8 STEPS TO
BAD ASS
DRUMMING
THEDRUMNINJA.COM
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for downloading 8 Steps To Bad Ass Drumming.
This simple guide was written with you in mind and will give you some top tips and advice
on how to raise your drum game. No matter If you are a beginner who is just finding your
way round the kit or an advanced player who wants to take it to the next level, there is
something in here for you.
The best thing to do is give it a quick run through right now while it’s fresh in your mind
then print it off or store it somewhere on your computer where you can find it easily and
refer back to it often. There is plenty of advice that will serve you well for years to come so
don’t feel you have to act on everything right away.
As they say, take your time and enjoy the journey.
Many people will read this, do nothing and then forget about it. Others will take the advice
and roll with it - making changes to the way they practice, the way they learn and the way
they play. If you approach it with an open mind and at least try some of the tips then you
might be pleasantly surprised by the impact it has on your drumming.
With the right information, coaching and attitude you can achieve great things so use this
as the first big step in your drumming evolution.
Here’s to your drumming success,
The Drum Ninja
STEP 1 - TUNE YOUR DRUMS
You could be the best player in the world but if your drums are out of tune your gonna
sound nasty. So, first things first is to learn how to tune your drums.
I know you want to get right in there and just beat up on those things but trust me, it’s well
worth the time it takes to learn. Having a good sound out of your kit is a pre-requisite to
great drumming.
Develop Your Ear
Before learning the mechanics of drum tuning it’s important to know that getting a great
drum sound, requires a great ear. Us drummers understand rhythm very well, but when it
comes to tone we are somewhat lacking. And, until we develop our ear and sense of tone
we will never be able to get the best sound out of our drums.
So, we start with our ears!
In a recent interview, Bob Gatzen suggested that learning a second instrument (Piano,
Guitar, Voice) is probably the best way to develop our sense of tonality. By learning to
hear, play & sing pitches we will improve our connection to the drums and our ability to
tune.
Clean Your Hardware
Before you put a new head on it’s best to give the shell, the rim, the lugs and the new head
a quick clean. Remove any dirt or woodchips with a dry, lint-free cloth – this will help to
prevent any damage to the drum shell and warping of the skin.
Seat The Head
First things first with a new head is to seat it. A lot of old school drummers tighten a new
head all the way up then tune it down from there. The problem with this approach is that
over tightening a head can damage it and then you’ll never get a good sound. According to
Bob, the best thing to do is tune the head up, play it for a bit (it will go down naturally),
then tune it up again. This will break the head in naturally.
Tune The Top Head
Start working on the top (batter) head with the bottom head muffled so that you are just
hearing one head at a time. You will also want to work with the drum off it’s stand. Refer to
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the diagram below and tune across the head as opposed to around the head – A-B, C-D,
E-F – using quarter to half turns. As you tune play 1-2 inches from the rim to hear the pitch
at each lug. The final goal is to have each lug pitched evenly.
Tune The Bottom Head
Once you are happy with the sound of your top head, the bottom head is much easier. The
pitches should be pretty close so all you need to do is copy the pitch of the top head on
the bottom using the same technique. Some drummers like the bottom head to be a pitch
or two lower than the top so experiment to find your personal preferences.
Find Your Sound
The final sound of your drums will depend on the sounds that you like and the kind of
music that you play most often. It’s important to develop your own distinct voice that sits
well in the music so don’t be scared to try different drums, heads and combinations. Your
local retailer will be able to help find the right products for you.
Practice Often
Developing your tuning skills is much like developing your playing skills – you need to
practice often to become a master. Head down to your local high school and offer to tune
their drums for free. Look for colleges, community centers and churches where you can do
the same. If you have students, tune their drums as well. Look for as many opportunities
as possible to develop your ear and your tuning technique.
Keep Learning
Your knowledge of drum tuning doesn’t stop here. You should keep reading books, picking
up DvD’s, and talking to other drummers, techs and sound engineers. You will learn much
more and you will get much better.
Here are some resources that will help you out:
Bob Gatzen’s Drum Tuning: Sound and Design…Simplified
Martin Ranscombe’s Tuning Basics For The Modern Drumset
Mike Michalkow’s Drum Tuning System.
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STEP 2 - IMPROVE YOUR SETUP
One of the easiest ways to to improve your playing is to improve the set-up of your kit. The
height, angles and placement of your stool, drums and cymbals all effect the way you play
so it’s a good idea to build the most ergonomically efficient kit for your body and style.
