Drum Stuff

Rudimental Drum Books

2006-02-20T21:32:00.000-05:00

Attention! Rudimental drummers of all kinds! Got some great goodies for you; all kinds of neat stuff. Stone's Stick Control, most of the Charley Wicoxon books, chop builders galore, just about anything you need to make you sound great. The price is right, too. Now put your sticks down and get online. I've got the goods! Plus, if you need a little advice from a fellow drummer, contact me. Your hands will be glad that you did! I'm waiting!!!

Drum Stuff For Sale

2006-02-19T21:20:00.000-05:00

What's up? Got lots of drumbooks of all kinds for sale! Whether it be drumset, rudimental, or exercise books, I've got them. Now you can have them because they're taking up too much room. Plus, I'm addicted to money. I'll list everything in a few days. With my books, you'll get more "bang" for your bucks! Quinn

Buddy Rich

2004-09-19T21:13:00.000-04:00

I've seen him play in person twice, have met him once, and am thoroughly convinced he was, without a doubt, the best drummer who ever lived. His mastery of the drums was without equal. Nobody could or can do what he did---not like he did. He had the best ideas, the best coordination, and the best technique ever. Nobody even came close. Not Bellson, not Cobham, not Gadd, not Chambers, not Weckl, not anyone. He always said he was lucky, that his talent was a gift, that he couldn't explain what he did. Others say he was the most knowledgeable drummer ever, that he forgot more about drums than others will ever know. Whatever the case, he can't be touched by anyone. Just look at his tapes or DVD's, you'll see what I mean. Forget the big band, the style of music; just watch Rich, without a doubt, the greatest drummer that ever lived (excluding me, of course!).

Drummers' Brotherhood

2004-09-12T21:01:00.000-04:00

There is no doubt about it---drummers love to be around other drummers! You really can't say that about guitar players, bass players, or keyboard players in general. There's just something about playing drums that makes you want to talk shop about playing drums to a drummer, any drummer. Go to your favorite music shop and you'll see what I'm talking about, especially in the drum department. I don't care what kind of music you like, how long you've been playing, who your influences are, what your financial situation is, where you're from, or what brand of drums you play, if you want to talk drums, you're at the right place. You're in the drum grapevine. You'll get playing tips, job leads, gossip, demonstrations, advice on videos and books, and much more. It's so much fun, you'll lose track of time (a drummer's nightmare). Yes, you are in the Drummers' Brotherhood! There's no oath to take, no orientation, no initiation, no hazing. All you have to do is play drums and talk about it! And you're in! (Sorry, no secret decoder ring---that's for us guitar players).

Keep It Simple, Stupid

2004-09-11T18:56:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, the best players keep things simple. I'm talking about those folks that just flat out sound good. The best ideas usually come from a simple premise that has a driving beat. That's exactly why feel and imagination are much more important than technical wizardry. The drummer that sounds great is always more in demand than a rudimental athlete. If you listen to people who try to impress you, you'll get bored after a while (all those guys play the same stuff). But, if you listen to someone who makes you want to tap your foot or dance, you can listen forever! So Keep It Simple, Stupid and you won't look like a Dumbass!

Fun With Paradiddles

2004-09-10T21:48:00.000-04:00

Paradiddles are real cool things to know. Single Paradiddle: RLRRLRLL,etc. Double Paradiddle: RLRLRRLRLRLL,etc. Triple Paradiddle: RLRLRLRRLRLRLRLL,etc. These neat patterns are simply combinations of single and double strokes. Here are some beats that involve paradiddles. I will separate them to make them easier to play, but you need to play them like they have no breaks so they will sound right. No accents are needed. RLRR LRLL RLRLRR LRLRLL RLRR LRLRLRLL (again, play with no pauses and start slow until you can play without looking). Here's one that really sounds good when you play it up to speed. RLRLRR LRLL RLRR LRLRLL RLRR LRLRLRLL, etc. Experiment as you like with your own combinations; just make sure they are played in time. Have fun with these and don't forget you owe me 20 bucks! (just kidding). 50 bucks?

