Today we welcome master percussionist Jack Bell to the Drummer's Weekly Groovecast. For those of you unfamiliar with Jack he was the principal percussionist (for over thirty years) with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as well as the creator/coordinator of the percussion department at Georgia State University. In this episode Jack discusses his early interest in drums and his studies with legendary teacher, Harold Firestone. He details the methods he worked with, the teaching style of Firestone, a...
Aug 28, 2017•1 hr 58 min
Lee Falco is a drummer/singer/session musician and studio owner who just happens to have a little side project as the drummer for Donald Fagen and the Nightflyers. Much to our liking the current Nightflyer's tour happened to have a date scheduled in our neck of the woods and we took full advantage the opportunity. On a well placed 'off day' Jon and Phil absconded Lee and traipsed him all over Atlanta prior to sitting down for our interview. Lee discussed his upbringing and musical training in th...
Aug 20, 2017•1 hr 24 min
It can happen to anyone. Too much of a good thing can result in diminishing returns. In this episode Phil and Jon talk from personal experience about how to battle burnout. Over practicing, high pressure sessions, travel, repetitive gigs, and just plain boredom are the usual suspects. However, as are most complicated subjects, the devil is in the details. We get to the root issues and give you many different solutions to overcome these problems without having to burn bridges due to frustration. ...
Aug 14, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Being a cruise ship musician conjures a myriad of different thoughts: constant vacation, see the world, play every day, steady paycheck, free room and board! Then the doubt creeps in: constantly away from home, out of touch with reality, losing your mainland gigs, ground hog day! In this special episode we talk to the drummers of Royal Caribbean's mega-ship, Oasis of the Seas. They discuss their experiences from audition to every day cruise life (both good and bad) and give us the realities of p...
Aug 07, 2017•1 hr 11 min
Accepting a compliment is something we appreciate and generally have no problem with. In fact most do so with great humility. However when it comes to taking criticism that's something we all need help with. That's because most of the time the aforementioned critique presented improperly. If we are honest with ourselves we can assess any criticism and learn from it. But that's often easier said than done. In this show we speak from our personal experience of being on both ends of the equation. D...
Jul 31, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Drum sticks, brushes, multi-rods, mallets, and other strikers are the tools of the trade. They're the cheapest things we use but arguably the most important! No matter what gig you're on or whose drums you play you always carry your stick bag with you. In this show we discuss what we use, why we use them, and the importance of experimenting with multiple sticks and brushes. Sit back and settle in for another great show about gear! We finish off with our segment on great, underrated drum tracks. ...
Jul 23, 2017•1 hr 15 min
We celebrate our one year anniversary with part two of our interview with John DeChristopher. We pick up with him becoming the artist relations manager at Zildjian and the close relationship he had with Lennie DiMuzio. He also discusses his work with the launch of Zildjian drum sticks, clinic tours, modern technology, and his rise to vice president of the company. We also touch on some specifics inside the factory and talk about the evolution of all the cymbal lines. We come full circle as John ...
Jul 17, 2017•1 hr 21 min
There are but a few cornerstone manufacturers in the music business and the Zildjian cymbal company is one of them. Today we welcome former Zildjian VP John DeChristopher. In part one of this interview John discusses his early musical upbringing in Massachusetts and how it led him to pursue a music career in performance. Eventually John found himself on the business side of the music industry. This combined interest took him to California where he worked for the Simmons Drum Company and ultimate...
Jul 10, 2017•1 hr 3 min
If you stick around the music business for very long it's a 100% certainty that you will be called to sub for someone or have to ask another drummer to sub for you. For the uninitiated getting a substitute musician is not as simple as having "Jerry" in the next cubicle cover for you. Rather, almost all gigs employ you for your unique abilities and personality. So when finding or becoming a sub it's of paramount importance that certain criteria are met for your band and for the musicians that you...
Jul 03, 2017•1 hr 2 min
"Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical." - Yogi Berra Yogi, being the wordsmith that he was, leads us into this week's very important topic. We spend countless hours in practice rooms cultivating our technique, vocabulary and time feel. However the psychological aspect of our musical development is often overlooked. This week we dive into mental techniques to improve your drumming. We cover topics that help you confront and ultimately defeat common emotional and mental roadblocks...
