1. Use a can of compressed air to get the dust out of those hard to reach places like in-between lugs and under the foot pedals of your drums.

2. Teachers: Use flash cards as part of your drum lessons to help your students learn note values, dynamic markings, etc. You can make them yourself on 3 X 5 index cards.

3. Have a "Don't Forget" list for all your instruments and related drum gear. Be sure to include such things as extra drum heads, drum sticks, mics and mic cables, etc. This list will help you to never have one of those gut-wrenching moments when you realize you left something at home 2 hours away.

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4. Listen to "all" styles of music. This boosts your creativity on the drums and makes you more aware of how to approach these styles if you ever confront them in your band.

5. For dried up duct tape residue on your cymbals or drum stands, invest in a bottle of "Goo Gone". This stuff is amazing (and even smells good!).

6. Teaching drums is an excellent motivator. You'll learn a lot and your students will constantly keep you challenged. When you're able to articulate your point about any given subject, it's then that you truly understand it. When you're ready, consider offering drum lessons to beginner students.

7. Play "heel up" on the bass drum for more power and speed. The heel down bass drum technique will work but requires a bit more effort. Also, it's easier to play heel up technique with drum fills.

8. Books: There are many good drum method books that are not out in the limelight but are brilliantly written. They may not be published through Warner Brothers or Hal Leonard, but the content is still top notch. Check out magazine reviews in drum publications, the web, etc. for independent book publishers.

9. Gaffers Tape: Ever hear people talk about "gaffers tape" and wonder what they're referring to? Although it is similar to duct tape, gaffers tape leaves no residue on your drums, is a bit thicker and easier to tear. It's also considerably more expensive.

10. The Library: Don't forget your local Library as a rich resource of information about drums, drumset, and overall drumming and percussion (CDs, reference books, music history, etc.).

11. Soundproofing: To truly soundproof a drum room, you must create air channels between wall layering. We will be describing this in more detail later.

12. Warming up before a gig. This is terribly underestimated. Spend 20 to 30 minutes warming up with drum rudiments and related sticking exercises. Practice them with music playing through a Walkman. It's a great motivator and you'll be very loose when you get ready to play.

13. Drum Set 101: It's a bit of a misconception that you always need a drumset to work out drum licks or patterns. One can still have an effective practice by playing in the air (air drums) and/or tapping on their legs. The main idea is to go through the motions so you form some amount of muscle memory.

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14. Use your band's board tape to know what to practice and clean up. Sometimes you'll be surprised to learn that the drum fill you're so proud of in a particular tune, may in fact not be coming out right. Try to practice drums as cleanly as possible.

15. Monitor Mixes: Try to get a "medium" volume from your sound guy. You can then go down or up from there. Low volume mixes will help you play softer if necessary. Mixes that are too loud can not only be physically harmful to your ears but they can sometimes cause confusion.

16. Have a "Don't forget" list for packing up your drums before you head out the door. This works!! Type it out on your PC (O.K., your Mac) and maybe laminate it. You can keep this in your stick bag as well to make sure you have everything before you leave for your gig.

17. A typical Latin rhythm section would include three percussionists. A Bongocero (bongo player), Conguero (conga player), and a Timbalero (timbale player). Each percussionist plays a vital role in the groove as well as the dynamics of a band. These three musicians stay in constant sync with each other.

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18. Check your form: Often times existing problems on drumset stem from the most unsuspecting origins. Are you hitting the drums straight up and down? Are you too far back on the stick? Are you too close to the bass drum? Do you lean in when you play drum fills?

19. Song form: Have a thorough understanding of song form (ex: aaba or vs, vs, ch, vs) so that you can more easily navigate the music and know where you are at all times in the chart.

19. Use the Web! The internet has become a tremendous source of information over the last 20 years. It can be used for finding drum lessons, drum shops, drum links directories, artist pages, manufacturers' sites, drum clinic dates, and even drum forums and newsgroups covering just about every drums and percussion subject you can imagine.

20. Stick Twirling: A terrific form of showmanship for a drummer. And now easily easily accessible through Steve Stockmal's new book and DVD, "Drumstick Spinology: How to Spin Drumsticks". Don't just play the drums but spin those drumsticks! Famous drummers from Gene Krupa on up made use of drumstick spinning to liven up their drum solos. DrumBum.com carries this Book and DVD. Don't miss the free video sample of Steve demonstrating stick spins from the Spinology book.

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21. Why read music? Besides the obvious, one of the best reasons for reading drum music is the fact that you can teach yourself anything on drums out of a book or a magazine without having to continually take drum lessons.

22. Paiste (cymbals) is officially pronounced "pie-stee".

23. Drum Tricks - A trick for playing slightly behind the beat: With your dominate hand on the hi-hat and other on the snare, play a flam on your backbeats (2 and 4) so that the snare falls slightly behind your hi-hat hand. It works!

24. A lick a day, keeps the doctor away: If you learned just one new drum lick a day, that's 365 new drum licks a year! Think about it.

25. Did you know that in Latin American countries, people clap the clave rhythm (2/3 or 3/2) to the music instead of 2 and 4 as we do here in the US?

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26. Drugs are a dead end road! Practically every other biography on VH-1 is about a drug addicted rock star who either OD'd or is finally finding the light some 30 years later. Enough said. Be smart and learn from those before you. They'd give anything to be in your place and do it all over again.

27. Singles and Doubles. Drum rudiments are made up of doubles and singles. Learn to play these as cleanly, evenly, and correctly as possible. Do the same with doubles. They make up all the rest! Master this on the drums and you'll find everything else comes a lot easier.

28. A Bongo drums player (in a Latin combo) has two jobs; to play the bongos throughout the verse or "down" sections of a song and to play a rock solid bongo bell (campana pattern) during choruses or "up" sections of the musical piece.

29. Think twice before cleaning those cymbals! Many of the old pros swear by that crusty old dirt that's engraved in cymbals. They claim, more often than not, that it gives them a real warm sound that adds character and body to their overall sound.

30. Don't underestimate showmanship! Many players snub this aspect of drumming. While it's certainly not required, it does increase your overall marketability. Additionally, besides being fun, the crowds eat it up. Remember Buddy Rich playing drums on the Muppet's show? Incredible!

