John Hargis

Teacher   Drummer   Composer     (253) 273-3716

The Three T's Of Quality Drumming


Effective drumming emerges as a synthesis of three essential attributes: the ability to keep accurate time, an ongoing commitment to improved technique and taste, which involves listening and responding to music in a variety of styles and genres. Drummers at all levels must continuously challenge themselves in these areas to maintain and enhance their proficiency. Within these general areas the following skills form the basis of my evaluation of student growth and development:

TIME (Counting)


  • Ability to play in sync with a metronome:
    -Student catches his/her own "drift" and compensates their speed to correct.
    -Student can play a range of tempos comfortably without rushing or dragging.
  • Can approximate the correct Beats Per Minute (BPM) of a song by ear.
  • Effectively reads notes, rests and time signatures from printed music.
  • Handles breaks and rests without rushing.
  • Can consistently identify and play a variety of time signatures and grooves by ear, including:
    2/4 - 3/4 - 4/4 - 5/4 - 7/4 - 3/8 - 5/8 - 6/8 - 7/8 - 9/8 - 12/8
    Cut-time and half-time.
  • Can identify and play a variety of styles, including:
    rock, funk, blues shuffle, jazz shuffle/swing, hip-hop, R&B, metal, disco, samba, rhumba, tango, reggae, others.

TECHNIQUE (Form)


  • Able to play a variety of rudiments with proper sticking.
  • Ability to distribute rudiments around the drum set.
  • Stick grip and body posture (matched grip emphasized):
    All fingers making contact with stick, stick making contact with palm. Wrist motion trumps forearm motion. Wrists are horizontal with thumb and index-finger on sides. Knees are positioned directly over the heels. Back is straight and does not counter-balance the legs.
  • Smooth, fluid movement from fills to crash cymbals and the downbeat. Involves awareness of 4 and 8-bar phrasing.
  • Four-limb independence and coordination:
    -Hi-hat pedal consistently marks the backbeat, quarter notes and upbeats during grooves and fills.
    -Can coordinate syncopated bass-drum/hi-hat combinations.
    -Can play nonlinear patterns in the ride cymbal or hi-hat stick, (e.g. 1, & a 2, & a 3, etc.)
  • Demonstrates effective use of crossovers, “show” stickings and twirls.
  • Polyrhythmic Phrasing (advanced)
    -Ability to mix subdivisions using different limbs.
    Includes 3/2, 3/4, 4/6, 4/3, 5/4, 9/2 and others.
  • Bass drum foot can play consecutive 8ths and at least two consecutive 16ths at various tempos.
  • Double-bass pedal coordination and symmetry.

TASTE (Listening)


  • Recognizes the need to serve the song as a priority in their playing.
  • Ability to emulate musical phrasings and accents
  • Can identify and play common syncopations such as:
    “And-of-four” grooves; upbeat bass drum; downbeat snare.
  • Ability to identify and map key areas of an arrangement and show contrast between them. Includes Intro, Verse, Chorus, Breaks, Bridges and Codas. Understands the general use of hi-hat for verse & ride cymbal for chorus.
  • Ability to utilize silence - knows when not to play
  • Identification of downbeats:
    -Can find the “one” from songs cued randomly.
  • Applies and responds to dynamics - can play quietly or loudly with precision and control.
  • Can count off a song clearly - finishes strongly and accurately with the music.