X8 Drums Blog

Too often, the “look” of a drummer is that of a sweaty, shirtless rocker behind a ginormous drum set with double bass pedals and octopus arms hammering away. Or, there’s the laid back jazz drummer with a hi-hat, drum brushes, cool hat and sunglasses. But, when you think about a country music drummer, that image might be a little bit blurry, unless you’re playing in a country band or a fan of country music. Even then, there’s not a lot of country music drummer hype, or so it can seem, when …

There’s a certain vibe that can only come from jazz drumming: laid back, cool, maybe a little crazy, but in a different way than those other “crazy” styles of drumming. When most people picture jazz drumming, images of a sunglasses-clad drummer nodding away to a backbeat are pretty common. That backbeat itself is laid-back, cool… and a little different, too… especially when you realize that crazy cat drummer is using a brush instead of a drum stick on their hi-hat or swishing it around on …

Drumming is full of triumphs and tribulations, from the moment you pick up your first pair of drum sticks until that final day when you hand your sticks off to the next generation to become a legend. Just when you think you’ve mastered that slick solo you’ve been working on for months and are ready to show off your moves to friends, you hear the heart-crushing sound of a cymbal gone wrong. Somehow, that “indestructible” metal instrument has been cracked, chipped, split or just plain bro …

There’s nothing worse than a shooting pain in your lower back or shoulder in the middle of playing your drum set. You’re in the groove, doin’ your thing and ZOW! You’re in agony! Plenty of drummers experience the natural aches and pains of drumming, like sore muscles, blisters on the fingers or hands or blurred vision from over-drumming (it happens!). But, when you’re finding yourself in a chronic pain situation from drumming, fixing it could be as simple as adjusting your drum kit to your …

Some hand drums just stand out above the others, whether with their sound, size or even just the way the drum looks. Most hand drum players start with finding the “right” sound of a drum, whether a djembe, doumbek or a set of bongos. But, appearance can always be a factor that sways even the best drummer – we’re human, after all, and we aren’t afraid of a little snazz on our drums.If you already have a djembe, for example, you can always add some personal touches to it like ksink ksink or …

Plenty of people consider the djembe drum a staple instrument in drum circles or in performances that highlight African culture. These popular hand drums are also responsible for exciting experiences in schools, for motivating employees in team building exercises and forging connections within communities. So, why is it so shocking to see a djembe drum in a place of worship?For many, it isn’t; djembe drums are just another musical way to worship.Back in the day, djembe drums served a varie …

Because drummers like to be different, we tend to gravitate toward the complexities of life. Such as choosing the right drum or drums for the music we want to play. Everyone knows that drums come in all sorts of different styles, sizes, brands and configurations. There are hand drums like djembes, doumbeks and congas or drum set and component drums like snares, toms and bass drums. While all drums have different drum heads to consider, drum set drummers may have the most intriguing spectru …

Being a drummer, percussionist or rhythmic artist has a lot of perks. You get to have the entire spotlight on your talent, be seen as the center of the band or the raging force in the drumming community. You are the greatest thing since music was first heard and your skills on that djembe, the congas or behind the drum set are unparalleled. Then, someone comes along and asks you to teach them how to be just like you.What do you do?If your first answer was something like, “no way you’re goi …

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 …

Having a teacher or mentor is important in life. Usually, when we get into music or playing an instrument, we find an artist (or 10) who we can relate to – whether it is their style of music, personal story or the clothes they wear. For drummers, much of that inspiration comes from the greats like Buddy Rich or Bonzo, or even from an inspired historical love of hand drumming and African culture. The problem that comes is that while we can be inspired by those drummers who have gone befo …