In today's article, we'll dive into 2 things:

1) WHY focus is so important for drumming and life.

2) HOW to train your ability to focus, both on stage and off stage.

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Among being one of the greatest innovators of brush playing, you probably know Jeff Hamilton as co-leader and drummer of one of the most successful modern big bands of all time, the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra.

When asked to give just 3 words of advice to drummers, here was his response:
“100% Focus Nightly.”

This advice seems to be relevant more than ever these days.

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If you've played in a Big Band before (as Jeff does), you know that these drummers are responsible for just about everything:

1) keeping time in a way that locks in 16-20 bandmates on stage
2) playing section figures with the band
3) setting up figures so the horn/sax section comes in together
4) dynamics, transitions, tempos, etc.
5) supporting soloists,
6) drum solos
7) excellent chart-reading abilities.

I really enjoyed my years of college big band playing because it requires more focus than almost any other gig out there; you must play with precision, dynamics, and most importantly, FOCUS. 

FOCUS is required because otherwise, you won’t be able to get through the gig without a train-wreck.
 

However... what happens when you’re NOT playing in a big band?

What happens when you're playing the 100th show with a band you’ve been playing in for years?

What happens when you know the material inside-out? 

What happens when the music you’re playing is so engrained in your muscle-memory that you don’t need to think anymore?

How do you stay focused night after night?

I’ve been there before, and I’m sure you have too. These are the moments where non-musical thoughts can start to enter:  you begin thinking about what you’re going to eat after the show, thinking about what happened earlier that day, thinking about the city you’re in tonight, or noticing the cute girl in the front row.

Counter-intuitively, Jeff Hamilton’s advice is actually most relevant when you’re feeling least challenged.

In other words: it’s EASY to stay focused on a DIFFICULT gig, but it’s DIFFICULT to stay focused on an EASY gig.
 

These moments are dangerous, because when you arrive in that mental space, it means that you are no longer playing with conviction. It means you’re no longer giving your absolute best. It means that you’re not being fair to your audience, and most importantly, not being fair to yourself!

So... how do we stay focused during times when we seem to be going on auto-pilot?

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3 WAYS TO DEVELOP FOCUS ON STAGE:

#1 - SUGGEST NEW MATERIAL

Rotate new material in regularly and start small, maybe just one new song per night/week/month. Adding new material to your set will re-ignite your focus and get you out of auto-pilot syndrome.

#2 - MOVE THE FOCUS TO YOUR BANDMATES

Of course you should be doing this already... but for anyone who’s toured with a band, often times you’ll find yourself focused on the energy of the crowd. If you find your mind constantly focused on the mosh pit in front of you rather than the music, create a game for yourself where you just focus on one musician for an entire song. For example, only pay attention to what the bassist is doing. Learn his/her part inside and out. How is what I’m playing supporting / not supporting the bass part? What could I be doing differently?

3) CREATE "MOCK-PRESSURE" SITUATIONS

I have to give credit to the great Rich Redmond for this advice. He said that if you’re ever playing a gig that doesn’t REQUIRE a lot of focus, re-frame your mind to use it as a way to practice for higher-pressure opportunities to come in the future. For example; while playing, imagine that you’re recording the perfect take in the studio, imagine that you’re auditioning for a major artist, or imagine that your performance is being filmed live to be sold on dvd. How would your focus/playing change under those circumstances? Which begs the question… shouldn’t we ALWAYS be playing with that amount of focus?

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THE NEXT LEVEL

Hopefully by now you understand why focus is important when playing music… but how can we apply this concept beyond the drums and into our everyday lives?

Today we live in a world of constant noise and distraction. Anytime we are doing something, it means that we AREN’T doing a million other things. We’re in the age of multitasking and push-notifications… how on earth do we stay focused in 2016??

Here's few strategies that will help you develop your focus in every day life:

1) Disable all alerts/notifications from your phone. Let’s face it; you’ll already check your phone throughout the day anyway, so now you’ll see these messages/emails when you actually want to (instead of when you’re in the middle of doing something else).

2) Consider a "media-fast”. Take a week off from Facebook, Twitter, or whatever your guilty pleasure is. Notice how less distracted you are without a constant news feed in your life. Do you now find that you have more time to accomplish your goals? 

3) Set a timer for 15 minutes. For those crunch-time moments when you really need to focus. Once you start the timer, begin working on whatever you need to accomplish, and work as hard as possible. Once the timer goes off, stop working. You’ll find that when you set a time limit, your brain forces you to do whatever it takes to accomplish the task in the amount of time given. You’ll be surprised at how effective this can be for small, annoying tasks (putting laundry away, cleaning the house, etc.).

4) Develop a regular mindfulness practice - my definition of meditation is the act of focusing on one thing with purpose. Using an app like Headspace is a great way to get started and to train your brain how to stay focused. 

 

THIS WEEK'S VIDEO

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

In the spirit of this week’s 3-word advice for drummers, I’ll keep this one brief. 

LESS IS MORE.

This is true in both drumming and in life. Here are a few ways to utilize the “less is more” philosophy:

DRUMMING:

1) Simplify your grooves as much as possible; what is the least amount of notes needed to execute the song?

2) Remove all of your toms from your kit. What happens to your playing?

3) Play a jazz gig with just a snare drum and brushes.

4) Minimize the size of your kit overall. Can you still play musically on one drum?

5) When dealing with technical/musical issues during a rehearsal/performance, find the simplest solution, not the most complex solution.

LIFE:

1) Make a list of all personal possessions you own. Donate all items that are “wants” and keep only the “needs.”

2) Spend less money, save more.

3) Go backpacking for 1-2 weeks. You’ll learn that by surviving with less, it allows you to experience life more.

4) Talk less… listen more.

5) Reduce your carbon footprint (use less water, plastic, gas, electricity, etc.)

6) Worry less, stress less, and complain less. Life is short.

Less Is More. People who are insecure or afraid tend to hide behind “stuff”, just as a drummer might play a lot of notes because he’s afraid of space, afraid that his groove doesn’t feel good, or wants to be considered “cool” among his musician friends. The fact is that these are all fallacies. When you operate on less, you’re actually utilizing what you do have on a deeper level (aka the human experience or aka the groove). Less is more.

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THIS WEEK'S VIDEO

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing.”

— James Brown

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

Due to social media and YouTube, we've created a culture with shorter and shorter attention spans. Nowadays, we're pressured to WOW people within 15 seconds due to things like Instagram. How do you compete with all the non-stop media being pumped into our news feed? By displaying your amazing chops and playing something absolutely crazy.

And this strategy totally works if you want to build internet followers... but it doesn't work if you want to actually get HIRED in the real world.

The problem though is that we've trained ourselves to get "bored" watching the greats who do one thing... KEEP IT FUNKY!

But we have to remember that in "real-life", the drummers who WORK the most are the ones who keep it funky. This means that they AREN'T showing off their chops, they aren't overplaying, and they aren't trying to get attention. They're simply playing the groove and trying to make it feel as good as possible.