Jun 26, 2017•1 hr 21 min
If you intend on making a living playing music for live audiences it's a virtual certainty that you'll be spending some time traveling. As we've discussed in prior episodes flexibility and a positive attitude will take you a long way. However if you combine that with common 'road' sense you can make the best out of any bad situation. In this show we pass along first hand information that can help you navigate and prevent potentially embarrassing situations. We discuss travel do's and don'ts for:...
Jun 19, 2017•1 hr 11 min
This week we draw up a play from the pedagogical handbook. There are drum grooves that are exclusive to many songs. If you don't perform that 'signature groove' authentically then the music is just not right! In this episode we give you a baker's dozen of these aforementioned songs. Get out your notebook and see how many of these you already know. If you're not familiar with this list now's the time to do some drumming anthropology. Part two of your assignment involves interacting with the show....
Jun 12, 2017•1 hr 4 min
Rampant thoughts and misnomers abound when it comes to performing in churches. In this episode our guest, Mike O'Brien, crushes preconceived notions and tells it like it is regarding the musician's role in today's church. Mike is a professional worship leader, producer, guitarist, and worship team coach. He details what is expected from drummers that he hires and likewise tells us what we should ask for and how to ask for it when approached by worship leaders. He also compares and contrasts the ...
Jun 05, 2017•1 hr 49 min
This week we start the show with our first major beef. The guys address recent articles found in the online newspapers, The Guardian and The Conversation. We talk about the new proliferation of romanticized illiteracy in music education and the possible agendas behind them. We then discuss the importance of drumming ergonomics and the health benefits reaped from them. We give you practical ideas and tips to help improve your load in, set up, tear down, and performance efficiency. We finish up th...
May 29, 2017•1 hr 17 min
Matt Bettis owner/operator of Bettiscymbals.com sits down with us for an exclusive interview. Matt tells us how he traveled throughout his youth which directly influenced his "Nomad" period of cymbal making and ultimately landed him in the remote mountain region of central Idaho. We discuss his love of drumming, his music education, and how that led to modifying and making cymbals. In 2009 Matt became a full time cymbal maker and has not looked back. We talk about his creative process along with...
May 22, 2017•58 min
The phone rings. It's that contractor that you've been hoping would call. Once again his gig requires good reading skills along with proficiency of many musical styles. Incidentally you need a few instruments (to authentically perform those styles) that you don't have. What happens next? This show is about taking steps to ensure that you'll never have to turn down work. We help you understand why it's important to be stylistically diverse, instrumentally (equipment) diverse, conceptually diverse...
May 15, 2017•1 hr 6 min
Well, some of these may not be instant but they certainly do work! This week we take another look at very common problems that good old experience trumps every single time. We discuss creative resolutions regarding issues with setting up, tearing down, storing gear, loading gear, fixing snare drum issues, getting better hi hat sounds, and learning tuning techniques that microphones like but may differ from what our ears perceive. We also take a few minutes to talk about the great Steve Ferrone a...
May 07, 2017•1 hr 6 min
The podcast format is tailor made for Sonny Emory. Aside from being a world class musician he's a wonderful story teller. In this episode Sonny holds court with epic tales from the road regarding his past associations with: Cameo, The Crusaders, David Sanborn, Earth, Wind, and Fire along with his current gigs, Bruce Hornsby and Bette Midler. Being a proponent for education he also details his learning experiences along with his own passion for teaching. We also spend a good amount of time talkin...
May 01, 2017•1 hr 47 min
Oh the dreaded 'rut'. Anyone who says they never fall victim to this is being intellectually dishonest. In fact, the majority of students who I interact with are accomplished players who need help breaking through these plateaus. In this week's podcast we talk about the most common types of creative blocks: technical, creative/musical, and disinterest/boredom. There are many different way to break through and move forward however the universal cure for all types of ruts lies in the concept that ...
Apr 24, 2017•1 hr 14 min
With the great success of the 'Snare Drum Show" it was only logical that we'd address another great love of drummers, the ride cymbal. We humbly present our favorite rides for your perusal. We each talk about cymbals that work well in low volume situations, jazz groups, high volume situations, rock bands, and we discuss a few specialty rides too. We finish the show with each of us picking a great, underrated drummer. Join us every Monday for a brand new show. We're available on Itunes, Google Pl...
