CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...... 3 TECHNIQUE ...... 4 Hand Development, Rudiment Training ...... 4 Read Music! ...... 5 Four-Way Coordination ...... 5 Knowledge of Styles ...... 6 Soloing ...... 6 KNOWLEDGE ...... 8 Know Your Drummers! ...... 8 Know Your History! ...... 9 Know the Repertoire! ...... 9 TOOLS ...... 10 Tuning! ...... 10 Click Tracks! ...... 10 Running Tracks! ...... 11 Electronics! ...... 12 Play Percussion! ...... 12 SKILLS...... 14 Listen! ...... 14 Take Direction! ...... 14 Make People Like You! ...... 15 Be Consistent! ...... 15 Never Stop Learning! ...... 16 BUSINESS ...... 17 Have an Image! ...... 17 Social Media! ...... 17 Run a Tight Business! ...... 18 About Rich Redmond ...... 20

INTRODUCTION

Hello drummers!

It is my sincere desire to help YOU! I wanted to boil my 42-year journey as a drummer into a few macro-nuggets. This is the big picture. Absorb it. Use it. Live it!

Here’s to your success!

Follow along,

Rich TECHNIQUE

Rich Teaching Nic Johnson

Hand Development, Rudiment Training

Technique is a means to an end. When we have good technique, expressing ourselves musically becomes easy. Work on developing your hands evenly. Get some rudiment training from a qualified player in your area. I can’t say enough about having a one-on-one relationship with a great teacher and doing in-person lessons. Scouring YouTube will only get you so far. Find a teacher that will make you accountable to your lesson material. This is crucial for consistent growth and development. Rudiments are the building blocks for all drumming. Think of them like scales for other instruments. Without them, you are trying to build a house with no foundation. Take the time to get this part of your playing together. Rudiments are the cake. The icing will come.

Rich’s Chart on the Video Shoot for Jason Aldean’s “Johnny Cash”

Read Music!

Reading music has saved my career time and time again. It is the one skillset that always sets me apart from my competitors. If you can read music, you will be able to attract many more opportunities to yourself. Reading music allows me to interpret the written page or create my own charts from hearing music. Reading music has opened doors for me to play all kinds of music with a variety of groups in many different venues: classical, military, choral, marching bands, steel drum bands, cruise ships, musical theater, corporate party bands, wedding bands, tribute bands, percussion ensembles, fusion bands, smooth jazz bands, bebop bands, big bands, classic rock groups, country groups, Americana groups, studio work, and more. Being a great reader gives me peace of mind that I will never be out of work. If you can read music, you have a serious leg up on the competition. Reading music well gives me permission to be an educator, author, and clinician. This means more work in the music business and many more revenue streams.

Four-Way Coordination

Coordination is king! Drummers do four things at once. It’s called four-way coordination. I see many drummers of all experience levels consistently using only three limbs. This means they usually ignore the left foot on the hi-hat. That foot may as well be a dead fish! The hi-hat played with the foot is a musical ligament that holds together the muscle and bone of grooves. You can also think of it as the force that binds the universe together. Time spent developing four- way coordination is always time well spent. Musicians around you will notice the difference in your depth of groove. It helps. Spend time on it!

Knowledge of Styles

Knowledge of styles is crucial to our drumming success. In the new music business, it is helpful to be a jack of all trades, master of all. There are so many kinds of music and nearly all of them need a great drummer. Disco, classic rock, modern rock, jazz, smooth jazz, big band, pop, folk, country, country rock, southern rock, Latin styles, heavy metal, calypso, soca, reggae…the list goes on and on. Each of these styles has cultural and musical rules. Immerse yourself in different music. Play along to records. Seek out the experts. Play with musicians that have deep experiences with this music. Learn! Absorb! The more styles of music you can convincingly play, the more opportunities you can attract to yourself. Even if you just want to play rock and roll, learning other styles of music will influence you and make you sound different than the next performer. Pour these styles and influences into your own little cauldron and make your own musical recipe. We all want to be unique and have a voice. Learning about many kinds of music will get you one step closer to that voice.

