Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso

There is something I call 'The 4 Offenses Of Drummers' (see the separate blog and video lesson on my website and Youtube) where drummers must be aware of the four greatest offenses they can do to at worst get fired, or at the very least highly annoy the other players in the band. This list came from talking to many musicians OTHER than drummers, and finding out what drummers do that get in the way of the most important big picture: THE MUSIC. They are Space, Time, Listening, and Dynamics. An essential way for drummers to test where they are at in these four areas is to spend time playing with your best friend in the band: the bass player. Bass and drum duo jams leave you nowhere to hide and will show you exactly where your drumming is currently at, and also happens to be one of the most FUN things you can do to practice! Leave the other musicians at home, and spend more time with the bass players in your life.  

One of my favourite bassists in the world to play with is Ian DeSouza. His time feel and groove, razor sharp in the moment listening skills, spectrum of world rhythms and beats to draw from, authenticity and originality, and improvising skills are unmatched! Ian is a Juno award winning artist having played with Sisters Euclid and many many others, and is one of the best in the business. In this session I wanted to get and insider perspective of Ian's approach to playing in a band and locking in with the drummer, and also what he appreciates most in his favourite drummers to make music with. Sometimes as drummers, we can learn MORE from other musicians that are not drummers! Ian's insight and advice to drummers is invaluable, so enjoy dropping in on this conversation we had. Also, don't miss Ian and I playing and creating together in our bass and drums improv duo (LDM), and in my band modus factor.

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR

What does studying body language and the brain have to do with drumming? It has EVERYTHING to do with it! LTR (life through rhythm) is about studying outside disciplines to get better at your main discipline. If you want to improve your golf game, steal from cooking. If you want to improve your martial arts, steal from calligraphy, and so on. In this case, we are seeing drumming as A LANGUAGE, and our body expression paired with knowing how our brain is wired from eons of evolution will empower us greatly.

In this session I had the opportunity to hang out with one of my favourite people, Mark Bowden! He is one of the worlds top experts on body language and the brain, and also has an awesome energy and sense of humour. We dig deep into these concepts in ways that will both help you in your everyday life, and infuse every note you play on the drums with more of YOU. At the end of the podcast we analyzed the body language of some of the most iconic drummers of all time to get further inside their minds and approach. This is definitely insider information that will give you an edge, so watch it 10X and literally 'embody' the learning. (Embody: to BECOME a part of your body) Feel these body language and brain lessons to absorb them into your own game of life and drumming!

IMITATE - ASSIMILATE - INNOVATE

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

The 4% edge is a feeling to get intimate with, where we stretch not snap. In studies done of peak performers, pushing just 4% above your current skill has been found to be the golden ticket to growth. This magic ratio may seem small, but micro steps forward that compound over days, weeks, and months, is how we embrace the art of impossible.

Take a piece of crumpled paper in a ball and throw it. Now take a bowling ball and toss it the same way. Neither go very far because of the extreme lightness and heaviness. But fling a baseball, and it goes far and true. Not too heavy or light, it has the most velocity. That 'just right' goldilocks zone in our practice, is where we face just enough of an obstacle to slingshot us into a flow state. But finding that delicate balance of walking the path of most resistance is tricky. Strive too high above your ability, and you'll feel the anxiety that comes with taking on too much at once. Too much challenge will only bring a flood of frustration. But staying in the comfort zone of ease is no fun either. Attempt too little, and you're bored. Both are insidious. I hear from drummers all the time that they are either stuck recycling the same old licks, or that it all just seems so hard and that drumming must be reserved for the ultra gifted. The 4% edge is to find the middle way, piercing right between these two terrains of no-man's land. Flow exists right in the sweet spot between the two. It's where skill and challenge come together.

There's a heavy cost to maxing out too often. Getting stuck in 'over-thinking mode' is a flow blocker. Flooding ourselves with too much novelty puts us in a heightened threat mode that locks us out of the zone. When you feel you’ve gone too far into anxiety, train yourself to cut it short and walk away. This is a tough about-face because it feels like your practice has beaten you. It feels counter productive to pivot, but in the long run you're getting more mileage per minute. Struggle is a crucial element to jumpstart flow, but seeking just the right amount is an art. And it's never the same twice. Finding that razor's edge of effort will always be changing throughout the different seasons of your practice. The you of today isn't the same as a year, month, or even a week ago, and so your 4% edge is unique to you, always evolving. As soon as you find the target it vanishes, because our skills are always in flux. It's always a new bullseye to steadily strive for.

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

If you think there are consequences and risk, then it’s real, even if you’ve completely made it up. If there are no real consequences, I have to create them. Affirmations and visualization may or may not work, but I use those methods anyway to help me. Declaring my goals and vision to the world creates a pressure I invented. If it works to get the project done and helps push me to do the work daily, then I will gladly use this illusion. If it’s real or not but it creates some risk and consequences, does it matter? You can create all kinds of made of ways to bring a little pressure onto yourself, pushing you to perform at your peak.

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

How did you fail today?

This is a great question to ask daily. This may seem negative at first, but harvesting your failures is where your greatest lessons lay in waiting for you. Wear them as badges of honour! This takes courage and humility, and is not for the faint of heart, but this is where greatness lives.

This is my talk at F***Up Nights Toronto, in which I told a story of one of the worse gigs of all time, and what I learned from this failure. Use your failures as fuel to propel you forward!

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

Listening is becoming a lost art. I am no expert, but I realize it is a muscle, and it has to be flexed daily. How many people around you do you know that REALLY listen? It's becoming rare. Have coffee with a friend, and their phone is on the table waiting to be paid attention to like a puppy. There has never been a time in human history when this has been more of a challenge. Just being AWARE of this in your life is an advantage.

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

'When The Pressure Is On, Use RLG'

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

‘You don’t choose the drums, the drums choose you.’ This is how I feel about what I do, and many of us feel this way about our craft. It is an OBSESSION, we love it, it is our fun and joy, our escape from the world. Motivation is not needed, in fact sometimes the challenge in when to walk away and not ever do it! But there are two other areas that are the very foundation of the craft you love, and can easily be neglected: BUSINESS skills, and shaping your CHARACTER.

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!

Don't let TENSION in your drumming hold you back! Enrollments are now open to find FLOW in your technique:  chrislesso.net/LTR 

Technique is the HOW of what we do, the study of MOVEMENT. Flowing motions equals a flowing sound, so 'how you move is how you groove'! This is not about getting as fast as we can or competing with other drummers, but about SELF EXPRESSION, and removing any barriers in the way of you sounding like your best self on your instrument. Once we get out of our heads and into the movements, intuitively reacting to the PRESENT MOMENT, we use our instinct as a tool, which is much more powerful that having to critically think out every part of what we do. This opens the door to getting into flow states when we play the drums. Playing from THE ZONE is the most fun we can have when grooving on the drums and in life!

LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how!

chrislesso.net/LTR

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!

Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I read every single one of them) We are stronger when we drum TOGETHER!

If you have any questions or something you'd like to see in the show, contact me anytime at chrislesso.com

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get the latest episodes!

Are you ready to rise to your 2.0 in drumming and life? Chris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to speak THEIR voice. If you're ready to go deeper to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at chrislesso.net/LTR

Keep drumming with passion, and see you on the inside!