Category: Lessons and Methods

Playing a conga solo isn’t all about chops. Some of the best improvisation is sparse and melodic. Okay … chops are pretty cool, too. But it’s not enough to keep things interesting. So I thought...

My first pair of sticks for drum set were Zildjian Vinnie Colaiuta signature series. They were similar to a Vic Firth 5A, and I think he also had a signature stick that was more like a VF 5B. I was...

After almost 30 years of drumming, I’ve collected several hacks that have made managing gear and playing drum set more enjoyable. From dealing with the positioning of drums and cymbals to making...

John Bonham's performance on "The Crunge" was in Modern Drummer many years ago, and it was the first time I saw drum set music written out on the staff. I had no idea how to read drum music. Even...

It’s not necessarily an advanced idea to crash a ride or ride a crash. Or is it? I can still hear my junior high jazz instructor telling me to change my ride cymbal sound and not knowing what to...

My first drum lessons were through an elementary school. The teacher didn’t even play drums. He played sax and never inspired me to practice or want to play drums. My idols like John Bonham, Eric...