✳playroom.
100 EXERCISES · THREE LEVELS

Drum lessons. Keep exploring.

Start with the foundations, then explore scales, harmony, rhythm, and coordination at your own pace.

0 / 100 complete
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Beginner, Medium, and Expert.
Follow the suggested order or choose an exercise. Each level describes the notes and timing you’ll practice here.

100 exercises shown

Beginner 40 exercises

01
FOUNDATIONS · 4 MINUTES

Feel the pulse

A steady beat is the little heartbeat under a song.

02
FOUNDATIONS · 6 MINUTES

Your first groove

Bring the kick and snare together, one beat at a time.

Builds on: Feel the pulse
03
FOUNDATIONS · 5 MINUTES

Add the hi-hat

Give your groove a little forward motion.

Builds on: Feel the pulse · Your first groove
04
KIT NAVIGATION · 5 MINUTES

Snare spaced pulse

Locate the snare and keep counting through the gaps.

Builds on: Add the hi-hat
05
KIT NAVIGATION · 5 MINUTES

Closed hi-hat spaced pulse

Locate the closed hi-hat and keep counting through the gaps.

Builds on: Snare spaced pulse
06
KIT NAVIGATION · 5 MINUTES

High tom spaced pulse

Locate the high tom and keep counting through the gaps.

Builds on: Closed hi-hat spaced pulse
07
KIT NAVIGATION · 5 MINUTES

Mid tom spaced pulse

Locate the mid tom and keep counting through the gaps.

Builds on: High tom spaced pulse
08
KIT NAVIGATION · 5 MINUTES

Floor tom spaced pulse

Locate the floor tom and keep counting through the gaps.

Builds on: Mid tom spaced pulse
09
KIT NAVIGATION · 5 MINUTES

Crash spaced pulse

Locate the crash and keep counting through the gaps.

Builds on: Floor tom spaced pulse
10
KIT NAVIGATION · 5 MINUTES

Ride spaced pulse

Locate the ride and keep counting through the gaps.

Builds on: Crash spaced pulse
11
RESTS AND PLACEMENT · 5 MINUTES

Snare first-beat replies

Return on each bar start after three silent beats.

Builds on: Ride spaced pulse
12
RESTS AND PLACEMENT · 5 MINUTES

Snare backbeat only

Play only beats two and four.

Builds on: Snare first-beat replies
13
RESTS AND PLACEMENT · 5 MINUTES

Snare two-note calls

Leave two beats silent after each two-note call.

Builds on: Snare backbeat only
14
RESTS AND PLACEMENT · 5 MINUTES

Snare late-bar answer

Wait until beat three before each answer.

Builds on: Snare two-note calls
15
RESTS AND PLACEMENT · 5 MINUTES

Snare missing third beat

Maintain an internal count over a missing third beat.

Builds on: Snare late-bar answer
16
RESTS AND PLACEMENT · 5 MINUTES

Snare half-beat pickups

Place the snare halfway between alternating clicks.

Builds on: Snare missing third beat
17
VOICE ALTERNATION · 5 MINUTES

Kick and closed hat dialogue

Alternate kick and closed hi-hat on consecutive beats.

Builds on: Snare half-beat pickups
18
VOICE ALTERNATION · 5 MINUTES

Snare and high tom dialogue

Alternate snare and high tom on consecutive beats.

Builds on: Kick and closed hat dialogue
19
VOICE ALTERNATION · 5 MINUTES

High and floor tom dialogue

Alternate high tom and floor tom on consecutive beats.

Builds on: Snare and high tom dialogue
20
VOICE ALTERNATION · 5 MINUTES

Ride and snare dialogue

Alternate ride and snare on consecutive beats.

Builds on: High and floor tom dialogue
21
VOICE ALTERNATION · 5 MINUTES

Kick and mid tom dialogue

Alternate kick and mid tom on consecutive beats.

Builds on: Ride and snare dialogue
22
VOICE ALTERNATION · 5 MINUTES

Closed and open hat dialogue

Alternate closed hi-hat and open hi-hat on consecutive beats.

Builds on: Kick and mid tom dialogue
23
QUARTER-NOTE GROOVES · 5 MINUTES

Quarter hats with two kicks

Keep quarter hats while the kick marks only each bar start.

Builds on: Closed and open hat dialogue
24
QUARTER-NOTE GROOVES · 5 MINUTES

Four-on-the-floor quarter hats

Combine every-beat kick with a two-and-four snare.

Builds on: Quarter hats with two kicks
25
QUARTER-NOTE GROOVES · 5 MINUTES

Quarter hats and late kick

Add an extra kick on the final beat without dropping the hat.

