Recent content by brentcn

Cool! You should try some next-level stuff, like different chord qualities (major, minor, dominant 7th, minor 7th, sus2, sus4, diminished, etc.), and also basic progressions/cadences (IV->V->I, V->IV->I, ii->V->I, vi->ii->V, and so on).

My ear training comes from piano and guitar lessons, and also being an assistant instructor at a music camp program, where basic theory is taught, including interval training (i.e. becoming able to identify intervals by ear). I have to say that these experiences help me to tune drums, especially...

Snare, too, at least in my experience. I'm not super sure about re-rings versus overall thickness. Overall mass is more important than thickness. Light, thin-shelled snares tend to have great low end (for example, a Dunnet Ti). Conversely, thick, heavy shelled snares tend to be bright. As an...

I think we agree here. But man, if a student wants to push harder, I’m not going to slow them down. That’s why I said “supplement”. Additional metronome practice is not going to hurt, especially if you’re using a mirror and really being honest with yourself about your form and stick heights. You...

Well, I have to admit, I would encourage more metronome use. For the last few months, I've been working on rudiments and pad exercises with an adult (age 46) student each week, and we use the metronome throughout the lesson. Frequently, I stop the metronome, or slow it down, in order to correct...

Well, it takes a lot of slow repetitions to develop new motions, especially if old habits are to be overcome. Most students usually want to rush the process, and will set the metronome way too fast. Often, the mere existence of a metronome "beep" takes the focus away from the positioning of the...

Love Jeff! He's a MONSTER (perfect pitch, wonderful tone). Don't get to gig with him very often, which is too bad. Gotta say, he's up at least one level from me, on the scene.

Hey there, I take my best stuff everywhere (in soft cases of course). Detroit isn't as crammed as Philly, and the scene is probably "calmer" too. But I hear you on the 18" kick -- it's just not enough for dance music. The best deals are typically a used Yamaha Stage Custom or Gretsch Renown...

Depends on the style of the music(. If it’s prog rock, then yep, note for note. Any style where the drum parts are composed along with the music should get this treatment, at least at first. Mangini’s audition for the Dream Theater gig is an excellent case in point. The average rock, blues, or...

Absolutely, all the time. For more than 30 years. You’re obviously able to read and write English. Do those skills hurt your ability to speak English, to express yourself with your voice? Certainly not, right? But you could, if you wanted to, write down the things you say. Music is not really...

Definitely put some thought into if you want a snare drum backbeat, and, if so, include it in the part. Any half decent drummer will hear the bass line that’s written, and duplicate/accompany it with the bass drum. Pretty standard procedure. You have a bass drum note on beat 3, but the bass...

I would say that it's not exactly clear, but drum charts are known to be vague, especially where the drum beat is written out in the staff. "Fill" and "16th note groove" are good! They provide solid instruction, and, they tell the drummer that some individual interpretation is expected. In the...

This could be really cool! I wouldn't have time for it, were it not for the state of things... Or maybe a "panel" sort of discussion, where only some are permitted to talk, with a moderator/interviewer to lead the whole thing, ask questions, etc.

Squirrel Man, please don't listen to this. Learning to play with rolls, paradiddles, etc. with a metronome, will NOT harm your ability to play metal, or any other genre, one single bit. Quite the opposite, actually. It will help you to play whatever you're interested in, and whatever comes to...

No drummer, or musician, has ever played something, that comes out well in a solo, that they hadn't, at the very least, thought about before. A musical phrase might be practiced as a specific thing, but more often, it's the result of executing a musical device, with many possible combinations...