The demands on a modern drummer are greater than ever before. Versatility, creativity, touch, dynamics and coordination are all prized attributes of the world's best drummers. The Specialist Certificate in Drums is a three-course guided study path that provides drummers with the foundational information they need to be an effective, expressive, drummer; as well as the specific skill set necessary to excel in rock, funk, and R&B styles.

This certificate starts with the basics that all drummers need to learn. Drum Set Fundamentals explores five foundational main topics—musicianship, hand-to-hand technique, snare drum reading, drum set coordination, and repertoire development. Starting with the basics, such as the concept of time, how to develop proper grip, playing area, and how to achieve balance and evenness between your hands. The course moves on to featured topics related to two-, three-, and four-way coordination, touch, balance, dynamics, and shadings in the context of common groove patterns found in rhythm & blues, pop-rock, funk, rock, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban music.

Once you have the basics under your belt, you'll move onto Rock Drums, a hands-on, performance-based course full of top tier musical examples and playing opportunities. The course covers topics such as different kinds of beats and fills, how to change the sound and feel of a groove, ghost-stroking techniques, syncopated grooves, odd time, double bass drumming, and the rudiments as they apply to rock drumming. There are a wealth of musical examples in the course as well, from bands like Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kiss, Radiohead, Judas Priest, Slipknot and more. Whether you are a part-time hobbyist or a drummer who has their eyes set on a career in music, Rock Drums will strengthen your knowledge of and ability to play various rock drumming styles, and provide you with a rich skill set in orchestrating effective grooves and fills around the drum set for rock music.

The last course in this certificate program is Funk/R&B Drums. In this course, you'll focus on developing solid time and an "in the pocket," laid-back time feel to your playing. You'll explore topics such as triplet-based blues and gospel patterns, shuffles, New Orleans style R&B, ghost notes, bass drum technique, sixteenth-note patterns, various hi-hat patterns and openings, fills, displaced backbeats, playing and setting up ensemble figures, and drum breaks. The course also covers the work of many of the drummers that were absolutely crucial to the development of this genre, including Earl Palmer (Little Richard, Clyde Stubblefield, Jabo Starks (James Brown), David Garibaldi (Tower Of Power), Zigaboo Modeliste (The Meters), and many more.

By the end of this certificate program, you'll have improved your overall sense of coordination, touch, and dynamics, and the specific skills to play songs and improvise rhythms in the style of rock, funk, and R&B.