31. Are your highs high and your lows low? Although most of us are aware of dynamics, we often don't spend enough time practicing dynamics in drumming. We have a concept of what dynamics are but we don't always pay enough attention to it or we don't give it enough thought while we're actually playing. Remember that dynamics are "extremely" important in the big music picture.

32. Keep a journal with your drum practicing ideas in it. It assures visual recognition as well as aural and increases the rate of learning/memorization for drumming.

33. Understand speaker feedback and how it can be reduced or eliminated. This way you can assist when there isn't a good sound man around to help with your drum sound.

34. Study a melodic instrument (not just drumset). This will give you a valuable understanding of harmony, chord structure and overall music theory. You can then be more involved in the arranging of your band's songs. You can also write your own drum charts more efficiently.

35. Don't quit your day job! Many musicians pride themselves in never having worked a day job. While our attempt is not to put them down, we would advise working day jobs now and then to help instill and reinforce a work ethic. This teaches you how to work hard and reminds you what the rest of the world is doing.

36. Take a lesson from the pros. Many musicians discontinue their study after college or after getting out of "little league" ranks (so to speak). You owe it to yourself to take an occasional lesson or two from a major hitter. Famous drummers usually lay things on you that you would never expect. Some of the greatest players out there still study with their idols.

37. Walk to the beat of a different drummer. Be your own player. Be an "individual" drummer. Strive to develop your own distinct style on the drums that will make you unique. Do something different. Have a niche. This could be from mastering one particular technique to standing on your head while you're drumming ... just be different in some way.

38. A Conga player (in a Latin combo) carries the bulk of the percussion groove by typically playing a straight 8th note pattern that repeats (known as tumbao). One places emphasis in the conga tumbao with a slap on beat "2" and open tones on beats "4" and the "and" of "4".

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39. The Timbale player is most closely associated with the "drummer" of the band. His job is to hold time and to setup band figures using drum fills.

40. Shoot for the stars, and you might just hit the moon! If you set your goals high, you will likely go much farther in life because you have a longer way to go and you'll work harder to get there.

41. Inventory your equipment: Log all of your instruments, take pictures of your drums (all sides), and make up a separate page for serial numbers of your drums.

42. Say it, then play it. The best way to learn a new rhythm or drum fill on the drums is to say it out loud first. This allows the brain another method of comprehending it.

43. Transcribing: Learning a new drumbeat? Write it out. Transcribing is one of the best ways to learn rhythms and will help your overall comprehension of music theory and composition.

44. Videotape yourself playing drums. You will be amazed at what you can learn from this. Everything from that stupid look on your face while your playing the drums, to the snare drum that's tilted at a 45 degree angle.

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45. Don't forget to practice your double stroke roll as triplets (Ex. RRL, LRR, LLR, RLL)

46. Midi - It's here to stay. It is a bit of our past and certainly our future. You're not obligated to partake but remember, everything helps in this highly competitive field. At least familiarize yourself with the very basics of electronic drumming and how to use basic electronic drumsets and drum sound modules. Electronic drumming and midi is here to stay.

47. You can make your own plastic cymbal sleeves for your cymbal stands. Go to the hardware store and purchase a foot of plastic tubing slightly larger than the shaft of where the cymbals will sit. Simply cut it in 1" (or so) lengths, slip 'em on your cymbal stands and you're ready to rock!

48. Drummers get a lot of flack. We get blamed for tempo fluctuations, etc. Many other musicians have never even practiced with a metronome, but they'll often be the first to speak up about it. Take the time to talk to your bandmates about the importance of their contribution to timekeeping.

49. Don't snub the groove! And don't put down drummers who make their living off of a strong backbeat. They are valuable commodities. Just ask the musicians who play with them. They have a feel on the drums that usually can't be surpassed.

50. Chops ... it's not a dirty word! Respect the time those drummers have devoted to their vocabulary. They're often more creative players and have much to offer the world of music.

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51. Drum Tricks: Try to practice drums 20 minutes instead of 2 hours. This is a little self-applied psychological trick that really works! After 20 minutes, you usually feel propelled to practice much longer anyway. You want drumming to be fresh and exciting, not dreaded.

52. Networking is equal to, if not more important, than practicing drums. Remember; "out of sight, out of mind". Networking is advertising (or marketing). Ask any business about the importance of advertising. You are, in fact, a business. You are the product (service) and you need to be "sold" to others. If they don't know how to find you, you will not work in a band.

53. For a great practice pad idea, take an old mousepad and cut it to fit a slab of wood. Mount it to a drum stand or simply sit it on a snare stand. Wolla, ...a new practice pad!

54. A typical timbale player setup consists of two, single headed drums (macho/hembra) a high-pitched cha-cha bell, wood block, a lower pitched mambo bell, and generally a cymbal.

55. Be competitive but not backstabbing. That kind of thing is not only unhealthy, but it will come back to haunt you. Don't burn bridges.

56. To better understand time signatures, visually think of dividing a pie into halves, quarters, eighths, etc. When it's in quarters, imagine putting a cutout of a quarter note on each slice and then slice that piece in two. You will then need to use two eighth notes for each and soon this will provide a better understanding of rhythmic values. This is also a great teaching method for your students.

57. Repetitiveness is the key to learning half of what's out there. Overlearn it! You will usually not get something down good unless it's repeated over and over again numerous times.

58. Teaching drums is one of the best learning tools for drummers! When you teach another student how to play drums, it not only forces you to stay on top of things, but you will learn from the student much of the time. It is a great motivator.

59. Go to drum conventions such as the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). There is a wealth of information there from product information and drum clinics to valuable educational seminars. You'll also have a chance to meet many of your favorite drummers!

60. The business of drumming: Study marketing and other business related books. This is invaluable information that can help you propel your career.

61. Use a large drum cover in your bass drum instead of a pillow. That way you'll have it to cover your drums if you need it and it will come out of a hole a lot better (if you have a hole in your drumhead). It will also allow you more muffling flexibility than a pillow on the inside of the drum due to the fact it can be arranged to touch both heads.