Builds on: Four-on-the-floor quarter hats
26
QUARTER-NOTE GROOVES · 5 MINUTES

Quarter hats and sparse snare

Hold the kick pattern while delaying the snare until beat four.

Builds on: Quarter hats and late kick
27
QUARTER-NOTE GROOVES · 5 MINUTES

Quarter hats with paired kicks

Separate a paired bass-drum call from a later snare answer.

Builds on: Quarter hats and sparse snare
28
QUARTER-NOTE GROOVES · 5 MINUTES

Quarter hats with beat-three snare

Move the snare to beat three and hear the wider spacing.

Builds on: Quarter hats with paired kicks
29
FIRST FILLS · 5 MINUTES

Snare to tom staircase

Move down the kit in two-hit blocks.

Builds on: Quarter hats with beat-three snare
30
FIRST FILLS · 5 MINUTES

Tom descent with space

Descend through three drums and leave the fourth beat empty.

Builds on: Snare to tom staircase
31
FIRST FILLS · 5 MINUTES

Kick then three toms

Launch each tom descent from the kick.

Builds on: Tom descent with space
32
FIRST FILLS · 5 MINUTES

Snare frame around toms

Bracket each two-tom response with snare hits.

Builds on: Kick then three toms
33
FIRST FILLS · 5 MINUTES

Crash and kick reset

Land crash and kick together on each new bar.

Builds on: Snare frame around toms
34
FIRST FILLS · 5 MINUTES

High-low snare return

Return from wide tom intervals to a two-note snare answer.

Builds on: Crash and kick reset
35
FIRST EIGHTH NOTES · 5 MINUTES

Closed-hat eighth stream

Divide each click into two equal hat notes.

Builds on: High-low snare return
36
FIRST EIGHTH NOTES · 5 MINUTES

Snare eighth-note pairs

Play eighth-note pairs with a silent beat between them.

Builds on: Closed-hat eighth stream
37
FIRST EIGHTH NOTES · 5 MINUTES

Kick eighth pickup

Place the second kick of each bar on the and of three.

Builds on: Snare eighth-note pairs
38
FIRST EIGHTH NOTES · 5 MINUTES

Hat offbeats over kick

Interleave quarter-note kicks and offbeat hats.

Builds on: Kick eighth pickup
39
FIRST EIGHTH NOTES · 5 MINUTES

Two-tom eighth exchange

Alternate high and low toms inside paired eighth-note phrases.

Builds on: Hat offbeats over kick
40
FIRST EIGHTH NOTES · 5 MINUTES

Eighth hats with backbeat

Add bar-start kicks and backbeats to a steady eighth-note hat line.

Builds on: Two-tom eighth exchange

Medium 30 exercises

41
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

And-of-one kick

Add a kick immediately after each downbeat.

Builds on: Eighth hats with backbeat
42
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

And-of-two kick

Keep the snare steady while inserting a kick after beat two.

Builds on: And-of-one kick
43
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

And-of-three kick

Keep a beat-three kick and add its offbeat partner.

Builds on: And-of-two kick
44
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

And-of-four pickup

Lead into each new bar with an offbeat kick.

Builds on: And-of-three kick
45
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

Three-kick eighth cell

Play a close kick pair followed by a separated third kick.

Builds on: And-of-four pickup
46
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

Late double-kick cell

Place two closely spaced kicks near each bar end.

Builds on: Three-kick eighth cell
47
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

Alternating kick bars

Keep hats and snare identical while changing the second-bar kick rhythm.

Builds on: Late double-kick cell
48
EIGHTH-NOTE GROOVES · 7 MINUTES

Syncopated kick chain

Follow irregular kick spacing without moving the backbeat.

Builds on: Alternating kick bars
49
HAT ARTICULATION · 7 MINUTES

Last-and hat opening

Keep the quarter-note kick and backbeat while changing hat positions 4.5, 8.5 to open-hat timbre; foot closure is not scored.

Builds on: Syncopated kick chain
50
HAT ARTICULATION · 7 MINUTES

Second-beat hat opening

Keep the quarter-note kick and backbeat while changing hat positions 2.5, 6.5 to open-hat timbre; foot closure is not scored.

Builds on: Last-and hat opening
51
HAT ARTICULATION · 7 MINUTES

Third-beat hat opening

Keep the quarter-note kick and backbeat while changing hat positions 3.5, 7.5 to open-hat timbre; foot closure is not scored.

Builds on: Second-beat hat opening
52
HAT ARTICULATION · 7 MINUTES

Early hat opening

Keep the quarter-note kick and backbeat while changing hat positions 1.5, 5.5 to open-hat timbre; foot closure is not scored.

Builds on: Third-beat hat opening
53
HAT ARTICULATION · 7 MINUTES

Backbeat-four hat opening

Keep the quarter-note kick and backbeat while changing hat positions 4, 8 to open-hat timbre; foot closure is not scored.