YOUR ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK

Here's an exercise I learned from the great Ed Gaus:

LEVEL ONE: The Groove Timer

Play a basic 4/4 rock groove. No ghost notes at all, and no CRASHES. Just focus on the groove, and focus on keeping it funky. 

DURATION - 5 Minutes (Beginner), 10 Minutes (Intermediate), 15 Minutes (Advanced)

LEVEL TWO: The Groove Timer (Advanced)

Repeat the same exercise as above, but choose a different groove, something more complicated (add ghost notes, or maybe a more busy hi-hat pattern). Once you decide what groove to play, keep it there and don't change it up! Again, no crashes, no fills, just groove.

LEVEL THREE: Groove Addition

Similar to the first two levels, but this time you're gradually going to go from Level One to Level Two. Every 4,8, or 16 bars, just add ONE new ghost note, rhythm, texture, etc. Again, don't play any crashes or fills.

These three exercises will help to develop your groove. When doing these exercises, the number one goal here should be to make the groove feel as GOOD as possible. Keep it greasy... keep it funky!

FINAL THOUGHTS

It's easy to read this exercise and think to yourself: "This is totally easy, I can do that! 5 minutes? That's nothing". My only response is this: TRY IT. You'll be totally surprised to find this may be one of the most difficult exercises you've ever tried in your life!

We've become so used to changing it up, playing drum fills, reacting to bandmates, and crashing all the time that playing the same thing for even 5 minutes will feel like an eternity. 

The truth is that the funkiest records you've ever heard are the ones where the drummer is like an unstoppable train. If you need some inspiration, check out any James Brown record.

Treat this exercise as a form of meditation, just focus on the groove as you would focus on your breathing during meditation.

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THANKS TO CURT BISQUERA

Thanks to Curt Bisquera for offering this week's tips for drummers: KEEP IT FUNKY.

Curt Has Recorded and/or Toured With:
Mick Jagger, Sir Elton John, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Adele, Seal, John Fogerty, Sarah McLachlan, John Legend, Morris Day and the Time, Hans Zimmer, Mel C, Josh Groban, Lana Del Rey, Celine Dion , Belinda Carlisle (of The Go-Go's), Bonnie Raitt, Nelly Furtado, Tina Turner, Johnny Cash, Chris Isaak, Dave Stewart, Ricky Martin , Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazotti, Johnny Hallyday, Veronique Sanson ...and many more!

THIS WEEK'S VIDEO

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.”

— Chinese Proverb

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

This week's video comes straight from my friend Ryan Knudsen, host of the Ryan Is Super Strong Podcast. Anyone who knows Ryan will tell you that besides being a great drummer, he's a happy, fun, and hilarious guy. 

In the video above, you'll see that Ryan sent me some silly 3-word phrases for 100 Rules For Drummers, but he actually also sends an important message to all of us which is, at the end of the day, we're just playing music! Relax everybody!! We can get so caught up in making progress, being perfect, achieving more, gigging more, making more money, etc. that sometimes we forget to just have fun!

When I was a student in high school, I'd sit in class and think about drumming all day long. As soon as I got home from school, I'd race to the drum set and play until my mom got home from work. I did this every day, and I was just having fun! I wasn't thinking about improving myself necessarily, I was just drumming because it was FUN!

As we get older, we can sometimes get bogged down with "real life", and many of us forget what that feeling we had when we were children. That innocence, that joy in just doing what makes us happy.

YOUR ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK

This week, your assignment is...  to have no assignment. For just one week, I want you to abandon the goal-driven mindset that you've probably been developing your whole life. I want you to abandon the pressures of feeling like you aren't good enough. Don't try to be perfect... don't try to "improve"... just relax, enjoy what you're doing and have fun!

I challenge you this week to reconnect with what it is that drew you to your instrument in the first place... Remember, you're playing MUSIC!! 

THE NEXT LEVEL:

How can you apply this concept beyond the drums and into the rest of your life? Reply with your answer in the comments section of this post!

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THANKS TO RYAN KNUDSEN

Thank you to Ryan Knudsen for providing this week's 3-word tip: RELAX... CUZ DRUMS! 

Ryan is a professional drummer and host of the podcast "Ryan Is Super Strong". Born in Wichita, KS, Ryan Knudsen picked up his first set of drumsticks while in 5th grade, and hasn’t stopped playing since. 
After performing and teaching throughout his high school years, in the fall of 2006, Ryan was awarded a Gates Millennium Scholarship and began his college career at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. At KU, he studied solo marimba and orchestral percussion with Kevin Bobo, while performing locally in Lawrence, Kansas City and Wichita. 
In the fall of 2007, Knudsen transferred to the prestigious Jacob’s School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. There he continued his studies under Kevin Bobo and John Tafoya, but quickly made the transition to studying drum set and world percussion full time with professors Steve Houghton and Michael Spiro. During his time at IU, Ryan was an active performer, recording artist, and educator throughout southern Indiana, including a two-day lecture series on Afro-Cuban and Brazilian Percussion at Indiana University for the Latin American Popular Music Ensemble.

As an artist and musician, Knudsen has worked with renowned teachers and gifted performers such as David Baker, Jeremy Allen, Mike Clark, Steve Hatfield, Valerie Lippoldt Mack, Bernard Woma, Corey Christiansen, Sandy Perez, Dr. Djo Bi, and Jesus Diaz. 
Ryan has performed at the 2006 national ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) National Convention, attended the Explorations in Afro-Cuban Dance and Drum workshop at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA in July of 2010, and performed at the 2009 and 2010 PAS (Percussive Arts Society) International Convention; earning first place honors in the World Drum Set Category of the 2010 PAS Drum Set Competition. He also helped lead the Hunter Diamond and Ryan Knudsen Sextet to Second Place honors in the 13th Annual Latin American Music Recording Competition in Bloomington, IN. 
Ryan was proud to work with his mentor Michael Spiro as a founding member of the IU Latin Jazz Ensemble (aka: The Latin Jazz Collective). Ryan also performed on and managed the production/release of the Latin Jazz Collective’s latest album “¡Que Sorpresa!”.

As a performing artist, Knudsen has performed in several musical productions under the direction of Terry LaBolt, including “The 24th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, “Anything Goes”, “Music Man”, and “RENT.” He also provided back-up for the legendary vocalist Sylvia McNair. 
Knudsen graduated from Indiana University at the end of 2010 with his Bachelor’s in Music Performance; but his research continued on a two week trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to study with multiple Samba Escolas under the guidance of master drummer, Jorge Alabe.

As a band leader, Knudsen is perhaps best known for his popular, eight-piece Latin Jazz band, El Fuego Lento, and his highly acclaimed group, The Media Noche Trio with Coleman Cook and Max Marshall. 2011 has proven to be an amazingly busy and fruitful year, beginning with his studies in Rio de Janeiro, the release of the album “MNT” with The Media Noche Trio, followed immediately with an extensive, 10-week tour with the group through the Midwest and South East Coast, performing at a variety of venues, presenting master classes and giving private lessons to young musicians, students and teachers at universities and public schools throughout the region.

