Turn listening skills into professional performance skills.
In today's music industry, drummers need more than great technique. They need to listen critically, learn music efficiently, communicate with other musicians, and perform confidently in live, studio, and session environments.
Practical master class designed to help drummers develop these essential skills
Modern Drum Charting for the Professional Musician is an engaging, practical master class designed to help drummers develop these essential skills. Led by professional drummer, educator, and Drum Chart Builder creator Liz Ficalora, this session teaches students how to create clear, concise, easy-to-read drum charts that translate directly into better musical performances.
Drawing on real-world experience
Drawing on real-world experience as a touring musician, studio drummer, songwriter, and producer, Liz demonstrates a streamlined approach to charting that helps musicians learn songs faster, organize musical information, and stay focused on the music rather than turning pages or struggling with complicated notation.
Students discover how to listen for song structure, identify important musical changes, map out drum parts, and build a practical chart they can use in rehearsals, recording sessions, and live performances.
The master class combines professional insight, demonstrations, and practical instruction to give students a skill they can immediately apply to their musical careers.
What Students Will Learn
Through guided listening, practical examples, and demonstrations, participants will learn how to:
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Identify song form — Recognize intros, verses, choruses, bridges, solos, tags, and endings.
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Listen like a professional — Identify tempo, time signature, feel, grooves, and important musical details.
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Create clear, one-page drum charts — Organize an entire song into a visual roadmap without writing out every measure of music.
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Capture essential drum parts — Learn how to document grooves, fills, accents, hits, pickups, stops, and transitions.
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Improve musical preparation — Develop a repeatable system for learning unfamiliar songs efficiently.
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Communicate with other musicians — Use charts to improve rehearsals, auditions, studio sessions, and live performances.
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Apply modern charting tools — Explore how digital technology, including Drum Chart Builder, can support today's working musician.
A Hands-On Learning Experience
This is more than a lecture about drum notation. Students see the process in action and learn how to apply it to real music.
Liz demonstrates how to listen to a recording, recognize its structure, identify the essential drum parts, and organize that information into a practical chart. Depending on the session format, students can participate in listening exercises, follow along with chart-writing demonstrations, and practice applying the method themselves.
The approach emphasizes clarity, efficiency, musical awareness, and real-world application—helping students bridge the gap between practicing in the classroom and preparing for professional performance opportunities.
Who Should Attend?
This master class is ideal for:
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College and university music performance students
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Drum set and percussion students
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Music educators and percussion instructors
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Professional and aspiring working drummers
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Contemporary music and commercial music programs
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Studio musicians and recording students
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Worship music programs and ensemble directors
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Songwriters, composers, and music production students
The material can be adapted to the students' experience level, program curriculum, and available class time.
About Your Instructor: Liz Ficalora
Liz Ficalora is a professional drummer, educator, author, producer, songwriter, and software designer with a career spanning performance, recording, and music education.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Liz is the author of How to Write a Fast and Easy Drum Chart, published by Alfred Music. She developed her own practical charting method and created Drum Chart Builder, a digital application designed to help musicians create clear, concise drum charts for rehearsals, gigs, and recording sessions.
Her teaching experience includes master classes and clinics at music education conferences, universities, drum shows, and professional music organizations. Her recent master class at NYU Steinhardt brought her professional approach to drum charting to a university music education setting.
Available Formats
The master class can be tailored to your institution's needs.
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Book a Master Class
Invite Liz Ficalora to present Modern Drum Charting for the Professional Musician at your school or organization.
Please include your institution, proposed dates, student audience, and whether you are interested in a master class, hands-on workshop, or educator clinic.
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