Builds on: Early hat opening
54
HAT ARTICULATION · 7 MINUTES

Alternating hat openings

Keep the quarter-note kick and backbeat while changing hat positions 2, 4.5, 6, 8.5 to open-hat timbre; foot closure is not scored.

Builds on: Backbeat-four hat opening
55
RIDE COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Ride with bar-start kick

Maintain eighth-note ride and a two-and-four snare while placing kick at positions 1, 5.

Builds on: Alternating hat openings
56
RIDE COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Ride with alternating kick

Maintain eighth-note ride and a two-and-four snare while placing kick at positions 1, 3, 5, 7.

Builds on: Ride with bar-start kick
57
RIDE COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Ride and-of-two kick

Maintain eighth-note ride and a two-and-four snare while placing kick at positions 1, 2.5, 5, 6.5.

Builds on: Ride with alternating kick
58
RIDE COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Ride and-of-three kick

Maintain eighth-note ride and a two-and-four snare while placing kick at positions 1, 3.5, 5, 7.5.

Builds on: Ride and-of-two kick
59
RIDE COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Ride pickup kick

Maintain eighth-note ride and a two-and-four snare while placing kick at positions 1, 4.5, 5, 8.5.

Builds on: Ride and-of-three kick
60
RIDE COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Ride mixed kick phrase

Maintain eighth-note ride and a two-and-four snare while placing kick at positions 1, 1.5, 3, 5, 7.5.

Builds on: Ride pickup kick
61
EIGHTH-NOTE FILLS · 7 MINUTES

Eighth-note tom cascade

Descend in two-note cells while maintaining eighth notes.

Builds on: Ride mixed kick phrase
62
EIGHTH-NOTE FILLS · 7 MINUTES

Alternating snare tom fill

Return to snare between alternating high and low tom responses.

Builds on: Eighth-note tom cascade
63
EIGHTH-NOTE FILLS · 7 MINUTES

One-bar groove one-bar fill

Keep the first bar as a groove and replace the second with a descending fill.

Builds on: Alternating snare tom fill
64
EIGHTH-NOTE FILLS · 7 MINUTES

Kick between tom pairs

Insert a single kick between two different tom pairs.

Builds on: One-bar groove one-bar fill
65
EIGHTH-NOTE FILLS · 7 MINUTES

Crash pickup from floor tom

Land crash and kick together on the last offbeat after a tom descent.

Builds on: Kick between tom pairs
66
LINEAR COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Linear kick hat snare

Play one voice per eighth-note slot in a repeating four-note cell.

Builds on: Crash pickup from floor tom
67
LINEAR COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Linear kick snare hat

Move the snare earlier while keeping only one voice at a time.

Builds on: Linear kick hat snare
68
LINEAR COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Linear tom substitution

Replace one hat slot with a high tom.

Builds on: Linear kick snare hat
69
LINEAR COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Linear six-note cycle

Count a six-note cycle across the bar before its four-note ending.

Builds on: Linear tom substitution
70
LINEAR COORDINATION · 7 MINUTES

Linear low-tom answer

Switch the ordering of snare and floor tom in the answering cell.

Builds on: Linear six-note cycle

Expert 30 exercises

71
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Kick on the a of one

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 1.75, 3, 5, 5.75, 7; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Linear low-tom answer
72
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Kick on the e of two

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 2.25, 3.5, 5, 6.25, 7.5; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Kick on the a of one
73
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Late third-beat kick

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 1.5, 3.75, 5, 5.5, 7.75; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Kick on the e of two
74
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Anticipated backbeat kick

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 2.75, 4.5, 5, 6.75, 8.5; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Late third-beat kick
75
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Kick sixteenth double

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 1.25, 3, 5, 5.25, 7; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Anticipated backbeat kick
76
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Kick on the e of three

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 3.25, 4, 5, 7.25, 8; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Kick sixteenth double
77
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Dotted kick sequence

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 1.75, 2.5, 5, 5.75, 6.5; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Kick on the e of three
78
SIXTEENTH KICK PLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Kick before the bar line

Keep eighth-note hats and the backbeat while placing kick at positions 1, 2.25, 4.75, 5, 6.25, 8.75; count each e/a entrance against the slow click.

Builds on: Dotted kick sequence
79
BACKBEAT DISPLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Delayed first backbeat

Keep the kick and hats steady while moving snare to positions 2.5, 4, 6.5, 8; hear how these entrances change the backbeat.

Builds on: Kick before the bar line
80
BACKBEAT DISPLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Anticipated first backbeat

Keep the kick and hats steady while moving snare to positions 1.75, 4, 5.75, 8; hear how these entrances change the backbeat.

