Welcome to Episode #24 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast. This week on the show is Professional Drummer, Educator, and Clinician Robb Ryan.

The first time I saw Robb Ryan, was a few years back on Drumeo. He had filmed some lessons and courses for the popular online drum lesson channel. I began searching for his name which led me to youtube. Here you can find his Drumeo drum solo. This is also where I found his videos explaining how to use the Gary Chaffee Patterns Series Books. A few years later, here we are on Instagram where I run into Robb again. Thankfully, this time we hooked up and booked him for an interview on the podcast!

It's crazy to think that just a few years ago I was in awe watching him perform on my computer screen, and today we are chatting about his career. As always, I like to give the listeners a chance to get to know a bit about him. After chatting for a bit, Robb tells a bit about growing up and getting into music. One thing you will quickly come to realize is that Robb can play many different styles of music. He tells us about the drummers and bands that inspired him early on, and who he still considers his favorites.

Like many of us, Robb grew up in the local music scene playing with some different bands. But it wasn't as prominent of a role as teaching would become for him. I've found myself leaning more towards the teaching side of drumming over the last few years, so I was eager to discuss this topic with him. He has gained a serious level of recognition over the years which has allowed him to become a Full-Time Drum Instructor. As I mentioned before, Robb can be seen on Drumeo, Youtube, or in person putting on clinics throughout Canada.

Teaching is a very large part of the conversation we had. I had some personal questions from my own experiences that I wanted to pick his brain with. Clinics have always been something I wanted to start branching into. Robb tells about how he got his start. Everything from making the phone calls, to putting together the lesson that he would focus his clinic around. Since his Drumeo lesson is basically like a clinic, I asked him about his experience at their facility. It was interesting to hear how they bring in their instructors and the amount of gratitude they have for their guests.

I've been trying to wrap my head around the Gary Chaffee books for a short time now. Being that Robb is considered a Master in his material, there was definitely going to be some discussion on this topic. For the listeners who aren't familiar with these books, Robb gives a breakdown of what they cover, and why they are important to learn. It was during this segment when I decided to ask Robb if he would be interested in taking me on as a student. I also wanted to see what tips Robb had to offer for someone like myself who is trying to break into the online side of Drum Education. I look forward to the mentoring and the challenge of what's to come!

In the gear portion of my interview, Robb tells us about the different companies he endorses. Robb is a Gretsch Drums, Dream Cymbals, and Los Cabos Drumsticks Artist. I find it interesting to see how my different guests have become part of these different families. He gives us a bit of insight into the relationships he has and how he developed them. We get a little specific with Los Cabos sticks due to the fact that I just started playing them and have fallen completely head over heels in love with them!

To finish up our interview, I ask Robb about his practice routines, and what types of things struggling drummers should be working on. He brings up some very valid points. It goes without saying that having a focused practice session is more important than the material you are working on. But I think any drummer who is having a difficult time,