Drummer's Resource

Justin Faulkner is a phenom. That’s a bold statement, but it’s 100% accurate. Not one to label himself a “prodigy”, Faulkner has been playing professionally since he was 13 and now at at 25  is a young, in-demand player who’s has the attention of Jazz fans and luminaries alike. Currently, Justin in the drummer for Branford Marsalis, […] The post 212 – Justin Faulkner: Young blood, old soul appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Every day I try to learn something new; a better way of doings something, a new skill or something I can apply to my daily life to make me more efficient, smarter, successful and ultimately happier For a long time I struggled with developing a good workout routine but have been on a good streak […] The post 211: What a day at the gym taught me about drumming appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

What can be said about Chad Smith that hasn’t been said already? Chad is a full-on rockstar who’s been the driving force behind arena rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers since the late 80’s. Part wild man, part rockstar, and part philanthropist, Chad Smith is a unique character to say the lease. What may people may […] The post 210 – Chad Smith: Not your average rockstar appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

There are plenty of people who argue both sides of the debate: Is success based on talent or hard work and skill? Over the years of studying successful people both inside and outside the music business, I’ve found that it’s a mixture of both. But, make no mistake, there’s not a single person who has […] The post 209: Talent VS Skill appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Zach Danziger is a trail blazer and an innovator. In 1995 he was using and developing effects cymbals with Zildjian before there was a need for them and before anyone knew what they were for. Today he’s incorporating electronics and video into his drumming while evolving as a player and as a person. His life […] The post 208 – Zach Danziger: The evolution of a player appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

It’s always said that you should “take every gig” because it gives you experience and you “never know who’s going to be at the show.” While I agree with this if you’re a beginner drummer or band, I disagree if you’re more of an established band trying to build your career. It’s based on the […] The post 207 – Should you take every gig? appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Billy Ward is no stranger to the limelight. Having toured with Joan Osborne extensively, played the Modern Drummer Festival and being a member of the band Knack, the limelight came with the territory. All that changed in 2008 for Billy when a series of life-altering events lead him to step out of the public eye, stop […] The post 206 – Billy Ward: Getting back in the game appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing over 200 of the world’s greatest drummers and they all have different practice routines. Some are very regimented, some are very loose and many are in between. This podcast breaks down some of the routines that I’ve heard over the course of the interviews and ones that stood out […] The post 205 – Practice routines of the greatest drummers in the world appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Kenny Washington is a Jazz Legend. The 58 year old Brooklyn born, Staten Island-bread drummer has played behind Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Ahmad Jamal and a never-ending list of amazing players. Washington has a strong interest in jazz history; he’s written liner notes for and/or helped prepare classic jazz re-releases by Art Blakey and Count […] The post 204 – Kenny Washington: Speaking the language of Jazz appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.” – Georgia O’Keeffe Steve Gadd needs no introduction. He’s a living legend who has played on monumental records with Steely Dan, Chick Corera, James Taylor, Paul Simon and countless others. He’s highly regarded as one […] The post 203 – Steve Gadd: The undisputed master of groove appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

There’s no doubt we live in a world of over-stimulation, instant gratification and shorter attention spans than ever before. It seems like every time you try to do something there’s another distraction. A call. A text. An email. Pokemon. Cat videos. You get the idea… In this podcast I walk through what I do to […] The post 202 – How to eliminate distractions and get focused on what’s important appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Andres Forero is a modern-day renaissance man. He’s not only the drummer for the Broadway smash hit, Hamilton, but he also plays 13 instruments has won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award. As if that want’ enough, Forero has performed with Jazz luminaries like Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach, as well as pop icons Alicia […] The post 201 – Hamilton’s Andres Forero: A man of many passions appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Billy Cobham is a man whose reputation precedes him as someone who has not only  influenced and shaped generations of drummers, but also as a innovator behind the kit. Whether it be his open-handed technique, his signature sound, his even single-strokes or any other identifying trait, Billy always sound like Billy. His work spans generations and cultures […] The post 200 – Billy Cobham: A Spectrum of Knowledge appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase: “The only person standing in your way is you.” The theory is that we are 100% in charge of our lives and every outcome is based on our thoughts, beliefs and actions. If you don’t change your beliefs, your life will be like this forever. Is that good news? […] The post 199 – How to remove your limiting beliefs appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Gavin Harrison is one of the most recognizable names in drumming. Whether you know his work with Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, or his many studio recordings, there’s little doubt that Gavin is one of the greatest drummers in the world. His playing speaks for itself, but he’s also been voted “Best Prog Drummer” by the readers […] The post 198 – Gavin Harrison: Rhythm, King Crimson and the ongoing quest to improve appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”  – Alexander Graham Bell (Tweet this) If you want to work in the music business, you have to be where the music is and the “big 4” music cities are: Los Angeles, New York City, Nashville or Austin. Of course there are other thriving music scenes, […] The post 197 – Things to consider before moving to a new city appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Mike Miley, a journeyman drummer who grew up in California, lives in Estonia and quit playing drums for years has made a triumphant return to the kit as the driving force behind Rival Sons. Currently on tour (with Rival Sons) supporting Black Sabbath, Mike gives us a peak inside life on the road, staying healthy, remaining the eternal […] The post 196 – The Rival Sons’ Mike Miley appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

There are many skills that go into being a successful musician and sadly most people avoid one of the biggest keys to success: Networking.  Networking is the necessary art of developing meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships between people, companies, organizations and groups – which, for drummers, can make the difference between playing in your basement and […] The post 195 – How to network like a pro appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

Carl Allen is one of the most recognized names in Jazz…and for good reason. He’s not only played with legends like Freddie Hubbard, Christian McBride, Herbie Hancock, Sammy Davis, Jr but he’s was also the Artistic Director of Jazz Studies at Juliard. Carl is also an accomplished businessman, co-founding Big Apple Productions in 1988 with saxophonist Vincent […] The post 194 – Carl Allen: Honoring the tradition appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .

David Ivory has been a staple in the Philadelphia music scene for over 25 years and has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including: The Roots, Erykah Badu, Pattie LaBelle and a long list of others. Ivory started in the late 80s in the basement of a house, then went on […] The post 193 – Inside the Studio with David Ivory appeared first on Drummer's Resource: Conversations with the world's greatest drummers and music industry pros. .