Rich on Tour with Jason Aldean

Soloing

Drum Solo! Soloing will not get you the gig! That’s right—very rarely is soloing on the top of a band or band leader’s list of most important musical skills. Time, groove, feel, sound, and musicianship are usually the desired skills. However, soloing is a much-needed tool for your drumming arsenal. There are three types of drum solos:

• Soloing Over a Vamp: This frequently happens in fusion and Latin styles. The members of the band will play a rhythmic figure repeatedly as the drummer creates a magical musical story that builds. Use dynamics, sound sources, and phrasing to create excitement and take the listener on a journey.

• Soloing Over the Form of a Song. This is most common in jazz groups that play standards like “All the Things You Are” or “Autumn Leaves.” The key to this is to know the song’s melody intimately and be able to sing it. There is nothing worse than a drummer losing everyone in the band when they blow the form of a song. A musical drummer can sing or hum the melody and always knows where they are in the structure of a song. A considerate drummer will give the band subtle musical cues to mark the sections. A good drummer is truly a conductor, always directing musical traffic and keeping everyone on track and happy.

• The Open Drum Solo is that solo where the band leaves the stage and the drummer entertains a sea of smiling fans. Most common in rock groups playing arenas, this is an art form that goes back many years. It started with the great big band drummers and was then taken to the next level by players like Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Carmine Appice, Ginger Baker, Don Brewer, Alex Van Halen, and many others. KNOWLEDGE

Clockwise from Left: Gene Krupa, Stewart Copeland, and John Bonham

Know Your Drummers!

The drum set is still a very young instrument, as it grew out of the birth of jazz in the early twentieth century. Since then, many great drummers have come along to shape our concepts of what is expected from a drummer and the endless potential for expression on the instrument. Study drummers! Know your drummers! Transcribe their recordings, play along to their recordings, and listen deeply and extensively. Absorb their ideas, choices, and musical interpretations. Soak it up! When I was in college at The University of North Texas, I wanted to grow as a jazz drummer. I played along to classic recordings, transcribed the records (note for note), and listened to nothing but those recordings. This is a surefire way to get that stuff into my DNA. You can use the same method. When I moved to Nashville, I followed the same methodology in studying all the great drummers that helped the evolution of country music. Many of the drummers I studied are now my friends and colleagues, proving that you reap what you sow!

Know Your History!

I studied the history of classical, jazz, and popular music in college. I am still deeply committed to knowing about our musical past. We have to learn the rules before we can break them. Know what came before us and how we got here.

Know the Repertoire!

Every style of music has about a hundred songs that are very popular. These songs are the most played on the radio and the most requested by listeners everywhere. You have to know this stuff! If you work with a wedding band, you will be playing music from 1920 to today! That’s a lot of musical ground to cover: jazz, British invasion, Motown, new wave, classic rock, hip hop, smooth jazz, blues, alt rock, disco, traditional country, southern rock, modern rock, modern country. Google “most popular disco songs” and “most popular classic rock songs” and you will be off to the races. Learning these songs also helps us learn the rules of popular music and will help us develop our ears. When we develop our listening skills, we can more effectively listen and “fake” a song in a cover band or wedding band. This is a crucial skill set to have and is developed only by spending time in the trenches. The more songs we know, the better! TOOLS

Rich’s Drums at Wrigley Field

Tuning!

Every drummer should know how to quickly make a drum set sound great. It’s a given that we will know our personal drum set intimately, but professional drummers will do lots of traveling and have to play drum sets they have never played before. These could be drum sets provided by an opening act, a backline drum set provided by a concert promoter, a house kit at a theater or recording studio, or some other set. Know how to quickly get a great sound that is appropriate for the style of music you are playing. Always carry tools to help you achieve this: drum keys, duct tape, lug locks, drum dials, tune bots, felt strips, extra heads, kick drum impact pads, moon gels, drumtacs, drum dots, richie rings, big fat snare drum mufflers, etc. Tuning is a skill you can develop just like practicing rudiments, coordination, reading, or styles. Practice makes perfect!

Click Tracks!

Click tracks are essentially metronomes that are used to create music that can easily be edited. Digital audio workstations like Pro Tools and Abelton Live have built-in click tracks for recording. Play-along clicks can be found in drum machines (Alesis SR-18), trigger pad samplers (Roland SPD-SX), and even iPhone apps (Frozen Ape’s TEMPO). The ability to play tightly and confidently with a click is a paramount skillset in today’s musical environment. Every type of music makes use of click tracks for recording and live shows. A click track is inhuman and perfect. By practicing with a device that is perfect, we end up developing and strengthening our inner clock. Remember, our time is what will get us gigs and allow us to keep them. The drummer must have the best time in the band.

