5 Steps to Improvising Tom Grooves

Your Notation Guide

Step #1: Put your kick drum on autopilot

Play alternating 16ths on the snare over quarter notes on the kick drum:

Step #2: Get your hands playing independently of your right foot

Play “shifting” accents on different subdivisions on the beat. Start by accenting the
beats, then the “e’s,” then the “ands,” then the “a’s:”

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 Step #3: Add in the toms

Essentially repeat the previous step, but this time hitting a tom on each accent
instead of staying on the snare. All “e’s” and “a’s” will land on the rack tom with your
LH, while all “beats” and “ands” will land on the floor tom with your RH.

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 Step #4: Remove notes (insert space) to create phrases & melodies

Get creative with this! Pick a note or two to remove, which naturally creates “phrases”
in what you play. Start by taking out beat 3, then try removing beat 2 or 4. You’ll get
interesting results!

Here’s the example fill I play in the lesson, where I remove beat 3 as well as the “a”
of 4 at the very end:

Step #5: Add a backbeat to make it feel like a groove

This is where I want YOU to get creative and come up with stuff. But here’s my
example to get you started.

Think of a rhythm, play it on the toms, and add backbeats on beats 2 & 4 (snare hits).

Here’s my example condensed onto the snare. Remember that this isn’t
complicated when you put it all on one drum. Start with something on your snare if you
like, then move it around the toms.

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 THE CHEAT: Hack the whole process and quickly get a tom groove going…

Try the “tom groove hack” for a shortcut that gets you immediately playing a tom
groove!

Here we’re literally playing the “money beat” with RH 8ths on the floor tom. But to
make this feel more “around-the-kit,” add some offbeats on the rack tom with your LH.
Here’s the example I played in the lesson:

Honestly, the notation makes this one look more complicated than it is. Remember that
we’re just playing quarters on the kick + snare on 2 & 4 + 8ths with RH on the floor
tom.

Really just pay attention to those rack tom notes there on the top space.

And of course, don’t forget to have fun with this. Take pride in the fact
that you can play around the kit and no longer be constrained to
simple, straight timekeeping grooves.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!