The Drumming Community... Another Reason it's Great to Play the Drums

I was on a mini vacation this past weekend and making my way around a small seafood festival with a margarita in my hand when another patron stopped me and said "hey man nice shirt".  Now, I had forgotten that I was wearing my Modern Drummer t-shirt and took a quick look down to remind myself, before giving him a heartfelt thanks followed by the appropriate question: "so are you a drummer too?"

That question opened up a small conversation between us. In a short time span we talked about the local music scene, the music scene from his hometown, who I was playing with, who he was playing with, and the types of tubs we used. It was nice to run into a fellow drummer on my mini vacation.

As I walked away I couldn't help but think that this is something very unique to us drummers. We seem to share a community that is open to anyone who bangs those skins. I believe we have more clinics in more towns than the players of any other instrument. We have strong magazines with long histories such as Modern Drummer and Drum! that are dedicated to our craft, and we have a plethora of websites that enhance our knowledge of that craft including www.drummersorld.com, The Drummer Cafe, and VicFirth.

It seems that drummers, more than any other musician, want to share their passion and the lessons they have learned with the future generations of players. You have Steve Gadd on his popular clinic tours across the U.S., Rich Redmond hosting his technical and business based Crash Courses for Success, and Tommy Igoe crafting manuals that help the next generation of drummers step up their game. This is something I am proud to be a part of, and why I developed my own book Rudimental Technique and Analysis.

I think the biggest reason the drumming community is so open and welcoming has to do with the nature of our instrument.

Drums were the first instrument on this planet. In fact drumming is even older than the human voice. This happened because the drum represents the heartbeat, and what early tribesmen saw as the soul of the body. To this date the most indigenous tribes in Africa still revere the drummer as the only member capable of speaking to the Gods. In their world the drummer is more powerful than our president.

I like to think that even today this tradition carries forward in every drummer out there. We are the heartbeat of the band and we still represent that pulse that gives music life. We are all part of the eldest instrument on the planet, and it seems we are all proud of what we do. No matter how big or how small.

Here's to the drummer!

A Great FREE Learning Resource for Drummers

During my practice routines I like to devote some time to playing with study materials that give you music without drums and a chart to follow. I have found Tommy Igoe's Grove Essentials series (you can find these great books here), and Steve Houghton's Ultimate Drumset Reading Anthology (you can check out this manual and more here) to be great resources.

But after daily practice with these books the purpose behind reading charts and playing along with the tracks looses it's value. I mean it's pretty useless to read through a chart when you know the songs inside and out because you have played them too much.

So I went on a search this morning to find some new play along material, and being a consumer of the new technology driven universe I wanted to download something as opposed to purchasing a CD and then waiting for said disc in the mail before I could practice.  Through an Internet search I came across Vic Firth's Education section of their website and was pleasantly surprised.

I have to thank the folks at Vic Firth because this is a great resource for both drummers looking to boost their game and music instructors seeking ways to efficiently pass down their craft. They have countless videos of the drumming community's best offering lessons, live footage, and their own theories on the instrument. You can download their copy of the 40 Essential Snare Drum Rudiments, although I would encourage you to get my book on that (shameless plug), along with a plethora of other resources. They even have an ongoing Podcast that keeps you up-to-date with performances of today's top drummers.

The gem I found was at their drum set play along section (you can get there here).  

This page offers countless songs with and without drums. These free online lessons cover a number of genres and each one includes music to help you work on your chart reading skills at the same time. They are all songs by today's top drummers so be prepared to be challenged during your practice routine when you connect with these bad boys. 

All in all this is a great free resource for drummers looking to up their game. I encourage you all to take a tour of Vic Firth's website and see how they can help you get better on the kit.