In August of 2011, Ryan relocated to Los Angeles to continue pursuing his career goals in that environment. Since being there, he has been studying with Fausto Cuevas (Stevie Wonder, Santana, Etc), performing regularly as a freelance performer (with groups like the Los Alamitos Show Choir, Martin Luther McCoy, Rudy Love Jr., and Afro-Cuban dance instructor, Kati Hernandez), and recording artist (including finishing tracks on Sylvia McNair’s upcoming Latin Love Song Album, “Romance”).

Ryan Knudsen endorses Remo drumheads and LP Percussion products.

THIS WEEK'S VIDEO

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

This week's tip hits close to home, as protecting my ears was something I admittedly put off until much later in life. I spent years of high school and college NOT protecting my ears. I'd play in drum line for hours each week, take several music classes during the day, practice my drum set when I got home from school, and would blast music any chance I got. I was a kid! Ear plugs?? No way man!

The result?

Today, I have a moderate/heavy case of Tinnitus (ringing in the ears). It's bad. If you've ever been to a loud concert and then come home to fall asleep in a quiet room, you may have experienced this ringing sensation. It's often a distinct pitch, usually at a high frequency. 

For me, it's almost always present. If I actively think about it (like right now as I write this article), I can hear it. But, because I live with it, I usually am able to tune it out as often as I can. However, if I'm in a really quiet environment, the tinnitus is much more noticeable. As a result, I have to have some kind of sound playing each night when I fall asleep, otherwise the ringing will make it almost impossible to fall asleep. 

The bad news about all of this is that, as of 2016, even audiologists will admit that little is actually known about what's REALLY going on in the ears. Further, there is still no cure for tinnitus yet. Worse yet, there's actually no way to DETECT or MEASURE tinnitus (it can only be self-reported). Once you experience hearing-loss, that damage is permanent. 

Because there is no cure for tinnitus, the best thing we can do as musicians is to protect our ears as much as humanly possible. Our ears are EVERYTHING. Period. Without them, we wouldn't be able to make music. 

Here are a few ways that you can be smarter about protecting your ears:

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COMMIT TO WEARING EAR PLUGS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE... STARTING RIGHT NOW.

Just DO IT. The most difficult part about protecting your ears is that transition period when you begin wearing ear plugs for the first time. In the beginning, you'll HATE how everything sounds. You miss the clarity, you miss the sensitivity, and you miss knowing EXACTLY how you sound in the room you're in. During shows, you'll want to take them out. But, commit to "roughing it out" for a few shows. I promise that in time, you will come to actually prefer wearing plugs. Not to mention that your ears will thank you later in life (and later that evening).

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TAKE THE PLUNGE. GET MUSICIAN'S EAR PLUGS.

By far one of the smartest investments you can make as a musician is to invest in a nice set of musician's earplugs! These ear plugs are different than standard "cheap" plugs because 1) They're custom molded to your ear, giving you a perfect fit, 2) You can select the right filter for your needs (9db, 15db, or 25db), and 3) The filters actually make the sound CLEARER, unlike cheap earplugs that give you a muffled, distorted sound. 

The process: I'd recommend getting your ear plugs through a company called Westone. I've used them for the past 10 years and can highly recommend them. Make an appointment with a speech and hearing clinic (if you can't find one, check your local college). Explain that you'd like to get musician's earplugs and they'll know what to do. The price is around $150-180 and the entire process usually takes about 2 weeks. This price may seem high, but you'll likely have the plugs for 5-10 years and trust me, they WORK!

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MAKE SMARTER DECISIONS ON STAGE.

• Turn your on stage monitors down. Do you REALLY need it that loud?
• Experiment with cymbal angles. The more flat you keep them, the less volume will travel to your ears. 
• If you're able to wear in-ear monitors on your gig, DO IT. Think about how harmful it is to have a floor wedge on one side blasting just one of your ears. Not good.
• Be super cautious during sound-checks. This is the time where mic's are feeding back and volume levels aren't set yet. BE CAREFUL and BE CAUTIOUS.
• Yes... it bears repeating: WEAR EAR PLUGS... NO MATTER WHAT!

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NOTICE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS.

At the risk of sounding like an old man here, as I've gotten older I've realized the importance of protecting your ears even in non-musical environments. Here are some examples that come to mind: Fire Trucks, Police Cars, Tornado Sirens, Loud Announcement Speakers, Construction Zones, etc. all make very loud sounds. When these sound sources come up, just cover your ears until you're at a safe distance. You may feel like a doofus, but again, your hearing is NOT a renewable resource... you only get one pair of ears, so covering your ears is the SMART thing to do.

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AVOID THE EAR-BUD CULTURE.

With the creation of smart phones, today many of us listen to music on our phones instead of through a nice sound system. Many don't realize that this is extremely harmful to our ears. As a result, we're now listening to music through crappy ear buds (which actually make us turn the volume UP in order to get a better sound), and this volume is going directly into the ear canal. Whenever possible, I recommend listening to music WITHOUT headphones (I have a nice portable speaker that I take with me on the road). This is much safer than wearing headphones. However, if you must wear headphones, I'd recommend investing in high-quality headphones that don't require you to turn the volume up to get a great sound.

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A PLEA TO EDUCATORS.

To all music educators out there: PLEASE stress the importance of wearing ear protection to your students! I was blessed to have truly amazing teachers in my life, yet none of them ever REQUIRED that I wear ear plugs growing up. And I get it... it's not fun to wear ear plugs... but this habit needs to be created when students are young. Wearing ear plugs should be a requirement in all educational drumming environments (ESPECIALLY in the marching percussion world), otherwise students will never willingly choose to wear the ear plugs themselves. In other words, we need a NO PLUGS, NO PLAYING policy among drumming eductators. Yes, we need to explain the importance of protecting your ears, but we also need to actually put it into practice with our students. 

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THANK YOU TO JOE CRABTREE!

Thank you to Joe Crabtree for offering this week's 3-word tip for drummers: PROTECT YOUR EARS!

Joe Crabtree is passionate about the art and science of drumming. After taking up the instrument at age 11 it wasn't long before he knew that playing the drums was what he wanted to do for a living.  Joe taught and gigged from the age of 15 and after graduating from from Durham university with a degree in Physics he moved to London to peruse a career as a professional musician.

Joe honed his progressive chops as a member of the David Cross (King Crimson) Band, and Pendragon, before joining classic rock legends Wishbone Ash (http://www.wishboneash.com) in 2007.  2 Studio albums, 4 live albums and a DVD later, he's still touring the world with the twin guitar band.

While on the road Joe used his spare time to develop software for drummers: PolyNome (http://polynome.net) for the iPhone is a favourite of Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl, Peter Erskine and many other great drummers, allowing them to program polyrhythms and stickings with ease.

OctopuSequencer and RhythMachine (http://www.joecrabtree.com/software) were written to inspire creative practice, generate interesting grooves, and figure out complex layered rhythms.

