So, I've had lots of students bugging me about wanting to know how to stick twirl. There are several different ways (some of which I'm no good at), but this will give you the basics of some varying types of stick twirls. Read the full article (with pictures!) here, and watch the video right here! -->

            A good drummer can keep a solid beat, and show off a bit. A really good drummer can play crazy fills, epic double bass, stick twirls, and everything in between, but it takes a GREAT drummer to know when to flash the socks off of the crowd, and when to get out of the way.

            “Everyone ALWAYS watches the lead singer and/or lead guitar player. It’s not fair!” Well, this is true…sometimes. The use of simple beats and dynamics help the entire band to sound better, meaning that in the long run, you’ll get more gigs, gain more fans, and ultimately, make more money. Making money is a good thing, right? The day will come when mom and dad kick you out, and you must make your own way. And one day, your wife will tell you that if you don’t start making more money playing, you need to get a ‘real’ job.

            We all want to make sure everyone’s looking at us, but at the end of the day, when your band has that ‘something different’ that makes audiences like your band more, but they’re not sure why, you can rest well knowing that it’s because of you.

            “But I like showing off. I get more attention, and it’s FUN!” Agreed! But you must remember to know when to be flashy. If you show off too much over a guitar solo or a singing part, you’ll just look like a jerk, and not get positive attention. If you play too much all the time, your solos don’t seem like anything special. The less you play now, the cooler your solo will look later.

            Think of it this way: You get a huge ice cream sundae for dessert every day at dinner. Then, when you have a special occasion, where they’re serving an ice cream sundae, it’s nothing special. You don’t want your ‘ice cream sundae drum solo’ to just be the same stuff that people are accustomed to from the rest of the set. Hold back, and save some energy and umph for your solo’s, breakdowns, or where it’s actually appropriate.

Bill Cashdollar, 2012 The Drum Circle

        If you want to learn the ideas and concepts of the great John Bonham, read this article. If you TRULY want to learn the inner-workings of his drumming, read this article, get out your Zeppelin collection, and listen to all of the written examples. But don't just listen, take the time to truly understand. Click here to read this Drum! Magazine article.

        Have you ever wanted to pick the brain of the great Neil Peart? Drum! Magazine gave us that chance! They gave an opportunity for drumming fans, just like you, to ask the Professor anything about drumming that they wanted. Click here for the interview.