Rich’s Drums at Hershey Park

Running Tracks!

Most major touring groups that have a high level of production (lighting, video, etc.) make use of backing tracks. Backing tracks add depth to musical performances by allowing even a three- piece band to have backing vocals, percussion, keyboards, and other musical elements present for a performance. Most of the acts I perform with have at least drum loops and keyboards as part of the musical mix that is going to the front-of-house engineer. Many high- level acts will have a dedicated employee that will control and trigger the tracks. This could be a monitor engineer, a drum tech, or sometimes a keyboard player/bandleader. However, for many up-and-coming acts, the drummer is put in charge of triggering tracks from a midi keyboard or trigger pads. Familiarize yourself with programs like Pro Tools and Ableton LIVE, which are used to manipulate musical stems from pre-recorded music.

Electronics!

Some acts will require you to play electronic drums, incorporate electronic sampling pads and trigger pads into the kit, and even trigger sounds from your acoustic drums. This is called hybrid drumming. One of the best tools to be created for this in the last ten years is the Roland SPD-SX. I would recommend learning how to manipulate the internal sounds, trigger the internal sounds from your own triggered drums, and even sample sounds from external sources that can then be internally manipulated. It’s a powerful tool that also easily integrates itself with programs like Pro Tools and Ableton Live.

Drowning in Percussion

Play Percussion!

If you can play some congas, bongos, djembe, cajon, shaker, maracas, and tambourine, you will be the cool guy on campus. This skill allows you to fully realize creative expression in the studio. Many times, I program loops, record drums, and then overdub percussion on top of my drum parts. Sometimes I am called to record just as a percussionist. This affords me the incredible experience of recording on top of other celebrity drummer’s recordings. I get to hear how they create parts and shape the music, as well as their tendencies for playing grooves and fills around clicks and loops. Sometimes, I get to play drums and percussion. You know what? I sometimes get paid twice for my expertise. Playing djembe and cajon has allowed me to back up many singer-songwriters on acoustic performances. That’s another opportunity to have your drumming heard by the public and it allows you to meet more people. Remember, people make this world go around, and nowhere more so than in the entertainment business. Playing acoustic shows has led to me getting session work, live work, and even cowriting sessions with well-established song writers. Buy a Remo djembe and experiment with getting a few sounds that can imitate a drum set (bass drum, hi hat, cross stick, snare center, etc.). Do the same for the cajon. It’s fun, and it will pay off! SKILLS

Rich Backing up Bob Seger for a Palladia Commercial

Listen!

Without listening, there is no music. Music is a team sport. If you are only listening to yourself, you are masturbating. Great music is made by giving and taking. It’s like a great game of tennis. You should also be incredibly aware of all of the great musicians that have come before you. You have to truly listen and absorb their work. Let it soak into your DNA! You can’t break the rules until you learn them. It’s crucial to our development as drummers to know how Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan, and Steven Adler would have approached a piece of music.

Take Direction!

When I was in my high school jazz band class at Hanks High School in 1985, my teacher pulled aside my father and told him I would probably be very successful in the music business because I could take direction without being offended. In life and in business, we are always taking directions or orders from someone. It can be a boss or a spouse…we always have to take direction. The ability to take direction with a smile on our face is paramount to success in the music business. I am always working tirelessly to satisfy a band, recording artist, songwriter, or business partner. I’m in the business of constantly exceeding expectations. I will always have work in my chosen field because I recognize the importance of this skillset.

Make People Like You!

We are all in sales! All of us. Everyone. No one will ever hire you for your skillset unless they buy into you as a human being. When chatting with a new connection, always try to find common interests. This can inspire an evening-long conversation that can lead to new businesses being started, romance made, or the world being changed!

Rich with Jason Aldean and the Most Kickass Band on the Planet

Be Consistent!