Apr 17, 2017•1 hr 34 min
Most successful drummers have leadership in their DNA. Becoming music director of a band or ensemble is a natural extension of our position if you are qualified. On top of that it can be a nice bump in your income and make your market value skyrocket. In this show we talk about all of the different duties that can be part of a music director's job. Plus we discuss the pros and cons that come with the badge. We answer some viewer mail and finish off the show with a segment where we both choose a ...
Apr 10, 2017•1 hr 22 min
Sitting in is a time honored tradition in our business. I'm quite sure that at its inception the intention of sitting in was one of sharing and community. However it doesn't take long for a few bad apples to spoil the bunch. In this show we discuss some of our horror stories with drummers who've broken the unspoken code of honor. We then talk about tactics that can be used to discourage pushy drummers yet still remain friendly. We also speak about our own personal rules when we've been invited t...
Apr 03, 2017•1 hr 12 min
In this week's show we start with the Gretsch factory tour postmortem before answering listener questions. We also pay tribute to Chuck Berry and Sib Hashian due to their recent passing. Then we tackle the topic of the week, 'Time' and the perception that all musicians have of it. We discuss dealing with instrumentalists and vocalists who depend on drummers to correct their tempo mistakes while disregarding their own time feel. Other topics include: subbing with other bands and learning their ti...
Mar 27, 2017•1 hr 13 min
We were fortunate to receive an invitation to tour the Gretsch Drum factory in Ridgeland, SC. Who are we to decline? After a lengthy tour of the step by step process of drum making we set up shop in operation manager, Paul Cooper's office, and asked him everything we always wanted to know about Gretsch drums. Rumors are debunked! Make sure you go by our Facebook page to get a look at the pictures that were taken during the tour. Also don't forget to enter the first ever Drummer's Weekly Grooveca...
Mar 20, 2017•1 hr 12 min
In every great rhythm section there is an outstanding drummer. However the rhythm section would not be great without an equally good bassist. In this show we welcome two of country's greatest bassists, Joe Reda and Ramon Pooser. We ask this duo pointed questions about what they like to hear emanating from the drum chair. If you've ever been curious to hear what 'the other side' thinks about us then this is your show. Niceties are forgone! Join us every week for a brand new show. Subscribe today!...
Mar 13, 2017•1 hr 33 min
Mistakes are inevitable. Some are minor and others are critical. In this episode we discuss career mistakes, large and small, and how to correct or possibly avoid them. Topics covered are: bad musical and personal choices, fear, anxiety, denial, and procrastination through technology, gear obsession, and other devices. In our final segment we each pick a great underrated drum tracks. Also, the boys include a special 'Easter Egg' opinion nugget on the upcoming MLB season. Join us every Monday for...
Mar 06, 2017•1 hr 19 min
Somewhere down the line you'll either have to audition for a gig or audition another musician for a position in your current musical situation. In this episode we'll discuss finding, preparing, and performing at auditions. Other topics we'll cover include personal appearance, staying confident, mock auditioning, and being ready for the unexpected. Finally we'll talk about what to do if you get the gig and if you don't get the gig. In our last segment Phil and Jon each discuss a great, underrated...
Feb 27, 2017•1 hr 22 min
When I first started playing drums there were basically two ways to learn the instrument: seek a teacher or teach yourself. However today there are more options for drumming education than ever before. With modern technology we can find a plethora of videos, mp3s, articles, and even teachers with the stroke of a computer keyboard. In fact it's arguable that we have too much information instantly available which many times leads to obfuscation of the truth! It's very important to research the inf...
Feb 20, 2017•1 hr 2 min
We know you like drum talk. The emails and forums tell no lies. So, here's one for the gear heads! In today's episode we dedicate the entire show to snare drums. For most drummers the snare represents many different things. Not only is it our most played drum but it is many times a reflection of our personality. We discuss our favorite snare drums according to style (rock, jazz, etc) as well as specific sound applications. The discussion also covers topics such as: drum heads, snare wires, die c...
Feb 13, 2017•1 hr 26 min
We start this week with news of the weird. The Todd Sucherman lawsuit is discussed and debated. After too long of an absence we address reader mail. When we get to the primary topic of the day we discuss the always delicate balance of being an artist versus being a businessman. The pros and cons of each mindset are discussed along with tips and ideas for becoming a balanced artist capable of making a living without compromising the artistic vision. Our final segment of the show has both guys pic...
Feb 06, 2017•1 hr 13 min
