Rich Stitzel, Creator of the DrumMantra Practice System, shares his method for sharpening your concept of time, fine-tuning your accuracy, improving your pulse awareness, enhancing your knowledge of time signatures, deepening your coordination, and informing your understanding of polymeters. The DrumMantra Practice System utilizes rhythmic repetition to develop muscle memory, allowing for a more connected and expressive playing experience.
The Foundational Series exercises are focused on strengthening the practitioner in 6 key areas:
Timing, Reading, Coordination, Polymetric Awareness, Phrasing, Groove
The Foundational Series exercises also help to improve various mental elements of drumming:
Focus, Awareness, Presence, Patience, Intention
The book has three different sections (4/4, 3/4, and 5/4), and each has three features: warm-ups, meditations, and rhythmic melodies.
- Warm-Ups include various "moving click" audio tracks designed to challenge your attention and awareness as much as your stickings and technique.
- Meditations are exercises that begin to explore the relationship between accent permutations and pulse displacements in the 16th note field. These range from 6 to 37minutes in length.
- Rhythmic Melodies will challenge your reading, coordination, and concentration as you play melodies with your feet while playing various accent structures and stickings with your hands. There are eight 4-bar melodies in each section.
"If you're seeking serious practice, Rich Stitzel's DrumMantra courses and books is for you. What you'll gain from it is the focus and concentration needed for any gig and other life areas. You'll also gain a greater command of reading, technique, coordination, relaxation, and breathing. Rich's method is a literal drum meditation practice and teaches you the importance of the journey, not just the destination. I've practiced his method and can't recommend it enough."
-Mark Walker
8x Grammy Winner, Author, World Jazz Drumming, Berklee College of Music
"A couple of years ago, I came across a video of Rich playing an incredible groove on just a kick and a snare. His playing demonstrated the highest level of coordination, control, musicality, and groove. So I went deeper. After seeing examples of the Foundational Series book, I instantly bought a copy. And, oh boy, was I in for a treat!
Besides the exercises in the book helping you attain control of your coordination, control of complex rhythms, and reading, the backing tracks are where it's at. Every exercise in the book is accompanied by a track that pushes you to practice more. I cannot recommend this book highly enough."
-Anthony Stanislavski, Author, Phrasing & Freedom with Brushes, Beginner's Guide to Big Band Drumming (Hudson)
"The material from the Foundational Series shines a light on my weaknesses. Looking at the page seems simple, but when you do it - oh man..."
-Lukas Landis, pro drummer & educator
"Been a fan of Rich's for many years. I'm so glad there is something like this on the market that offers a glimpse into how he has prepared his craft for years. I've had it for a few weeks already, and it's been a huge help (both as a personal development tool and a teaching aid for my students). You should get this book. Period."
-Chris Mead
pro drummer & educator
"I played a gig last night, and as I was packing up, the lead guitarist came over to me and said, "Man. You were on fire tonight. You played tight!" I thanked him and started to think, "I've only practiced the Foundational Series all week, nothing else."
-Gary Evans, pro drummer
