Goal

• Learn 3 different head sounds.

• Learn how to change the pitch using the vocal track.

Tips

• Don’t hit your cheeks and mouth too hard!

• Always alternate hands.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Play melodies with each of the head sounds.

2. Combine head sounds and improvise with them.

Goal

• Learn all of the hand sounds.

• Learn how to change the pitch.

Tips

• Practice without tempo, focusing on the sound.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Imitate the DJ filter.

2. Play the airball sounds.

3. Fast clapping with accents and rhythmic melodies.

4. Play different grooves using only the hands.

5. Create a resonant snap with both hands.

6. Improvise using only the hands.

Goal

• Learn all of the body sounds.

• Learn both feet sounds.

Tips

• Don't stomp too hard!

• Be aware of your posture, your weight, and the way you are standing.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Create a low chest sound.

2. Shift weight with feet sounds.

3. Practice all sounds from highest to lowest, then lowest to highest.

Goal

• Feel the pulse.

• Feel the subdivision.

• Feel the over division.

PRACTICE THIS

• Put on a song, and play along with the:

  1. Pulse

  2. Subdivision

  3. Over-division

Goal

• Understand the difference between downbeat & upbeat.

• Learn how to count rhythms.

Tips

• Start slow.

• Play along with music.

• Focus on how it feels in your body!

PRACTICE THIS

1. Play the downbeat and the upbeat while listening to a song.

2. Play the eighth note subdivision.

3. Play the eighth note triplet subdivision.

4. Play the sixteenth note subdivision.

5. Put on a metronome at 60bpm, stomp the downbeat with your feet and speak all of the subdivisions.

Goal

• Associate body percussion sounds with the drumset.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Create a bass sound with the chest and/or feet.

2. Create a snare sound with the hands.

3. Create a high hat sound with snaps.

4. Put on a song that includes drumset, and play along by combining these 3 sounds.

Goal

• Learn the Tum, Chi, & Pà sounds.

• Play with the circular rhythm technique.

Tips

• Remember to alternate limbs, both hands and feet!

• Always use the voice to strengthen your independence and rhythmic imagination.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Play with alternating hands: 4x Tum, 4x Chi, 4x Pà.

2. Play the eighth note subdivision groove along with Sam Smith’s "I’m Not the Only One."

Goal

• Play the basic eighth note triplet groove.

• Play the basic sixteenth note groove.

Tips

• Always alternate limbs.

• Be intentional and specific with your sounds.

• Feel the difference between grooves based on even vs. odd subdivisions.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Play the basic eighth note triplet groove along with Sam Smith’s "One Last Song."

2. Play the basic sixteenth note groove along with Sam Smith’s "Baby You Make Me Crazy."

3. Play these grooves exchanging the chest with the feet.

Goal

• Learn a switching feels exercise.

• Create new grooves.

Tips

• Be aware of the different feelings when you shift through the subdivisions.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Play all of the subdivisions in a row at 60bpm.

2. Create 5 grooves with the eighth note subdivision.

3. Create 5 grooves with the eighth note triplet subdivision.

4. Create 5 grooves with the sixteenth note subdivision.

Goal

• Learn how to reverse a groove by starting with the limb on the other side.

Tips

• Play from slow to fast.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Reverse the first three grooves of Feel the Beat.

2. Play the challenging grooves.

3. Create 2 challenging grooves using eighth note subdivision.

4. Create 2 challenging grooves using eighth note triplet subdivision.

5. Create 2 challenging grooves using sixteenth note subdivision.

Goal

• Understand the difference between straight feel and swing feel.

• Play each groove with either a straight feel or a swing feel.

Tips

• Play along with music.

• Listen carefully to the pronunciation of the subdivision.

PRACTICE THIS

1. Play the swing and straight eighth note subdivision along with the songs.

2. Search for songs with swing vs. straight eighth note feel.

3. Play the swing and straight sixteenth note subdivision along with the songs.

4. Search for songs with swing vs. straight sixteenth note feel.

5. Play along with the suggested songs.

Goal

• Learn non-conventional notation symbols.

• Practice reading this notation by playing the given examples.

Tips

• Writing rhythms can open new rhythmic possibilities.

PRACTICE THIS

• Create your own rhythms with quarter note subdivision using the blank notation page.

Goal

• Learn grooves with eighth note subdivision by reading non-conventional notation.

Tips

• Try making the bass sound with the feet rather than the chest.

PRACTICE THIS

• Create your own rhythms with eighth note subdivision using the blank notation page.

Goal

• Learn grooves with eighth note subdivision by reading non-conventional notation.

Tips

• Triplets have a unique feeling because they are an odd number subdivision.

PRACTICE THIS

• Create your own rhythms with eighth note triplet subdivision using the blank notation page.

Goal

• Learn grooves with sixteenth note subdivision by reading non-conventional notation.

Tips

• 16th note grooves are common in genres like funk and disco.

PRACTICE THIS

• Create your own rhythms with sixteenth note subdivision using the blank notation page.

Goal

• Play some crazy grooves with mixed subdivisions by reading non-conventional notation.

Tips

• Playing with a metronome or playing along with songs is very helpful for improving our rhythmic consistency.

PRACTICE THIS

• Create your own rhythms with mixed subdivisions.

Goal

• Learn the samba groove.

• Learn the melody of "Peixinhos do Mar."

• Play the groove and the melody at the same time.

• Play, sing and dance!

Tips

• It's much easier to feel the groove and melody when they are memorized.

• Search for fun and pleasure.

PRACTICE THIS

• Record a video of yourself playing "Peixinhos do Mar" and listen to it.

Goal

• Learn the Ijesha groove.

• Learn the melody of "Thula Mama."

• Play the groove and the melody at the same time.

• Play, sing and dance!

Tips

• Once you feel comfortable combining the groove and melody, add more expressivity and flexibility to your singing.

PRACTICE THIS

• Record a video of yourself playing "Thula Mama" and listen to it.

Goal

• Learn the Coco groove.

• Learn the melody of "Siyahamba."

• Play the groove and the melody at the same time.

• Play, sing and dance!

Tips

• Once you feel comfortable combining the groove and melody, add more expressivity and flexibility to your singing.

PRACTICE THIS

• Record a video of yourself playing "Siyahamba" and listen to it.

Goal

• Learn the Second Line groove.

• Learn the melody of "When the Saints Go Marching In."

• Play the groove and the melody at the same time.

• Play, sing and dance!

Tips

• Once you feel comfortable combining the groove and melody, add more expressivity and flexibility to your singing.

PRACTICE THIS

• Record a video of yourself playing "When the Saints Go Marching In" and listen to it.