Builds on: Delayed first backbeat
81
BACKBEAT DISPLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Delayed final backbeat

Keep the kick and hats steady while moving snare to positions 2, 4.5, 6, 8.5; hear how these entrances change the backbeat.

Builds on: Anticipated first backbeat
82
BACKBEAT DISPLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Sixteenth-late first backbeat

Keep the kick and hats steady while moving snare to positions 2.25, 4, 6.25, 8; hear how these entrances change the backbeat.

Builds on: Delayed final backbeat
83
BACKBEAT DISPLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Sixteenth-early final backbeat

Keep the kick and hats steady while moving snare to positions 2, 3.75, 6, 7.75; hear how these entrances change the backbeat.

Builds on: Sixteenth-late first backbeat
84
BACKBEAT DISPLACEMENT · 9 MINUTES

Displacement then resolution

Keep the kick and hats steady while moving snare to positions 2.5, 4.5, 6, 8; hear how these entrances change the backbeat.

Builds on: Sixteenth-early final backbeat
85
LINEAR SIXTEENTHS · 9 MINUTES

Linear four-voice sixteenths

Cycle kick, closed hat, snare, high tom on the sixteenth grid for four beats, follow the written ending, then count four silent recovery beats.

Builds on: Displacement then resolution
86
LINEAR SIXTEENTHS · 9 MINUTES

Linear double-snare cells

Cycle kick, snare, snare, closed hat on the sixteenth grid for four beats, follow the written ending, then count four silent recovery beats.

Builds on: Linear four-voice sixteenths
87
LINEAR SIXTEENTHS · 9 MINUTES

Linear double-kick cells

Cycle kick, kick, closed hat, snare on the sixteenth grid for four beats, follow the written ending, then count four silent recovery beats.

Builds on: Linear double-snare cells
88
LINEAR SIXTEENTHS · 9 MINUTES

Linear three-slot cycle

Cycle kick, closed hat, snare on the sixteenth grid for four beats, follow the written ending, then count four silent recovery beats.

Builds on: Linear double-kick cells
89
LINEAR SIXTEENTHS · 9 MINUTES

Linear five-slot cycle

Cycle kick, snare, closed hat, high tom, closed hat on the sixteenth grid for four beats, follow the written ending, then count four silent recovery beats.

Builds on: Linear three-slot cycle
90
LINEAR SIXTEENTHS · 9 MINUTES

Linear seven-slot cycle

Cycle kick, closed hat, snare, high tom, kick, floor tom, snare on the sixteenth grid for four beats, follow the written ending, then count four silent recovery beats.

Builds on: Linear five-slot cycle
91
SYNCOPATED FILLS · 9 MINUTES

Sixteenth snare to tom burst

Play changing-length bursts separated by counted recovery space.

Builds on: Linear seven-slot cycle
92
SYNCOPATED FILLS · 9 MINUTES

Offbeat tom entry

Enter the tom cascade on an offbeat and land on kick.

Builds on: Sixteenth snare to tom burst
93
SYNCOPATED FILLS · 9 MINUTES

Snare-kick sixteenth exchange

Alternate snare and kick while changing the spacing before the final tom.

Builds on: Offbeat tom entry
94
SYNCOPATED FILLS · 9 MINUTES

Descending fill with delayed crash

Wait after the tom descent, then resolve on a crash-and-kick offbeat.

Builds on: Snare-kick sixteenth exchange
95
SYNCOPATED FILLS · 9 MINUTES

Three-three-two tom cells

Hear eight sixteenths grouped as three, three, and two without changing tempo.

Builds on: Descending fill with delayed crash
96
COORDINATION STUDIES · 9 MINUTES

Broken-hat funk circuit

Keep a deliberately broken hat line while the kick fills different sixteenth gaps.

Builds on: Three-three-two tom cells
97
COORDINATION STUDIES · 9 MINUTES

Ride and snare interlock

Place a snare pickup just before each ride-aligned backbeat; every snare has equal volume here.

Builds on: Broken-hat funk circuit
98
COORDINATION STUDIES · 9 MINUTES

Open-hat displaced turnaround

Combine late snare entrances, early kick pickups, and offbeat open hats.

Builds on: Ride and snare interlock
99
COORDINATION STUDIES · 9 MINUTES

Groove to linear sixteenth fill

Change from a layered eighth-note groove to a one-voice-at-a-time sixteenth fill.

Builds on: Open-hat displaced turnaround
100
COORDINATION STUDIES · 9 MINUTES

Two-bar coordination review

Maintain a ride groove, switch to a mixed-subdivision fill, and finish with a final crash pickup.

Builds on: Groove to linear sixteenth fill

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