62. Be the best drummer alive! Eat, sleep, and breathe drums!! Let nothing stand in your way!

63. Tumbao is a standard timekeeping pattern that is associated with the congas, bass, and sometimes timbales in Latin music.

64. Practice your feet equally as aggressive as your hands. Think of your feet as if they were another set of hands. They need the same amount of attention on the drums. You want your drum playing to be rounded out and not top heavy.

65. Playing your drums ought to be as comfortable as driving your car. If you have to reach too far in either direction, it will work against your overall balance and positioning.

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66. Deduct EVERYTHING! Us drummers are self-employed (most of the time). We operate as a small business and a small business has full legal right to deduct expenses. Hire a tax consultant. Negotiate a reasonable fee and make sure you have receipts for everything. As a consultant once advised, "Even if you deduct too much and are audited, you will still be better off by paying backtaxes or a small fine, as compared to losing an enormous amount of money through the years by not trying."

67. Weather Tip: Careful with keeping your drums in too much extreme weather. Humidity, extreme hot, or cold can wear your drums down over time.

68. Your duct tape roll makes a great drink holder for your drums. Set it down to the right of your bass drum foot where it can't be knocked over. Instant drumset accessory!

69. Use your spare time wisely. Especially if you're on the road. The older you get in life, the more you realize just how precious time is. Time should be savored, prioritized, managed, and respected. Use your spare time to write a book, prepare for your private lessons, educate yourself, etc.

70. Don't forget mental practicing. Don't have time for drum lessons or practicing? This is an often overlooked, highly effective practicing method. There have been numerous studies on this and it does work. You can sit on a bus or a plane and visualize yourself playing through drum patterns. Go over them in your mind repetitively just as you would on your real drums.

71. Don't drink sodas on every band break. The temptation is enormous because it's usually free in bars and it tastes great. But think about the numbers that we put away per break, per night, per week, etc. This isn't doing your body a bit of good. Fill up a 1/2 gallon jug of water and give your body what it needs. You want to be playing drums when you're 60. Take care of yourself.

72. Include the Nashville number system into your drum reading repertoire. It doesn't take that long to learn and ... Country has had a huge impact on pop music in recent years. Nashville is one of our music capitals and if you ever have an opportunity to record there, you will need to be prepared. Additionally, this system is already in use in many smaller studios around the country.

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73. Did you know ... that most all Latin drums are tuned in a circular motion and not point to point like snare drums or toms on the drumset?

74. A terrific exercise: This version of "WIPEOUT" incorporates single, double, and triple paradiddles. Repeat over and over until you build up your speed. This is a great exercise for hand to hand control.

R l r r, L r l l, R l r l r l r r, L r l r l l, R l r l r r, L r l l   (Capital letters are Accented notes)

75. Protect your reputation. Settle arguments and debates with your band members as diplomatically as you can. Give 110% to your band and help with all aspects of the business. If you have a good attitude and are doing your job, you'll always have a good reputation in the music industry.

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76. Diplomacy is everything! If you disagree with your fellow musicians about something, bite your tongue! Keep your cool and approach the matter patiently and with great thought before you speak. Don't burn any bridges by saying the wrong things. You just might have to walk back over those bridges one day.

77. Protect your ears! We can't stress this enough. Most musicians take this for granted. Buy a good set of ear plugs and start using them, especially while you practice. Drums are quite loud and ongoing exposure is detrimental.

78. Think deterrents. Keep your drums hidden and/or covered in your car or van. Take extra precaution at clubs and venues. Cover your drumset. Make sure someone is always around when you're not there. Don't underestimate the thief. He's just waiting for you to let your guard down.

79. It's about time. Our primary responsibility before anything else is to lay down a steady drum beat for the band. This is before drum fills. You should understand "groove" thoroughly and be able to lay a backbeat down like nobody's business. Drum fills are secondary.

80. Drum Tuning Tips: Don't be afraid to crank down your bongos when tuning them. Too often people confuse the sound a bongo should make with congas or djembes. Bongos should be able to pierce above all of the drums with your fingertips. More on drum tuning.

81. Don't underestimate posture. This is one of the most overlooked facets of drumming. Sit up straight when you're playing the drums so your back is aligned properly.

82. Time Management - Here is a famous writing that will inspire you to manage your time more effectively so that you'll have more time to practice drums.

83. Engrave your cymbals and drums. If they ever get stolen, this will increase the likelihood of you ever seeing them again.

84. For those that use a drumset rack: Take white gaffers tape and mark each section where a stand goes with a number. Put the stands in sequential order and anyone will be able to set up your kit effortlessly.

85. It's RHYTHM not rythem. Come on guys, we need to know this stuff!
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86. Vintage drums are "old" drums. They make great collectibles and some drummers are real serious about this hobby. For a great resource, check out "Not So Modern Drummer" magazine.

87. Do you get a ringing sound from your cymbal stands when you play? Fill the hollow tubing of the stands with strips of cloth.

88. Clave is an instrument AND a rhythm. Claves are two wooden sticks that are played by striking the two together. There are many different types of claves (i.e. rosewood, and now even synthetics.)

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89. Many pro drummers "pitch match" their drumsticks by holding one in the air and tapping it with the other stick. They listen to the pitch and then reverse to listen to the pitch of the second drumstick. If the pitch is exact (or real close), they buy them. While this drumsticks tip is controversial (some think it goes a bit overboard), many drummers swear by it.

90. Keep an Emergency Tool Kit (repair kit) with your drums at all times. This should include things such as a screwdriver, small hammer, extra snare wires, drum parts, etc. Remember that old Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared! Keep an emergency drum repair kit with you.

91. Insurance: You should seriously consider insuring your drums. You'll then be covered If they're ever stolen or go up in a fire. Check into the "Island Marine" policies or attach it to your homeowner's insurance.

92. Set up your drums differently than other drummers. Make your own unique statement. Maybe when putting your drumset together for the first time, you can experiment with different drum set ups. Try reversing your toms, adding a cowbell, timbale, or an extra snare drum.

