Since it's original publication in 1958, Ted Reed's Progressive Steps To Syncopation For The Modern Drummer has been used by drummers as an ever expanding tool for the development of independence, coordination and technique. Using page 37 as a rhythmic etude, drummers have devised numerous systems with which to challenge themselves. The following are progressively complex examples of some of these systems.
Example 1
These are the first four measures of page 37. One must first be able to read the page as written and then with a swung eighth note interpretation.
Example 2
The next step involves performing the rhythm on the snare drum while keeping jazz time on the ride cymbal and hi-hat. The bass drum can be "feathered" (played lightly on all four beats).
When this has been mastered, repeat the process playing the snare drum rhythms with the bass drum. The snare drum can play a cross-stick on beat four of every measure.
Example 3
When comfortable with example 2, try combining each of it's steps. Play all written eighth notes on the snare drum and all written quarter notes on the bass drum.
When ready, reverse the note assignments. Have the bass drum play all written quarter notes and the snare drum all written eighth notes.
The next set of examples involve using page 37 as an accent pattern.
Example 4
The first four measures of page 37 are:
If we use this phrase as a triplet accent pattern it will look like this:
Keep the unaccented notes low, and be sure that the accented notes are of equal strength in each hand.
The next step involves replacing the unaccented notes with double strokes. The result is:
This exercise is also great for developing double strokes with brushes.
Example 5
Example 5 is similar to example 4, however the sticking patterns are different. Essentially, all unaccented eighth notes are performed as eighth not double strokes. Although, there are some exceptions when alternate strokes can be used. The basic key is as follows:
written --> becomes
Applied to the first four measures of page 37 would give us:
The next step involved applying this concept to the drumset. Play all accented notes on the ride or crash cymbal and all unaccented notes on the snare drum. The bass drum will also play the accented notes and the hi-hat will play beats two and four.
This concept also sounds great when some or all of the accented notes are played on the tom toms.
Example 6
This final example is perhaps the most complext, but contains some great developmental material. Like example 5, it has a key:
when going to a note -- when
going to a rest
When applied to the first four measures of page 37 we have:
This system first appeard in Percussive Notes, April 1994, and was developed by Casey Scheuerell.