🥁 WEEK 1 — First Time on the Kit
Goal: Comfort on drums + first rock beat
Big win: Student plays a real groove by the end of the lesson
Lesson Flow (30 min)
1. Intro & Setup (3–5 min)
Show:
● Parts of the kit (snare, kick, hi-hat, toms, ride)
● How to sit properly
● How to hold sticks (matched grip)
● Relaxed shoulders = huge emphasis
Tip for you:
Avoid overwhelming them. Only explain what they need today.
2. First Warm-Up (5 min)
On pad or snare:
● Single strokes: RLRL
● Count out loud: “1-2-3-4”
● Slow and controlled
Focus:
● Rebound
● Relaxed hands
● Even volume
3. Counting & Basic Rhythm (5 min)
Teach:
● Quarter notes = 1 2 3 4
● Eighth notes = 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Clap together first.
Then play on the snare.
4. First Groove (10–12 min)
Basic Rock Beat:
● Hi-hat: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
● Snare: 2 and 4
● Kick: 1 and 3
Break it into steps:
- Just hi-hat
- Add snare
- Add kick
- Slow repetition
Use a metronome: 60–70 bpm
5. Play to Music (5 min)
Let them play along to something simple:
● Seven Nation Army
● Back in Black
● Any slow rock track
Even if messy — this is the fun hook.
Homework
10 minutes/day:
● Hold sticks correctly
● Practice basic beat
● Count out loud while playing
🥁 WEEK 2 — Timing & Confidence
Goal: Steady tempo + smoother groove
Big win: Student plays full beat with metronome/music
Warm-up (5 min)
● Singles (RLRL)
● Doubles (RRLL)
● Slow metronome (60 bpm)
Explain:
“Speed comes later — control first.”
Groove Review (10 min)
Review Week 1 beat.
Fix:
● Stopping
● Rushing
● Stiff arms
Then add variations:
Kick Variations
- Kick on 1 & 3
- Kick on 1 + “and” of 3
- Kick on 1, 3, and end of 4 (if ready)
Introduce Metronome (5–7 min)
Explain simply:
“Metronome = your drummer GPS.”
Games:
● Start/stop with click
● Freeze when click stops
● See if they stayed in time
First Mini Fill (5–7 min)
Teach:
Fill = something you play before changing sections
Simple fill:
Snare hits: 1-2-3-4
Exercise:
3 bars groove + 1 bar fill
Homework
● Groove with a metronome
● Practice fills into the beat
● 10–15 min/day
🥁 WEEK 3 — Fills & Rudiments Start
Goal: Add fills + hand control
Big win: Student plays groove + fill smoothly
Warm-up (5–7 min)
Introduce rudiments:
● Single stroke roll
● Double stroke roll
Use pad/snare.
If you want a great long-term book:
● Stick Control (gold standard)
Start with very simple pages only.
Groove Expansion (10 min)
Review groove.
Add:
● Stronger snare on 2 & 4
● Consistent hi-hat
● Kick accuracy
Then teach:
Crash cymbal on beat 1
Fills Around Kit (10 min)
Move fill from snare → toms.
Example:
1-2-3-4 across toms
Exercise:
Groove → fill → groove
Repeat nonstop
Teach:
“Don’t stop after fill.”
Play Along (5 min)
Let them choose:
● Rock
● Pop
● Country
● Hip-hop
This keeps them hooked.
Homework
● Practice fills into a groove
● Singles & doubles 5 min/day
● Play along to one song
🥁 WEEK 4 — Reading & First Full Song
Goal: Play through a full song confidently
Big win: They feel like a real drummer
Warm-up (5 min)
● Singles
● Doubles
● Paradiddles
● Basic groove warm-up
Intro to Reading Drum Music (8–10 min)
Teach:
● Snare = middle line
● Kick = bottom
● Hi-hat = top
● Quarter notes & eighth notes
Clap rhythms first.
Then play them.
Great long-term reading book:
● The Encyclopedia of Groove By Bobby Rock
Keep it VERY simple.
First Full Song (10–12 min)
Pick easy:
● Seven Nation Army
● We Will Rock You
● Back in Black
● Beverly Hills
● Billie Jean
● Smoke on the water
● Any slow pop song
Work on:
● Not stopping
● Recovering from mistakes
● Confidence
Talk About Practice (3 min)
Teach them how to practice:
- Warm up
- Groove
- Song
- Have fun
Encourage consistency over long sessions.
🥁 End of Month Skill Level
After 4 weeks, a student should:
● Play a basic rock beat confidently
● Use simple fills
● Understand counting
● Play with a metronome
● Play along to songs
● Be excited to continue
