X8 Drums Blog

Drumming is all the rage among the older generations these days. Many senior centers and assisted living communities are including drumming as part of their activity programs and everyone is seeing the difference it makes. Even scientists and researchers have been able to document how ensemble drumming reduces the effects of senile dementia and may even prevent it. While senior citizens may benefit in special ways from drumming, they also draw from the same pool of advantages drumming provides …

Blink 182’s drummer, Travis Barker, is now giving online drumming lessons. According to Tubefilter, Barker has released the first episode in a series of video lessons called “The Crash Course”. Many lessons will eventually be available via Barker’s personal youtube channel, taking a drummer from novice to pseudo-professional. The first episode centered on warm-ups and stretching techniques. Since Barker has experience drumming in a variety of musical genres, he seems a perfect candidate for a dr …

William F. Crowden, a beloved drum salesman from Chicago, has passed away. According to the Chicago Tribune, Crowden began working with drums in 1957. He repaired and sold drums for Frank’s Drum Shop in downtown Chicago until he opened his own shop six years later. Passionate about drums even though he thought himself a mediocre drummer, Crowden did his best to serve his customers with warmth and knowledge. He spent over fifty years in the percussion business, working with children and holding c …

Jason Rullo, the drummer for Symphony X, experienced heart failure last week and has recently been released from the hospital. At only forty years young, Jason’s doctors predict that he will make a full recovery as long as he follows their program for him. Noisecreep shared a statement from Jason that promises he will do everything to recover 100% and hopes to return to the band as an even better drummer. He has already begun his rehabilitation program and is slated to need a minimum of three to …

African drums are being used to heal the children of Rocky Mount, NC. The Rocky Mount Telegram reported on a family calling themselves “The Healing Force” as they visited a local elementary school to engage the children in storytelling and African songs. The Anderson family aims to touch people’s hearts with their performances, which are geared toward all ages. As is traditional, the stories the Andersons share have moral messages while the music helps audiences learn. The family believes that m …

Special Meinl Djembe & Percussion Bundle!Meinl Percussion is offering this incredible Djembe and Percussion Bundle available ONLY through X8 Drums! You get a hand crafted Meinl Djembe, Bamboo Rainstick, Classic Hardwood Claves, Tambourine Jingle Stick and a Luis Conte Live Shaker!Get all 5 items for Just $99.99. Quantities are limited so get yours today! …

Although many people may daydream about receiving standing ovations and fans going wild during a performance, not as many daydream about the work it takes to get on the stage in the first place. Beating stage fright is a concern for performers, no matter how often they fight the battle. Lots of musicians wish they could play in front of an audience without feeling any anxiety, but for many that is just not a reality. So, what do you do?First of all, make sure you are prepared. The more you have …

A twelve year old drummer is preparing to take the world by storm. Already in a band with two teenagers, Justin Fisher took up drumming when he was two years old. According to the Cape Gazette, he had his first public performance at age three. Justin’s favorite music style is classic rock, although he takes classes and participates in camps that help him broaden his horizons. A student at Southern Delaware School of the Arts, Justin spends half of his school day ensconced in the world of music. …

Shopping for cymbals may feel overwhelming at times. In addition to the variety of companies from which to choose, there are so many different types of cymbals that one may not know where to begin. For this reason, it is good to know some basic information about cymbals and the sounds they produce.The basic cymbal types are hi-hat, ride, and crash. In addition to those, there are special effects cymbals and combinations of sounds, such as the common crash/ride cymbal. Each different cymbal type …

Chant is an industrial drum band with a tribal sound and they will be in Dallas, Texas, soon. Southern Methodist University’s The Daily Campus reports that the band is performing along with KMFDM and Legion Within. Chant will be releasing another EP soon and Bradley Bills, the frontman for the project, says that Chant is a combination of his drumming influences. The band’s name is supposed to represent the connection between tribal drumming and meditation chanting. Chant’s music aims to speak tr …