Drummers on Drumming

By Ben HilzingerMusic Music Commentary Music Interviews

Drummers on Drumming episodes

June 03The Drum Panel: Chick Corea's cheap but good advice for playing music in a group PART TWO
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
This episode is a new installment of The Drum Panel, and it’s Part TWO of TWO of diving into Chick Corea’s Cheap But Good Advice For Playing Music in a Group.
I’m joined by good friend of mine ⁠Rafa Vidal⁠, who also plays with the band Almost Monday, who are currently killing it, and of course ⁠Eric Somers-Urrea ⁠is back on the panel.
In Part One, we covered numbers 1 through 6. Today, we’re finishing the list with numbers 7 through 16, which get into some really good stuff: balance, intention, taste, space, relaxation, ego, and what it actually means to serve the music.
As always with The Drum Panel, we’re not pretending to have all the answers. We’re just using these ideas as a jumping-off point to talk about playing music, being in bands, staying creative, and trying to become better musicians without losing our minds.
———
Chick Corea's Cheap But Good Advice For Playing Music in a Group.
Play only what you hear.

If you don’t hear anything, don’t play anything.

Don’t let your fingers and limbs wander. Place them intentionally.

Don’t improvise on endlessly. Play something with intention, develop it or not, then end off and take a break.

Leave space. Create space. Intentionally create places where you don’t play.

Make your sound blend. Listen to your sound and adjust it to the rest of the band and the room.

If you play more than one instrument at a time, like a drum kit or multiple keyboards, make sure they are balanced with one another.

Don’t make any of your music mechanically or just through patterns of habit. Create each sound, phrase, and piece with choice, deliberately.

Guide your choice of what to play by what you like, not by what someone else will think.

Use contrast and balance the elements: high/low, fast/slow, loud/soft, tense/relaxed, dense/sparse.

Play to make the other musicians sound good. Play things that will make the overall music sound good.

Play with a relaxed body. Always release whatever tension you create.

Create space. Begin, develop, and end phrases with intention.

Never beat or pound your instrument. Play it easily and gracefully.

Create space, then place something in it.

Use mimicry sparsely. Mostly create phrases that contrast with and develop the phrases of the other players.
We also get into a Rafa's new endeavor called Touch Grooves. Check out more information on that ⁠HERE⁠
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Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠

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51 min
May 27 The Drum Panel: Check your Self 1 before you wreck your Self 2
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
This week on The Drum Panel, I’m joined by my co-host Eric Urrea, an independent drummer from Chicago who plays with Marina City and La Armada, and Steve Durham, who is new to The Drum Panel but returning from Big Fat Five.
Steve has worked with artists like Louis Tomlinson, Mumford & Sons, Foals, Wolf Alice, Aurora and a bunch of others. But the reason I wanted him in this conversation is because we’d recently been talking about that voice in your head when you’re playing. The one that judges your ideas before they even come out.
So that became the jumping-off point.
We got into the inner critic, why creativity can feel scary when there’s no structure, what changes when you stop trying so hard, how tension shows up in your body, playing to a click without becoming stiff, and whether being in a band is still worth it.
It’s a good one. Very Drum Panel.
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Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

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40 min
May 20Big Fat Five: Tosh Peterson (Lady Gaga, Alkaline Trio) breaks down the records, mentors, and moments that shaped his drumming voice
What is up? Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week I’m re-airing a classic Big Fat Five episode with Tosh Peterson.
Long before playing with Lady Gaga and Alkaline Trio, Tosh sat down with me to break down the records, mentors, and moments that shaped his drumming voice. We talk about discovering Thomas Pridgen at 10 years old, learning how to command a stage from Tommy Lee, what Snoop grooves taught him about making people move, and the lessons he learned touring with Nick West at just 16 years old.
Inside this episode:
Meeting Thomas Pridgen for the first time and eventually studying with him for years

Why groove and making people dance mattered more than playing perfectly

Learning confidence, leadership, and stage presence on tour with Nick West

Tommy Lee, pyrotechnics, and why Tosh believes drummers should steal the spotlight

The influence of Tosh’s dad and the roots of his playing style
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

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25 min
May 13The Drum Panel: E-MAN is not a collector ok
What is up?
Ben here.
Another Drum Panel this week powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
This one’s with Eric Urrea and E-MAN. We got into studio vs live drumming, why some players obsess over the grid, and whether modern editing has actually made people more musical…or just safer.
E-Man had a great point about how at a certain level, everybody can already play close to the click. What actually separates people is sound. The way the drums feel in the room. The way the snare reacts in the verse versus the chorus. The weird little details that actually make a performance feel human.
We also talked about:
Why a little ugliness in drumming can actually make things feel better

Punching in takes vs forcing full performances

The reality that basically everybody is getting “fixed” in modern recordings

The one cymbal E-MAN would steal from jazz history if he could

Goosebumps moments from Nicole Scherzinger, Blink-182, and Dagny

Whether any of us ever really stop trying to sound like our heroes

Kenny Aronoff’s weird tom setup and the chaos of panning it in the studio
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

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25 min
May 06The Drum Panel: His mouth time can finally relax on a bullet train to Iowa
Ben here.
On this week’s episode of Drummers on Drumming (powered by Big Fat Snare Drum), we’re back with another round of The Drum Panel.
Joining me:
Gunnar Olsen:
Currently out with Puscifer
Eric Urrea:
One of my favorite drummers to talk shop with because he somehow makes existential drum conversations feel practical.
This episode starts with Gunnar talking about completely losing the plot during a fill in 5… accidentally playing it in 6… then having to find his way back into the song in real time while thousands of people watched.
From there, things spiraled beautifully.
We talked about:
Why messing up live might actually make a show feel more human