This will give you the greatest control and feedback from the kit - allowing you to play
better, faster and for longer.
Always remember, efficiency is more important than aesthetics!
So many young players have their drums set up to look cool - but they find it difficult to
play. What good is a piece of equipment if you can’t reach it or use it to it’s full potential?
The Throne
The first thing you need to get right is the throne so forget about everything else for the
moment and place your throne in the center of an empty room with nothing around you.
Now, sit down and check the height of your throne. You should feel balanced with your feet
planted firmly on the floor. Your knee should form a 90 degree angle and you will have a
strong base with your feet about shoulder width apart. Adjust the height until you reach the
sweet spot.
Look at where your feet are - this is where your pedals should be placed for the bass drum
and hi-hat. Go get them now and put them in position.
Air Drumming
Now grab a pair of sticks and start to air drum. That’s right, air drum.
With no drums in front of you, your body will find the most natural way to move and it will
tell you were everything else should be positioned.
Watch where your hands go, they will find the height and angle that is most comfortable.
This is where to position the rest of the drums and cymbals.
Add The Snare, The Toms & The Cymbals
Now that your body has found where it is comfortable, start to position your snare drum. It
should be in between your knees, easy to reach and easy to play. Play on it for a few
minutes. Do your movements feel natural?
Once your snare is where you want it to be bring in the toms. Keep air drumming to find
the positions that are most intuitive and natural to you.
Repeat this process for the cymbals as well.
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Now play on the kit and see how it feels to you. Close your eyes and see if your hands fall
naturally onto the drums and cymbals. If they do, then you are done. If not, then continue
playing around until you get to the position of greatest comfort.
New Gear
There will be times in your drumming life when you decide to add a new cymbal to your set
up, take some toms away or bring some percussion. Go through the same process to
position your new gear in the best natural place.
There’s not real mystery to it - it’s all about the feel.
Don’t try to copy anyone else’s set up. Go with what works for you. Your body knows best
and will tell you where everything should go. Keep air drumming and playing with your
eyes closed to find what is right.
Microphones
When you play live or in a studio you might find that your ergonomically correct kit doesn’t
leave much room for microphones. You’ll need to create a bit of leeway to get the mics in
there so be flexible and accept the fact that it won’t always be the way you like it.
Venues
The biggest challenge of all is when you start playing in different clubs and venues where
the stage is tiny and there is barely enough room for your bass drum and stool. Again, you
need to be flexible in these situations and go through the air drumming process for the
space that you are presented with. You might not feel or play your best but you will still
hopefully find a comfortable position.
Play With Your Hands
A great final test is to put the sticks down and play with your hands. If you can touch every
piece on the set with your hands and play patterns without excess strain or effort then you
know everything is where it should be. When it feels right, it is right!
Enjoy your new set up and let’s move on to the next step.
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STEP 3 -
IMPROVE YOUR TECHNIQUE
Every top drummer has incredible technique, sound and style. They play with such
precision and they make it look so easy. Watching and listening to the way a professional
drummer performs provides a great insight into the techniques they use, but at the same
time you could get disheartened and think, ‘I’ll never get to that level’.
If you really want to improve then you will need to get to grips with your own technique at
some point (preferably now rather than later) and concentrate on developing your own
natural drumming abilities and style.
The best way to do this is through regular technical practice and awareness exercises that
are designed to make you a more effective and powerful player.
The following tips and exercises should be practiced often and in conjunction with some of
the great drum tuition books which are listed at the end of the chapter.
Posture & Breathing
The first two things that vocalists are taught are how to stand properly and how breathe
properly. It helps them to sing efficiently and get the nicest sounds out of there vocal
chords.
Drummers aren’t too different. We also benefit from improved posture and breathing
habits. They allow us to stay relaxed, move efficiently and get the nicest sounds out of our
drums.
When you breathe, take the air in slowly through your nose, deep into the bottom of your
lungs and allow your belly to expand instead of your chest. Then breathe out through the
mouth nice and strong. This deep abdominal breathing is far more effective at getting
oxygen into the blood and makes you feel more calm and relaxed.
When you play the drums make sure that you are sitting upright with your head, neck and
back aligned. Your arms should be nice and relaxed by your sides and all the drums within
easy reach (see previous chapter).
Grip
A good stick grip will give you the most control, power and relaxation. It will also prevent
you from hurting yourself, or wasting energy unnecessarily.
