⚡ Quick Hits
Steve Gadd and the Blicher Hemmer Gadd Trio.
Steve Gadd joins the Blicher Hemmer Gadd Trio in this short clip from Yamaha Drums, and even a brief glimpse of him behind the kit is a reminder of why his pocket and touch remain a benchmark. If you've never heard this Nordic jazz trio, this is a fine entry point.
More Than One Way Home by hanswilliams
Nate Mueller brings a gospel-inflected 6/8 feel to this folk cover of "More Than One Way Home" by hanswilliams, crediting Calvin R. Rogers' groove on Marvin Sapp's "Praise Him In Advance" as the unlikely inspiration. It's a small window into how cross-genre listening shapes a drummer's vocabulary, and the result is quietly compelling.
🌊 Deep Dives
At Home with Aaron Sterling (Drummer - John Mayer, Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Harry Styles)
Aaron Sterling — whose résumé runs from John Mayer to Taylor Swift to Post Malone — opens his home studio for a full tracking session with Lady A's Charles Kelley, walking through kit selection, mic placement, and the mental process behind laying down a take. At 34 minutes, this one rewards patience: the segment on synesthesia alone reframes how Sterling hears and responds to a song.
"Sugarfoot" - The Brilliance of Jonathan Moffetts Sound | Recreating Iconic Drum Sounds
ArtOfDrumming breaks down what makes Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett's kit sound so distinctive — from his triple-bass configuration to cymbal placement and mic choices — recreating the controlled power behind those legendary Michael Jackson performances. At just over seven minutes, it's a tight, gear-focused study worth watching with your ears as much as your eyes.
🎓 Practice & Skills
Hand Warmup for Faster Fingers
In this 57-second short, 66Samus breaks down a rudiment-based warmup designed to sharpen finger speed and control before you sit behind the kit. It's a quick, focused drill worth adding to your pre-practice routine.
Justin Scott Double Stroke Linear Coordination Exercise #shorts #meinlcymbals #drums #drummer #meinl
In this 18-second clip from MEINL Cymbals, Justin Scott demonstrates a double stroke linear coordination exercise that isolates the interplay between hands and feet in a strictly linear pattern. It's a compact but focused drill worth looping for drummers looking to tighten their double strokes within linear frameworks.
🛒 Gear Picks
Sabian 14” Stratus Zero Crash Cymbal - 687g (S14ZE-1030326I)
Memphis Drum Shop's latest myCymbal.com demo puts a specific 687g Sabian 14" Stratus Zero Crash under the sticks, giving you a real-world sound check on a cymbal where the exact weight and feel matter. At just over two minutes, the clip cuts straight to the crash's character alongside a Yamaha Recording Custom Birch kit—enough context to decide if this one's worth adding to your setup.
Sabian 20" Artisan Light Ride Cymbal - 2142g (A2010-1031626Q)
Memphis Drum Shop's 48-second demo puts a specific 2,142g Sabian 20" Artisan Light Ride through its paces on a Yamaha Recording Custom Birch kit, giving you a clean, uncluttered listen to how this particular cymbal actually sounds before you buy. At that weight, the Artisan Light sits in nuanced territory—responsive enough for detailed ride work without sacrificing wash—and myCymbal.com's individual-weight listings mean you're hearing exactly what you'd receive.
Evans EMAD2 Clear Bass Drum Head, 22” On Sale! (Amazon)
The Evans EMAD2 22" bass drum head uses an externally mounted adjustable damping system with two swappable foam rings, letting you dial between a focused punch and a deeper, low-end-heavy boom without reaching inside the drum. Currently ~25% off on Amazon, it's the top-selling bass drum head on the platform and a practical upgrade for gigging drummers across genres.
🌎 From The Community
My Ludwig Kit
Redditor /u/No-Ant-1546 shared a photo of their Ludwig Bonham Vista-Lites paired with an '80s Supraphonic snare, snapped at a recent gig — a combination that practically writes its own setlist. If you have opinions about Ludwig kits, vintage snares, or both, the comments are waiting for you.
Neil Peart’s drum kits throughout the eras: Which configuration was your favorite, and why?
A Reddit thread from /u/ZildCym is sparking debate over Neil Peart's ever-evolving drum setups — from the mirrored kit of the *2112* era to the massive Slingerland and DW rigs of later tours — and drummers are weighing in with strong opinions on which configuration defined his legacy best. If you've ever had a favorite Peart kit, this is the place to make your case.