Category: Lessons

In this video, we’ll break down the iconic drum part from “The Oakland Stroke,” a great example of the rhythmic brilliance of Dave Garibaldi.Watch Video

Knowing where One is, is crucial for not just drummers, but every musician! Overall, “knowing where one is” rhythmically is foundational to musical competence and artistry.Watch Video

A commenter asked me to break down Steve Gadd’s amazing solo in Chick Corea’s “Dear Alice” off of The Mad Hatter record. As a Steve Gadd fanboy, I couldn’t resist!Watch Video

A short time ago I made a video in which I played along with a track called “Fusion Express.” I first saw it on YouTube with George “Spanky” McCurdy playing drums, and he was simply amazing.Watch Video

Striving to be “The Best” is so pervasive in our hyper-competitive culture. Indeed, now that the year is coming to a close it’s time for “The Best (insert whatever) in 2022”. I submit this kind of thinking is unhealthy and self-defeating.Watch Video

There is nothing more important if you want to get gigs than knowing how to make music “feel” good. But what do we actually MEAN when we say “feel”?Watch Video

I’ve always loved this quintessential pattern by Steve! I first heard it back in 1975….but it is still relevant today!Watch Video

Tuning toms isn’t easy. They resonate, and because they usually have 2 heads, if you don’t know how to get them to work together you can have a pretty bad-sounding drum. The key is to start out with even tension around each head. If you use my “method”, you then start tweaking.Watch Video

If you like a challenge, this video is for you! I show you how to take any pattern and play it over several grids like the previous video. But I added quintuplet and septuplet grids for an extra challenge.Watch Video

This is one of those exercises that’s totally open-ended. You can use ANY pattern or lick and come up with something that sounds totally different, simply by playing that pattern on a different grid.Watch Video