93. Support female drummers. They're paving their way in a male-dominated industry. They've worked very hard and deserve your respect. Popular girl drummers of our time include Sheila E., Gina Schock, Maureen Brown, Cindy Blackman, Hillary Jones, Patty Schemel, and numerous others.

94. Pay your drum teacher to come out to the gig now and then and evaluate your drum playing.

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95. True story: A famous drummer once asked his famous bandleader how to develop perfect time. The bandleader said, "listen".

96. Subscribe to drum magazines and drum publications of all sorts. The drum articles, interviews, tips and drum lessons contained within are invaluable to serious and dedicated drummers and all musicians.

97. Put your drumkey on a chain or rope and wear it around your neck. It helps you to always know where it is (and it makes great stagewear!).

98. Equipment maintenance: Don't forget to oil your springs and lugs from time to time. They can get packed with dirt and prevent your stands, pedals, and drum gear from working its best.

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99. The length of your drumstick matters! There is a reason they come in different lengths. Besides individual preference, longer sticks usually work best for drummers with shorter arms, and visa versa.

100. "Memory" is the key to a lot of things. Sharpen your memory and have greater success on stage and in the studio. There's nothing worse than forgetting your drum parts.

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101. Have fun! We all started playing drums because it was fun (and to get girls). Don't lose sight of this and get jaded. Work hard but keep an open mind. Keep playing drums fun!

102. Everything is hard ... until you learn it. Think about it! - Playing drums is easy!

103. Teaching Drums: The best way to know if you've truly grasped a concept is to teach it to someone.

104. Practice doubles and single combinations with your favorite CD. It makes practicing drums a bit more fun and you'll usually practice for longer periods of time.

105. You reap what you sow. Careful how you "sow" though. If you're practicing many hours but not getting anywhere, you may not be practicing correctly. Set up a game plan and stick to it.

106. Disabled Drummers Alliance (DDA) is an organization to support disabled drummers. More info can be found by contacting them online. - Please support Drumming.org.

107. Practice Hard! You'll usually find that in searching for one thing, you'll stumble across many other great drum ideas.

108. "A Prescription": Take all 40 drum rudiments and go through them leading with your weak hand. Write down which ones you struggle with. The result will be your practicing "prescription".

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109. Snare wires: Don't underestimate the importance of snare drum wires. Make sure they're straight and well-seated. If not, replace them.

110. Purchase business cards for yourself and hand them out everywhere. This not only gets your name in front of people but it reassures them of your professionalism. They'll know you're serious if you've taken the time to put a calling card together.

111. Drumming Tips for teachers: Keep the time signature 2/4 instead of 4/4 while teaching younger students the basics. It makes it less confusing for them and allows them to focus on the actual beat a bit more until they've grasped things.

112. Put address, phone, directions, etc. in your wallet so you don't forget them. There's nothing worse than driving halfway to the gig, only to realize that you don't know where you're going.

113. Drum Ethics: No matter how tempting it is, don't take a better offer just because it pays more. Stand by your initial gig and the promise you made to your band.

114. After a drum lesson, go home and practice it right away on the drums while it's still fresh in your head. Otherwise you tend to forget a lot of what you learned. Take lessons seriously. You're spending a lot of money so pay attention, take notes, make charts, organize your lessons, tape the lessons, and anything else you can think of to make the most out of it.

115. The law of reciprocation. If you help others, it "will" come back to you. Try it and see! Do something very special for someone in your life. This could be anything from helping to teach a lower income child how to play drums (for free), to starting a child sponsorship with a reputable charity. There is a great feeling of self-worth and dignity that comes from these noble gestures and God mysteriously has a way of repaying you for each and every one. - Life Lessons

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116. Remember to KISS. (Keep It Simple Stupid).

117. Drumset players: Use a double tom case (where you put two toms in one case). It'll save you some time as you'll have less drum cases to carry around.

118. Invest in a small portable handcart for your drums. This thing can save you a lot of time and trouble on those gigs where the set up location is far from your vehicle.

119. Be nice to your soundman/monitor engineer. They control your mix!

120. At soundchecks, don't show off. Hit the drums one by one and play nice steady drum beats. Many times they just need a line level and don't want you playing bombastic solos. Only play out if they ask you to or if it's an acceptable routine in your band.

121. Famous people that were/are also drummers: Bob Crane (Hogan's Heroes), Mel Torme, Jenny Jones, Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis Jr., Bill Cosby, Dizzie Gillespie, Johnny Carson, Karen Carpenter, Doug Flutie, Donny Osmond, Gary Burghoff (Radar from Mash), Jerry Lewis, Dana Carvey, Craig Ferguson, Billy Bob Thorton, Paul McCartney, Barbara Mandrell, and Emeril Lagasse. Tipper Gore also plays a little drums as does Michael J. Fox, and Chevy Chase.

122. Drum Tuning Tips - Here's a tuning quote: "Tuning a 3 yr. old drumhead is like polishing a turd. Why bother, it'll still be a piece of crap." - Well, kind of an abrupt statement about drum tuning but it gets the point across about how important it is to spend some time learning how to tune your drums properly. There's nothing better than a sweet sounding set of drums!

123. Adopt the "overlearn" concept. It's often not enough to just practice a drumbeat or lick for a couple of times on the drums and then think you have it. To get stuff down to where you can play it on the drums without thinking about it, you must "overlearn" it.

124. The Money Beat: Nashville studio drummer, Paul Leim often refers to the Money Beat. The money drumbeat is 1 and 3 on the bass drum and 2 and 4 on the snare ("Billy Jean"). "If you want to make a good living playing drums in America, make sure you can play this simple beat with good time and lot's of groove!

125. Polyrhythms: There tends to be an ongoing debate over the actual definition of a polyrhythm. For the record, Webster's Dictionary defines it as: "The simultaneous combination of contrasting rhythms in music".

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126. For those that study Latin percussion in America, it is important to grasp the "big picture" so as to promote a well-rounded understanding of Latin drumming. In many Latin countries, drums are deep rooted in their culture and there is a lifetime of information to be acquired. Pace yourself when studying this vast spectrum of music.

127. Relaxation is the key to a superior performance on the drums!

128. Warm up before a gig the same way a gymnast stretches before a competition. You'll be amazed at how much freer you are on the drums as a result.

