X8 Drums Blog

Purchasing your first drum set can be an overwhelming experience as the options are just about limitless. Configurations come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and woods making it difficult to know which model is best for you. By understanding the basic components of a drum set and the tonal differences between the wood used in making them, choosing the right set will be an exciting experience. Step One: Choose Your Drum Set Configuration When looking at drum sets, know that t …

I'm seventy years old and I just discovered drumming two years ago. I saw a local group perform and thought, they're having so much fun, I want some of that. I got in touch and joined their beginner's group. It's been a joyride ever since. When class day arrives, I wake up smiling! The greatest part about drum circles is the inclusivity. Drummers of all levels are welcome and regulars are eager to help beginners. When the rhythm gets rolling, everybody in the groove, the heartbea …

I've been playing drums since the age of 11. I started playing drum sets at juke joints in Memphis TN, playing blues and jazz. I was the youngest jazz drummer in Memphis during that time. I started playing with other groups as I got older. I spent a lot time playing on Beale Street playing for Joyce Cobb, Herman Green, Norman West (Soul Children) and Roy Strong Dynamics. I always played Conga and Bongo drums as they were versatile within Latin jazz groups in Memphis. After serv …

When I was a young boy of 8, I got my first drum set for Christmas. A gleaming blue and silver jazz kit modeled after Ringo Starr's set in The Beatles. I went along to a series of drum lessons that lasted all of about a year or so and got somewhat used to the beats that I was taught. I caught hell over the fact I could not get the Bossa Nova beat because my hands just did not want to cooperate. I wound up sounding like a robot playing a set of drums. No feeling - just the beat. After my paren …

I began my drum journey 2 1/2 years ago by signing up for a hand drumming class at the local recreational center. The instructor showed a real love for the drum and was very patient with all us new drummers. He provided beginner drums for the class but after just two classes I KNEW this was something I wanted to continue so purchased my own djembe drum from a local music store. After taking the beginner and intermediate classes, I was asked by the instructor to help him begin a drum circle. Th …

As we age, we begin to reflect the toll of stress, anxiety, and day-to-day life experiences, showing up in the lines on our faces and the more delicate movements of our bodies. Getting older has the benefits of wisdom and experience, but as the body ages, it can seem unfair to have gained such wisdom, at the expense of our physical well-being. Much of the aches and pains of growing up can be attributed to a lifestyle of hard work, stress-filled days and little time to enjoy life. In order t …

The bullying epidemic in schools is tragic, forcing many of our children to shed the distinct qualities that make them unique, in order to get through the day without harassment. Whether the bully or the victim, sacrificing part of the “self” is damaging to a person’s self-esteem and can cause problems in academics, as well as day-to-day tasks. Most of us have been caught up in trying to fit in to avoid the slings and arrows of being an individual, but today’s bullying has changed… for the …

X8 Drums is proud to announce that percussionist Noah Mosgofian has joined the team of talented instructors contributing online drum lessons to the X8 Drums Lesson Gallery. His lessons will focus on all types of world percussion instruments and advanced performance techniques. Noah has been playing African and Latin percussion for over 20 years. After 6 years of international touring with STOMP, he settled in Austin, TX where he became a fixture in the Cuban/Brazilian/African music scene …

Boomwhackers were invented around 1994 by Craig Ramsell while he was playing with trash (a finished roll of wrapping paper). The history of Boomwhackers starts out the same way that most other percussion instruments begin; someone accidentally made music with it. Because they were invented recently, it might be difficult for some to take Boomwhackers into any consideration as a defined musical instrument, but the life they bring into the music industry is unparalleled. They can be struck b …

Childhood is a magical time when imagination drives each and every moment, helping to discover and understand how the world works. Children are naturally creative, taking delight in the mundane and making it into something so fantastic, only they can really enjoy its wonder. It is this imagination that can make a chair into a dragon, a couch into a castle or a wrapping paper tube into a sword… or a Boomwhacker. Boomwhackers may technically be the invention of the masses, but, …