HOW CAN I HELP YOU TO BECOME A BETTER DRUMMER?
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This was fun! For those curious, here’s a little peek into how I approached playing this song:
In this article, I’ll help you discover what it is that’s holding you back from achieving your goals.
Marland from San Diego asks about ear plugs. The sound quality of his current ear plugs just aren't cutting it. What are the best kind to get? In this episode, I give my recommendation for exactly what kind of ear plugs you should get, and what filter is best for you.
Last September, I embarked on an extended backpacking trip throughout Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. I saw the sights, ate the food, and immersed myself into other ways of life. Living out of a backpack is something that I think everybody should experience at least once in their lifetime.
Jules from San Diego asks about what to do if you're having problems tuning your snare drum. She's bought new heads but still seems to be having trouble. Jules, you're not alone! In this episode, I'll discuss my 4 things to consider when tuning your snare drum.
It's happened to us all at some point... you're sitting in and a tune is called that you don't know.
How do you "drive the bus" even if you don't know the tune?
This is perhaps the GREATEST tuning guide I have EVER seen!
It's been floating around on the internet since the 90's and I refer to it anytime I'm having trouble tuning a particular drum.
Nathan from San Diego asks about ear protection. What can you do to prevent tinnitus? How can you make smarter decisions about ear protection? In this episode, I offer specific ear plug recommendations and share my tips for preventing ear damage.
I asked Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton, Zoro, Johnny Rabb, Curt Bisquera, Ari Hoenig, Victor Indrizzo, Jonathan Mover, Walfredo Reyes Jr., Steve Fidyk, Bermuda Schwartz, Dan Needham, Bruce Becker, Bill Bachman, Jeff Queen, Pete Lockett, Andre Boyd, Nick Ruffini, Dave Kropf, Richie Gajate-Garcia, Tim Lefevbre, and many more to give their top piece of advice to drummers.
THE SIMPLEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE OFTEN THE MOST CHALLENGING TO MASTER.
This week, I'd like to share an incredibly simple warmup exercise with you, yet its simplicity can be quite deceiving.
This week’s question comes from Richard in Seattle WA who asks about buying his first practice drum kit. How should he spend his money wisely? In this episode, I’ll offer my tips for how to purchase your first drum set, especially if you’re on a budget.
Show notes and links for this episode can be found at http://www.askthedrummer.com
Matt from Austin, TX asks how to discover new drum sounds. What do you do when you start to get bored with your own playing? In this episode, I’ll explain how to use the formula IMAGINATION + RESTRICTION = CREATIVITY to create an infinite number of new sounds on your kit.
Want to add more energy to your playing?
Today, we'll take a look at 4 drummers who play with a ton of energy.
By deconstructing WHY their playing is so energetic, you'll be able to incorporate these concepts into your own playing.
Ready? Let’s go!
In this episode, I'll show you what Active Listening is by deconstructing the tune "So What" by Miles Davis. Active Listening is a game-changer for how you can listen to music. I'll also be reading listener comments and talk about my upcoming trip to Asia!
Show notes and links for this episode can be found at http://www.askthedrummer.com
#1 - INCONSISTENT INCOME
If you are a working drummer, chances are that you are doing many different things to earn a living: fill-in gigs, summer tours, weekend cover band gigs, weeknight jazz gigs, teaching lessons, or all of the above. Because gigs come and go year-round and can be quite unpredictable, it means that your income will likely be fluctuating from month to month.
Therefore, you need to treat yourself as if you were running your own streamlined business, because you are! As a professional drummer, you need to have a better handle on your finances than most other people do because you don't have the comfort of a full-time salary position. But, the good news is that it IS possible to make a living as a working drummer, you just have to make some changes to the way you handle your finances/lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to face an inconsistent income:
Ben from Florida asks about locking in with other bandmates. What do you do if you can’t seem to lock in the pocket with another musician? In this episode, I offer my thoughts and tips on how to approach these situations when they come up.
“The Minimum Effective Dose is the smallest dose that will produce a desired outcome… Anything BEYOND the MED is wasteful.” - Tim Ferriss
Johnny from Indianapolis asks about selecting a drum stick. Do you pick a versatile stick for all genres or do you use different sticks for different gigs? In this episode, I discuss the 6 factors that go into drum stick design, and how you can use this information to find the right stick for the job.
It becomes virtually impossible to let criticism effect you negatively if you stay focused your own happiness, goals, and purpose.
EAR PROTECTION
Marland from San Diego asks about ear plugs. The sound quality of his current ear plugs just aren't cutting it. What are the best kind to get? In this episode, I give my recommendation for exactly what kind of ear plugs you should get, and what filter is best for you.
