I often get asked how to capture brushed jazz on a small, budget kit without fancy microphones or dozens of channels. I’ll be honest: a good performance and a sensible room matter more than expensive gear. That said, with a matched pair of Rode NT5 small-diaphragm condensers and a single Shure...
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Grooves
I want to show you how to take paradiddle variations and turn them into four...
Technique
When I mix electronic tracks, one of my favourite little rituals is making the...
Technique
I get a lot of messages from drummers who use the Roland SPD‑SX live and...
Gear Reviews
I never expected footwear to become a topic I’d write about for a drumming...
Small live rooms can be a nightmare for drum sounds. I’ve played and recorded in enough cramped venues and DIY rehearsal spaces to know how quickly a kit can turn into an uncontrolled wash of ringing toms and over-sustained snare. Over the years...
Keeping a steady tempo is one of those skills that separates "plays the song" from "owns the song." Over the years as a teacher and session player I've found that raw metronome practice only gets you so far. What accelerates real-world tempo control...
I love the sound of a vintage snare with a tight, focused pop that still carries warmth and body. There’s something magical about a brass or maple shell that sings with personality — but getting that balance isn’t always obvious. Over the...
One of my favorite practice shortcuts is taking a single rudiment — the paradiddle — and turning it into several musical fills you can use immediately in songs. It’s efficient, musical, and great for building vocabulary. Below I’ll walk you...