129. Take the time to tune your drums before a gig. Many drummers tend to let this go but you would be surprised how out of tune your drums can become due to playing, weather changes, and the like.

130. As an additional warm-up: before a performance, listen to CDs or tapes that inspire you. You will usually play better as a result of the motivation you feel from the music.

131. Consider practicing drums in 15 or 20 minute increments. This will allow you to concentrate on many areas at once (i.e.: 15 minutes for reading, 15 minutes for drum rudiments, etc.)

132. Think "out of the box" when creating your drum sound. Get original and aim to produce a unique drumset sound.

133. Drum Solo idea: Make melodies on your toms (like "Taps"). This has been done for years and makes a good solo that much more entertaining for your musical audience. Find ways to make your drum fills make a musical statement. Learn more on how to play a drum solo.

134. Rim Shot: You know that sound you get when you turn the drumstick upside down and play it across the snare drum? Well, some people call that a "cross stick" and some people call it a "rim click". Whatever the case, it shouldn't be mixed up with a "rimshot", "stick click", or "stick shot". Thoroughly confused?

135. Don't forget to practice fast tempos. It's not enough to know how to play drum beats at moderate tempos. Before you know it, someone will throw you a tune that's blazingly fast. You must be ready when the time comes!

136. Many drummers ... just need to work on the "transition" from one lick to another, in a solo. The objective should be continuity from idea to idea.

137. Odd Time: Careful not to put too much emphasis on beat "1" of every bar when you're playing odd time signatures. You don't do this while playing 4/4 and you shouldn't do it with odd time either.

138. Practicing Drums: It doesn't matter how many hours you practice your drums but it's what you put into those hours. Think!

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139. Wedding drummers: Keep a small Tupperware container with you at all times. More often then not there is plenty of food and cake left over that they'll offer the band to take home. If you've got a container, you're going to take home some fabulous grub!

140. Double Bass pedal. One advantage to having a double pedal (whether you play it that much or not) is you'll always have a spare.

141. Are there time problems in your band and you're not sure why? Make sure the band has some of your hi-hat in their mix. This will help everyone lock in a little better.

142. Rudiments 101: The speed of them is only as fast as your left hand (or right hand, if you're a lefty) will allow. Practice your weak hand diligently. You'll then notice all the drum rudiments becoming easier to play.

143. It's "sextuplet", not "septuplet". Young drummers often get these confused. "Sep" is 7, whereas "sex" is 6.

144. To simulate a triangle or chime sound, strike the butt of the drumstick against the edge of the cymbal. Pro drummers have been doing this for years.

145. Need a quick sizzle cymbal? Simply tape 4 or 5 pennies to the back of a 5" strip of duct tape (about 1" wide) and tape it to the bell of your ride cymbal. This will allow your cymbal to sizzle as if it had rivets in it. You can also do this with a bead chain.

146. Drum Tricks - Try this old trick: To play a melodic tune on the tom-tom, push down on the drumhead with your hand or elbow while tapping on the drum. With a little practice, you can come up with numerous little melodies around the drums for your drum solos.

147. Drum Solo idea: Play your drums with your hands. The crowds love it! John Bonham from Led Zeppelin helped popularize this. - Drum Solos

148. Put your names on all your drum cases. When you play gigs with other bands (maybe you're opening for another act), this will prevent them from being mixed up with the other band's gear.

149. While playing a crosstick, hit the stick off the first tom rim and onto the snare drum. This creates an interesting flam effect.

150. Rudiments: -The buzz roll is also called the "multiple stroke" bounce roll, the "press roll", and the "crush roll".

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151. Feeling uninspired in the practice room? Set up your drumset or percussion set up backwards and play. Although a bit awkward at first, it will stimulate many new drum ideas. When putting together your drumset, think of different ways to set it up. Think outside the box!

152. Don't forget; your snare makes a great timbale with the snares off (make sure any dampening is removed).

153. Use your floor tom as a ride! Rock drummers have been doing this for years and it makes a great alternate riding sound.

154. Can't afford a double bass pedal? Put both feet on one single bass drum pedal and go to town! It takes a bit of practice but it's been pulled off by many drummers. More on how to play double bass drum.

155. Double pedal: You can angle your left foot and play both the left bass drum pedal and the high hat at the same time. Famous drummer, Dennis Chambers popularized this.

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156. Want an interesting drum sound? Maybe as just a special effect for a song, play with 2 sticks in one hand. (ala Steve Gadd on Paul Simon's "Late in the Evening")

157. Play rhythms on the rims of the drums (ala ZZ top's "LaGrange"). This is a cool effect that will add a new element to your drum playing.

158. Brushes Technique: Slap the stick on the rim with the bristles ¼ inch from the head, letting them bounce rapidly. It creates a great vibrating effect.

159. Drum Tricks - Old Brush trick: Lay one brush down on the snare head and roll it back and forth with the palm of your hand. This creates a neat flapping sound that can be manipulated to create even more interesting rhythms.

160. Cool bass drum effect: Mount a tambourine to a stand and pack it with cloth. Tape a bass drum mic to the bottom of it. Very cool sound.

161. Whoa horsey! It's common for drummers to practice things too fast. Until you can play things clean, you should keep it at a slow pace. If you practice sloppy, you'll learn it sloppy.

162. Drum Tuning Tips: For a quick muffle ring, cut out the outer edge of an old snare head and place it on the snare drum to kill some of the overring. More on how to tune your drums.

163. Use lithium grease to lube the lugs of your drums (instead of WD-40). You can get it at any auto parts store or K-mart. WD-40 doesn't last as long and it attracts dirt and dust. Auto parts stores have "spray" lithium grease. Some companies, like Gibralter, make a bass pedal lube that will work for other stands too.

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164. Teachers: To help your students understand 16th notes, have them say a 4 syllable word like "cat-er-pil-lar". The rhythmic syllables help them relate to the notes.

165. Conga drummers and Latin players: When using skin drumheads, ALWAYS tune down after each use. This prolongs the elasticity of the head and allows for many more years of drumming from each drumhead. Many drum companies offer synthetic heads. There are pros and cons to these drum heads so try what works for you. One important "plus" for synthetic heads on drums, is that you don't have to tune them down after each use.

