I’m starting to make and post videos on YouTube more frequently. I have armed myself with lights and cameras. I’m throwing action in for free. I’m starting out with a guide to holding your drum sticks. This is aimed at beginners but more experienced players could benefit from reviewing their drumstick holding skill (OK, call it grip if you must, just don’t actually grip the stick).
My erstwhile colleague, Bass and Guitar teacher Rodrigo and I have launched a video series called “Cooking With Rodrigo & Joe” in which we will talk about some of our favourite songs and songs that are popular and songs we think people might be interested in
Wow, this interview with Steve Jordan is amazing. He’s an accomplished drummer and record producer who’s worked with a whole load of big names including James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Robert Cray and Keith Richards. He’s known these days as the drummer for John Mayer alongside bassist Pino Palladino. I know Steve Jordan originally from his performances on the live Blues Brothers albums that I listened to thousands of times in my youth. His drumming sounded so groovy and also complex,… Read More »Steve Jordan Speaks To Rick Beato
A student turned me on to Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt recently. I love the chaotic noise and unbridled freedom of his playing. YouTube, eager to get me hooked into whatever the hell it is I’ve just looked at, showed me Black Pus, Chippendale’s one-man-band and then, somehow, to this documentary on Pitchfork about him and a bloke called Greg Saunier from the band Deerhoof. I don’t listen to much of this kind of expressionistic, arty rock these days (if… Read More »Checking In At 20 – Documentary
I’ve been enjoying session pro, Blair Sinta’s channel lately. There’s tons of great informaton about getting a sound with your drums. It’s all very useful, it’s about the creative process of recording, playing stuff that works for the music, using your tools intelligently and recognising the incredible variety of sounds we can create using out instruments and recording gear. In this video Blair shows us what it really means to understand our instrument and the studio. With just a humble… Read More »21 Drums Sounds with One Mic – Blair Sinta
Check out this splendid interview with Ringo who’s turning 80. He talks about being locked down, being on tour, not on tour, living in America, joining The Beatles, playing for the song, being left-handed, playing from the heart, being friends with other drum legends, refusing to play a segregated gig in the US back in the day, his post-Beatles career and more.
I love this post from Todd Bishop of the Cruise Ship Drummer Blog. Resting the sticks on the drum or pad is a terrible habit. Why are you putting your sticks on the head when you are not playing your instrument? Are the sticks so heavy? Are you sufferening from muscle atrophy? Are you not aware of what your body is doing? Learning an instrument is about awareness of yourself. I am perpetually telling my students off for doing it… Read More »Resting The Sticks On The Drums – Todd Bishop Understands
If you don’t enjoy Rick Beato‘s videos there must be something wrong with you! This What Makes This Song Great is particularly good. Smells Like Teen Spirit is an awesome song and a beautiful sounding record. Watch this:
Here’s me playing exercises 1-10 from Joel Rothman’s Mini Monster Book of Rock Drumming on the snare in four-bar phrases. I play the whole sequence twice at 80bpm. Play along, why doncha.
Here’s a very cool video from drummer Chris Smith of The Drum Hang YouTube channel. A bunch of ideas for things you can practice when you are away from the kit. No sticks required. Shoop boom bee boop! It’s all about the voice.