When he's not on the road Joe finds time to add to the many video drum lessons on his website (http://www.joecrabtree.com) while also writing a regular column for DrumHead Magazine (http://www.drumheadmag.com)

THIS WEEK'S VIDEO

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. ”

— Greg Anderson

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

Think about the best movies you've ever watched. Do you see the victory, the happy ending, the problem solved, etc. right off the bat? Of course not. An important journey must first take place. At the end of the movie, you realize that the 2-3 hour journey NEEDED to happen in order for the ending to happen exactly as it did. The same is true in our lives. The small or big forks in the road all add up to what ends up being our life experience. The good forks we take in the road are celebrated while the bad forks we take in the road are learning lessons for the main character to grow. But the point is that it's all supposed to happen exactly as it does. Are you at a fork right now? If so, think of how the situation would be if you were watching it play out as a movie. It would probably be exciting to watch, yes? My point here is that you simply need to trust the journey, because each moment is just a small part of the movie that is our lives.

ABOUT AARON SMITH

Thank you to Aaron Smith for offering this week's piece of advice, TRUST THE JOURNEY. Aaron currently serves as principal trumpet for the Southeast Symphony. In addition, he has the fortune of participating in such as the John Daversa Progressive Big Band, Orkestar Meze, Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, wild Up, Golden State Pops Orchestra, Southwest Chamber Music, and the Hollywood Studio Symphony. He has been heard in motion picture soundtracks, on tv, and on recordings for such as PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center, Spike, Touchstone Pictures, Universal, and Warner Brothers. For the International Trumpet Guild, he has appeared as a guest Solo Artist. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of the Arts and Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music with tutelage of James Thompson.

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”

— George S. Patton

THIS WEEK'S VIDEO

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RULE 9: 

SMALL IMPROVEMENTS DAILY

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STEVE'S THOUGHTS

This week I'm excited because Nick Ruffini (of the Drummer's Resource Podcast) has touched on probably one of the single most important pieces of advice not just for drumming, but for almost any area of LIFE. Those who succeed deeply in life are the ones who put in small, steady effort each day. The famous saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" is so applicable to our lives. 

Big, short bursts allow you to go FAST.

Small, steady efforts allow you to go FAR.

THE QUESTION IS: Do you want to go FAST or do you want to go FAR?

Let's first look to an area such as fitness. Person A follows a radical crash-diet or cleanse, lose a quick 5-10 pounds, and then immediately gain it all back. (Has this ever happened to you before?) On the other hand, Person B makes SMALL, simple adjustments to their diet, restricts their calorie intake slightly, and loses just .5lbs a week. Over the span of a year, Person A is the same weight (or in many cases a higher weight) while Person B has lost 26lbs! Person B achieved more results because they made small (and seemingly unnoticeable at the time) improvements daily.

I recently followed Justin Pierce's killer 12-week program (Metaphysical Fitness) that ended with us doing 100 pushups per day as part of the physical component. This wouldn't have been even close to possible on Day 1, but because we started small and gradually increased the number of reps over time, 100 pushups were totally possible by week 12.

I've always had difficulty following a meditation practice. I realized that the reason was because I'd get about half way through my 20 minute meditation and feel the need to stop, which discouraged me from wanting to continue the practice the next day. How did I solve this? By decreasing the amount of time meditating each day and working gradually towards my goal of 20 minutes per day. (First 5 min., then 10 min., then 15, etc.)

Another example is in finance where compound interest is king. Saving your money in your 20's is far more beneficial than saving money in your 40's or 50's, which is more beneficial than saving money in your 60's and so on. Even putting away just 3-5% of your income each pay-day will reap huge benefits for you later in life. 

My last example deals with reading. I absolutely love books, but could never seem to find the time to finish them. Why is this? Because when I would think about the act of reading, it seemed like some sort of elusive activity that would last a really long time ("I have to read this entire book?"). Rather than thinking of reading BOOKS, I now think in terms of CHAPTERS. Every day, I read just ONE chapter of a book and then stop as soon as it's finished. By following the chapter-a-day method, I went from reading NO books to reading SEVERAL books each year. Try it!

Our culture is so focused on shortcuts, tricks, and work-arounds. I fear that this mindset will lead to a culture filled with shallow mediocrity. The truth is that the pros are the ones who execute the slow, long burn. Have you ever ran a race such as a 5K or half-marathon? If so, you'll notice that experienced runners understand the need for a slower overall pace while a first-time runner will explode out of the gate, burn out quickly, and then struggle to barely reach the finish line.

Don't think like a sprinter. 

Think like a long-distance runner.

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YOUR ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK

This week, think of an area of your life where you can make small improvements daily. Follow the following 4 steps:

1. SET A GOAL - "I'd like to lose weight!"

2. SET A SPECIFIC AMOUNT - "I will lose 10 Pounds."

3. SET A DEADLINE - "I will lose 10 Pounds in 2 months."

4. CREATE A SMALL DAILY ASSIGNMENT -  "I will restrict my calorie intake by 500 calories each day. This will allow me to lose 10 pounds in 2 months."

You're likely to achieve almost any goal using this simple method. Let's apply this to drumming:

1. SET A GOAL - "I'd like to play paradiddles comfortably really fast!"

2. SET A SPECIFIC AMOUNT - "I will be able to play paradiddles at 200bpm"

3. SET A DEADLINE - "In 100 days, I will be able to play paradiddles at 200bpm"

4. CREATE A SMALL DAILY ASSIGNMENT -  "On day 1 I will play paraddiddles at 100bpm for 5 minutes, On day 2 I will play them at 101bpm for 5 minutes, and so on.

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THANK YOU NICK RUFFINI!

Thanks to Nick Ruffini for offering his 3-words of advice for drummers: SMALL IMPROVEMENTS DAILY.  NYC Drummer Nick Ruffini (Philadelphia, PA native), began playing drums at age 15 and never stopped. Nick attended Villanova and Kutztown University, graduating in 2005 with a B.S. in Business Management and Music Performance. 

In 2013, Nick teamed up with Boso Drumsticks to become their artist relations director. Following joining Boso, Nick launched Drummer’s Resource, an online community where he provides interviews and expert advice from the world’s best drummers and music industry professionals. With thousands of downloads and website views per month, Drummer’s Resource has become a staple in the online drumming world.

Nick has performed/shared the stage with: Phish’s Page McConnell, Everlast, The Greyboy Allstars, Dave Grippo (Trey Anastasio Band), Johnny Defrancesco, DJ Q-Ball (DJ for the Multi-platinum artists The Bloodhound Gang), Jazz Legend Melvin Sparks and Badfish, just to name a few.

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“Your mind knows only some things. Your inner voice, your instinct, knows everything. If you listen to what you know instinctively, it will always lead you down the right path.”

— Henry Winkler

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

I have a confession to make... I'm a little bit embarrassed to share the following story with you. Why? Let's just say that this story doesn't necessarily highlight one of my best moments as a musician. But it's a story worth sharing nonetheless. Here we go.

FIRST...THE SETUP

In the summer of 2008, I was selected as a member of the Disneyland All-American College Band in Anaheim, CA. The band consisted of 20 members chosen from all over the country. 