You start by finding the balance point of the stick. Extend your left hand and make a gun
with it (make a fist, then extend your index finger and thumb). Now bend your wrist
between 45-90 degrees to the right. Your “gun” should be pointing somewhere off to the
right side of the room. Now rotate your whole wrist forward (palm down) so your thumb is
parallel with your snare drum, pad, or whatever you are practicing on.
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Now place your drumstick under the first joint of your index finger and lightly grip it with
your thumb and index finger. Try moving it back and forth until you find the best balance
point then wrap the remaining fingers lightly around the stick.
Stroke
There are three basic strokes that you will use to achieve different effects from the drums.
The tap stroke (low stroke) for low volumes and ghost notes, The full stroke for loud
volumes and the medium-full stroke (half stroke) for medium volumes.
With the tap stroke you start low and finish low with all the movement coming from the
wrist.
With the high stroke you start high (90 to the floor) and finish high with the wrist, elbows
and arms coming into play.
With the half stroke you start at a 45 angle to the floor and finish at a 45 degree angle to
the floor.
Practice these strokes with different rudiments and tempos aiming for a consistent stick
height and volume. It will be challenging at first but you will improve the more you play.
Rebound
The drum head is your friend. When you hit it it gives you a nice rebound that you can use
to your advantage. Most drummers, however, ignore the rebound completely and mash the
sticks into the head killing off all the kinetic energy it creates. If you loosen off just a little bit
you will find you are able to get multiple strokes for the price of one and you will also get a
much bigger sound.
Imagine you are bouncing a basketball. Think about how loose your hand is and the
rebound you get from the ball and the floor. Try to apply that same principle to your
drumming.
Tension - Relaxation
Whenever you play you should be relaxed. If your elbows are out to the side, your
forearms are all tense and you look like your trying to squeeze out a number two then you
know something is wrong.
Learn to relax whenever you play and develop an inner calm - almost like a meditative
state. It will help you to get into the music and express yourself easily - free from strain and
discomfort.
As you practice pay attention to the amount of tension in your hands, forearms, upper
arms, neck and back. Give that tension a rating on a scale of 1-10. 1 being loose and 10
being super tense. Keep playing and see if you can increase the amount of tension - hold
it there for a moment - then see if you can decrease the amount of tension - down, down
as far as you can go.
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Work on this regularly (with your legs as well) to develop your awareness and control over
the amount of tension in your body. The aim is to find that sweet spot of relaxation, comfort
and peak efficiency.
Donʼt Stress
When it comes to technique there is no right or wrong way so donʼt get hung up on it and
donʼt waste your time debating it. There are many successful drummers who use different
grips, strokes and overall approaches. They made their technique work with hours of
practice and years of playing - fine-tuning as they go along.
You learn so much more by doing (not philosophizing) and feeling the sticks in your hands
everyday.
Iʼve come across many players who canʼt do certain things and they often think that there
technique is the problem - moeller, heel-toe, blah-de-blah. 9 times out of 10, however youʼll
find that the real problem is they havenʼt put in the practice time to build up any kind of
facility. The have no precision, speed or endurance because they havenʼt trained their
body to do these things.
Whatʼs most important - is that you put in the time and put in the work. You might not like it,
but itʼs the truth.
Here are some great resources that will help improve your technique
Jojo Mayer’s Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer
Dom Famularo’s The Weaker Side
Tommy Igoe Great Hands For A Lifetime
Mike Mickalcow’s Drumming System
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STEP 4 - LEARN TO READ
One of the most ignored drumming skills is the ability to read. Far too many drummers bypass it early on and often regret it later in life - especially when they miss out on learning
and playing opportunities because they can’t do it.
Reading drum rhythms and charts will, 1) Make your learning far easier, (because every
drum book on the market has drum notation in it!) 2) Allow you to transcribe and memorize
songs, and 3) Help to make you more employable.
Unless you are a top flight session guy you don’t have to read everything perfectly first
time through so don’t panic. Just keep at it and you will become more fluid in time.
Tempo Mark →
↓ Bar Line
Staff →
Drum Clef →
↑ Time Signature
The first thing that you will notice when you look at a piece of drum music or any music for
that matter is the staff - 5 horizontal lines that run across the page. This is where all the
notes and directions are arranged.
