X8 Drums Blog

There are many things you can do to make a cover of a song great and outstanding. Here are some words of advice for when you decide to sit down and cover that song that has impacted your life more than words can describe.1. Make it your own!As you are performing that song you love, remember, you didn't write it. You have to find a way to put your mark on it, whether it is switching it up with a fun groove or rocking a drum solo just to show off your range! You can even go as far as changing the …

If you ask a group of drummers the best way to learn how to play a drum roll, you will likely get a wide range of answers based upon the drummer’s experience, the type of drum roll and maybe even the different hand and wrist techniques used to roll on a snare drum. There will be talk of rudiments, of paradiddles, of the single stroke or buzz roll. The drum roll is an art that, for the uninitiated, may seem a paramount drumming move, the apex of rhythm: the most awesome part of drumming. For the …

Brent Fitz, drummer for the new Slash recording project featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, gives insight on his day in the studio laying down drum tracks for 17 songs.He says that the vibe of this record is to keep it simple stating that too much music today is over-analyzed. Even while they are recording, they don't have much to say to each other, the music speaks for them. After 20 years of drumming, Fitz embraces song structure and playing for the song rather than thinking of the f …

The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important lessons a child will ever learn. Communication skills strengthen a child’s ability to identify and express needs. Effective communication skills also help children to develop connections and create positive bonds with other people. These communication skills are used in many ways by schools to measure the progress of a child throughout an educational career. Research has shown that these communication skills may be linked to mu …

Drumming in the classroom creates such a great environment for children, benefiting academic pursuits, social and self-esteem issues, communication, creativity and so much more. For many teachers and educators who understand the benefit of drums in the classroom, it may seem like a detriment to kids to not have some sort of rhythm program in schools around the country. While a one-time lesson in rhythm may be the starting point for a student to begin to explore music, but, as research shows, the …

For any drummer, percussionist or other musician, there are always moments when we hear a song and want to join in, as if we were part of the original concept of the song. Some sing, belting chords for pleasure, others strum invisible guitars along with the rhythm guitarist… and the ultimate in tribute musicians flail arms and pump invisible beats along with the music. These are the drummers in the air bands of our lives.It may be a shock to see someone bust out an airdrum solo, or you may even …

We're used to seeing keyboardists and horn players as bandleaders, but in the world of late-night talk shows, drummers are taking the reigns. Max Weinberg started the trend on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, followed by Questlove on Jimmy Fallon's The Tonight Show, Robin DiMaggio on The Arsenio Hall Show, and, most recently, Fred Armisen on Late Night with Seth Meyers. In an interview with Eric Ducker, columnist of the NPR music blog's "A Rational Conversation," DiMaggio pointed out that dru …

Filmed in 1970, the video above displays the rare combination of technique and musicianship that made Buddy Rich the King of Drumming. With speed like hummingbird wings and a level of control that allowed for a smooth yet powerful execution, Rich could drive a band like no other, a talent that easily and often put him in the role of bandleader.A child prodigy, Rich started playing the drums at 18 months old. By 11, the self-taught American jazz drummer was performing as a bandleader in vaudevill …

Youtube, yet again, served as a platform for stardom. Usually, Youtube stars are singers, comedians, or actors. But most recently, a drummer named Casey Cooper, who's known for his cover videos on the video-sharing site, not only found himself in the Youtube spotlight but almost got to play drums during Ellie Goulding's "Burn" performance at the 2014 Brit Awards. How? Skip to minute 3:00 in the video below to find out. We think you drummers will get a kick out of this... This young drum …

The road to drumming is full of different styles and genres that can, and always should be explored. Whether you have just picked up your first djembe, or have been rocking out behind a drum set for years, rhythm and drums are the vehicles to a world full of fun, mastery and the ability to truly express your own inner vibe.Jazz drummers have a unique style all their own, and so many varied choices that contribute to their musical title. A jazz drummer gets to be the backbeat of a smooth set of s …