166. Hang posters of motivational sayings on your walls, even if it means scribbling the words, "PRACTICE HARD" on a sheet of paper and taping it above your drums. Anything is helpful and will assist in getting you in that positive state of mind.

167. Practice hitting the center of each drum (this goes for all drums). This will ensure you're executing drum fills properly and getting the most tone out of each drum. Occasionally you'll play fills away from center when you desire a different tone or response from the head.

168. Careful with your drum set on light colored carpet. The metal from the foot pedals will rub against it and stain it. Put an old blanket or some old rags down underneath the pedals and then set up your drumkit.

169. Beginning drummers always want to learn fancy drum beats and drum fills right away. But you must crawl before you can walk. Take the time to get the basics down real good on the drums and then you can tackle the more challenging stuff.

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170. Breathe freely when you play the drums. Otherwise you stifle the flow of oxygen and cause your body to work harder. This in turn will prevent you from being fully relaxed.

171. The union gets a bad rap sometimes from musicians, but we're here to tell you that it does have great advantages. They can provide affordable health insurance, instrument insurance, audition notices, and even protect your rights in many difficult band situations.

172. Take the time to put together a professional music resume for yourself. You may need it one day for that pro gig you've always dreamed of. You'll want to be ready if it happens.

173. Many educators recommend warming up on the practice pad with metal drumsticks. Use caution however and in moderation. You want to strengthen your muscles, not tear up your bones. Oh, and "never" play with aluminum drumsticks on the drumset, only on a practice pad.

174. Practice drum rudiments in front of the TV. Once you've practiced a drum rudiment to a certain point where it simply involves repetition to get it faster, you can certainly put them on autopilot and practice them while watching your favorite show. Just check your technique now and then to make sure your rudiments are clean, precise and on track.

175. Careful not to use "abrasive" cleaners on your drums or cymbals. You could end up ruining the finish.

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176. Sometimes your snare drum doesn't sound good because it's sitting on the bottom of the snare stand and it's being choked. Careful because this will also dent the bottom head.

177. Myth: Drummers get all the chicks. Not true ... Singers do!! All the more reason to be a singing drummer, huh?

178. Ergonomics: The physical aspect of your playing (posture, how you hit) has a lot more to do with your playing than you think. When you are properly balanced, you have a center, and when you are centered you can move more freely and relaxed without any wasted motion.

179. Myth: Pot makes you a better player. Fact: Pot makes you a pot head. It eats up your brain cells AND your money. Yea you'll be slightly more creative, but it's been proven that the same level of creativity can be acquired drug-free. - Check yourself

180. Size matters! The size of the pillow in the bass drum matters. If it's larger it will dampen more sound and if it's smaller, it will allow the drum to resonate more. Also pay attention to whether or not it's touching the heads. This will also greatly affect the outcome.

181. Myth: Neil Peart is the greatest drummer in the world. Fact: It's actually Ringo.

182. Play your buzz roll on the side of the snare drum. The head is tighter so the drumsticks will bounce more.

183. Slow it down: Use a tape recorder with a pitch control to slow difficult parts down. It makes the much easier to learn.

184. For motivation and/or a point of reference, think about what you have succeeded at already. Are you a good swimmer, football player, skateboarder? The way that you became good is by doing it "all" the time. Think about it; if you applied yourself the same way toward the drums, you will undoubtedly be equally as proficient.

185. Enter those drum contests in major drum magazines like Modern Drummer and DRUM!. They often give away huge drumsets and miscellaneous drum and percussion items. Someone's got to win those drumsets and cool drum accessories. It might as well be you!

186. "Scorewriter" is a good computer program to use for writing drum/drumset notation. It is simpler to use than some of the other more sophisticated music programs. This makes your drum lessons and transcriptions much cleaner and easier to read for the recipient.

187. Keep your gigs written in a calendar or logged in a PDA so that mistakes aren't made and you won't forget a gig. Be sure to write down setup times and start times as well as location and relevant phone numbers and emails. You can also log your drum lessons.

188. Use internet resources to help you find gigs and keep up with goings-on in the industry. There are many great music staffing sites as well as valuable indie sites for musicians. And don't miss all the free drum lessons on the net that help spark ideas for grooves, drumfills, and cool drum beats.

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189. Try not to separate your drums and stands when you bring them home from the gig. You're more likely to forget something the next time. If you take an item from the pile, put a note there to remind you not to forget it when the time comes.

190. New drumheads: Take the time to "seat" your drumheads by pressing down on the drum after it's tensioned. This allows the head to stretch slightly and conform to the shape of the drum and makes getting it in tune a lot easier.

191. Drum Tricks - Soloing idea: An old trick is to hook up a long plastic tube to the vent hole of your floor tom and blow air through it while you're playing the drum. This creates a really cool sound effect and the crowds love it!

192. Sometimes you'll be on the gig but just don't feel like playing. Try to keep a positive attitude anyway. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps (figure of speech) and play your best. Don't slack off at all. It's Murphy's Law that the minute you start slacking, you'll see someone important in the room that needed to hear you at your best.

193. The spring on your bass drum pedal will stretch over time. Be aware of this and adjust accordingly. Replace it if you have to.

194. Standard drumhead types are single-ply, double-ply and coated heads. The drumheads you use greatly affect the drums tone so take the time to experiment with different configurations.

195. Some drummers sand their drumsticks with sandpaper to remove the varnish. They say it helps make them less slippery. Of course, you can also use stick grip tape or drumsticks with grips built into them.

196. Make use of the memory locks that come with your drumset. This helps save time and frustration when it comes to getting your drums set up the same way every time. When putting your drumset together, put colored tape where the memory locks should go.

197. Hey sweaty butt! Throw a towel over that seat to help reduce perspiration slide. Slick vinyl traps water so a moisture absorber of some sort is necessary. (Of course, there is always Depends).

198. Ever break your bass drum beater while at a gig? Simply find a screwdriver around the same size, turn it upside down with the shaft facing upward and screw it into place. This will definitely hold you until you can buy a new one. Just be careful not to play too hard with that screwdriver in there or you'll ruin your bass drum head.