The bar lines run vertically creating little slices of time in which the core rhythm of the
music repeats. Usually, a piece consists of multiple bars of the same length and players
can easily refer to bar numbers to remember/explain their part. For example, ʻThereʼs a fill
at the end of the 16th bar.ʼ
At the beginning of the piece (top left) you will find a time signature. This tells you how
many beats are in each bar and which note value constitutes one beat. The most common
time signature is 4/4 which means four quarter notes in a bar. There are other time
signatures that you will come across - 3/4, 5/4, 6/8, 7/8, 12/8 - but not as often.
You will also find the drum clef which is used for pitchless instruments and a tempo
marking that tells you the speed of the music in beats per minute.
In drum notation, the note’s position and symbol indicates a particular drum or cymbal.
You’ll find there isn’t a great deal of consistency in drum transcriptions and many authors
and composers use their own system. It can get confusing for new readers but fortunately
most books have a drum key at the front to tell you what all the symbols mean. It will look
something like this:
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Once you are familiar with the drum key you need to learn note values. That is, how long
a note lasts. Drums are different from other instruments in that you don’t sustain the
sound, instead you hit the drum or cymbal then rest for the remainder of the notes
duration.
Here is a table of the most common note values:
Name
Looks Like
Length
Whole Note
One Bar
Half Note
1/2 a bar
Quarter Note
1/4 of a bar
Eighth Note
1/8 of a bar
Sixteenth Note
1/16 of a bar
Eighth Note
Two adjacent 8th notes are joined with a
beam and last for 1/4 of a bar (1 beat)
Eighth Note Triplet
Three adjacent 8th notes joined with a beam
and the numeral 3 above are played as triplets
and also last for 1/4 of a bar (1 beat)
Sixteenth Note
Two sixteenth notes are joined with two
beams and last for 1/8 of a bar (1/2 a beat).
Four sixteenths will last for 1/4 (1 beat).
(joined)
(joined)
(joined)
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In addition to notes, music and drum notation also include rests. These are silent spaces
that you do not play. Which explains the name, rest.
You can stop for a quick cup of tea and then start playing again!
Here's what the rests look like:
Name
Looks Like
Length
Whole Rest
One Bar
Half Rest
1/2 a bar
Quarter Rest
1/4 of a bar
Eighth Rest
1/8 of a bar
Sixteenth Rest
1/16 of a bar
There are many more symbols and commands that you will come across in your studies
so here are a few examples and what they are asking you to do:
Name
Looks Like
Play
Accent
This note should be played louder than all
the others
Ghost Note
This note should be played very quietly.
Like a ghost.
Roll
Play a roll that lasts the length of the note.
Grace Note
Play a quick note immediately before the
main note.
Tie
Play the two notes as one.
Dotted Note
A dot to the right of the note lengthens the
note by one-half its value.
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So, now that you know what everything means, I’ll hit you with the ninja death touch some
basic examples:
Example 1: First up is four quarter notes played on the
snare drum. Play and count 1, 2, 3, 4.
Example 2: Next we have four eighth notes. Play
and count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Example 3: Here you see a basic rock beat. The hi-hat or ride plays
eighth notes on beats 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &, the bass drum on
beats 1 and 3, the snare on beats 2 and 4.
Reading is a big area of study and gets difficult when you start working with more complex
pieces of music. Now that you’ve got your head around the basics I would strongly
recommend working with a proficient teacher for a while to advance your skills.
That’s how I got started with reading and it made an incredible difference to the way I
study, play and teach. You will benefit more from the drum ninja site and from all the other
learning resources that are out there.
Here are some study materials that will help you out:
Basics in Rhythm by Garwood Whaley
Syncopation by Ted Reed
Modern Reading Text in 4/4 by Louie Bellson
The New Breed by Gary Chester
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S T E P 5 - P R A C T I C E E F F E C T I V E LY
If you want to be the best player you can be and have the ability to move around the kit
with precision, musicality and freedom then you need to practice, right?
Right! But, practicing and practicing effectively are two different things entirely.
A lot of players just sit down at the kit and bash around for a while not really doing
anything in particular. They get a little bit better over the years but not much. Whereas the
player who is organized and follows a structured practice routine moves forward at a
tremendous pace.
Who would you rather be? The player that is improving constantly or the player who stops
and starts and doesn’t get very far at all?
If you are just in it for the fun then this step doesn’t really apply to you but if you want to
raise your drum game dramatically then here’s how:
Know Your Outcome
Knowing what you are trying to accomplish makes your practice time a whole lot easier
and helps you to identify the key skills you want to develop. Set some inspiring outcome
goals that you really want to achieve - play in the school band, be comfortable playing
jazz, become a touring drummer. And some process goals that will help you to get there practice for 2 hrs 5 days a week, get lessons with a top flight teacher one day a week,
work 10 hours a week to save $1000 for new gear.
