Introduction
Hi and welcome to the „Junior Drummer’s Bible“. This is my third book, in each case the inspiration came from whatever I was doing as a teacher. Over the passed couple of years I’ve been teaching a lot of five to ten year old students. This has resulted in me referring to a lot of hand written notes that contained a simplified version of drum notation rather than the classic text I used in „The Working Drummer” and “Beats & Pieces” books.
When teaching the ‘junior’ student I’ve discovered that it is not the fact that they have trouble with the physical drumming it is the notation which presents the difficulty.
After all reading music is a complex new language which can stretch the boundary as to the level of intellect a junior is expected to understand. Think of the math curriculum as a junior, it’s a simple number system that you deal with. This is why with this book (except for one exercise on page 88) we only go as far as eighth notes because as soon as you introduce sixteenth notes the student switches off. This system works every time and I have virtually a 100% record of success of getting the point across to a student in the first thirty minute session.
I guess you could view this book as the ‘baby brother’ of The Working Drummer book. We follow a similar path exploring a range of simplified classic grooves and techniques from around the world. So basically, this book features realistic, contemporary ideas in a simplified form.
OK, let’s go.....
product description
simplified drum notation for 5- to 10-year-old students
“Junior Drummer’s Bible”, the third book by John Trotter, is the younger brother of his debut book “The Working Drummer” (AMA-No. 610454). This book contains notes and exercises based on his many years of experience working with pupils aged between five and ten years. Written with simplified drum notation, the exercises in this book only contain grooves and rudiments with minims, crotchets and quavers.
The “Junior Drummers Bible” follows a similar approach to the “Working Drummer” and teaches children the basics of drumstick grip, notation (time signatures, note and rest values, and dynamics) and the first rudiments. The author extensively covers popular music styles including Latin, Samba, Rumba, Rock, Funk, Blues and Swing, Soul, Disco and Punk and shows pupils which grooves can be played with the different instruments of the drum kit. The chapters are structured so that as you work through the book, the exercises are gradually expanded with additional instruments. A chapter on advanced concepts and fully notated solos in different music styles gives students an insight into how the drum kit can be used as a solo or accompanying instrument. Teachers can use this book in their lessons to show modern concepts in simplified notation.
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More Article from John Trotter
Content
Biography
How to Use the Audio CD
Introduction
1 Sticks & Pedals
Grip
Hand Positions - ‘French’ & ‘German’ Grips
Bass Drum Pedal
Hi-Hat Pedal
2 Notation & Setup
Stave & Layout
Drum Kit Map
Musical Notation
Clef
Bars & Barlines
Repeat Signs
Time Signatures
Dynamics
3 Rhythm Exercises
Notes
Rests
Basic Rhythms
Rhythm Exercise 1-3
8th Note Introduction
Rhythm Exercise 4-5
Rhythm Exercise Summary 1-2
4 Rudiments
Rolls
Single Stroke Roll
Double Stroke Roll
Multiple Bounce (Press or Buzz) Roll
The Flam
The Drag
Paradiddles
Single Paradiddle
Double Paradiddle
Inverted Paradiddle
Hand Exercises
Accents
5 Rock
Hands Only
Adding Bass Drum
Basic Rock Groove
Bass Drum Variations
Double Snare
6 Open Hi-Hat
Open Hi-Hat Introduction
Open Hi-Hat Variations
Open Hi-Hat and Bass Drum Together
Open Hi-Hat with Double Snare
4 Bar Summary Exercises
7 Drum Fills
Quarter Note Fills
Fills - Adding 8th Notes
8th Note Fills
Adding Crash Cymbal
Fills with Crash Cymbal
Snare Fills
Snare and Tom Tom Fills
Hand & Foot Combinations
Hand & Foot Fills
Fill Workout
Quarter Note Flam Fills
8th Note Flam Fills
Left Hand Crash Cymbal
8 The Ride Cymbal
Ride Cymbal Variations
Adding the Hi-Hat with the Foot
Ride Cymbal Grooves Adding Tom Toms
Ride Cymbal Grooves Adding Tom Toms and Hi-Hat with the Foot
9 The Cross Stick
Cross Stick Variations
Cross Stick With Open Hi-Hat
10 Rock Summary
Rock Summary 1-12
11 Hi Hat Variations
One Handed Method Introduction
One Handed Hi-Hat with Bass Drum Variations
One Handed Variations with Open Hi-Hat
Two Handed Hi-Hat Method
Two Handed Hi-Hat Method Introduction
