X8 Drums Blog

A drum solo is a great time to really show off your skills and connect with your audience. Chances are, you will need to perform a solo at least once if you are a serious drummer, so it’s best to go in with the attitude of performing your drum solo like a boss. The confidence you create while preparing for your solo will radiate out to those watching, so here are some ways to make sure that confidence is genuine and rooted in solid musicianship. First of all, make sure you start simple. Play a …

The tablas are an important drum in the country of India. It is said to have been invented by a Sufi poet in the 13th century, however Hindu temple carvings place the drum origins closer to 500 BC. The tablas can be called an Indian version of the bongos. The smaller drum (the tabla or dayan) is played with the dominant hand, while the larger drum (the bayan) has a deeper tone and is usually constructed of a different material. The Tablas has four surfaces on the set of drums that produce diffe …

Drummer Chad Smith recently hit the Drum! Night stage in San Jose, California. The charity event supports the Lincoln High School music program and showcases performances, workshops, a gear expo, and an auction. Metro Active reports that Smith began drumming on ice cream cartons at age 7 and honed his craft in public school music classes and bands. Smith considers himself a prime example of the importance of public school music programs and works to spread that message far and wide. Drum! magazi …

image courtesy of last.fmWorcestershire hopes to erect a statue of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham. The drummer passed away in 1980 and the band disbanded as a result, but business owners from Redditch are campaigning to memorialize the drummer. Music Radar reports that John’s sister, Deborah Bonham, is excited about the project and only wishes it could have been done when other family members were still alive. She says that John was so unassuming that he likely would be shy about th …

Music is helping a group of developmentally delayed young adults in Greensboro, North Carolina, expand their horizons. A class called Connections is helping them to work both fine and gross motor skills and interact with one another. Music therapy uses music to help people work on social and physical skills, because research has shown that music helps draw people out. Your News Now reports that the class is facilitated by a certified music therapist and parents say they notice an improvement wit …

Weerachat Premananda Jr has become a big hit on youtube. The Thai musician drew a drum kit on a wall and then pretended to drum in a video. He is a music teacher who happens to also love chalk drawing and the video is quite impressive. A director helped guide his air drumming while shooting the video and Premananda plans on adding more youtube instrumentals in the future using a variety of instruments. The chalk drumming video has already generated more than 200,000 on YouTube and, according to …

Summer is the time of festivals and a drummer’s paradise may be found at renaissance festivals around the country. Frame drums are the notoriously popular renaissance drumming fare and are believed to be the earliest type of skin drum. Traditionally constructed using bent wood and a rawhide head, many cultures have a version of the frame drum. These drums are usually round, but octagon shaped frame drums can also be found. Played by hand or by striking with a mallet, frame drums have entertained …

One of the reasons most people get into teaching is to share what they know. While having a lot of knowledge or passion for something does not automatically equate to teaching it well, it certainly helps. Teaching drumming is not for everyone, but people who gravitate toward it genuinely love drums. The trick may be in transferring that love onto the student, because people take up instruments for a variety of reasons. An important drumming tip for teachers is to keep it fun, because drumming is …

Guitar Center’s 25th drum competition is under way! Entrants are being accepted for the popular drumming contest. Interested drummers are encouraged to apply at any Guitar Center, which will supply the drum kit and has 30 spots available at each store. Contestants are allowed to use their own snare, drum pedal, and throne, if desired. The store will also supply a Roland SPD-30 that drummers may incorporate during their three minutes of drumming. The winner of the contest will take home $25,000 c …

Drummer Matt Nichols, of British metal band Bring Me the Horizon fame, recently opened up about his struggles with drumming. Now in the business for about 10 years, Nichols finally feels like a real drummer, according to an article on Noisecreep. The drummer feels that in the past, his desire to be as metal as possible hindered his playing and he has since taken a more responsible stance regarding his career. He now practices with a Korg Beatlab to build up the strength and playing ability of hi …