The Four Elements
Divide your practice time into the four core elements of technique, reading, songs and
solo’s. I suggest a 25% split with 25% of your time on technique, 25% on reading, 25% on
songs and the last 25% on solo’s. You can practice as much or as little as you have time
for as long as you cover all the bases and work them in the different styles (Rock, Jazz,
Latin, Etc.)
Metronomes & Play-alongs
Metronomes and music are great tools to work with. A metronome will give you a great
reference point for exercises and makes it easy to improve speed and endurance
incrementally. Your favorite music and play-along tracks will further develop your inner
clock and your musical ear. Use both daily!
Get The Groove
One of the best practice techniques I have ever used came from The Commandments Of
R&B Drumming by Zoro. In the book he suggests a simple technique to work on your time
and groove which works like a charm. All you do is create a playlist in iTunes for each of
the main grooves that you want to master (1/4 Note Rock, 8th Note Rock, Shuffles, 1/2
Time Shuffles, etc.) Include at least 10 tracks over the full range of tempos. You can focus
on one feel a day and get the groove nice and tight.
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Work Your Weaknesses
When you start playing regularly you’ll quickly find out what your weaknesses are. You can
choose to ignore them and hope they go away or turn them into strengths. I suggest the
latter. A large amount of your time should be spent working on your weaknesses and
practicing things that you are not yet able to do. At the start of each session select one
weakness in each of the four elements and focus on those for the day's practice.
Expand Your Musical Horizons
The kinds of music that you listen to will be strongly reflected in the way you play. If you
are willing to listen and practice new styles from jazz to latin to rock to reggae then your
vocabulary and your musicality will be far more advanced. Even if you want to be known
as a great rock drummer, knowing grooves, melodies and phrases from other styles will
only make you better. There is plenty of material out there for you to get you teeth into on
YouTube, iTunes and in books so if you want it, it’s there for the taking.
Total Immersion
When you really want to get a feel for a style of music then you need to immerse yourself
in it. Listen to the music, watch concert footage, go to live shows, spend time with the
players and learn about the culture and the history. If you can get the music and the vibe
inside of you then you will be in a much better position to play it authentically.
Find The Time
If you are serious about your drumming then you need to find the time in your week to get
your practice done. There’s no way around it. When you practice you get better, when you
miss it you don’t. It’s that simple. Set aside a bit of time everyday for your drumming and
make sure you get it done - no excuses.
Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day
All the great drummers took years to develop their skills and are still improving to this day.
Don't expect that after one years practice you’ll sound like Steve Smith so be patient and
enjoy the journey. If you can have fun with it and celebrate your little victories then you are
far more likely to stick with it over the long term and benefit from the compounding effect of
years of practice.
Final Thoughts
If you use even a couple of these techniques you’ll be surprised at how much you get
done in a short space of time. You will benefit more from a productive hour than an
unfocussed three and you will get much better, much quicker.
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STEP 6 - LEARN THE REPERTOIRE
So you’ve got the basics down, your set up is working for you and you’re into a good
practice routine. Now it’s time to take your playing to the next level by learning the
repertoire of commonly played and requested tunes.
These tunes are played at clubs, parties and functions across the world and if you ever
want to make any money from the drums then you’ll need to know a lot of them. There’s
nothing worse than someone requesting a tune, the bandleader counting it off and you
thinking to yourself, ‘Holy crap! I’ve got no idea what to play’.
Even if you don’t want to play on the club or party circuit you will become a much better
musician by studying them. You will learn a massive range of grooves, fills, styles, feels,
dynamics and arrangements. You will also learn how to learn and memorize songs
effectively.
Don’t you think that will help you massively as a drummer, composer, producer, educator
or whatever you choose to be?
Pretty much all of my friends who are working professionally - touring, shows, education have a large repertoire of songs that they have memorized and are able to play
proficiently. It’s a big part of the development cycle that we must go through.
Now, this is a big list so don’t think, ‘Oh my god, I’ll never learn all these tunes!’
At first, all I want you to do is go and listen to them, put them on your mp3 player and let
them sink into your consciousness. You’ll be surprised how much you learn just by
listening to the song on a regular basis.
