Purchase a practice pad to assist in the preparation of rhythms. These pads are quiet and generally very cheap. If you play the snare drum, purchase a set of drum sticks. If you play the bass drum, purchase a mallet to make your practice sessions more effective. Multiple tom-tom players should purchase multiple pads or find a specially designed tom-tom practice pad.
Check your music to see when you are playing. This is especially important with bass drummers, as the music will include the notes for all bass drummers in the section. If you only play a portion of the music, circle the notes that you must play during the cadence. Consider rewriting the music to only include the notes you are required to play.
Mark sticking patterns above each note to denote which hand you will use to strike each note. This mark can be as simple as an "R" for your right hand and an "L" for your left hand. As a general rule, mark strong beats (typically one and three) with your right hand symbol. If you are left-handed, mark strong beats with your left hand. This is acceptable as long as you do not sacrifice consistency.
Set your metronome at a reasonable tempo and begin playing your portion of the cadence. Do not set the metronome at such a quick pace that you have difficulty playing the cadence. Setting the metronome too high will often prevent you from learning how to play the rhythms correctly. As you become comfortable playing the cadence at your original speed, you can begin to increase the setting very slowly. A good system to use is to play the cadence five times, set the metronome three marks higher, play the cadence an additional five times and then set the metronome two marks lower. Repeat this process until you reach your desired tempo.
Attend or organize section meetings to begin coordinating each drummer's individual parts. These practice sessions should begin at least two weeks before the performance for which your drum line is preparing. The same individual training methods also apply to group practice.