The music business—and any business—is a marathon, not a sprint. Success doesn’t happen overnight! It happens from consistently creating greatness. I can be under-slept, jetlagged, dehydrated, or sick with the flu, and I will always be on the top of my game. My bandmates, clients, and the audience deserve this and expect it from me. I expect it from myself. If you consistently put a great product out into the world, people will talk. Guaranteed. Over time, people will come to trust you and they will tell their friends about you. This is what we want! Word of Mouth. Out of all the marketing tools available to us, word of mouth is the most powerful.

Never Stop Learning!

Hang out with musicians that are better than you. Play with them. Get feedback from them. Take lessons. Watch videos. Transcribe records. Record yourself. Video yourself. Take notes. Constantly improve. We stay on top of our game and we stay relevant by always learning. Seek mentors. Be eternally curious. BUSINESS

Photo Shoot for Modern Drummer Magazine

Have an Image!

What you look like matters. The entertainment industry is very visually-oriented and sex sells. Be sexy! No one wants to watch the fat drummer. Seriously. Most people hear music with their eyes. Give them something to look at! Your visual branding should be in line with the style of music your band makes. Study style trends and what other successful people wear that resonates with what you are wearing. Check out haircuts, clothing styles, and brands. As a start, you can model yourself after some musical heroes and copy their visual vibe. Eventually, you will start to develop your own style or look, and you will be instantly recognizable on television or from across the room at a party. Know what’s appropriate, but always be bold in fashion.

Social Media!

Today’s world runs a million miles per minute. You have to run just to stand still. If you are not represented on social media, you don’t exist! Social media provides us with turn key opportunities and platforms to share our story and build a story brand. It’s free, folks! Get with it. Get some great photos, create pages, and engage with fans. Anyone in the world can have thousands and thousands of sincere fans or followers. Shout from a mountain top what you do and consistently put out great content. Like-minded individuals will flock to you. Social media is here to stay. Learn about the various platforms and make sure you are represented and in the mix. Yes, it is time consuming, but you will create opportunities for yourself by being more visible to the world. If you are easy to find and you show people what you are capable of, they will call you to share your skillset. Isn’t that the goal?

Run a Tight Business!

Answers phone calls, texts, emails, tweets and other social media messages immediately. People expect immediate return communications in this brave new world. Don’t be left out. Sometimes the first person to get back to a client gets the job. Communication in today’s world is fast and immediate. Always be a man or woman of your word. If you say you are going to do something, then do it! Be early. Don’t make excuses. Shake hands. Thank people. Pass out cards. Follow up with people. All musicians are entrepreneurs. We are all in sales. We are selling ourselves. We are selling our skills. Be present. Be committed. Be happy. Be a solution to everyone’s problems.

This book is a 50,000-foot view of the skills you need to chase a drumming career. It’s important stuff. I am happy to walk you through these concepts step by step through one on one coaching.

Send me your questions and comments.

Here’s to your success, Rich [email protected]

Rich Playing for 80,000 Fans About Rich Redmond

Drummer-Speaker-Actor-Author-Producer

Rich Redmond is a top call recording drummer/percussionist based in Nashville and Los Angeles. Rich’s versatile, dynamic, and rock-solid drumming is the sound behind many of today’s top talents. Rich has toured/recorded/performed with: Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Ludacris, Kelly Clarkson, Bryan Adams, Bob Seger, Chris Cornell, Joe Perry, Jewel, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Derek Trucks, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Lit, Travis Tritt, Kelly Hansen (Foreigner), Mickey Thomas (Jefferson Starship), Thompson Square, Little Big Town, Kelsea Ballerini, Steel Magnolia, Pam Tillis, Vince Gill, Susan Ashton, Deana Carter, Marty Stuart, 1,000 Horses, Chris Stapleton, Montgomery Gentry, Alabama, John Anderson, Trace Adkins, Jennifer Nettles, Sara Evans, Darius Rucker, Kenny Rogers, Rascal Flatts, Emily West, The Pointer Sisters, Lauren Alaina, Tyler Farr, Flaco Jiminez. Brantley Gilbert, Hank Williams III, Doc Walker, Gene Watson, Mindy McCready, Richie McDonald, Andi Griggs, Jedd Hughes, Patricia Conroy, Earl Thomas Conley, Catherine Britt, Anita Cochran, Jim Brickman, John Anderson, Lila McCann, Lindsay Ell, Kristy Lee Cook, Michael Peterson, The Roadhammers, The Stellas, Rushlow, Chuck Wicks, Steve Allen, Phyllis Diller, Kid Rock, Brad Gillis, Julian Coryell, Chris Daughtry, Charles Kelley, and many others. Rich has played drums and percussion on twenty-four #1 singles with sales well over the twenty million mark. As a high-energy live showman, Rich plays sold out shows nightly in amphitheaters, arenas, and stadiums across the world, reaching over two million fans per year.