Two Handed Hi-Hat with Bass Drum Variations
Two Handed Variations with Open Hi-Hat
Hi-Hat Summary 1-8
12 Triplets / Blues
Counting Triplets
Triplet Bass Drum Variations
Triplet Variations with Open Hi-Hat
Triplet Fills
Triplet Summary
Shuffles
Shuffle Variations
Shuffle with Bass Drum Variations
Shuffle Variations with Open Hi-Hats
Shuffle Fills
Shuffle Summary
Half Time Shuffle
Swing /Jazz
Swing ‘Build Up’
Swing Variations
Swing Hi-Hat Pattern
Swing Brushes
Waltz
Jazz Waltz
13 Funk
Funk Intro 1
Funk Intro 2
1 Bar Funk Variations
2 Bar Funk Variations
Funk with Open Hi-Hat
Funk with Ride Cymbal
Funk - Adding Bell of the Ride Cymbal
Funk with Disco Hi-Hat 1 -8
Funk with Disco Ride 1-8
Funk Summary on Hi-Hat
Funk Summary on Ride Cymbal
14 World Beats
General Latin – Samba / Mambo
Samba Batucada
‘Snare Off’ Samba
Tom Tom Samba
Bossa Nova
Rhumba
New Orleans – Second Line Grooves
Soul / Motown
Disco
Soca / World Beat
Hard Rock / Punk
Rocka Nova
15 Military
March 1-8
March Summary
March Medley
Buzz Roll Summary
Buzz Roll Medley
Triplet Marches
March 9-12
Triplet March Summary
Triplet March Medley
Triplet Buzz Roll Summary
Triplet Buzz Roll Medley
16 Alternative Grooves
Tom Tom Grooves
The ‘Bo Diddley’ Groove
Tom Tom Grooves Adding Hi-Hat with the Foot
‘Bo Diddley’ with Hi-Hat
Snare Drum Grooves
Train Beat
The Gallop
Cowbell Grooves
Cowbell Grooves Adding Hi-Hat with the Foot
Cowbell Grooves Adding Hi-Hat on 1, 2, 3 & 4
17 Advanced Ideas
Single Paradiddle Grooves & Fills
Inverted Paradiddle Grooves & Fills
Bass Drum Development
Advanced Bass Drum Grooves
Advanced Bass Drum Grooves with Open Hi-Hat
Displacement
Double Time
18 Solos
Cowbell Solo
Rock Solo
Funk Solo
Disco Solo
Tom Tom Solo
Latin American Solo
Swing Solo
Military Solo 1
Military Solo 2
‘Broadway’ Solo
Media
Authors Info
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England in 1966, John began playing drums at age 11. He studied with Barry Black at Ronnie Pearson’s Drum Shop and made his first recordings in the shop’s basement studio at 14. He became a full-time professional upon leaving school aged 16 with The Don Smith Band at Newcastle’s Mayfair Ballroom. After playing many cabaret clubs, cruise ships and summer seasons, he moved to London in the mid-80s.
Initially playing with The Andy Ross Orchestra, John became a respected member of the session community covering all aspects of the music industry, accompanying artists such as: Robbie Williams, Hot Chocolate, Cliff Richard, Georgie Fame, The Corrs, Ruby Turner, Colin Blunstone, Chris Thompson, Barbara Dickson, The Drifters, Robert Hart, James Belushi and 1970s multi-hit maker Tony Burrows. John also toured with rock legends
Greenslade, Peter Green’s Splinter Group, Whitesnake’s Moody Marsden and was a member of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band from 1996–2000.
Over the years John has worked for a range of producers and musical directors including: Laurie Latham, Richard Niles, Matthew Fisher, Don Airey, Jeff Bova, Trevor Brown, Simon Webb, Julian Littman, Tony Ashton, Andy Fairweather Low, Raph Ravenscroft, Spike Edney and legendary Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller. But his main employer for 12 years was Philip Pope; the UK’s most prolific composer of countless film soundtracks and
TV themes including: Spitting Image, Not the 9 O’Clock News, Jane Horrocks, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Harry Enfield, My Hero, The Lenny Henry Show, Hale & Pace, TFI Friday, Kevin & Perry Go Large and the multi-awardwinning Fast Show.
John has also recorded jingles for: Pepsi, KFC, McDonald’s, Esso, British Telecom, Martini, Heineken, Nescafe, Cadbury, Gillette, Andersen Consulting, Mars, Twix, Vauxhall Cars, Boots, Sharp, Oxford University Press, The Liberal Democrats (UK) and Fuji (Mr Bean series).
Other ventures include a range of educational projects such as demonstrations at the British Music Fair, workshops at the Musicians Institute London, drum teacher at Don Airey’s Rock School and accompanying Paul Westwood on his highly acclaimed Bass Bible.
John relocated to Australia in 2002 and is loving life ‘down under’, playing live with: Michelle Shocked, Joe Camilleri, Rachael Beck and Todd McKenney, Lucky Oceans, Claire Clarke, Alfredo Malabello, Blanche Dubois, Ryan Webb and Luke Steele (Empire of the Sun). He’s also contributed to more than 100 albums and EPs.
After becoming an Australian citizen in 2007 he continues to develop his drum school and teach at Wesley and Murdoch colleges.