X8 Drums Blog

The second week of November has been designated, “Dear Santa Letter Week,” by the people who plan our calendars and remind us that the holiday season is happening right now… as if the holiday decorations in stores after Labor Day weren’t enough of a clue. There is a bright side to this week of gluttony, though; even if you’re not a Christmas person, this is a really good time to get your priorities straight and demand what you want out of life – especially the drums and hand percussion ins …

Social anxiety is a problem we all face from time to time. It can rear its head in a “stage fright” manner, or in the total avoidance of any public situation. If you’ve ever had butterflies before a first date, an interview or before heading off to college, you’ve had a taste of social anxiety. Others may experience a more panicked state than just a fluttery stomach when faced with social situations, and the thought of even a friendly drum circle is enough to send them back to bed.We know, …

There’s nothing worse than a shooting pain in your lower back or shoulder in the middle of playing your drum set. You’re in the groove, doin’ your thing and ZOW! You’re in agony! Plenty of drummers experience the natural aches and pains of drumming, like sore muscles, blisters on the fingers or hands or blurred vision from over-drumming (it happens!). But, when you’re finding yourself in a chronic pain situation from drumming, fixing it could be as simple as adjusting your drum kit to your …

Exercise can be fun, or tedious, depending on who you ask, when you ask, or even why you’re asking. Some people exercise because they are inherently physical people with abundant energy, a love of sports or because they like how it feels mid-sprint. Other people exercise because it reduces stress, helps keep weight gain at bay, or because they bought a gym membership on a whim. These same reasons (except the gym membership, of course) are also why people pick up a drum or start hammerin …

Having a teacher or mentor is important in life. Usually, when we get into music or playing an instrument, we find an artist (or 10) who we can relate to – whether it is their style of music, personal story or the clothes they wear. For drummers, much of that inspiration comes from the greats like Buddy Rich or Bonzo, or even from an inspired historical love of hand drumming and African culture. The problem that comes is that while we can be inspired by those drummers who have gone befo …

If you’re one of those music fans who scour the backside of album covers or the sleeve of a CD, you probably noticed that some artists are given credit for being a drummer, while others are labeled as a percussionist. You may even see both titles next to an artist’s name, causing you to once again question everything you ever knew about the world of music, rhythm, drums and percussion instruments. We feel your pain. There are legendary drummers who would never once say they’r …

We all know that shot of energy from a couple of Twinkies or a super-double-crunk-mocha-latte-with-a-twist-of-B-12 are two ways for any drummer to keep up the momentum during the hours of practice required to be great, up on a stage or in the throes of a drum circle. But, there is also a lot of talk about how drumming can be just as much exercise as running a marathon. Hours of drumming has an impact on your body – you sweat, you burn calories, you thirst and you hunger. Marathon r …

Drumming is loud. It doesn’t matter if you have a whole suite of drums on a rack, or just a djembe strapped around your neck. Drumming is loud, and there isn’t a whole lot you can do to reducethe volume of your drums and still play like the maniac you are. But, there is a good reason you should be concerned about how loud your drums are: your hearing. Hearing loss is a documented problem for many drummers and musicians, from Lars Ulrich to Rod Morgenstein, and an estimated 60 percen …

There you are, minding your own business, when you notice flashing blue lights in your rear view mirror. You think to yourself, “Was I speeding? Why am I being pulled over?” and then go through the hundreds of possible traffic violations you may have committed while innocently driving down the road. Once you are safely pulled off to the side of the road, the officer approaches and asks if you’ve been drinking. “No, sir, I don’t drink and drive,” is a likely response to the officer’s q …

We don’t really know why, but, there could come a point when you may need to drum without the power of Thor’s hammer. Drumming is all about being loud, strong and full of unstoppable momentum, driving each beat into the ground so that the rhythm is never misunderstood and you became a drummer so that you could pound away without being judged for your need to hit things, right? Well, not exactly. Drumming is loud, and there is definitely a lot of strength and momentum required to g …