Each day, the program consisted of morning workshops, masterclasses, and rehearsals with top-call LA musicians, followed by performing several sets of music around the park during the afternoon. It was my first time living out on the west coast, it was my first "legit" gig as a musician, everyone in the band was incredible, and it ended up being one of the most memorable summers of my life.

NOW...THE STORY

For our first set of music in the park each day, we'd perform a traditional big-band jazz set for the Disneyland guests. These big band sets were always my favorite to play because 1) I'd get to play drum set 2) They'd always include challenging, new material that we'd be sight-reading on the spot each day, and 3) We'd even get to perform on stage with the clinicians we had worked with earlier that morning. 

Though the music we played during this set would likely differ each day, we'd ALWAYS begin the show with our opening chart: "The Trolly Song". 

A couple of weeks into the program, our director ( Dr. Ron McCurdy ) took me aside after the set and said: "Steve... you don't need the sheet music for Trolly Song anymore... memorize the tune and ditch the chart."

My internal dialog: "Sure... but why would I want to ditch the chart? It has all the information I need to play the song right here. Why would I want to risk messing up the form? Why would I want to risk not nailing the band figures or not properly set up any important hits?"

So what did I do? I ignored Dr. McCurdy's suggestion and kept using the chart.

One day, Ron counted off the tune and we began playing "Trolly Song," just like we had every other day.

We were about 20 seconds into the chart when I noticed from the corner of my eye that Ron was walking slowly from the front of the stage over to my drums. He stopped right in front of me. I peeled my eyes off the chart as we were playing and looked up at him.

There he was, and with a look of frustration, Ron proceeded to do something I'll never forget: He grabbed the chart off the stand, threw it into the air, and let it land scattered on the floor in front of everyone while we were playing... the crowd, the band... EVERYONE! Then, he turned around and walked back to the stage.

My reaction was a beet-red-faced embarrassment followed immediately by internal panic... "I don't have the chart anymore! How am I going to get through this tune? What section comes after this one?? Everyone is relying on me... why did he do this to me???"

But then something miraculous happened.

We got through the chart. I didn't bomb. I survived.

Not only did we get through the chart, but... quite surprisingly to me, I had played the song much better than I had ever played it before. Not only this, but everyone had seemed to have noticed. I was completely dumbfounded... what had just happened?

When the song finished, Ron smiled at me and at that moment, it hit me like a brick wall.

I understood his lesson.

FOLLOW YOUR EARS.

THE LESSON

When I was (literally) forced to rely on my ears, I suddenly became much more aware of my bandmates around me, much more aware the big picture, and I was immediately able to play much more musically. I was able to "go off-script" and just be myself. 

There comes a certain point when you're just getting in your own way (in drumming or in life)... Almost always, the root cause of this stems from one thing: PLAYING IT SAFE.

When Ron threw my chart on the ground, he proved to me not only that I had actually already memorized the tune a long time ago, but that I was just using the chart as a barrier to hide behind my own fears or insecurities about my playing.

I was fortunate to learn such a valuable lesson from Ron at that time in my life. We never actually talked about what happened that day, but looking back on it, we didn't need to. He and I both knew that the experience had changed me for the good, in a way that words never could have.

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YOUR ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK

This week, I'm challenging you to put yourself in a situation where you are forced to FOLLOW YOUR EARS.

Here's the challenge:

• Find a pop song that you're completely unfamiliar with.
• Listen to the song one time all the way through.
• While listening, take mental notes. Remember as much as you can about the form, style, and hits.
• Immediately after listening to the song, hop on the drums and play the song along with the music as if you were performing it in front of a large crowd. Imagine the crowd staring at you and imagine the band standing on stage with you.
• FOLLOW YOUR EARS... Just get through it! You'll be surprised at what you're capable of when you simply trust your own intuition.

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THE NEXT LEVEL

How can you apply Ron's lesson to other areas of your life beyond the drums? In what areas of your life are you "playing it safe"?

What are those barriers in life that you're hiding safely behind? What would happen if you suddenly eliminated that barrier?

Please add your thoughts/answers in the comments section below!

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ABOUT DR. RON MCCURDY

Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy is professor of music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC). Prior to his appointment at USC he served as Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at USC. He has served as Professor of Music and chair of the Afro-African American Studies Department and served as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Minnesota. In 1997, Dr. McCurdy served as Visiting Professor at Maria-Sklodowska- Curie University in Lublin, Poland. In 2001 Dr. McCurdy received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Kansas.

Dr. McCurdy is a consultant to the Grammy Foundation educational programs including serving as director of the National Grammy Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Combo. He has served as a consultant for the Walt Disney All-American Summer College Jazz Ensemble since 1990. Dr. McCurdy has worked with many jazz artists including Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, Leslie Uggams, Dr. Billy Taylor, Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Arturo Sandoval, Diane Schuur, Ramsey Lewis, Mercer Ellington, Dr. Billy Taylor, Maynard Ferguson, Lionel Hampton, and Dianne Reeves.

ABOUT TOMMY GODDARD

Thank you to Tommy for offering this week's three-word rule for drummers: FOLLOW YOUR EARS! Nationally known performer, composer, and educator, Tommy Goddard has been working in the music industry since 2002. As winner of many drumset, marimba, and marching percussion awards, Goddard has worked in schools, football stadiums, and music venues all across North America. He made his Kennedy Center debut as a snare drummer in the Crossmen Drum Corps in Washington, D.C. in 2008. In 2011, he performed at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, IN as champion of the Drumline Live! national solo competition. Goddard has worked with recording artists Shania Twain, Arturo Sandoval, John Clayton, Steve Houghton, Rick Baptist, Sal Lozano, Pop Price, Meloney Collins, Jay Leach, Jennifer Barnes, Jonelle Allen, Douglas Roegiers, Maureen Davis, Robbie Seay, Evans Blue, Kutless, Stellar Kart, Superchick, Stockton Helbing, Lincoln Brewster, and many others.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“We spend thousands of hours learning to play our instrument and trying to get some level of mastery, then after a while you realize it’s not quite the physical sporting event it was when you first started out and you learn to stop wrestling and fighting your instrument ...I tell my students that the whole thing is a lot simpler than you may be prepared to believe. Just play what you’d like to hear next. I think when you put it in that context it demystifies the whole thing.”

— Peter Erskine

THIS WEEK'S VIDEO:

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

I fondly remember a 1-hour lesson I took with Peter Erskine at his home studio back in 2008. At the time, I was a young college student in the middle of my jazz performance degree program at Indiana University. I had flown out to California that summer to play with the Disneyland All-American College Band. It was an incredible summer filled with some pretty wild and memorable musical experiences.

However, the one hour that I spent with Peter completely changed the way that I play the drums, even to this day. More specifically, Peter changed the way that I THINK about playing the drums.

How did he do this?

He did it by having us spend almost half of our lesson playing... ONLY THE HI-HATS. 

Huh?... the Hi-Hats?... Why was this so important? Why was Peter not interested in hearing my full-kit playing? Why were we spending so much time on this?

What Peter taught me through this simple (yet profound) exercise is that it really doesn't matter WHAT instrument you are playing... what actually matters is HOW you are playing the instrument. How can you make it sound GREAT? How can you make it SWING? 

