DRUM GEEK

JAMES BROWN’S “COLD SWEAT”

Interesting facts about Cold Sweat. The horn line is based on Miles Davis’ “So What.” The band set up in a semicircle in the studio with one microphone and recorded live in the studio in one…
BASIC ROCK BEATS

Rock has a long lineage of amazing drummers. Ringo Starr, John Bonham, Peter Criss, and Mick Fleetwood to name just a very few. Rock and roll often demands a simplistic approach to create what we might…
BACK TO BASICS – PART 2

The past couple of months we looked at some basic groove concepts. Now it’s time to strengthen our grasp on some basic fills. Each one is written with a four-measure groove loop that will help you…
BACK TO BASICS – PART 1

I decided to throw a curveball out here. You can easily say “I can play these” and ignore the lesson here, or you can take the challenge and see what you can do with them. Almost…
A DIFFERENT WAY TO FLOW – PART 2

After Part 1, I wanted to play some exercises to help me get comfortable grooving and comping between the snare and bass. So here are the exercises I have been doing. I also started playing the…
A DIFFERENT WAY TO FLOW – PART 1

This is a fun concept I have been working on lately. I picked it up from watching NYC drummers like Keith Carlock and Zach Danziger play. They were able to keep time with the ride and…
GUAGUANCO

For this lesson we take an in-depth look at the Guaguanco drum set groove. Be sure to take advantage of the transcription and instructional video, which are both included below. Both the instructional video and transcription…
THE CHAAL

The chaal is one of the most widely used grooves in various types of Indian music and is generally played on instruments like the dhol or the tabla. For those who practice Indian music in the…
TIRKIT

If you recall I showed you the Chaal a few lessons back. Like the Chaal the Tirkit is a staple groove in Indian music and is commonly played on instruments like the Dhol or Tabla. The Tirkit…
DEVELOPING DOUBLE STROKE ROLL WITH FEET – PART 1

by Libor Hadrava As drummers, we usually don’t take practicing our feet as seriously as we should. I have developed several exercises that will help your feet get more comfortable with tasks that are second nature…
ACCENT TO PARADIDDLE

Hello, I hope all is well in the world of drums. This exercise is focusing on accent to taps to accented paradiddles. It’s a simple 1/8– 1/16 note piece, but we are using odd groupings of 5,7,…
3 AND 6

Hello, I hope all is well in shred land. This week’s lesson is a nice, little, short one but I think it’s still pretty fun. We’re once again shedding our double paradiddles (something of an obsession…
THEFT PREVENTION

A few years ago I attended a Dennis Chambers clinic that left me incredibly inspired. Not only did Dennis solo for an hour straight, I had the opportunity to chat with him afterwards, a huge honor indeed.…
THE PRACTICE OF TEACHING

While Terence Fletcher may have had many a prospective drummer running to the hills (enter notes of Nicko McBrian), J.K. Simmons’ portrayal of a bald headed drum goon hardly paints an accurate picture of music education.…
FOR YOUR EARS ONLY

Unless you have been living under a rock, you are probably well aware of the dangers we drummers face when it comes to hearing loss. Being that the average drummer produces sound well above 85db, it…
THE CYMBAL CLEANING GOSPEL

My insight into cymbal care has always come from trial and error or hearsay. While I feel like I have found my groove in the maintenance department, there begs the question, what might a cymbal manufacturer…
KICK PEDAL EVOLUTION

Although Warren “Baby” Dodds is often credited with being the first trap kit drummer, a version of the kick pedal made its first appearance in the 1800s, sixty years before Dodds stepped behind any drumkit. Nineteenth…
A FOOL LIKE ME

“It is all about being open and paying attention to the music in your head. I think most people have original music playing in their heads from time to time.” ~Tommy Shaw (Styx) We are all too…
BAGGAGE CLAIM

For those of us who know the rigors of touring, many will attest to the importance of traveling light. After all, who really wants to have a one-bedroom apartment to pack away when lobby call is…
ROY BURNS TALKS DRUM ENDORSEMENTS

THE APPROACH Don’t call up a company thinking you’re going to get an endorsement before you’ve had any real exposure or experience. You have to be with a band, proven with high visibility, done a lot…