Once you’ve listened to them a few times, pick the ones you like and start to analyze them
in a bit more depth. Listen to the drum part and identify the grooves, fills, beginnings and
endings. Also, pay attention to the feel, tempo and dynamics.
If you feel confident enough, try to transcribe what you hear. There are many websites that
offer transcriptions to help you out but it’s well worth learning to do it for yourself.
Next is to listen to the overall arrangement. What’s happening in the vocals? What’s the
bassist doing? How does it all fit together? If you can memorize the lead parts then playing
a piece becomes much easier.
It will take you a while to build up your repertoire so don’t panic and don’t rush. Set the
simple goal of learning one new song a week from this list and from your own favorite
bands and artists. If you do that over months and years you will build up a considerable
bank of songs that you can draw from at any time.
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Note: This list is not definitive. There are many more popular tunes that you should get your teeth
into at some point. The purpose is to get you listening to lots of influential music and to build
up a great repertoire of tunes that will make you a complete musician.
Big Band
American Patrol
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Come Fly With Me
Smoke Rings
King Porter Stomp
Stompin' at the Savoy
Sing, Sing, Sing
Ciribiribin (They're So in Love)
Let's Dance
Sophisticated Lady
You Made Me Love You
Snowfall
After You've Gone
Sing, Sing, Sing
Sunrise Serenade
In The Mood
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Woodchopper's Ball
Skyliner
One O'Clock Jump
Take the "A" Train
New York. New York
Glen Miller
Glen Miller
Frank Sinatra
Glen Gray
Fletcher Henderson
Chick Webb
Benny Goodman
Harry James
Benny Goodman
Duke Ellington
Harry James
Claude Thornhill
Gene Krupa
Benny Goodman
Frankie Carle
Glenn Miller
Les Brown
Woody Herman
Charlie Barnet
Count Basie
Duke Ellington
Liza Minneli/Frank Sinatra
Jazz
All The Things You Are
Autumn Leaves
Ain’t Misbehaven
Body And Soul
Bye Bye Blackbird
Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You
Cherokee
Come Fly With Me
Donna Lee
Fly Me To The Moon
Georgia On My Mind
Girl From Ipanema
How High The Moon
Killing Me Softly
Let There Be Love
My Funny Valentine
On Green Dolphin Street
Round Midnight
Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
So What
Stompin At The Savoy
Summertime
Stardust
Stella By Starlight
Take Five
Jerome Kern
Joseph Kosma
Fats Waller
Johnny Green
Ray Henderson
Franki Valli
Ray Noble
Frank Sinatra
Miles Davis
Bart Howard
Hoagy Carmichael
Gilberto
Morgan Lewis
Roberta Flack
Nat King Cole
Richard Rodgers
Bronislau Kaper
Thelonious Monk
Sigmund Romberg
Miles Davis
Edgar Sampson
George Gerswhin
Hoagy Carmichael
Victor Young
Dave Brubeck
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Soul
A Natural Woman
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg
Dancing In the Streets
Do You Love Me
Get Ready
Green Onions
Hard to Handle
Heat Wave
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
In the Midnight Hour
Jimmy Mack
Knock on Wood
Let’s Get It On
Let’s Stay Together
Mustang Sally
My Girl
Aretha Franklin
The Temptations
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
The Countors
The Temptations
Booker T. & The MG’s
Otis Redding
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Marvin Gaye
Wilson Pickett
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Eddie Floyd
Marvin Gaye
Al Green
Wilson Pickett
The Temptations
Ooo Baby Baby
The Miracles
Rescue Me
Respect
(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
Stand By Me
What’s Going On
When A Man Loves A Woman
You Can’t Hurry Love
You Send Me
Fontella Bass
Aretha Franklin
Otis Reading
Ben E. King
Marvin Gaye
Percy Sledge
The Supremes
Sam Cooke
Funk
Ain’t Nobody
Always And Forever
Bustin Loose
Brick House
Celebration
Chameleon
Cissy Strut
Everyday People
Fire
Higher Ground
I Feel Good
Jungle Boogie
Memphis Soul Stew
Oops Upside Your Head
Pick Up The Pieces
Play That Funky Music
Sex Machine
Superstition
Superfly
Theme From “Shaft”
Tell Me Something Good
Thank You Falletinme Be Myce Elf Agin
We Are Family
What Is Hip?