In other words, by removing all other components of the drum kit, you are forced to make music from literally no other place but within YOURSELF. There are no crutches (more drums, more cymbals) to fall back on.

What I learned that day is that you can't expect to make your full-kit playing swing if you can't make one sound-source swing. Master jazz drummers like Peter Erskine have a deep understanding of this concept... It's not WHAT they're playing, it's HOW they're playing it. If you asked Peter Erskine to play a gig on a totally destroyed house drum kit, he's still going to sound like Peter Erskine... period.

Let's look at it from a different angle: Why are street performers so entertaining to watch? Why is is that they can put on an amazing show using simply a bucket? Is the music coming from the BUCKET or the PERSON?

YOUR ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK:

The next time you are in the practice room, follow Peter's advice!

Spend some time playing ONLY your hi-hats. It may be helpful to actually move your hi-hats away from the kit so you won't feel distracted by other drums/cymbals.

Play swing time on the hi-hats over a 12-bar blues form in your head (singing the bass line). While playing, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is my time solid?
• How consistent is my tone?
• Where/How are my sticks physically touching the hi-hats? (Experiment with placement and/or touch)
• How many different sounds can I get from just my hi-hats?
• Does my playing act as a cushion for another musician to easily play over?
• Does my playing FEEL good?
• If someone heard just my hi-hat playing, would they be able to recognize the form?
• Am I playing the pattern or am I playing MUSIC?

Even if you do this for just 5 minutes today, you are very likely to have at least some sort of revelation in your playing concept. You should also repeat this exercise on the ride cymbal (or any other part of the kit).

To take this a step further, I'd also suggest getting together with a bassist and repeat the same exercise. You'll be amazed at how many new sounds you'll come up when you're relied on to support other musicians!

THE NEXT LEVEL:

How can you apply this concept beyond the drums and into the rest of your life? Reply with your answer in the comments section of this post!

ABOUT PETER ERSKINE

Peter Erskine appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992).

He has played with the Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson Big Bands, Weather Report, Steps Ahead, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Diana Krall, Kenny Wheeler, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Brecker Brothers, The Yellowjackets, Pat Metheny and Gary Burton, John Scofield, Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Bill Frisell and Marc Johnson in the legendary group Bass Desires, the John Abercrombie Trio plus Bob Mintzer’s Big Band, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Chick Corea, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Farrell, George Cables, and countless others.

Peter has been voted ’Best Jazz Drummer of the Year’ TEN TIMES by the readers of Modern Drummer magazine.

Peter is Professor of Practice and Director of Drumset Studies at the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The most common trait I have found in all successful people is that they have conquered the temptation to give up.”

— Peter Lowe

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

We’ve all been there before. What started out as something we really wanted to accomplish now suddenly seems impossible, and we don't like it one bit. We've hit a roadblock, become discouraged, can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, and feel frustrated, unmotivated, and exhausted. We want to give up.

When we give up on something that is difficult (but still possible), we are telling ourselves that it’s okay not to fulfill a promise that we made to ourself. We are literally training the brain that it's okay to be unaccountable to ourselves, which leads us to become unaccountable to others.

The good news is that when your mind is telling you to give up, it means that you are actually right on the edge of growth, and I can prove it to you! Think back to any significant positive change in your life. Maybe you experienced a breakthrough or revelation, you started a new chapter in your life, etc. Now... how were you feeling right BEFORE that breakthrough happened?

Things were difficult, right? Of course they were. Most of the time, it was simply the fact that we pushed on through the difficult times that led us to that new, better chapter.

YOUR ACTION STEPS:

The next time you feel like giving up (on a personal project, a commitment/promise, a workout, a New Year’s resolution, etc.), stop yourself, zoom out your perspective on the situation, and ask these three questions:

1) If I just keep going, will it bring me closer to my goal?

2) If I give up right now, will I regret it later?

3) Do I want to stop because I think it is DIFFICULT or because it is actually IMPOSSIBLE?

I find that if I just stop and ask myself these questions (as simple as they may be), it often gives me the perspective to keep pushing through even when something may seem pointless or unrewarding at the time.

I'd like to challenge you to start becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable. Whatever you struggle with in life, flip it around and make it your STRENGTH rather than your WEAKNESS. If you are afraid of heights, go skydiving. If you are terrible at flexibility, sign up for yoga classes. If there’s something in the practice room that seems impossible, find a new approach, refocus, and keep pushing. You will be glad you did.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”

— Joel A. Barker

ABOUT ZORO

As one of the world’s most respected musicians, Zoro has sat on the drummer’s throne commanding some of the most famous stages in the world of rock and R&B music. Z has toured and recorded with Lenny Kravitz; Bobby Brown; Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons; The New Edition; Jody Watley; Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire; Sean Lennon; Lisa Marie Presley; Lincoln Brewster; Phil Keaggy and many others.

STEVE'S THOUGHTS

When I received a video from Zoro, I basically freaked out... Not only was it so cool that one of my drumming heroes wanted to contribute to this project, but he even gave me plenty of options to choose from, which you’ll see all of in today’s video. Zoro is an incredible drummer, author of one of my favorite books (The Big Gig), and such a positive human being. Thank you Zoro!

YOUR ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK:

1) READ ZORO'S BOOK - I HIGHLY recommend reading Zoro's book "The Big Gig: Big-Picture Thinking for Success".

This book is not just a must-read for drummers, but anyone looking for real-world advice about how to succeed in the music business BEYOND just being a great musician. 

2) TAKE ZORO's BIG GIG QUIZ - Take 5 minutes this morning/evening and complete Zoro's BIG GIG QUIZ (below). I promise that doing so will prove to be very revealing. The quiz is taken straight from the book and is a excellent way to add CLARITY to your goals in life, recognize the areas in which you excel, and assess any areas where you can improve. I personally try to revisit Zoro's quiz every few months to see where I'm making progress and where I'm falling short. *If you aren't a musician, change the questions so that they fit whatever your career is.

3) TALLY YOUR NUMBERS - For any questions where you answer YES, give yourself one point. Add up your numbers for each section.

4) CREATE NEW GOALS - For each section, look at your points to determine where your weakest area lies. Make specific goals for how you will work on this problem area and give yourself a deadline! (Example Goal: "For my next 5 gigs, I not be late. I will allow myself enough travel time so that I can arrive 1 hour before the downbeat", etc.)

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ZORO'S BIG GIG QUIZ

VISION

1. Do you consider yourself musically gifted?
2. Do you have an overall vision for your career?
3. Have you set short-range goals for your career?
4. Have you set long-range goals for your career?
5. Have you defined the objective of your musical career?
6. Do you have someone to keep you accountable for your goals?
7. Do you believe it’s possible for your dreams to come true against all odds?

