Listen to the music – it will tell you how you should play.

Sing what you want to play; create your personal play-along soundtrack.          

Think of playing and movement as a free-flowing water faucet.

Visualize how you wish to look when you play, as an athlete does.

Move how you want to sound…like a dancer, and how you want others to respond to you…like a conductor.

Drumming is motion in time. Realize time and subdivision within your motions.

Drumming is like treading water: relax and you’ll stay afloat…be rigid and you’ll sink.

When you strike a percussion instrument, your goal is to put it into vibration.

Be in control of your technique – don’t let your technique be in control of you.

Your two hands should create one airstream – using even, balanced technique.

Balance your limbs like you walk – with an even gate, not like you have a sore foot.

First, create a full, natural sound on all percussion instruments.

Make sure you are listening to other musicians – not just yourself.

The Learning Process:

You will rarely be asked to play more complicated or to play more notes.

Drummers are leaders and accompanists…simultaneously.

The wrist is the engine of the stroke.

Think of dynamics like a jar of sound: raise and lower the sticks for volume

The rate of a stroke is analogous to bouncing a ball:

Maximum resonance comes with rebound, or with a stroke that EMULATES rebound.

Grasp the stick like a pencil or a piece of paper.

The grip point (fulcrum) is like a door hinge – a tight grip reduces movement and fluidity.

Sticking combinations will create a smooth flow of sounds and varied phrasing.

Think of your set-up as a cockpit of a sports car – everything is within easy reach.

Set up your drums for the style of music you play, not music someone else plays.

Try playing with one stick – it can often simplify and clarify your ideas.

Conceptualize coordination as rhythmic counterpoint.

Over time, technical development may slow, but musicianship can always improve.

Use your time to learn, not just to entertain yourself.

Have fun – make drumming a part of your life on your terms.

In this video, veteran percussion educator Bob Breithaupt explores a natural approach to placing the instruments in an optimum position for each player.

Performing on all multiple percussion instruments requires adjusting hand positions for technique and control. Understanding the hand and grip variations necessary to maintain optimum facility, particularly on drum set, is an important, yet seldom discussed topic.

This video explores strokes played in time and their metronomic effect, coupled with the application of the level system.

In this video, Bob Breithaupt discusses the principles of striking the cymbal at a variety of volume levels without harming it.

In this video, Bob Breithaupt provides a foundation toward understanding these techniques, both for the student and the performer. 

Bob Breithaupt demonstrates a cross-section of techniques for use in teaching and playing.

In this video, Bob Breithaupt helps to provide a greater understanding of this basic principle.

Bob Breithaupt demonstrates how a simple melody or “riff” can be used as material to build fundamental concepts of comping and improvisation,

In this video, veteran percussion educator Bob Breithaupt illustrates how a sticking will create various textures and melodic ideas.

“Melodic” concepts are frequently associated with jazz drumming, but Bob Breithaupt explains how the approach is applied to all styles for soloing, fill development and comping.

Developing a concept for the swing style is a challenge for today’s young players but also can presents a challenge for the instructor to explain.

This video demonstrates the fundamental concept of syncopation and application in funk and soul styles.

In this video, Bob Breithaupt demonstrates the application of clave on the drum set in its basic form.

This video demonstrates the Bossa Clave’ and Partido Alto, two Brazilian-based patterns which form a foundation for many basic Brazilian drum styles, and used as a basic foundation for Latin drum set playing.

Bob Breithaupt illustrates some of the foundation of the hybrid, “ECM” styles (found on recordings from this European record label) with common example of this approach.

This video demonstrates the differences between the cross stick and rim shot, providing performance techniques for both, as their terms are often mixed up. 

Educator Bob Breithaupt demonstrates creating an effective choke sound, where the cymbal must speak prior to dampening the sound.