DRUM SET – EXTENSIONS

From the Teachings of Alan Dawson

John Ramsay – PASIC Clinic The Jazz Extensions
(Duple & Triple Feel Extensions)

John Ramsay (Berklee College of Music Professor) takes you through some of Alan Dawson’s most important teachings and systems. This same material had been taught at Berklee for many years. Now, Professor Ramsay is passing the torch to the next generation….that’s YOU!

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  • Lesson 1 – The Alan Dawson Rudimental Ritual
  • Lesson 2 – The Rudimental Ritual – Extension #1 – around the kit
  • Lesson 3 – Intro to Rudimental Ritual – Extension #2 – left foot clave
  • Lesson 4 – The Rudimental Ritual – Extension #3 – LF clave & around the kit
  • Lesson 5 – Intro to The First 3 Ways – basic coordination exercises
  • Lesson 6 – The 8 Triplet Ways – explanation
  • Lesson 7 – The 8 Triplet Ways
  • Lesson 8 – Applications of The 8 Triplet Ways By Memory
  • Lesson 9 – The Para Bossa & Art Blakey Influences
  • Lesson 10 – The Para Bossa on Tom Toms & Cymbals – Extension #4

“Extensions From The Teachings Of Alan Dawson” is a specific instructional course and series of concepts developed by John Ramsay and Henrique De Almeida, both professors at Berklee College of Music and former students of the legendary jazz educator Alan Dawson.
The material focuses on expanding Dawson’s core systems—such as the Rudimental Ritual and the 8 Triplet Ways—into modern jazz, fusion, and world music applications.

Educational Context

Alan Dawson’s teaching was foundational at Berklee College of Music for 18 years, where he taught students like Tony Williams and Vinnie Colaiuta. The “Extensions” serve as a way for his successors to “pass the torch,” ensuring his rigorous systems remain relevant to contemporary drumming styles

Key Components of the Extensions

The course and related teachings generally cover the following areas:

  • The Rudimental Ritual Extensions: Applying Dawson’s famous 120-rudiment routine using different implements (sticks vs. brushes) and orchestrating it across the entire drum set rather than just the snare.
  • The 8 Triplet Ways: Expanding the original eight interpretation methods for Ted Reed’s Syncopation book. This includes singing phrases to internalize them before playing them back using the triplet variations.
  • Jazz Fusion & Modern Coordination: Using Dawson’s methods to develop the styles of modern masters like Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Dave Weckl.
  • World Rhythms: Integrating hand-foot combinations and left-foot clave patterns into traditional jazz coordination.
  • Internalization: Emphasizing “singing” phrases to ensure the drummer is playing musically rather than just mechanically.

This digital course is hosted at The Drum Set Coach (TDSC) online school.

What it includes: The curriculum covers John Ramsay’s Jazz Extensions, the Alan Dawson Rudimental Ritual applied to sticks and brushes, 4-way coordination, and advanced jazz phrasing.

Purchasing: It is available for $297.00 USD as a standalone course at The Drum Set Coach Store. Alternatively, students can access it via a Classroom Pass Membership.

Purchase Now at The Drum Set Coach Store
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