COMMITMENT

1. Do you study your instrument regularly via method books, the Internet, or instructional DVDs?
2. Are you taking private lessons with a master to develop your talent and improve on your instrument?
3. Do you regularly read music industry magazines or publications that pertain to your instrument?
4. Do you regularly read books about the music business or musicians?
5. Do you regularly read motivational books that inspire you to pursue your dreams?
6. Do you have a mentor within the music industry?
7. Do you practice your instrument for long periods of time on a daily basis?
8. Are you constantly immersed in listening to and analyzing music?
9. Do you know all standard songs for the genre of music you wish to succeed at playing?
10. Are you studying all the greats who defined the genre of music you wish you master?
11. Is the majority of your extra money invested in the pursuit of your musical dreams, such as studying your instrument, purchasing musical equipment, music CDs and downloads, and books?

SKILLS

1. Are you extremely proficient on your instrument?
2. Can you adapt quickly when musical changes are made in an arrangement?
3. Are you an excellent sight-reader?
4. Are you an extremely versatile musician?
5. Do you come prepared for each gig or opportunity?
6. Do you know how to contribute to the musical success of others, and do you enjoy doing so?
7. Do you believe your musical skills are highly marketable?

CHARACTER

1. Do you have a strong work ethic?
2. Would you say you are a flexible person?
3. Do you consider yourself an optimistic person?
4. Are you a reliable person on whom others can always depend?
5. Are you punctual?
6. Are you a humble person?
7. Do you have a good attitude?
8. Do you take criticism well?
9. Can you work effectively with differing or abrasive personalities?
10. Do you take instruction well?
11. Do you deal well with competition?
12. Do you handle rejection well?
13. Do you do well with unpredictable schedules?
14. Do you mind having someone else dictate how you spend your time?
15. Are you living free from drug and alcohol overuse or addiction?
16. Do you consider yourself a determined, focused, and ambitious person?

BUSINESS

1. Do you have excellent-sounding equipment?
2. Do you have reliable transportation?
3. Are you willing to live in or near one of the major music market cities of Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Chicago, or Miami to increase your chances of landing the big gig?
4. Are you are a good money manager?
5. Do you know how to market and promote yourself at each subsequent stage of your career?
6. Are you routinely building a network of contacts within the music industry?
7. Do you know how to capitalize on current situations to advance your career?
8. Are you willing to learn how to be your own manager to ensure your success as a musician?
9. Are you willing to do everything necessary to make it in the music business?

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, The Big Gig can help you become better prepared to advance your goals and live a better life. Take the next step now to prepare for YOUR Big Gig.

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HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Did you enjoy this article? If so, please share this with the ONE person in your life who could benefit from it and suggest they sign up for the weekly dose!

BIO: Eugene McGhee is a Chicago-based bassist and music educator.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 "In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." Max De Pree

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DON'T FOLLOW. LEAD.

This week we're focusing on leadership and how it affects our life and the lives around us.

• How many of us feel stuck in a job that we hate?
• How many of us stay in unhealthy relationships for far too long?
• How many of us suddenly wake up one day and ask “where did my 20's, 30's, 40's, etc. go?"

THE REASON IS VERY SIMPLE.

Many of us choose to FOLLOW our life rather than to become the LEADER of it.

If WE aren't leader of our lives, then who is? How do we expect to live life fully if we don't take charge of where it's heading?

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YOUR ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK:

1)   Take an assessment of the things in life you are a LEADER of and which you are a FOLLOWER of. Think about your commitments, jobs, relationships, friendships, family, responsibilities, hobbies, etc.

2)   For the things/people in your life you’ve just thought of, is your role (Follower, Leader) serving that thing/person at the highest level possible? Would changing roles improve or hurt the situation?

3)   Is there a particular area in life that you seem to just coast through without contributing positively to? Why is this? Comfort? Laziness? Fear?

4)   How can you become the LEADER of your career, relationships, friendships, on the bandstand, in your commitments, and in life? How can you inspire others around you to fulfill their potential through leading the way for them?

5)   What is the first, smallest single action that you can take TODAY to move towards becoming the leader of your life? 

6)   Don't skip this part. Ask yourself honestly: Is life happening TO you or BECAUSE of you?

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Did you enjoy this article? If so, please share this with the ONE person in your life who could benefit from it and suggest they sign up for the weekly dose!

For the past a week and a half, I've been performing an experiment on myself. The result? My body has transformed significantly. I've lost 10 pounds of fat, my clothes are looser, and I have more energy than I’ve had in months. All in just 10 days. Here’s how I did it, (and here's EXACTLY how you can do it too).

COMPONENT 1: NUTRITION

(Cliff Notes Version: Slow Carb Diet + Water + Supplements + Tracking = AWESOME)

FOOD

For the last 10 days, I have been following Tim Ferriss’ Slow-Carb diet. Here it is in a nutshell:

RULE 1: AVOID "WHITE” CARBOHYDRATES.

RULE 2: EAT THE SAME FEW MEALS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

8:00AM - English Breakfast Tea

12:00PM - Veggie Stir Fry ( 3 whole eggs, and about 2 cups of normandy style veggies, plus teriyaki sauce)

3:00PM - Turkey Burger (plus hot sauce, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and garlic salt)

5:00PM - One handful of Cashews

8:00PM - One can of Black Beans (plus hot sauce, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and garlic salt)

RULE 3: DON'T DRINK CALORIES.

Sadly, this also includes any alcohol :(
...except for my cheat day, of course :)

RULE 4: DON'T EAT FRUIT.

RULE 5: TAKE ONE DAY OFF PER WEEK.

Oh yes, this is the best part… the day when you literally eat ANYTHING you want! For my first cheat day, I ate an entire (yes, an entire) Little Caesar’s Hot-N-Ready Pizza, plus an ice cream cookie sandwich. Oh, and a few more slices of pizza + beer later that night. (I’m a madman.)

***For a complete reading on the Slow Carb Diet from Tim Ferriss’ book (The 4-Hour Body), visit: http://gizmodo.com/5709913/4-hour-body---the-slow-carb-diet
 

WATER:

Drink 1 Gallon Of Water Per Day. This may seem like a lot to some people, but I’ve been doing this for almost a year now and can confirm its positive benefits. Water is to the body as oil is to a car. With proper hydration, you’ll feel amazing. Go to Vons and buy a 99 cent gallon water jug. Make sure you drink it all before the end of the day. Rinse and repeat. Easy peasy.
 

SUPPLEMENTS:

1 Tablet - Kirkland Premium Performance Multivitamin

1 Tablet - Kirkland Signature Fish Oil Concentrate with Omega-3 Fatty Acids, 400 Softgels, 1000mg

10 Tablets - Kirkland Signature Vitamin C 1000 Mg with Rose Hips 500 Tablets  - (Yes, you read that right... 10 x 1000mg pills per day = 10,000MG. There’s a lot of research about the benefits of high doses of C in your diet. Here’s a good starting point: http://fatburningman.com/dr-andrew-saul-the-megavitamin-man-high-dose-vitamin-c-diy-health/)

TRACKING:

I track my diet using MyFitnessPal (http://www.myfitnesspal.com). Download the APP, it works like a charm. As long as you don’t go over your calorie intake for the day, you WILL lose weight. Period.

