Need to find a gig or group to play with? Need to find musicians for your group? If you haven't tried Bandmix.com yet, you may find who your're looking for there. I am not a sponser of Bandmix, however it worked so well and quickly for me that I thought I'd share it with my loyal readers. A word to the wise: Do everyone a favor and be as thorough and "honest" as possible when filling out your profile. Jim Richardson
Bill Bruford, playing with "Yes" sometime in the late 80's on his Simmons SDX. Look at how many pads he has:
I had a Simmons kit for a few months (in the 80's) and was smart enough to sell it while it was still worth something. Fortunately, we've come a long, long way since then. Check out the sound of this Roland kit:
Presently, electronic drums are sounding light years better and costing less comparatively speaking! Jim Richardson
Dylan Elise is a 16 year old drummer playing at the Tauranga National Jazz Festival in New Zealand.
Remember: Drum solos are one thing.....playing with other musicians is another! I've known drummers who stink at solos (like me) but who are awesome with a group of musicians. The reverse is also true. Jim Richardson
Here's an alternate technique for cymbal strikes that "works":
Cymbal Care tip: Don't forget the plastic "thingy" between the cymbal and metal mount! It's purpose is to absorb the strike and protect from cracking! Jim Richardson
Spinning your drumsticks 'round your fingers displays a theatrical side to your performance. It's actually easier than you think....if you practice the following technique described very briefly and quite well:
Personally, I've never incorporated stick "showmanship" into my performances. Perhaps maybe I'll practice this and give it a shot!
A djembe is an extremely versatile little drum which, as you will see in the video below, can produce a wide variety of sounds from just one percussive source. Granted it does take practice to do this effectively, yet a djembe can be a valuable addition to your performing arsenal. You may also choose to only play the a djembe since it is after all, a "take it with you" instrument. One can certainly employ a "one surface learning" approach to learning drumset rudements in leau of using an actual drum set, that is for those that are looking for minimal investment'
A djembe (pronounced /ˈdʒɛmbeɪ/ JEM-bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jymbe, jembe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin covered hand drum, shaped like a large goblet, and meant to be played with bare hands. According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes directly from the saying "Anke dje, anke be" which literally translates to "everyone gather together", and defines the drum's purpose. "Dje" is the verb for "gather" in Bamanakan, and "be" translates as "everyone" in Bamanakan. It is a member of the membranophone family of musical instruments: a frame or shell (in the djembe's case it is a shell) covered by a membrane or drumhead made of one of many products, usually rawhide. Djembes are commonly about 12" (30 cm) in diameter and 24" (60 cm) in height, varying a few inches. Source for last parapraph: http://www.freebase.com/view/en/djembe
Need to find a gig or group to play with? Need to find musicians for your group? If you haven't tried Bandmix.com yet, you may find who your're looking for there. I am not a sponser of Bandmix, however it worked so well and quickly for me that I thought I'd share it with my loyal readers. A word to the wise: Do everyone a favor and be as thorough and "honest" as possible when filling out your profile. 
