Crosstraining: A Method for applying Rhythms and Techniques to Drum set, Hand Percussion and Mallet Instruments

Rob Lewis

Aug 2011 · Mel Bay Publications

About this ebook

Looking for a way to improve your playing? Stuck in a rut with your practice routine? Here's an excellent way to get a whole new perspective and improve your musicianship too! Crosstraining in percussion means applying the rhythms and techniques, sticking and phrasing that you're already familiar with to new instruments you wish to learn. If you are a drummer who wants to learn to solo, what better way than to be able to play the song itself, melodically, on another instrument that's played with your drummer's muscles? And you mallet players out there can play more concise, rhythmically accurate solos, if you can employ the precision required to play Funk, Rudimental, or Fusion drums! Crosstraining enables the multi-faceted percussionist develop his/her skills by applying a specific rhythm or technique, one at a time, to all the instruments in their collection. The book includes online audio of material to learn from and practice with. Includes access to online audio.

About the author

Rob Lewis is from Colorado Springs, Colorado where he was musically active in the Ft. Carson Army

Band, as well as a freelance drummer for a wide variety of other bands in the area. As a

vibraphonist he fronted his own Rob Lewis Trio playing jazz standards regularly at the Broadmoor

Hotel and other venues. He is a gradu- ate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, cum laude

with a B.A. degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging. For two years, Rob performed with dance and

show bands on both Norwegian and Holland-America cruise lines backing singers, jugglers, magicians,

comedians, and name acts such as the Coasters, the Diamonds, and the HBO Comedy Showcase.

Having developed a solid teaching curriculum over the last 16 years, and performing with some of

the best blues and jazz artists in his home state of Colorado, Rob brought his experience to the

Portland, Oregon music scene where he gives lessons at his home studio. He is currently on staff at

Reed College, Lewis & Clark College, and the Oregon Ballet Theater School, accompanying ballet,

contemporary, and improvisational dance classes with the MalletKAT, and lots of hand percussion. He

is also performing and composing music locally with 3 Leg Torso, an eclectic bunch of geniuses that

perform mostly original music steeped in Klezmer, Latin, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern

music. Rob also freelances with various blues and jazz bands, most notably the Terry Robb Band and

the Woody Hite Big Band.