X8 Drums Blog

There’s drumming for the love of music and rhythm, and then drumming for education or perfecting our craft. In truth, drummers have a million reasons for drumming and drumming has many mysteries to the non-drummer, but, there probably isn’t a person out there who can’t see how drumming is great for stressful times. Did you get all of that? We’re a little stressed with all of this holiday business going on. Stress is probably one of the most common reasons we reach for our …

At some point in your life, you may have overheard or told by someone that you didn’t have any rhythm. Maybe you were dancing or air drumming, or just tapping your foot along to your favorite song. Those words probably threw you off, and you realized how your heart hurt at hearing them; your heart, the center of your emotions and the center of your body. Suddenly, that rhythm you had, even if not perfect, became scattered… floating around in your awareness, with the memory of those words p …

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, …

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 …

It seems like every week, there are more studies concluded on the benefits of music in our lives. If you take the basic, “music soothes the savage soul” adage to heart, then you already understand just how important it is to have music in our lives. So many things about the mind-body-spirit connection that is shared through music are inspirational and encouraging, and as drummers and musicians, we all experience these “groundbreaking” headlines in our own lives all the time. But, it …

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 …

We all pick up drums for our own reasons. Some of us like to jam with friends, while others prefer a solo career covering favorite songs in a basement. Then there are the drummers who love the stage, or those who sit around in a circle, healing the earth and others. Drumming is fun, it is exercise, it is creative, and it is exceptionally therapeutic. Put 100 drummers in a room together and ask them about how drumming has changed their lives, and you’ll probably just hear 100 drummers dr …

We have seen tons of studies on the fitness aspect of drumming, most of which are focused on drum set drummers. More than likely, the obvious exertion seen in the faces of any hardcore drummer on a stage (determined, focused eyes, sweaty and breathing like they’ve been running a marathon) is the major reason for the focus on drumming as fitness and exercise. Plus, those drummers get the added benefit of music and rhythm without plugging into an iPod and wearing ear buds on a treadmill. The …

Finding the right path to self-discovery, wellness and creative expression can be lead by the beat of the drums. Drumming is not only a musical hobby, or professional passion, but, it helps engage the mind in ways that prevent the day-to-day stresses of life from interfering with what is really important: the beat. Particularly for hand drummers, this experience can be found throughout the year at drumming retreats, in which techniques are learned or refined, or drummers are encouraged to …