The DrumMantra Podcast

Most drummers I recently surveyed said they didn't have a clear, concise, and organized practice routine. They also said that when they are in the practice room they have a hard time staying focused and concentration.  We need to look at practice from a mental perspective as much as an actual drumming perspective.  Join me in my new free master class called "5 Exercises Guaranteed to Mak...

Seamus Evely is one of the most driven, hard-working, passionate, selfless dudes on the planet. He follows his heart and gives 100% to his endeavors.  I was able to have Seamus speak to a virtual room full of drummers and other instrumentalists about what it takes to build a successful podcast.   

We have all been hit with quite a blow. And when I say all, I mean the entire planet. Musicians are out of work. Schools are closed. Restaurants and bars are closed in many places around the country. Grocery stores are empty in preparation for a potential quarantine or lockdown to try to transcend this pandemic called Covid-19.  I give a few tips on what I'm doing. DrumMantra Podcast was name...

We all get stressed about things. Especially things that are last minute, or just around the corner from happening.  One great way to deal with stress is to be prepared for whatever it is you are about to do. But not all preparation is created equal.     DrumMantra Podcast was named  " Top 10 Music Theory Podcasts in 2020 " by Feedspot

I have been creating and playing games with students for over 20 years, and this particular one has been a huge hit regardless of the level of the player.  The best part of this game is its a blast to play it with another drummer.  I call the game Simon and you can join in on the drumming action in this real-time lesson on creating phrases and fills. You are invited to watch the FREE mas...

Sometimes we get frustrated because all we do is practice and we really want to be playing gigs. Sometimes we are playing so many gigs that we don't have time to practice. Is there a middle ground? Can we figure out a way to benefit from everything we do regardless of what it is? What is Practice? Everything is Practice. Let's investigate.   DrumMantra Podcast was named  " Top 10 Music T...

In this episode, we look at the 1 to 8 to 1 polymetric time table as a hand warm-up, but then we add a couple of different foot ostinatos to crank up the coordination game a little. Please enjoy! DrumMantra Podcast was named  " Top 10 Music Theory Podcasts in 2020 " by Feedspot

Principal Percussionist of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Josh Jones, was trained from an early age to be one of the greatest percussionists in the world.  He is a dedicated practitioner and an extremely thoughtful, intentional musician. We discuss some very deep and insightful topics in this excellent conversation. DrumMantra Podcast was named  " Top 10 Music Theory Podcasts in 202...

In part 2 of this series on the rhythm of the Toronto Airport, more commonly known as YYZ (and more popularly known as the intro to the iconic tune from Rush's Moving Pictures album, also called YYZ.) I hope you enjoy my tribute to Mr. Neil Peart. DrumMantra Podcast was named  " Top 10 Music Theory Podcasts in 2020 " by Feedspot

In honor of the great Neil Peart, I present to you Part 1 of a two-part series of coordination based on the iconic intro to the famed song, YYZ by Rush (which happens to be the Morse Code for the Toronto Airport!). DrumMantra Podcast was named  " Top 10 Music Theory Podcasts in 2020 " by Feedspot

In honor of the great Neil Peart, I put together a lesson pack that is based on the intro to Rush's epic song, YYZ, from their album Moving Pictures. The rhythm to the intro is morse code for the Toronto Airport. Please pardon the unexpected emotional response to the untimely passing of Neil on January 7, 2020. He was an inspiration to countless drummers from around the world. Regardless of genre,...

The great Mark Walker visited DrumMantra Studios for a podcast interview and when I asked him for three grooves everyone should know, we filmed and recorded an impromptu drum lesson.  Enjoy Mark as he demonstrates & explains a ton of great information.

In this episode, I discuss my takeaways from the time I spent with Mark Walker last week. I take a look at what it's like to marvel at another's playing up close, what it feels like to be intimidated by it, and what I am doing to find common ground by building a bridge.

One of the greatest drummers in the world stopped by DrumMantra studios during a visit to Chicago. What started out as an afternoon podcast recording turned into an epic 4-day hang. Here is some of the footage from that hang & conversation.

The 6th Century B.C. sage, Lao Tzu wrote a series of verses known as the Tao Te Ching. This book of wisdom is just as relevant today as it was 2500 years ago, and we can use his ideas to help us with how we practice, play, and interact with others.   

The mind can play tricks on us. It will make us believe we aren't doing what we are, and are doing what we're not. Thinking is like a muscle  - it must be developed and trained. Breathing is involuntary but is also voluntary, and thus must also be trained. Creativity comes from within, and we access it through our ability to be present.  Uh oh. I forgot to talk about drums...

All of us do it. We wait for the inspiration to hit before we make a move. This of course only works some of the time. What do we do when we aren't inspired? Usually, we make excuses or claim it's "meant to be" that practice doesn't happen today".  Building a habit requires concentration, discipline, and patience. These are developed through perseverance.

This month's featured lesson on my educational site,  DrumMantra.com , is now up. _ This is an 18-part series in 7/8 time with a dotted eighth ostinato and twelve different ride permutations. It is loosely inspired by Vinnie Colaiuta's drumming on Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales album. _ I wish them all good luck!

In this episode, we look at nervousness that can cause stage fright and then do a deep dive into eight ways to find balance and transcend your fears.

Swiss drummer Lukas Landis is a great player, an educator, and a really cool guy. _ He was a test pilot for the DrumMantra3030 course and helped shaped it before it was released to the public. _ The other day Lukas posted a modification for Rhythmic Melodies in the Foundational Series so I decided to make it a new audio download for the book and do a podcast interview with him.

Knowing how to connect your external experience to your internal development is one of the best ways to discovering and developing your own voice.  It's all about intention, awareness, and a deeper understanding of the inspiration/preparation/presentation process.

Getting to the practice room is hard enough. Knowing what to work on is sometimes equally as challenging, and having the discipline, patience, and focus is sometimes nearly impossible. In this episode, I give you 5 steps to organize your practice into an experience that is effective and successful.

I just came across a little monologue I created for a video that I posted on youtube a couple of years ago. I am not a political person. I try to be as compassionate and empathetic as I can remember to be. Peace.  

In this, the 50th episode, I present two sections of a brand-new five-part series called "Two-Way Coordination: A Primer". The goal of these exercises is to train the mind & body to pay attention to several things at once - the coordination, the relaxation, the focus, knowing where you are in the measure, the comfort, and the sound quality.  We cover the 3:4 and the 5:4 polymetric relatio...

Steve Lyman is an amazing human. He is extremely dedicated to his craft and is driven by creativity, inspiration, and pushing the limits of his comfort zone.  Steve was in town to hang with Smashing Pumpkins' drummer Jimmy Chamberlain for a few days and stopped by the DrumMantra Studio for coffee, breakfast, and nice conversation on his way to the airport. We talked about practice, meditation...