| 1. Need a quick sizzle cymbal? Simply tape 4 or 5 pennies to the back of a 5" strip of duct tape (about 1" wide) and tape it to the bell of your ride. This will allow your cymbal to sizzle as if it had rivets in it. |
| 2. Need to replace the wires (or plastic strips) that hold the snares on the bottom of your snare drum? Common household materials often used are picture frame wire, heavy string, plastic straws and strips of plastic cut from old drum heads. |
| 3. Paiste is officially pronounced, "pie-stee". |
| 4. A trick for playing slightly behind the beat: With your dominate hand on the hi-hat and other on the snare, play a flam on your backbeats (2 and 4) so that the snare falls slightly behind your hi-hat hand. -It works! |
| 5. Are your highs high and your lows low? Although most of us are aware of dynamics, we often don't spend enough time practicing just that. We have a concept of what dynamics are but we don't always pay enough attention to it or we don't give it enough thought while we're actually playing. Remember that dynamics are "extremely" important in the big picture. |
| 6. Walk to the beat of a different drummer. Be your own player. Be an individual. Strive to develop your own distinct style on drums that will make you unique. Do something different. Have a niche. This could be from mastering one imparticular technique to standing on your head while you're playing. Just be different in some way. |
| 7. Cheap Practice pad: Save yourself some money by taking an old mousepad and gluing it to a slab of wood. - Voila |
| 8. For dried up duct tape residue on your drums, cymbals or stands, invest in a bottle of "Goo Gone". This stuff is amazing ..and even smells good! |
| 9. Breathe freely when you play the drums. Otherwise you stifle the flow of oxygen and cause your body to work harder. This in turn will prevent you from being fully relaxed. |
| 10. Your duct tape roll makes a great drink holder. Set it down to the right of your bass drum foot where it can't be knocked over |
| 11. Your local hardware store is a great place to find inexpensive DRUM PARTS. You can find cymbal washers, cymbal sleeves, bass drum springs and more for drumsets. |
| 12. Solo idea: Make melodies on your toms (like "Taps"). This has been done for years and makes a good solo that much more entertaining for your audience. |