a complete method book covering everything l believe is essential to becoming a versatile drum set player. Drum Set Simplified evolved into an all-in-one method book for the beginning drum set student that just so happens to include a one semester, fourteen lesson syllabus for percussion majors in need of an expedited course of study. Whether you are eleven years old, or nearing retirement, Drum Set Simplified will help you acquire the tools necessary in developing into a skilled drummer.  

As an educator, I strive to make drum set study as simple as possible, hence the word “simplified” in the title. There are too many “musts” or “have-to’s” placed on the beginner. Must eighth graders play with their heels up? Does a student who is not interested in jazz have to play the ride cymbal with the thumb up? I respectfully say no. Should students modify their technique over the course of their study to accomplish specific goals? Yes, of course.  

During my thirty-five plus years of teaching, I have seen far too many students carrying drum books that are too advanced for their current skill level. 

I wrote Drum Set Simplified to serve as a gateway book for the beginner of any age (or intermediate level) to complete before starting more specialized books or paths of study. So, give Drum Set Simplified a try and see where it takes you.