Nathan from San Diego asks about ear protection. What can you do to prevent tinnitus? How can you make smarter decisions about ear protection? In this episode, I offer specific ear plug recommendations and share my tips for preventing ear damage.
Shaan from Indianapolis asks about in-ear monitors for drummers. Should you get the custom molds? How many drivers should they have? In this episode, I discuss the pros & cons of wearing in-ear monitors and offer tips on what specific models you should look for.
GEAR / SETUP
Johnny from Indianapolis asks about selecting a drum stick. Do you pick a versatile stick for all genres or do you use different sticks for different gigs? In this episode, I discuss the 6 factors that go into drum stick design, and how you can use this information to find the right stick for the job.
Jay from South Carolina asks about gigs that require you to play in all styles. How should you tune your drums in a way that can handle all styles while still sounding authentic? What gear should you bring? In this episodes, I’ll show you how to make smart compromises to the sound of your kit.
Mark from Colorado asks how he can improve the efficiency/speed of his load-in/loud-out process. In this episode, I’ll offer tips on how to create systems for yourself when it comes to:
1) Loading your drums
2) Unloading your drums
3) Setting your drums up
4) Tearing your drums down.
![[DRUM HACKS] - How Do I Make My Drum Sticks Last Longer? | Ask The Drummer Podcast #004](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54bc39a9e4b06f2c55f5b7bb/1468601483922-FX6X3JK0FV6Y0553EH8Z/AskTheDrummerLogo2.JPG)
Here's a quick "drum hack" on how to get more life out of your drum sticks. All you need is a sharpie marker.
ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS
In this article, I’ll help you discover what it is that’s holding you back from achieving your goals.
BETTER PRACTICE
Matt from Austin, TX asks how to discover new drum sounds. What do you do when you start to get bored with your own playing? In this episode, I’ll explain how to use the formula IMAGINATION + RESTRICTION = CREATIVITY to create an infinite number of new sounds on your kit.
In this episode, I'll show you what Active Listening is by deconstructing the tune "So What" by Miles Davis. Active Listening is a game-changer for how you can listen to music. I'll also be reading listener comments and talk about my upcoming trip to Asia!
Show notes and links for this episode can be found at http://www.askthedrummer.com
#1 - INCONSISTENT INCOME
If you are a working drummer, chances are that you are doing many different things to earn a living: fill-in gigs, summer tours, weekend cover band gigs, weeknight jazz gigs, teaching lessons, or all of the above. Because gigs come and go year-round and can be quite unpredictable, it means that your income will likely be fluctuating from month to month.
Therefore, you need to treat yourself as if you were running your own streamlined business, because you are! As a professional drummer, you need to have a better handle on your finances than most other people do because you don't have the comfort of a full-time salary position. But, the good news is that it IS possible to make a living as a working drummer, you just have to make some changes to the way you handle your finances/lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to face an inconsistent income:
Your ability to focus on the details, like anything, is a specific skill that can be developed over time.
If the majority of drummers will eventually face this “lack of time" problem, what do we do about it? In this article, I’ll tell you how I solved the problem for myself, but first we’ll need to turn to the world of fitness.
It’s sort of like driving. If you only look 2 feet in front of you, driving would be very stressful. Driving becomes much easier when you look further ahead… it allows you to plan for what’s coming next.
Michael Miley is the drummer for the Rival Sons. He began drumming when he was 4 years old. His dad played him “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins and after the classic drum fill, Michael knew right then and there what the future would hold for him.
LEVEL-UP YOUR MINDSET
Last September, I embarked on an extended backpacking trip throughout Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. I saw the sights, ate the food, and immersed myself into other ways of life. Living out of a backpack is something that I think everybody should experience at least once in their lifetime.
It's happened to us all at some point... you're sitting in and a tune is called that you don't know.
How do you "drive the bus" even if you don't know the tune?
Our question this week comes from Gino in Toronto Canada, who asks what you should do when working with a sound engineer who seems to be a bit jaded. Unfortunately, these situations do happen from time to time, but in this episode I will offer a few specific tips for working with sound engineers.
When you go on stage, are you playing honestly, or are you trying to satisfy your Critic Voice?
I asked Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton, Zoro, Johnny Rabb, Curt Bisquera, Ari Hoenig, Victor Indrizzo, Jonathan Mover, Walfredo Reyes Jr., Steve Fidyk, Bermuda Schwartz, Dan Needham, Bruce Becker, Bill Bachman, Jeff Queen, Pete Lockett, Andre Boyd, Nick Ruffini, Dave Kropf, Richie Gajate-Garcia, Tim Lefevbre, and many more to give their top piece of advice to drummers.
“When life hands you lemons, made dilemna-nade” - Ryan Knudsen