This months concept deals with the concept of getting more mileage out of your drum lessons.

Lets take for instance when you learn a new groove. After a groove exercise is learned, stretch the groove to make as many different exercises out of it as you possibly can. I mean what the heck.....its already learned. You got it under your belt.....so we might as well use it as many different ways as we can behind the kit.

The first way to do this is simply by taking the same groove and moving the hands to different instrumentation behind the kit. Play the hi hat or ride part on 1 2 or 3 different toms, Or assign the hi hat part to a tom and the snare part to two or three different toms. You'll uncover many exciting and original fills this way. And best of all they will be tasteful and musical because they will emulate the groove you are coming from!! Try this with a Mozambique pattern....you'll be amazed!!!!

The second way deals with moving notes.

If your groove is for ex. 1/8 note oriented....go to the last eighth note of the measure and make it your first.

It is best not to do this in your head. Take a minute and re-write the groove on paper. After you do this and learn the new groove, do the same thing again to this groove.....since there are 8 1/8 notes to a

measure...you'll end up with eight different grooves that have spawned from the original. You'll find them easy to learn since you have already gotten the "mother" groove under your belt. Good Luck!!!!