The DrumMantra Podcast

From Technique to Philosophy As often happens in the Drumset Mastery Program, our technical work naturally led into a deeper conversation: Are we playing from our heads, or from our hearts? Are we serving the moment and the audience, or chasing attention? Are we aiming for “wows” or “yesses”? (As guitarist Andy Timmons once said, "I heard a lot of wows, but not a lot of yas.") We explored the impo...

Coaching Through the Nerves: Helping a Drummer Find Confidence Before a Big Gig Performance anxiety is a deeply human experience. Whether you're stepping on stage for the first time or the hundredth, that swirling blend of anticipation, self-doubt, and adrenaline can shake even the most prepared musician. I recently had a powerful coaching session with one of my students, Michael, that reminded me...

Big Band Drumming: The Philosophy, the Function, and the History Episode 96 of the DrumMantra Podcast Even if you never end up playing in a big band, understanding its role in the evolution of the drumset is essential to your growth as a drummer. The drumset was invented in the early 1900s—born out of the ragtime era, evolving through early jazz, and designed to serve the music. It wasn’t original...

Let's take a look at the 5:4 Polymetric Relationship in its NON-NATIVE expression in a series of 5-measures of 4/4! You can find the Primary Series Book on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/02vdltK8

Shedding and discussing a couple of exercises from my most recent book, as well as a book I am currently writing. Join me for live practice sessions twice a week: https://www.drummantra.com/   Books in this video: Groove Studies with the 20th Note: https://a.co/d/0AqWNqj   Thanks for your support. Happy Practicing!

This episode comes to you from my drive to a gig. Just random thoughts that hopefully will trigger an idea or an inspiration in you:-)

On this episode of the DrumMantra Podcast, I speak with the amazing drummer, Adam Gust. Adam had a traumatic accident a little over a decade ago that potentially could have ended his very promising career. In this conversation, we talk about the studies and research he began to do at the Polyvagal Institute in Los Angeles. Adam has gained expertise in Polyvagal research enough to have been asked t...

In this episode I catch up with the great Zach Miller from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wow. What a player. What a thinker. What a human. This is a deep and insightful conversation. ENJOY! You can follow Zach on Instagram here @zmillermusic For more information on DrumMantra you can visit https://www.drummantra.com/ All DrumMantra Books are available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/author/richst...

I was recently asked to speak at a career day for a high school in St. Louis. The students had great questions and triggered some responses that I think may be helpful for anyone who wants to have, or does have a career in the music industry. The DrumMantra books are available on Amazon & Hudson Digital. If you would like to join the DrumManta Lesson Vault Community, you can visit DrumMantra.c...

In this episode: Mark Walker & Rich Stitzel PASIC2021 Documentary Film WATCH HERE DrumMantra Weekly Practice Sessions   (REGISTER HERE ) Blair Sinta's Drum Recording Expert Course Past Masterclass Guests Ari Hoenig's Masterclass on Sunday, February 27 ( REGISTER HERE ) Composing for DrumMantra   Please subscribe to the DrumMantra YouTube Channel! To Learn More about Dr...

In this episode: Learning to Practice DrumMantra Weekly Practice Sessions   (REGISTER HERE ) Preparing for Ari Hoenig's Masterclass on Sunday, February 27 ( REGISTER HERE ) 20% off Annual DrumManta Membership with code DM20 (expires Feb. 1) Blair Sinta's Drum Recording Expert Course (20% discount for DrumMantra Members) Please subscribe to the DrumMantra YouTube Channel!  ...

In this episode, I lay out a bunch of stuff that I've been up to this week which includes: Preparing for Ed Soph's Masterclass on Sunday, January 23 ( REGISTER HERE ) DrumMantra Weekly Practice Sessions (REGISTER HERE ) Rehearsal/Music Prep Techniques Primary Series Editing for Hudson Digital Gig Cancellations Thanks for subscribing to the DrumMantra YouTube Channel!   To Learn More, Click he...

In this episode we eavesdrop into a Foundational Series Practice Session. You will be able to get a feel for how the class runs, the pacing, and even the hang. The Foundational Series is absolutely the material that will give you the strong foundation that you need to progress through polymetric coordination, rhythmic phrasing, and most importantly - concentration and relaxation. I hope to see you...

Happy New Year! Today we are going to eavesdrop on a Primary Series Practice Session. You will get to hear all of the exercises that we work on to see if you think you may be able to do them yourself. If it seems like a good fit, you are absolutely welcome to join us anytime! Sundays at 12pm CST Tuesdays at 6pm CST Saturdays at 9:30am CST REGISTER HERE FOR PRACTICE Also mentioned in this episode i...

In this episode, Rich was a guest on the Drum Brigade Podcast with Korey Kingston and Phil Pardell. They had a lot of fun, but also got very deep on a few topics including teaching concepts and philosophy, blowing chops, knowing what you want, and more! Enjoy!

In this episode, I break down a complex fill performed by the great Dan Weiss into 12 exercises that, when mastered, will help you understand and execute this type of fill concept with more ease. If you are new to DrumMantra and would like to check out a free masterclass, please visit DrumMantra.com to watch.

This episode is a replay of an interview I did on Austin Koziol's In The Groove Podcast. We talk about bringing ideas to reality, the importance of presence, my Drummantra philosophy and practice system, and so much more.

We are all captivated by our thoughts. We are all challenged by our own debilitating beliefs. We want things to be perfect, we want to know the end before we begin, we don't want to be wrong, we don't want to make mistakes, we want to know the reward for the work. The time to begin is now because now is all we have.

We practice our drum lesson because we are practicing our drum lesson. Period. We are not trying to become something. We just are in the moment. Practicing. A lot of beauty arises when we are in the moment. A lot of inspiration appears. Sometimes the inspiration is overwhelming, and it moves us to create. In those moments of creation, honor it with a lightness of thought. Try to be the observer of...

Tom Grooves are super-cool and can give an immediate energy lift to a song. Here I demonstrate and discuss 9 different tom grooves that will hopefully inspire you to get to the practice room and start working on your own! Have fun and thanks for the lesson request, Tiffany!

Do you feel like your practice sessions aren't focused, inefficient, and unfocused? Do you feel like you never get as much done as you'd hoped? The secret to practice isn't WHAT you are working on, but HOW you are working on it. Make sure to check out the free DrumMantra Masterclass "5 Exercises Guaranteed to Make You a Better Drummer" at DrumMantra.com!

Are you being hired to do recording sessions? Are you doing drums AND percussion? Sometimes we tend to treat percussion as a smaller overall aspect of the session even though it can sometimes take up to 10x longer to do. Also, make sure you register for the May 31 Masters Session I am hosting with special guest Jonathan Collin Greene!

Linear phrasing is a great vehicle for expressing yourself musically and rhythmically behind the kit. Let's start off with some simple phrasing concepts and isolate the voicings to two instruments to really challenge your creativity. We will also add in some coordination for good measure:-)   Don't forget to join us for the DrumMantra intensive on Saturday, May 9 at 11am-3pm CST! More info he...

Finding peace is finding peace of mind. Most of the torment, tension, and trials stem from our thoughts. Thoughts that aren't necessarily grounded in reality.  How do we find peace? How do we find creativity? How do we sustain ourselves in this trying time? I suggest we look inward and learn to ground ourselves in the present moment.

So many people that I speak with say they are so excited to present their ideas to the world, and they will start as soon as they have a few more things in order. Then they proceed to present a list that is so long and detailed that I know it will never happen. Start now in the messiness of your creativity! Don't wait until things are perfect. You will grow as you go. Just get started!