I love the sound of vintage toms: warm, round fundamental, a quick attack that still sings, and that woody decay that sits beautifully in a mix. But what if your kit has thin-shelled toms—cheap ply or modern poplar—where the attack is brittle and the sustain is thin? Over the years I’ve...
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Lessons
I’ve spent countless gigs and sessions refining pad setups so I can move...
Lessons
I used to get frustrated when my ride-hand phrasing felt like it belonged to...
Lessons
I often get asked how I make a hybrid kick — a sampled or synthesized low-end...
Grooves
I practice groove every day, and over the years I’ve built a compact routine...
When I’m asked how to capture a tight, intimate jazz kit using only one overhead and one snare mic, my immediate reaction is: you can get a remarkably musical result if you focus on placement, mic choice, and how the kit is prepared. This is a...
I’ve tracked a lot of kits in my time, and the Gretsch Broadkaster sits in a sweet spot: warm, full-bodied, and musical. But when I bring a Broadkaster into a rock session I don’t want it to sound “vintage museum” — I want punch, attack,...
Recording brushes on an acoustic kit is one of those sessions that rewards patience and subtlety. Brushes capture a wide range of textures — from whispery swirls on the snare to woody, warm swept snare tones and gentle cymbal shimmer — but they...
I’ve lost count of how many mixes I’ve rescued from the “Where did the kick go?” moment. The kick is the engine of most tracks — when it disappears, the whole groove collapses. Over the years in the studio and teaching students, I’ve...
I love making lo-fi drum beats on the SP-404 because it forces me to be creative within limits. The unit's tactile workflow, immediate effects, and resampling capabilities make it perfect for building dusty, shuffling grooves that feel lived-in...
Getting a locked-in pocket for funk and neo-soul isn’t about adding more notes — it’s about making the notes you play breathe, sit with the groove, and serve the song. Below I share five focused practice routines I use with students and in my...
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...