Rich has appeared multiple times on a trail of television shows such as Saturday Night Live, The Voice, American Idol, The Grammy Awards, The Tonight Show (with Leno, O’Brien, and Fallon), The Today Show, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, Good Morning America, Ellen, The CMA Awards, ACM Awards, CMT Awards, and ACA Awards, as well as being prominently featured in nineteen popular music videos. Rich has produced three #1 hits for the groups Thompson Square and Parmalee. As a songwriter, Rich has celebrated three #1 songs with Australia’s “The Wolfe Brothers.” Rich is a co-owner of 1225 Entertainment and 1225/Sinnerman Label Group along with partner Mike Krompass. The team is working to breathe new life into the music machinery that is Nashville.

As an international motivational speaker, Rich brings his “CRASH! Course for Success” motivational drumming event to drum shops, music stores, high schools, colleges, and corporate events across the world. Some of Rich’s clients include Cisco, Johnson and Johnson, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Presidio, Hard Rock Café, and many others. Rich presented at The Percussive Arts Society Convention in 2011 and 2013. Rich is an adjunct faculty member at Musician’s Institute in Hollywood and The Drummer’s Collective in New York City.

Rich began playing drums at age 8 and eventually played in the prestigious 1:00 Lab Band at The University of North Texas. Receiving his Master’s Degree in Music Education, Rich now combines his classical training and ‘street smarts’ musicianship to bring his passion-filled drumming to the world.

Rich was named “Country Drummer of The Year” in Modern Drummer Magazine in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Rich was voted “Best Country Drummer” and “Clinician” by both Modern Drummer and Drum! Magazines for several years. Rich’s first book, FUNdamentals of Drumming for Kids Ages 5-10 is published by Modern Drummer and is an Amazon bestseller.

Rich is also a columnist for Modern Drummer, Drum!, Rhythm, In Tune, and Canadian Musician magazines.

Rich has a signature stick from Promark called “The Rich Redmond Active Grip 595,” a bass drum beater he designed with DW Drums called “The Black Sheep,” and signature collectible drum cases from Humes and Berg. Rich’s five-hour digital educational package is available at www.drumminginthemodernworld.com.

As an actor, Rich has appeared in films such as Reawakened and All Light Will End, and SYFY Network’s hit show Happy.

www.richredmond.com www.crashcourseforsuccess.com www.richacts.com Facebook.com/richredmond Twitter: @richredmond Instagram: @richredmond YouTube: @richredmond 1. \ 2. \ 5 Keys to Drumming Success

Copyright © 2018 Rich Redmond

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of Crash Entertainment, PO Box 330375 Nashville, TN 37203, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Editing and Formatting by Stars and Stone Books

Photo Credits

Cover: Chris and Todd Owyoung Technique: Rich Teaching Nic Johnson Credit: Alex Solca Reading Music: Video Shoot for Jason Aldean’s “Johnny Cash” Credit: the author Playing: “Rich on Tour with Jason Aldean” Credit: Chris and Todd Owyoung Knowledge: “Gene Krupa, Stewart Copeland, and John Bonham,” Credit: Stock Photography Tuning: “Rich’s Drums at Wrigley Field” Credit: Cris Cohen Click Tracks: “Rich’s Drums at Hershey Park” Credit: Jon Hull Percussion: “Drowning in Percussion” Credit: Paul Griffin Listen: “Rich Backing up Bob Seger for a Palladia Commercial” Credit: Stock Photo Be Consistent: “Rich with Jason Aldean and the Most Kickass Band on the Planet” Credits: Fan Photo Have an image: “Photo shoot for Modern Drummer Magazine” Credit: Alex Solca Final Pic: “Rich Playing for 80,000 Fans” Credit: Jon Hull