Drummer's Weekly Groovecast

"You don't choose a career in music, instead music chooses you." There are numerous quotes along those lines and today the guys discuss just that topic. Can you or should you choose drumming as a career? Each of the guys tell their own story of how they came into the music business and then talk about the benefits and drawbacks. Topics covered are: being an entrepreneur, starting your own business, personal and family sacrifices, lack of traditional job benefits, travel, willingness to do what it takes, craft and business research, and much more. Finally the end segment of the show finds the guys each unearthing a favorite, yet underappreciated drum track. Join us every Monday for a brand new episode! Subscribe to us today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps!

In this week's show the guys discuss the importance of and the different types of musical mentors. Phil and Jon both talk about the different mentors they've had, how they've affected their lives, and how it's lead them to become mentors of others. The various types they talk about are: teacher/educator mentors, co-working/gigging mentors, and distant/recorded mentors. Although each are different they share many of the same characteristics. For this week's ending segment the guys decide to talk about 'must have gear'. Join us every Monday for a brand new show. Subscribe today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps!

Welcome back to part 2 of the Ryan Brown interview. In this episode Ryan gives details about his time in Los Angeles. Ryan talks about getting established, taking gigs, preparation, studio sessions, his teaching practice, family responsibilities, auditions, rehearsals, and a day in the life of touring with Dweezil Zappa. Before we finish I make Ryan play the time honored game show, "Beat the Clock". Hilarity ensues! Join us every Monday for a brand new podcast. Subscribe today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all your favorite podcast apps!

This week the show goes on the road and shifts into interview mode! We had the great fortune of being welcomed inside the Zappa family for an extensive interview with Dweezil Zappa drummer, Ryan Brown. Join us as we discuss the topics of: growing up with music, gravitating toward drums, discovering Zappa, beginning drum studies, college audition tours, majoring in music, career decisions, moving to Los Angeles, the practicalities of making a living, establishing a music career, studio work, teaching, getting the call to audition with Zappa, getting the gig, rehearsals, touring and balancing work with personal life. Subscribe today and get a brand new episode every Monday. The show is available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps!

Ahhhh...that click is so comforting...until it's gone! I'd bet some of you thought those words would never be uttered. But they are! Once thought to be a nemesis, the click track is now often a crutch. In this episode the guys discuss how the click track has become a safety blanket to the point of being a detriment. They also talk about how mental games regarding tempo and feel can be a major problem once the metronome is taken away. Numerous solutions are discussed such as: playing exercises with and without the metronome, body motion and mindful awareness, click manipulation, songs that should always be played without a click, and more. The guys then talk about the importance and proliferation of in ear monitors and how they can be a double edged sword. On one hand they can contribute to click track dependency. On the other they are wonderful at combating ear fatigue/hearing loss and monitoring definition. They end the show with a segment on great underrated drummers. Subscribe today and hear a brand new episode every Monday! We're available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all your favorite podcast apps!

Everybody's doing it. Well, at least everyone has done it that's had any modicum of success in the music business. What we're discussing today is getting your career established in a new city. Whether you're a young gun or a relocating veteran you'll need some ideas. Phil and Jon cover wide ranging areas of discussion such as: modes and timeliness of communication, financial responsibility, low paying gigs, personal relationships, housing considerations, and the omnipresent and venerable 'hang out'. Inside this discussion resides the shadowy topic of self-promotion. The guys discuss their feelings on effective and tasteful types of self-promotion versus inundating social media with gratuitous and self-serving posts. Finally the guys close out the show with a segment on must have gear. Join us every Monday for a brand new show! Subscribe today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps.

The Groovecast has delivered on its promise of an interview and it is a gem! Our guest, Scott Meeder, is the proverbial "Jeff Porcaro" of Atlanta. Even if you're not familiar with his name it's a virtual guarantee that you've heard him on record. He has been the first call session drummer on the Atlanta recording scene for the past 30 years. His credits include: .38 Special, Toni Braxton, Sugarland, Ricky Gunn, Aaron Shust, John Waller, and countless tv, motion picture, and radio dates. We discuss his musical upbringing and education, first gigs, musical influences, early use of electronics, his studio experiences, recording gear, large scale touring, his current work, and advice for young musicians. Please subscribe to the show on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Podbean, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. A new episode is published every Monday!

Even the best musician will have a bad night. However that does not necessarily mean you're doomed to a bad performance. Even Buddy Rich had bad nights. There's an infamous video of Buddy near the end of his life where he's said to have had a heart attack right in the middle of an amazing solo! Now THAT'S a bad night. So our question to you is, "How good is your bad"? In other words, as a professional musician how can you to ensure that even your worst performance is better than an amateur player's best performance? In this show Phil and Jon discuss some of the reasons that may cause you to have a bad gig. Then they talk about what some of those potential bad nights look like. After that the guys give you solutions and tips to help you avoid things that contribute to not being your best. They also discuss ways to survive bad gigs due to circumstances outside of your control. It's time to build up some musical and technical 'headroom'! Please subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app or find us on ITunes, Google Play Podcasts, Podbean, or Stitcher. A new show is available every Monday!

In virtually all disciplines there are very few shortcuts that deliver the desired results. In drumming that is especially true. In most situations practice and patience pays the highest yielding dividends. However, there are a few select instances where experience can provide excellent and sometimes unorthodox solutions to common problems. In this episode Phil and Jon give the listeners a few of these "magic bullets". Topics covered include: Pedal setup and adjustment, drum set ergonomics, alternative ways to carry spare drum heads, hardware solutions, reduction of set up time, and much more. In the return of "Underappreciated Drummers" segment the boys both give their respective kudos to two great players. Please subscribe to our show on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, and your favorite podcast app. A new show is published every Monday!

Concepts on technique can be very polarizing. Everyone is an expert and everyone is correct. "Strict German grip with the level system is the only way to go!" "Forget that mess. Traditional grip using the Moeller technique is far superior." " Well, only if you're a gimp. Real men, like Billy Cobham, use French grip exclusively." See what I mean? In today's show I discuss grip and hand technique from a very different standpoint. I believe that adhering to one, very strict grip and hand position is actually detrimental. Rather, every musical situation that you encounter can and should modify your technique to enhance the music and your performance. Volume, velocity, tempo, instrument height, instrument angle, surface hardness, fatigue, and more will affect your grip and technique. Please subscribe and join us every Monday for a brand show available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher and your favorite podcast app!