Practice With Music

2004-09-07T22:34:00.000-04:00

Whether you have a drum set, a snare drum, djembe, bongoes, practice pad, or just a pair of sticks, remember this --- Practice with music. This way you can concentrate more on the music than technique. Your sense of time and feel will improve rapidly, and you'll be more apt to practice a little longer when you're having fun. This you can do after you work on your rolls and beats. Work some out of "The Little Drum Book" and then grab your CD player or radio and apply what you've learned. All of a sudden practice becomes a whole lot of fun! Believe me, this guitar player knows what he's talking about!

Can You Roll?

2004-09-06T19:42:00.000-04:00

If you can't roll, you really don't have any technique with the hands. It doesn't matter what you might think you know or can do, if you can't roll, you are very limited as a drummer. Since just about everything emanates from a roll, it's one of the most important things you should know. Rolls come in three forms, namely single stroke, double stroke, and the buzz {muktiple)stroke roll. Most any drum technique book or video will show you how to approach them. Mastery of any kind of drum roll takes practice and patience, but the rewards are great. I suggest you check out my drum book to help you out===it's a couple of posts back. Can't blame a guitarist for trying to make a little money off a drummer! Need some new strings! See ya.

Drum Equipment

2004-09-05T19:52:00.000-04:00

So, you're in the market for a new set of drums but you don't know what to get. What do you do? Simple! Get off your duff and get to your favorite drum or music shop and talk to the pros. I said pros, not just salespeople who need commissions. The guys or girls that play drums can give you great advice on equipment that will best suit your needs. There are a bunch of things to consider: size of drumset, hardware, single or double bass, accessories, brand names, color, price, etc. Also, make sure you try out what you like before you leave the store===very important. By the way, when you get to the drum store, be sure to tell them a guitar player sent you! Good luck!

Great Chop Builders

2004-09-02T19:25:00.000-04:00

Getting your hands in good shape is just a matter of conditionig. Here are a couple of things you can do to get your doubles up to snuff: RLLRLLRLLRLLRLLRLL,etc. This RLL exercise is great for isolating your left hand doubles. Start slow and play evenly with no accents, gradually getting faster and holding at top speed for a while and then slow it down. Don't buzz left hand strokes as speed increases and keep all beats even. Then reverse it with this pattern: LRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLRR,etc. Do each pattern several times, stay relaxed, and let it flow! Before long your hands will amaze you with more speed and control. Send your monetary appreciation to (just kidding). After all, I'm just a guitar player. What do I know?

The Little Drum Book

2004-08-31T17:30:00.000-04:00

The Little Drum Book is just what you need to get started in the wonderful world of drums and percussion. It's simple enough to figure out and good enough to hold interest. In my opinion, there are several approaches to learning how to play drums, and I think you'll have a lot of fun with this one. Just take your time and follow the directions, and before long, you'll start sounding pretty good. Work on it every day for maximum results as repetition is the key to good performance. Good Luck and Have Fun!

Drum Rudiments

2004-08-29T19:33:00.000-04:00

Snare Drum Rudiments --- are they really that important? Some say yes and some say no, but I say it's really up to you! I know guys who don't know a paradiddle from a ratamacue, and yet these guys can really play. And I also know some rudimental dudes who sound like a robot with sticks, with no true feeling for rhythm whatsoever. Some of the greatest drumset players in the world acknowledge rudiments as the very best way to build technique with the hands (and feet), while other great drumset players say all you need are singles, doubles, and some combinations to get your chops up to par. As I stated, it's really a personal issue, so everybody's right and everybody's wrong! Same thing with stick grips, reading music, or taking lessons --- nobody really cares about this crap but you! Do whatever you need to do in the way it takes for you to sound good. Most of this stuff is in your head anyway, so go with what seems right to you unless you change your frickin' mind. What do I know? I'm a guitar player!!! Psych!!!