Hal Blaine just passed away at age 90. Look him up if you don’t know his name. Many of you will know the groups and the songs. 15 Classic Songs that Featured Hal Blaine If you haven’t done so already, check out the documentary The Wrecking...
Read moreKeep Practicing
Over the years, it’s been a bit of a mantra of mine to simply keep practicing. As it turns out, sometimes it’s not so simple. I run my own business which is multi-faceted. I love what I do and I am so grateful, and yet it seems that there are not...
Read moreCongratulations to Steve Gadd!
My heartfelt congratulations to Steve Gadd and his band. The Steve Gadd Band just won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Way Back Home: Live From Rochester, NY. To many of us (me included), Gadd is the ultimate pro — he can...
Read moreHappy 2019
Happy New Year to everyone! 2019 is here! I just received a nice email from a good friend who talked about working on some pretty hard stuff — Joe Morello’s Master Studies and Ted Reed’s Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer. He...
Read moreDrum Teachers
Today, one of my drum students asked me about the number of different drum teachers I’ve had. So, I decided to make a list: Thomas Search Ted Fulte Joe Hunt Jun Saito Skip Hadden Ed Kaspik Alan Dawson Kenwood Dennard Buster Bailey Frankie Malabe...
Read moreWorking on Your Internal Clock
Fairly frequently, I am asked how to improve one’s internal clock. Here are some of my thoughts: Developing a strong internal clock is something that I continue to work on every day. I use a metronome/click more often than not. I attempt to keep...
Read moreRecording Bands
Recently, my studio has started getting work recording bands. Originally, I designed my space with private teaching (with video cameras); remote drum tracks; and drum instructional videos in mind. However, I have started to embrace engineering...
Read moreMusical Ego and Being Humble
Earlier this week, I was humbled (once again) hearing some musicians at a jam session. Philadelphia is still relatively new to me, so I am still exploring the various places to hear music. I really enjoy hearing great music — regardless of the...
Read moreDifferent Venue | Different Band | Different Day | Different Gig
Different Venue | Different Band | Different Day | Different Gig — something for everyone! I have written before in this space stressing the importance for drummers to play the gig you’re currently on at any given moment. I hope to reach out...
Read moreTeaching Drums
I have been teaching drums for quite a while at this point, yet in never ceases to amaze me when a student starts to get it. This may be something as basic as their first drum beat, fill, or even their first snare drum etude. It just always gets...
Read moreAnd Repeat
Just when I think I have some things together on the drum set, something else comes along that trips me up. While this obviously frustrates me, I strive to embrace the process. I find that it helps if I allow myself to feel whatever amount of...
Read morePlay the Gig (Again)
I have posted before about the notion of playing the gig you’re on — not the one that you may be dreaming of. You can search for that post — it’s only slightly different than this one. The theme is the same, and bears repeating. I always...
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