Work To Do
Rufus & Chaka Khan
Heatwave
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers
Commodores
Kool & The Gang
Herbie Hancock
Meters
Sly & The Family Stone
Ohio Players
Stevie Wonder
James Brown
Kool & The Gang
King Curtis & The Kingpins
The Gap Band
Average White Band
Wild Cherry
James Brown
Stevie Wonder
Curtis Mayfield
Isaac Hayes
Rufus
Sly & The Family Stone
Sister Sledge
Tower Of Power
The Isley Brothers
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Rock And Roll
Be Bop A Lula
Can’t Buy Me Love
Blue Sued Shoes
Bo Didley
Bye Bye Love
Daytripper
Blueberry Hill
Glad All Over
Good Golly, Miss Molly
Great Balls Of Fire
I Saw Her Standing There
Jailhouse Rock
Johnny B Goode
Pretty Woman
Route 66
Rock Around The Clock
Shake, Rattle And Roll
Summertime Blues
Suspicious Minds
Tutti Frutti
That’ll Be The Day
Twist And Shout
Yesterday
You Never Can Tell
You Really Got Me
Gene Vincent
The Beatles
Carl Perkins
Bo Didley
The Everly Brothers
The Beatles
Fats Domino
The Dave Clark Five
Little Richard
Jerry Lee Lewis
The Beatles
Elvis Presley
Chuck Berry
Roy Orbison
Chuck Berry
Bill Hailey
Big Joe Turner
Eddie Cochran
Elvis Presley
Little Richard
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
The Beatles
The Beatles
Chuck Berry
The Kinks
Rock
Alright Now
All Along The Watchtower
Back In Black
Bad Moon Rising
Born To Be Wild
Born To Run
Brown Sugar
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Don’t Stop Believing
Don’t Stop Me Now
Layla
Light My Fire
Living On A Prayer
More Than A Feeling
My Generation
Roxanne
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Smoke On The Water
Stuck In The Middle With You
Summer Of 69
Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Stairway To Heaven
Take It Easy
Whisky In The Jar
Free
Jimi Hendrix
AC/DC
Credence Clearwater Revival
Steppenwolf
Bruce Springsteen
Rolling Stones
Queen
Journey
Queen
Eric Clapton
The Doors
Bon Jovi
Boston
The Who
The Police
Nirvana
Deep Purple
Steelers Wheel
Bryan Adams
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Guns N’ Roses
Led Zeppelin
The Eagles
Thin Lizzy
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STEP 7 - BUILD YOUR BRAND
Business, self-promotion and branding are probably the toughest things for a drummer to
get their head around. We start playing for the love of music, not for the money and when
we realize we have to get out there and market our services it can be a bit off putting for
some.
The thing is, if we don’t learn how to do it then we struggle to find gigs and opportunities
that we can generate an income from. Which means, our music won’t pay the bills and we
have to get a job that will.
This is obviously not an issue for the recreational drummer who just wants to have some
fun but for anyone who wants to do this for a living, even on a part-time basis it’s pretty
huge.
So, with that in mind here are some tips that will help you to start building your own little
drumming enterprise.
Decide On Your Positioning
First off you is to decide what it is that you are chasing and offering - your position within
the market. What is your ultimate goal? Do you want to be a top recording and touring
drummer? Do you want to be an author, educator and clinician? Do you want to be a
successful teacher in your town?
Your answer to these questions will determine the skills you need to develop, the people
you network with and the people you are marketing to. Who are you? Who are your
clients? and What are you offering them that is different/better from what’s already there?
Find Your Target Market
If you want to be a great touring drummer then other musicians, songwriters, bandleaders
and musical directors should be the target of your marketing efforts.
If you want to be a successful educator then music schools & universities will help you to
establish your credibility and publishers will help to get your books out there.
If you want to teach locally then the high schools and colleges in your town will provide a
wealth of prospective students.
Think about who you are trying to reach and then go after them.
Set Up Your Own Website
Set up your own website that includes a well written bio, photos, videos, audio clips,
testimonials and contact information. A strong website with your own URL will help you to
project an image of professionalism and give people a primary point of contact. It should
be easily accessible, easy to navigate and appealing to potential employers, clients and
customers.
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Join The Social Networks
One of the quickest ways to get your name to spread and get visitors to your website is
through the social networks - YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter. Set up accounts
with each of them and start developing interesting ways for people to find out what you’re
all about. Connect with others in an authentic way, gain trust and work towards building
relationships that last.