199. Concentration: We can't say enough about the importance of concentration. The girl across the room will catch your eye but you may not want to stare too long because it will detract from your performance. If you play music soley to pick up girls then so be it. If you play to be the best, concentrate on your drumming and give your band 100%.

200. Buy your Snare Drum Case slightly bigger than the drum itself so that you can fit some extra replacement drumheads or zero rings in there.

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201. Success is in the eye of the beholder. For some, success means playing on television and/or with a big artist. For others it is the simple attainment of wealth. Websters describes success as eminence, wealth, and desired outcome. We like to think of success as "the attainment of goals" and "being happy".

202. Roll your drumsticks on a flat countertop before buying them. This way you'll know if you're getting a straight pair.

203. Careful not to tighten your wingnuts too tight on cymbal stands and drum stands. This is often the cause of them stripping out. Most of the time, wing nuts are designed to work efficiently with only moderate tightening.

204. If your bass drum head rips where the beater strikes, do not patch it with duct tape and continue playing. The beater will play through the tape and pick up the residue, causing the beater to periodically "stick". Instead, use a piece of old drumhead cut into a square or circle and tape it onto the bass drum head from the sides.

205. Snare strainers are often held on by string or strips of plastic. Well, if they break, and old trick is to cut strips of plastic from an old drumhead. It's just as strong and you won't be able to tell the difference. Have them pre-made so they'll be ready in case of an emergency.

206. Do you mic your drums? Don't let the mic cords touch the drums as they hang. This will interfere with any open tone you're trying to achieve. Also, don't let the sound crew attach mic clips to your rims. Ask them to attach them to the isolation mounts. Otherwise it defeats the purpose of having isolation mounts.

207. Get it where you can: Take the opportunity to make extra money by selling your band's CDs, T-shirts and anything else that might be appropriate (not Avon).

208. Put a Tip Jar in front of the stage. You don't necessarily have to announce but it leaves the opportunity for gracious fans to donate to the band if they wish. Hey, every little bit helps right? A small amount of tips can sometimes pay that bar tab if nothing else.

209. Creeping bass drums 101: Methods used to stop creeping bass drums on drumsets have included (but are not limited to) tying a rubber band from the bass drum pedal to the stool, using carpet, buying the "bass drum stop-creeping thingy" that they've been selling in drum shops for years, sharpening the spikes, and more.

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210. Keep your drum monitor close or use in ear monitors. It helps keep the overall stage volume down.

211. Make your own multi rods drumsticks (similar to Promark's Hot Rods) with dowel rods you can pick up at the hardware store. Wrap them with shrink tubing for the handles and you're set!

212. Stencil "Lift by Handle" on all your drum cases. Musicians or roadies helping you carry your drums love to grab them by the straps which of course ruins the straps. Hopefully "Lift by Handle" will be a deterrent when they're helping you with your drums.

213. Learn how to spell! Commonly misspelled drum words: Zildjian (not: Zilgen, Ziljian, Ziljien or Ziljin). Gretsch (not Gretch, Gretsh, Grech, or Gretcsh). Cymbal (not cymbol, symbol, cymbel or simbel). Come on drummers!

214. Need to get your bass drum foot faster? Play a samba rhythm for long periods of time. Put on a medium fast samba tune that you can play along to and do this repetitively for a week. You'll definitely notice a difference in the rest of your bass drum playing!

215. Do you break drumsticks? Common reasons drumsticks break are; Playing too hard with a thin stick, hitting the rims too frequently, hitting the cymbals at the wrong angle, using cheap sticks and often just using the wrong size stick for the job.

216. Did you know.. that cymbals are one of the oldest instruments in history. They go back thousands of years and have been used in just about every style of music imaginable.

217. Selling your drums? - Don't try to price them too high or you'll be sitting on 'em for awhile. Be reasonable about the price considering the amount of wear the drums have received. If you got them at a fair price, you should move them quickly.

218. Your computer and various software programs (Microsoft Office being one of them) offer great tools to assist you in your music career. There are templates in Word and Excell for mileage keeping and student records. There are staff paper downloads and CD labels software. There are free metronome downloads, music games and of course tons of music scoring software available for your computer. If you're not utilizing your computer in your music career, you're missing out!

219. Practice your double stroke roll inverted. (Ex: RLLR, RLLR, RLLR, RLLR). And also as triplets (Ex. RLL, RRL, LRR, LLR)

220. Practice in front of a mirror. This will help you check your form on the drums, as well as facial expression, posture and other bad habits you may have acquired on the drums.

221. Try to use a click track during your band rehearsals. This helps refine the time in your band and will point out the weak time keepers. It will also help you establish the tempos at which each particular song will groove the best. You don't have to necessarily play with a click on stage, but practicing with one together helps tremendously.

222. Many drummers play with their eyes closed. While this is understandable, it's not advisable to leave them closed for too long. You could miss out on important visual cues from your band members.

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223. Drum Teachers: Use themes that help get your students involved. Do they play baseball? Use drum analogies that compare to baseball. This is a proven technique that has worked for many drum teachers through the years!

224. Snare Drum: Turn off your snares when the other musicians are tuning their axes. The sympathetic buzz drives everyone nuts. They don't want to hear your drums buzzing when they're trying to tune up.

225. Do you know how to play "Wipeout"? Wipeout is one of those songs that goes hand in hand with drums themselves. Audiences just expect us to know how to play it. (They also think we like it. -Ha!) Well, just like sax players know "Yakety Sax", we need to know Wipeout. It doesn't have to be in your nightly set list. Just educate yourself on the basic form and make sure you have the single stroke chops, speed and endurance to get through it. There's no greater feeling than to be able to step up to the plate when your name is called.

226. Mount a cowbell to the left side of your hi-hat cymbals. While playing a 16th note groove pattern, put your left hand (or visa versa if your left handed) on the cowbell and play upbeat 16ths. This creates the coolest funk groove ever and makes it sound like 2 drummers playing simultaneously! Don't forget to alter those left hand notes to be very dynamic (soft to loud).

