Drums subjects

BASICS
This is about checking your basics and handling efficient gap management. Even experienced drummers will always recognize wrong habits – and now you will learn how to correct them. Technical aspects like maintenance and care of the instrument and accessories are also part of the basics that every professional drummer should be able to master.

MUSIC THEORY
Professional drummers also often need to have knowledge in general music theory. Not only to be rhythmically trained at the top level but also to open up even more possibilities, areas such as theory of form, harmony and notation are taught in this subject.

READING
In this subject, everything revolves around sheet music – not only reading but also writing, transcribing and interpreting is taught. Your note strength will be trained with all common templates like charts, original transcriptions or lead sheets.

TECHNIQUE
Let’s start with the right posture. It enables optimal coordination and independence of hands and feet. This is how you create your basis for techniques like rudiments, ruffs, rolls and groupings. It is crucial that you develop a technical repertoire that allows you to have the right technique for every style and every playing situation.

IMPROVISATION
There are improvisational elements in almost all styles. For this reason, spontaneous soloing is one of the greatest challenges for every drummer. Here, rhythmic approaches are presented as well as strategies and practice concepts for building musical tension and expanding your expressive possibilities. But not only spontaneous soloing, but also the spontaneous building of grooves is an important part of improvisation and will be covered here.

STYLES
In many professional jobs you have to be one thing above all: versatile. This especially applies to the variety of styles you have to play as a drummer. A big struggle is professional rock drumming, because hardly any other musical genre has produced so many subgenres as rock music. Here, you will learn how to master them all. But not only rock drumming is a big topic, but also styles and playing techniques of jazz are dealt with in detail, from playing in different line-ups (trio to big band) to the interpretation of standards and jazz soloing.
Considered by many as the “supreme discipline” of rhythm, the exploration of Latin American styles is a special challenge for drummers. Here, the main focus is on the authentic playing of Brazilian and Afro-Cuban styles as well as the techniques of Latin percussion. You will learn what is characteristic in which style and how to implement everything musically and tastefully onto your instrument.

LIVE PLAYING
Your professional knowledge and skills are most evident in practice. Different playing situations are deepened, from playalongs and band playing with professional musicians to sessions and showcases.

EDUCATION
Giving lessons is an additional income for many professionals. With the appropriate knowledge of modern teaching and learning techniques, that are taught in this subject, contemporary guitar lessons can be made more interesting and efficient. Here, you will learn methods to create the best possible lessons for you and your students, with lots of motivation and fun for success.

RECORDING
Playing drums in recording situations needs special requirements. That’s why you will learn about miking, tuning and damping, and practice recording with and without a metronome, with overdubbing or with a band in a professional studio. You will also be introduced to new recording possibilities such as home recording with a PC/laptop, microphone and interface.