COMPONENT 2: EXERCISE

Here’s exactly what I did over the past 10 days. Notice that the amount of time spent working out is completely reasonable. As with most things, it’s about quality (how hard you push yourself), not quantity (time).

MON 1/4:      CrossFit (1 hour)
TUE 1/5:       Off
WED1/6:       CrossFit (1 hour)
THU 1/7:       Off
FRI 1/8:         CrossFit (1 hour)
SAT 1/9:        Off
SUN 1/10:     Yoga Class (1hour)
MON 1/11:     CrossFit + Yoga Class (2 hours)
TUE 1/12:       Run (30 minutes)
WED 1/13:      CrossFit (1 hour)

Total Training Time in 10 days: (7.5 hours)
 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

In all honesty, even though I’ve already seen differences in how my body looks, the biggest difference I’ve noticed is how sharp I feel MENTALLY. I’m completely convinced that 95%+ of this shift is due to one thing… DIET. When I eat like crap, I get “Grain Brain"... I feel depressed, weak, and unmotivated. However, by following the slow-carb diet, I’ve had more energy in the last 10 days than I’ve had in months. I feel more alert, more positive, more creative, more productive, and simply put... I feel happier!

Well folks, that’s exactly how I lost 10 pounds in 10 days. If you follow the advice above, I’m almost certain you’ll see a positive effect in both body and mind. I’m NOT saying that this formula will work long-term for everyone, but if you’re someone out there who’s not satisfied with your current lifestyle and want to make a change, it's definitely worth a week of your life to try this out as an experiement. If you do, please mention your results in the comments below!

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Did you enjoy this article? If so, please show this to a friend who could benefit from it and suggest they sign up for the weekly dose of TUESDAY MORNING INSPIRATION! 

Michael Miley began drumming when he was 4 years old. His dad played him “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins and after the classic drum fill, Michael knew right then and there what the future would hold for him. Then of course after he had heard “Hold the Line” by Toto and “Good Times, Bad Times” by Led Zeppelin, he began his pursuit for developing a fast right foot. Jeff Porcaro and John Bonham remain his top favorite drummers. However, being born on the same day as Keith Moon (August 23rd), Michael, with the Rival Sons (Earache Records), has ironically established a style of his own that echos the reckless abandonment of “Moonie” (now “Miley”). He has recorded and/or performed with Kelly Clarkson, Jay Buchanan, Joe Firstman, Bird3, Josh Kelley, Santana, Ricky Martin, Tony Lucca, Veruca Salt, Mickey Hart, and Rival Sons. He also was in the House Band for “Last Call with Carson Daly” on NBC for five years. He is currently the drummer for Rival Sons on Earache Records. They have three LP’s and one EP available on iTunes and in stores everywhere. They’re about to record their
fourth full length album in Nashville with Dave Cobb.

Michael has studied with Roy Burns, Dave Garibaldi, John Molo, Chalo Eduardo, Chuck Silverman, Chuck Flores, and Dean Cook.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Ken Ge is a freelance bassist located in the Midwest. He's played with Michael Spiro's Latin Jazz Collective, Keith Karns' Big Band, and Curt Sydnor's group Disassembly. Ken was director of orchestras for Dorchester School District Two in Charleston, South Carolina and musical director / bandleader for Celebrity Cruises, Inc. as well as Oceania Cruises, Inc.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Andre's message is meaningful. If you aren't a drummer, how do you apply the core of his message to your life? To me, Andre is saying that often times, we spend so much time focusing on our "how" (our process) that we completely lose sight of our "why" (our purpose).

This week, I challenge you to ask yourself these questions:

1) What is your "WHY" on this planet?
2) Is your "HOW" currently serving your "WHY"?
3) If not, what do you need to change? Have a great week and I hope you enjoy!

Andre' Boyd, a native of St. Louis, began playing the drums at two years old. Watching his brother play every Sunday morning at church fascinated him so much that he wanted to become a professional drummer. Since then Andre has been blessed to tour with numerous artists and shows from the United States to Europe and beyond.

Andre' is currently on a world tour with Cirque du Soleil's Quidam show production. He is a very gifted musician that has mastered styles and genres such as Funk, Fusion, jazz, Gospel, R&B, Country, Rock, Blues etc... He has had the pleasure of performing with The Golden Gospel Singers, Dolemite, Shirley Murdock, Vasti Jackson, The Family, Denise Thimes, Gregg Happyguitar Haynes, and many more.

Andre' is an exceptional young talented musician who is commited to playing on the best gear, while displaying great musicianship and professionalism.

I asked Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton, Zoro, Johnny Rabb, Curt Bisquera, Ari Hoenig, Victor Indrizzo, Jonathan Mover, Walfredo Reyes Jr., Steve Fidyk, Bermuda Schwartz, Dan Needham, Bruce Becker, Bill Bachman, Jeff Queen, Pete Lockett, Andre Boyd, Nick Ruffini, Dave Kropf, Richie Gajate-Garcia, Tim Lefevbre, and many more to give their top piece of advice to drummers. 

Here's what they said. 

The catch... They could only use THREE WORDS!

Enjoy the video and I hope it inspires you!

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Often times we find ourselves in situations where we are unable to practice our instrument.

Maybe the volume is too loud for you to practice in the space you're in, maybe you're traveling, or maybe you can only play during limited hours in the day.

These situations happens all the time... so what do we do?

Here are 10 ways you can become better at your instrument... without even being near it.

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#1. TRANSCRIBE

Learn from the greats, and use their vocabulary to develop your own personal sound concept.

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#2. READ BOOKS ABOUT MUSICIANS

Learning about the life of a musician who has been successful in their genre can provide great insight on how to (or how not to) succeed at a career in music.

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#3. PRACTICE A NEW DISCIPLINE

Take up painting, writing, photography, or anything creative. Music has always been (and will continue to be) influenced by non-musical art forms.

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#4.  COMPOSE

When you write a piece of music, you start thinking “Big Picture,” which helps you to focus on the role of your particular instrument.

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#5. GO SEE LIVE MUSIC

Professional musicians and educators spend a lot of time on stage, but we can’t forget what it’s like to be an audience member as well. Go enjoy the concert experience and soak in the inspiration!

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#6. LEARN A NEW INSTRUMENT

Becoming familiar with another instrument allows you to 1) communicate with other musicians more effectively and 2) recognize what other players would expect from YOU on your instrument.

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#7. READ MUSIC MAGAZINES / ARTICLES

Knowledge is power. Subscribe to music magazines for news, interviews, and lessons relating to your instrument.

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#8. DISCOVER A NEW ARTIST

We all have favorite artists/albums, but it’s important to check out new music to keep things fresh and to get new sources of musical inspiration.

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#9. WATCH INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS

Be a musical sponge, soak up as many approaches to playing your instrument as possible. YouTube is your friend!

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#10. VISUALIZATION

Many books have been written about the power of visualization. In your next practice session, work on everything as you normally would, but WITHOUT your instrument. Instead, visualize the physical movements made and sounds created, the way you WANT them to be. The next time you pick up your instrument, you’ll notice a difference. Try it!

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