Join The Community (Then Bring Value)
There are little tribes and communities that surround every sector of the industry. If you
can become a valuable member of that community and add a great amount of value to it
then your career will flourish. Get in the mix, have some fun with it and offer to help people
out for free before you expect them to help you out.
Create Buzz
Once you have a website and you have connected with the community then look for new
opportunities to create some buzz. Give things away, do some favors for people, raise
money for charity, hold some events, make introductions. If you do good things repeatedly
(and you have genuine intentions!) that will be the spark you need to get people talking
about you and more importantly calling you.
Be Great (Walk The Talk)
There are some guys out there who are great at networking and getting their foot in the
door but they don’t necessarily have what it takes to stay there. They didn’t put the work
into their education and sure enough they get exposed.
You can’t fake it! Your brand is built around your abilities and you need to be good at what
you do to stay in the game for a long time.
Keep learning new things, improving your chops and getting better each year. Study
drumming and the music business inside and out and strive for your own form of
greatness.
That’s the only way to guarantee your success.
As Russ Miller said in a recent interview “If you just step back and look at it like a basic
business then ask, ʻWhat would it take for me to be one of the most popular lawyers in the
world?ʼ You would have to be extremely knowledgeable and proficient at your craft.
What your talking about doing is becoming one of the top people in your field so never rest
on your laurels with your playing - always study, work on new things, be very organized,
keep trying to be a better player and keep moving forward because thatʼs the only thing
that can really open the doors for you.”
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STEP 8 - FIND A MENTOR
If you wanted to learn how to become a professional footballer would you ask your high
school PE teacher for advice?
Maybe!
If you wanted to paint a masterpiece would you ask an amateur painter how to do it?
It’s unlikely!
If you wanted a rocket ship to get to the moon would you ask a car mechanic to build it for
you?
I hope not!
You can probably see where this is going but I’ll try to make it clear. If you want to become
a great drummer or even achieve certain things with drumming make sure you find the
right coach to show you how. There are millions of teachers in the world who will be able to
take you so far but few who can take you all the way.
Finding a mentor who is already there will accelerate your learning quicker than almost
anything else.
A mentor is someone who has lived what you are trying to do. They have first hand
experience and know the little nuances that other teachers do not. There are certain things
you can’t learn from books and magazines and this is where a mentor(s) will come into
their own. They have been there and done it.
Throughout your life you should work with a number of mentors who excel at different
things. Whatever it is you are trying to master, there will be someone doing it already - go
direct to them. Your teachers will give you the foundations then your mentors will take over
and help you take it to perfection.
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THE NEXT STEP
If you’ve taken my advice so far you will already be on your way to becoming a bad ass
drummer. The problem is, there is a lot of new information getting thrown at you every
single day that will distract you, slow you down and sometimes overwhelm you. That’s the
last thing you want so...
Thankfully, I have a solution!
It’s not actually my solution, it’s someone else’s, but I highly recommend it and it will help
you all the same.
The program I’m talking about contains 20 instructional DvD’s with over 30 hours of
detailed video training, 15 play-along CDs with over one hundred unique play-along
songs, 5 spiral-bound workbooks packed with lesson material, and exclusive bonus
content that you won’t find anywhere else. It’s pretty crazy!
You’ve probably noticed my recommended resources at the end of each step in this guide.
These are all classic books and DvD’s that have helped me and my students out (a lot!)
but if there is only one product that I could recommend to anyone ever again it would be
this one.
It’s like a big drumming encyclopedia that covers everything you need to progress from
complete beginner to seasoned professional. Some of the lesson topics include: hand
technique, drum beats, drum fills, speed and endurance, practice routines, drum
rudiments, drum tuning and setup, bass drum technique, soloing, and jamming with a
variety of play-along songs!
I know how frustrating it can be when you don’t know what to practice or can’t find answers
to your problems. This step-by-step training pack will soon put an end to that frustration. I
wish I had it when I was starting out and I kinda wish I created it myself.
If you enjoyed 8 Steps To Bad Ass Drumming then I know you will love this program.
It’s called The Drumming System, and if you want all the answers, lessons and exercises
in one easy to use resource then click the link below.
Get The Drumming System!
P.S. Even if you donʼt want to buy the training kit you can sign up for the free practice
routine generator which is really cool. Check it out.
http://drummingsystem.com
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thank you!
thank you for taking the time to read 8 steps to
bad ass drumming. please take what you’ve
learned and put it to work today - you’ll be much
better as a result. Keep in touch and make sure
to join us on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
get with the ninja!
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