I recently watched Master Series — Antonio Sanchez. This is a great DVD from Hudson Music. One important concept Antonio talks about is learning the “language” of any musical genre. He said that he had worked on and had developed pretty good...
Read moreKeep Smiling
I have noticed that some of my favorite musicians (including some drummers) seem to almost always be smiling while they perform. It’s quite obvious that they’re not only enjoying playing the music being played, but they’re also having a great...
Read moreLocking In With the Bass Player
It has been my experience when playing in any musical situation that if the bass player and I can lock in and play well together, then the rest of the group will feel our groove. I’m always listening to the other players, but I’m also aware that...
Read moreDrummers Are Musicians
Yes — Drummers are musicians. This is not always reflected in other people’s attitudes towards us. I was preparing for subbing for a gig and the leader put lyric/chord charts into a cloud folder for me (along with mp3’s, as well). The charts had...
Read moreDrum Fills and Listening
Most drummers like to play drum fills. Some drummers really like to play these fills — sometimes to the point of being too much. My main piece of advice to my students is to learn to listen. Listen to the song and stay out of the way of the...
Read moreWhat Are The Most Overlooked Aspects of Drumming?
I think that this is a great question, and one that I was asked recently. From my experience, two things come to mind: (1) not enough time is spent on basic hand technique; and (2) not enough time is spent listening to the masters. Some people...
Read moreTechnique; Aging and Chops
There was a recent post on a social networking site wondering if certain drummers had lost some ability over the years. The author was reminiscing about music from the 1970’s that was high-energy and recorded with some great drummers. These...
Read moreJamming with Friends
I was the host drummer at a jam session last night and some guitar player friends showed up. I was fortunate and got to play with them all throughout the evening. You never know who’s going to show up for a jam, and last night no other drummers...
Read moreMaking Magic
I love the feeling when playing music where it feels almost magical. One of my students felt this recently after we had been working on a swing ride cymbal pattern and I asked him to try to count out loud while playing the ride. Before he began...
Read morePlaying Music
Recently, after a sound check at a fun gig, the bass player approached me and commented how nice it was to simply play music together. He talked about how neither of us were trying to impress the other — that we were both there to play music...
Read moreBeing Flexible
I am fortunate enough to play with various musicians in many different groups. Sometimes I’m familiar with the group, but I haven’t done the gig with a particular bass player, e.g. We have both done this gig, but with other players. What can be...
Read moreDrum Solos!
I tend to like playing for the music regardless of the style. Most of the time, that means that I get the opportunity to groove hard while interacting with the other musicians. I like the moments that are not planned the best. To me, this is when...
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