227. Be creative. Try not to get too locked into the same old drum set up and sound. Try different drum sounds for different band settings. Experiment with odd size drums, unique drumsticks, brushes, drumheads, trashy cymbals and unique percussion instruments. Try playing some drumfills or solos with mallets or put a conga drum or bongos on the left side of your drumset to add color.

228. Start a "Practice Log" for yourself. Include things from your lessons, song and beat transcriptions, personal goals and drum tips that you've picked up along the way. You can even include notes that you've taken from clinics and maybe even pictures of famous drummers that you aspire to play like one day. Get creative with it and use it as another source of motivation for your drumming career.

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229. Don't sleep too much. This is a terrible habit of musicians. I don't mean to spoil the party, but sleep can work against you. Time is precious and the older you get, the faster time seems to slip by. Get up at a reasonable hour, get on your drums, practice hard... and be successful!

230. Support your local drum shop. They're having to compete against deep-pocketed superstores and it's not easy. Do you want your local drum shops to stick around? Then get out of the habit of always wanting the absolute cheapest price. Pay a few more dollars and keep these guys in business. Take drum lessons there and buy your drum gear there. Get to know them on a first name basis. You'll then have that special shop to go where it's nothing but wall to wall drums, and drumsets, but more importantly first class service!

231. Keep your eye on the paper for concerts and drum clinics put on by your local colleges. They're often open to the public and for a small fee you can attend and see some fantastic drummers, and their awesome drumming!

232. Get out of the "comfort zone" (with regard to playing in the same band for too long). This is extremely important. Many drummers get burned out because they just stay in one place too long. They'll outgrow the band but won't want to leave, either because of the money or because they're scared and don't know where to go. You've got to keep pushing forward. Keep moving "up", not sideways. Try to always be playing in bands where the other musicians are better than you. Be courageous and take risks. They'll pay off in the long run.

233. Cheap Drumsticks: Don't use your good sticks to practice with (you know those $12 drumsticks you bought at the drum shop down the road?). Buy a pair of cheap drumsticks to practice with so your good ones will last longer. Just make sure that the cheap ones are straight and evenly matched.

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234. Want to go to school for just drums? Move beyond standard drum lessons and check out some of the more popular drum schools include Percussion Institute of Technology (PIT), Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA), Berkley College of Music, Drummer's Collective, Musitech, North Texas State University and University of Miami.

235. Make your own shaker. Simply take a small recycled can, jar or plastic bottle and fill it with beans, bb's, rice or pebbles. Glue it firmly shut or tape it real good so that it isn't a hazzard. Then experiment. Use your imagination and come up with your own shaker sound!

236. Cymbal Polish: Careful when you're cleaning cymbals. The "brilliant" type cymbals require a special non-abrasive cleaner that won't strip the lacquer coating.

237. Wax those bearing edges. Pro drum techs do this to help the head "seat" better on the drum. More on Drum Tuning.

238. Having trouble coming up with drum fill ideas? Try emulating drum fills of your favorite drummers off of their cd's. Also, take some of the 40 drum rudiments and divide up the sticking patterns around the drums to make cool drumfills. You can also take a reading book like the Jake Hanna book and orchestra the reading exercises around the drums. This will spark many drum fill ideas!

239. If you sit in on someone else's drumset, try not to move things around too much. Although they will often tell you it's OK, keep things as close to where they already had it set up as possible. If you have to move some of the drums and cymbal stands, please put them back when you're through. This is just common courtesy. Drummers are usually funny about their drum set up.

240. Pay attention to your crosstick sound. Many drummers don't take it seriously enough. Go for that "sweet spot" on the stick (it's different on every drumstick) where the sound is warm and rich. It will make that power ballad sound that much more full and pleasing to the ear.

241. Practice playing softly. We all seem to know how to play with great force but what separates the men from the boys (as they say) are those that know how to play quietly when called upon.

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242. Stay with brand name drums and cymbals if possible. They usually hold up better and have greater resale value. Brand name drums are Pearl, Tama, DW, and Yamaha Drumsets. Brand name cymbals are Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, and Paiste, among others. - More on Buying a Drumset

243. If you're a touring drummer, be sure to take your favorite drumsticks and drumheads on the road with you. Music stores in small towns won't always have the drum supplies you need.

244. Careful not to grip the drumstick too tight. You don't want to be too tense when you play. On the contrary, don't hold the stick too loose. If you're not keeping your fingers underneath, you're more prone to dropping your drumsticks on a regular basis.

245. Forget about internal muffling for your snare drum or tom toms. It's an old idea that's been proven substandard. Explore the many external methods including zero rings, duct tape, napkins and drum dampening attachments.

246. Remember to "Make Music" when you play. Drummers sometimes get too wrapped up in simple (and sometimes stagnate) time keeping. We have a tremendous and colorful palette in front of us and we owe it to ourselves, our bandmembers and our audience to contribute artistically by coloring the music tastefully. "Tastefully" is the key word here. Don't forget that. - Drum Articles

247. Get your head out of the chart! It's great to be a confident reader but trust in your ability and take your eyes away from the paper now and then. This will allow you to focus on the groove.

248. How to dress up a drum fill: Play a 16th note fill down the toms (You know, the old 1e&a, 2e&a, 3e&a, 4e&a bit.) Now add a flam to the fill on beats "1" and the "e" of 3. Now we can take it a step further by adding an 8th note triplet on beat "4". Throw in a bit of dynamics and you'll start to see a simple drumfill come alive!

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249. Some drummers struggle with what the bottom number of a time signature means. They understand that there is 4 beats to a measure in 4/4 time but don't always understand the bottom "4" number. Well, it simply means "quarter note" (like one fourth is a "quarter" of a pie). The bottom number always means a "note" such as an 8th note (4/8 time signature), 16th note (4/16 time signature) and so on. There can't be a time signature like 4/7 because there is no such thing as a "7th" note. - Get it?

250. When you hear the word "waltz", play in 3/4 time. When you hear "cut time", play in 2/2. When you hear "slow blues", be prepared to play in 12/8 time. When you hear "jazz ballad", consider your wire brushes. When you hear, "country ballad <