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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 your creativity why you are also the creator.  Today we play an exercise designed to deepen your concentration.

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 here: https://www.drummantra.com/intensive

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!

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 Make You a Better Drummer". Just click on the link below: https://www.drummantra.com/masterclass-invitation

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 named  "Top 10 Music Theory Podcasts in 2020" by Feedspot

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 masterclass at DrumMantra.com DrumMantra Podcast was named  "Top 10 Music Theory Podcasts in 2020" by Feedspot

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 Theory Podcasts in 2020" by Feedspot

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 2020" by Feedspot

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