Russ Miller, one of the giants in the drum and music industry, recorded several drum lessons for Drummerszone exclusively.
In 5+1...
Russ Miller, one of the giants in the drum and music industry, recorded several drum lessons for Drummerszone exclusively.
In 5+1 Fundamental Drum Tutorials, Russ Miller lays down the core of what drumming really is about.
These videos are not beginner lessons. These tutorials explain what every drummer needs to have in the pocket when aspiring to be a professional drummer, or at least be the best drummer on any given moment.
Here are five drumming fundamentals that will 'give you a lot of mileage on your instrument,' as Russ says in lesson five. And there is one bonus video!
Techniques for Dynamics (08:00) Dynamics are what make you groove as a drummer. As Russ states: 'Dynamics are the contrasts between notes and how you sound on your drums.' It is your level of dynamics and the level on how you interact with other musicians.
This lesson is a detailed drum lesson on the three earlier videos in this series. Russ shows you how you can add dynamics to your playing with just a few exercises that make you a much more stable drummer as well. A lesson on how to play more defined contrasts between loud and soft. There is a pdf-download with this lesson with more variations on what Russ shows in the video on interplay with the bass drum and hi-hat.
x-tra: Steve Gadd explained
We asked Russ why some of his playing in this lesson reminded us of Steve Gadd. In a nutshell he explains Steve's playing by demoing 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover from Paul Simon's 1975 album 'Still Crazy After All These Years,' and then takes off with some seriously heavy tricks and dives deeper into that 16th note-flow with some crazy Gadd-like grooves.
Then he uses the hihat for some interplay with a few shuffle grooves, all the way to a 12/8 beat. Russ is definitely our living Drummerszone-slogan here: Beat Your Heart Out!
"You must have dynamics on all of your limbs."
- Russ Miller
