The Foundational Series
A Deep Practice Guide for Drummers Serious About Mastery
Created by Rich Stitzel, the Foundational Series is the entry point into the DrumMantra Practice System—a comprehensive method designed to sharpen your sense of time, deepen coordination, improve pulse awareness, expand your rhythmic vocabulary, and refine your overall musicianship through structured, meditative practice.
This isn’t about fast hands or flashy fills. It’s about building the mental and physical foundation required to play with clarity, depth, and intention.
🎯 You’ll Strengthen Six Key Musical Elements:
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Time – Improve internal pulse and rhythmic precision
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Reading – Develop fluency with advanced rhythmic notation
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Coordination – Gain greater independence between limbs
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Polymetric Awareness – Understand layered rhythmic structures
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Phrasing – Learn to shape musical ideas with control and intention
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Groove – Build a deep, confident pocket that locks in
🧠 You’ll Also Train Your Mind to Master:
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Focus
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Patience
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Presence
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Intention
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Awareness
📦 What’s Inside the Book:
The Foundational Series is organized into three time signatures—4/4, 3/4, and 5/4—each with its own set of progressive exercises:
🔹 Warm-Ups
Paired with “moving click” audio tracks to challenge your awareness, technique, and timing in a shifting pulse environment.
🔹 Meditations
Long-form coordination workouts ranging from 6 to 37 minutes, exploring accent permutations and pulse displacement in the 16th-note grid.
🔹 Rhythmic Melodies
Advanced reading and concentration drills featuring 8 original 4-bar melodies per section. You’ll play the melodies with your feet while navigating complex hand stickings and accent structures.
Each exercise is supported by high-quality audio tracks, designed to transform your practice into a fully immersive musical experience.
🗣️ What the Pros Are Saying:
“Rich’s method is a literal drum meditation practice and teaches you the importance of the journey, not just the destination.”
—Mark Walker, 8x Grammy Winner, Berklee College of Music
“The backing tracks are where it’s at. Every exercise is accompanied by a track that pushes you to practice more. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.”
—Anthony Stanislavski, Author, Phrasing & Freedom with Brushes
“Looking at the page seems simple, but when you do it—oh man...”
—Lukas Landis, Pro Drummer & Educator
“A huge help—as a personal development tool and a teaching aid for my students.”
—Chris Mead, Pro Drummer & Educator
“I’ve only practiced the Foundational Series all week… and the band said I was on fire.”
—Gary Evans, Pro Drummer