It’s one thing to be able to play eighth notes throughout a song, and a whole different story to use subdivisions mixed creatively in fills, solos and beats. In this lesson we explore subdivisions from different angles, progressively, so as to remove any doubt about their workings.

Rebound is nothing but free energy, available to us at every stroke, and we simply have to learn how to use it. The way to do it is to understand Finger Control. Here is a balanced and effective approach, to get not only faster hands but also effortlessness and a fuller sound.

Doing sessions in the recording studio is one of the most exciting things for a drummer. Let's try this experience with this simulated studio session. We are going to record a Pop/Rock piece entitled ‘Hot Night’ (by Alex Grohl) in two versions, a note-for-note take and an interpreted take, to learn what the differences are and become better drummers in the process.

The secret is throwing the sticks. That's the way my mentor, Alfredo Golino, put it, and there's no better way to summarize what effortless drumming is about. We don’t force the movements, we don’t hit too hard, we just let the sticks fall, and let gravity pull them down naturally and do the work.

Cymbal articulations are the set of nuances related to the way we play the Hi-Hat or Ride cymbals: which notes are accented, how are the accents supposed to be played, how open or close is the Hi-Hat. These elements, which may seem insignificant details, are actually incredibly powerful in personalizing our beats, and knowing how to use them will contribute to take our groove and drum arrangement skills to the next level.

Learning, improving, and honing our chops is a lifelong process, and definitely a long term goal for any serious drummer. Can we express all we feel and have to say, with what we are able to play? Unless the answer is yes, we need to go practice some more. Here is an action plan.