The weird pressure of trying not to visibly “count” on stage when you’re hearing a click track

The difference between “giving” a great show and actually having a great show

Whether your real musical voice only shows up when you’re alone

The strange mental game of joining an established artist and figuring out how much of “you” should show up in the parts

Why some of the best gigs happen when nobody notices the drummer at all
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

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52 min
April 29The Drum Panel: Jessica screams at Ben to shut up.
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
I’m Ben Hilzinger, and this is another segment of The Drum Panel.
Joining me:
Jessica Burdeaux (@jburdsbeats)
Touring drummer (Covet, City Mouth) and content creator balancing real-world gigs with online presence.
George Martinez (@skinnygeorge)
Former full-time studio drummer turned educator, content creator, and all-around thoughtful voice on longevity.

In this episode:
“It’s complicated” — how your relationship with drums changes over time

The weird shift from loving music more than drumming itself

Why chasing constant growth can actually burn you out

Letting students (or bandmates) make their own mistakes

The difference between chaos on tour vs. stability later in life

Content creation vs. real life: what actually matters

The pressure of the algorithm and why it messes with your head

Posting what you should vs. posting what’s actually real

Why documenting your own growth beats chasing views

The moment Instagram stopped making sense for everyone

Touring, playing live, and why that still beats the internet

The balance between being a musician and being a human

Saying no to gigs, content, or work that drains you

Why stepping away actually makes you better when you come back

The quiet insecurity of band feedback (trash can endings, anyone?)

Being your own worst critic… and why that never really goes away

What each of us is secretly proud of in our playing right now

Groove, touch, and making simple parts feel really good

Being easy to work with vs. being flashy

Why feel, energy, and stage presence still get you hired
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
48 min
April 22The Drum Panel: The corkboard at Piggly Wiggly
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
I’m Ben Hilzinger, and this is another segment of The Drum Panel.
This week I’m joined by Eric Urrea (La Armada, Marina City) and Matt Crouse (Working Drummer podcast).

In this episode:
Why doing less with your podcast might be the only way to keep it alive

The quiet way a podcast can land you real gigs years later

Craigslist vs. Nashville vs. “just being in someone’s brain”

The real thing bandleaders notice that has nothing to do with chops

Caring vs. coasting, and why people can feel it instantly

The weird mental spiral of over-practicing and then freezing on stage

Why taking a break might fix something faster than grinding it

The shift from loving drums to needing them, and what that cost

We re-address whether drummers deserve songwriting credit… and why it’s still messy

Why some songs wouldn’t exist without the drum part, even if no one admits it
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

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50 min
April 15The Drum Panel: We’re just junkies
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming ...a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum...
In this episode of The Drum Panel, I’m joined by Jared Shavelson (Joyce Manor, The Bronx, Seal) and Mike Robinson (Say Anything, Slayyter, Oliver Tree).

In this episode:
Playing festivals - yay nay or meh

The pefectly “sized” tour

The backline details that matter most when you’re trying to play your best

How each of us thinks about success, growth, money, and career momentum

Why big milestones can feel surreal in the moment and strangely empty right after

The pressure of chasing goals in music when the target keeps moving

What really makes a gig feel worth it, beyond the size of the stage
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
50 min
April 08 James Gadson: The Groove Behind "Use Me," "Kissing My Love," "Dancing Machine," and More
This week’s episode is a special one.
In light of James Gadson’s passing, I wanted to bring this conversation back to the top of the feed. James was one of the all-time greats, and getting to talk with him was a real honor. The audio is a little raw, he was on his phone, moving around, doing his thing, but the stories are gold, and honestly, that’s part of what makes it feel like James.
Back when Big Fat Five was still the main format of the show, I asked James to bring in five records that shaped him. Instead, he flipped it and brought in songs he played on that shaped his career. That turned out to be even better.
We get into the grooves behind Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band’s "Express Yourself," Dyke and the Blazers, "Dancing Machine" by the Jackson 5, Bill Withers classics like "Use Me" and "Kissing My Love," Cheryl Lynn’s "Got to Be Real," and even Beck’s "Paper Tiger." Along the way, James talks about jazz, Motown charts, studio instinct, restraint, feel, pocket, practicing with intention, and why the hi-hat has to talk.
This one is a reminder that a simple groove is not simple. It’s deep. And James Gadson was one of the deepest to ever do it.
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
36 min
April 01The Drum Panel: Preptides. Prepto-Bismol and how to maintain that prep in your step
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
In this episode of The Drum Panel, I’m joined by Eric Urrea (Marina City, La Armada) and Kris Mazzarisi (Founder of BFSD / Winnetka Bowling League)
-
In this episode:
Why prep pay still is not standard, even though most drummers are expected to show up overprepared

The weird state of touring right now, from DIY scenes disappearing to arena tours barely breaking even

The last breakthroughs we’ve each had in our own playing, from posture to vocabulary to control

Easy things that make a drummer more effective on stage

The difference between playing quietly with sticks and changing the whole sound of the kit

Whether traditional grip has any real practical use in modern drumming
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 min

About Drummers on Drumming

From the publisher's feed

A podcast for drummers who think too much. Ben Hilzinger talks to the greats about creativity, identity, staying sane, and finding purpose behind the kit.