I find that a big part of the reason I get asked to play drums for people is not necessarily because of my playing. At a certain point you start going to auditions and getting called for things, and the people you are up against for the drum seat, are all of a similar, if not better, standard than...
The blues shuffle is a beat based on swinging eighth-note triplets. It should sound like four sets of train wheels bumping along the rails. To play a shuffle, give the triplets a swing feel: ONE two-three, TWO two-three, THREE two-three, FOUR two-three.
The shuffle stems from early slave dances....
This was something that I have learnt to do over the years and has been one of the most valuable skills I’ve worked on! How to Learn 40 Songs in a Day! Now it might sound pretty crazy, but this is something I had to learn how to do through pure necessity. It was a time in my life where I was...
This is for anyone who isn’t able to practice their instrument, whether that be because of budgetary constraints, space constrains, or because your neighbors want to put you in constraints! I am extremely lucky to have somewhere to practice and hone my craft as best I can, but it’s not always...
I’ve been looking back over the years and taking stock of some of the greatest bits of advice I’ve been given and the greatest lessons I’ve learned in forwarding my ability as a musician and thought that I’d share some of my findings.
Here are my top 5 ways to better...
Billy Cobham is a drumming legend, a man who’s been ripping up the fusion rulebook as fast as he’s written it, for over 40 years. Here he shares some tips on how to be all that you can be behind the kit. One thing’s for sure – if Billy talks, you listen.
1:...
Have you recently started using an e-kit in a gigging band. As this is still a relatively new approach to live drumming we thought it was a good idea to document our experiences along the way. our weapon of choice is the Yamaha DTX750K. The music is largely 80’s covers. If like most drummers...
If you’ve watched “Whiplash” -then you know how much pressure there is to play drums, and play them well. You don’t have to be like the drummer in that movie and practice until your hands are blistered and bleeding to know when to mix it up with a song.
Reading sheet music could really...
If you’re like most drummers, playing with your non-dominant hand is the first thing to be considered as a weak point. Or, maybe you struggle with speed or timing consistency. No matter what your weakness is, the key to strengthening your playing skills, is intentionality.
Be intentional...
Sheffield-born Pete Ray Biggin’s funk and soul drumming virtuosity has won him an enviably crammed session and touring career, nailing grooves for Incognito, Level 42 and his own outfit, PB Underground, amongst others. Here he shares five pearls of drumming wisdom.
1: Find your...
Heading in to the recording studio can be a daunting prospect, whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth! WDC Drum Specialist Matt Noades has put together a list of his top 5 tips for making sure your kit will sound and perform exactly the way you’d like before you start recording.
Re-Head...
Being a good drummer is more than a hobby. It’s a lifestyle and one that must take lots of diligence and commitment to succeed at. However, the payout is immense. Once you have learned to play drums successfully, it can be one of the fulfilling things that someone could do in their life.
There’s...
There’s probably a few more here, but these are probably some of the ones that can help the most if you are early on in your playing. We know there’s loads more great tips out there to be had so what would you include?
1. Get lessons from a professional drum teacher. With all the online...
Bring Me the Horizon drummer Matt Nicholls offered a great interview recently, sharing nothing but honest thoughts and advice. Matt, who’s been in the group since they started in 2003, admitted that he barely knew to play drums at the beginning, and said that he hated playing to a click at...
We are delighted to announce that the author of our new drummer teacher training course will be at the Music Education Expo at Olympia in London on 25th and 26th of February. Please contact him directly to arrange to have a personal meeting with him, to talk through the benefits and advantages in...
