Certified By Drumeo.com

Great news for Drum Brigade! We have been certified/ approved by Drumeo.com as drum instructors and as a drum school.  What does that mean? Well, in order to use the Drumeo name/ logos/ badges etc, in association with Drum Brigade, we had to go through an extensive interview process, and basically pass a test to see if we are well qualified to teach and if our business is a good fit for eachothers brands. (We were told we passed with flying colors... #just saying)

What does this mean for us? Well Drumeo is one of, or quite possibly the biggest source for on-line drum lessons in  the world. Drumeo doesn't just let anyone team up, cross promote, and/ or use their logos/ brand to help another company. So this helps bring more credibility to our brand. But more importantly, having the Drumeo badge and logos helps show that we are qualified and now "ceritfied" drum instructors! So we are proud to support Drumeo, and hope you support Drumeo as well as Drum Brigade!  

Been a while but none the less...

Well, sorry its been a while since I have posted anythin on the DB blog. No excuses, but lots of touring, Lots local gigs, and LOTS of teaching here at Drum Brigade and also at a few local School Of Rock locations in North County SD have kept me very busy. But as I said before, no excuses! Btw, I will have some pics and stories from my latest tours with Hepcat in Sao Paulo Brazil and the Salty Dog Cruise to The Bahamas that I'll be posting here. You will also (very soon I promise) be able to see my "a day in a life" vids from tour posted here too... Soon! 

  In the mean time... 

Here is a fun excersise for you. This is a note progression grid I use for warm ups and I use for practice. This will really help you broaden and build your drumming vocabulary. For this exersise it should all be played as single strokes. So it's 1/4 notes, 1/4 note triplets, 1/8 notes, 1/8 note triplets, 1/16 notes, sextuplets or 1/16 note triplets, 1/32 notes and then back down (or backwards). So it looks like this: 

Notice the repeats. So keep it going. Try at different tempos...  

When you have it mastered, try making up drum fills around the kit with each group of notes. ORRRRR... try building a drum solo using this note progression grid around the kit.  

Drum Brigade's Week At NAMM

Well it was awesome, but im glad its over. Still soo exhausted and my dogs are still barking from all the walking. Here's some pics of some of the shenanigans from namm:  

 In my opinion, the best drum builder in the world. Sahir Hanif, owner of Masters Of Maple Drums 

In this case im the student... Evan Stone, my personal drum teacher and a BAD DUDE on drumz!

My crazy eyes with the Miss Rebecca Jade (atrist/ AMAZING vocalist, and also a Brigade member) 

Watching Dirty Loops play live... But from a tv. Couldnt get in to the room they were playing.  "Sold out" even though it was free in like 5 min the day before. 

You might have seen the "cat" on the This Is It movie with Michael Jackson. The great Johnathan "Sugarfoot" Moffet. 

If you dont know who this is, you probably aren't a drummer. "The hit maker" Bernard Purdie!

Still got pocket for DAYS!! 

Modern Drummer Magazine

We are so excited to announce Drum Brigade School has a small write up in the "The Drummer's Bible" as some call it, AKA Modern Drummer Magazine December issue. THIS IS HUGE!! We are so honored and excited to be a part of the MD family and to be etched into drum history, if you will!!  

Check Out Our Newest Video (Lesson)

Check out our newest video lesson. This is an intermediate level exercise involving a single paradiddle, double paradiddle, and a triple paradiddle. Please make sure you hit the subscribe button on our youtube page! Feel free to share our vids too!

Korey

Our Newest Video (lesson)

Here's our newest video posting.  It's the first timer, beginner warm up. We normally start each lesson at Drum Brigade School, whether you are a beginner, intermediate or an advanced student with a warm up. So this is the very first, beginner warm up that we do during our private and semi-private lessons. It's a very simple exercise consisting of a single stroke roll, double stroke roll, and a single Paradiddle. Each are explained in the video. It was fun making this. I hope you enjoy it! There are plenty more coming. Btw, if there are any videos you want us to make, or any thing you want explained, LET US KNOW! Comment on this blog or send us an email from the contact form on our website. Do it!

-Korey

P.S. Make sure you hit that "Subscribe" button on our youtube channel!  DO IT!!

New DB School Promo Video

Hey Guys,

We just uploaded a promo vid for the website, for all of you, as well as lots more new students. Its pretty DIY. But sometimes I think that's the best way! It gets across what we do and what we have to offer. Make sure you check it out! Please hit the "subscribe, like and share" buttons on our youtube page. Also special thanks to everyone that helped out with this! Keep an eye out for more lesson videos, interview videos, and just random playing videos!

-Korey

Korey playing an Inverted Paradiddle

Please hit the "subscribe" button on our youtube page! And if you like the video hit the "like" button... AND, if you really like the video please hit the "share" button!!! This is our first of MANY youtube videos. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/otBHKr4VIoM

Sometimes we need to shut off our brains

As drummers we at times concentrate on the complicated patterns, excersises, rudiments, fundamentals, etc.. We learn them. We work on them. We practice them. But if you are anything like me, it often is very difficult to introduce these patterns/rudiments/excersises/fundamentals into a groove or our regular playing or even a gig for that matter! Why? I've worked on it. I understand what it is. It's "LRRLLRLRRLLRLRLRLLRRLLRLRRRLLLRL" ha! So why can't I do it? And why does it sound robotic and unnatural when I am doing it? 

Well, I've found that this is often a common problem with coaching professional athletes. The athlete spends an amazing amount of time working on technique, working on fundamentals, working on drills. But when it comes time to preform, they perform. How? Well that's just it. They work on the fundamentals/technique/drills as practice, but when they are performing that comes natural. The brain does what you are working on naturally. Take for example, a runner training for a marathon or a race. This runner traines for months for this race. He works on his running technique. He gets his rhythm. He streamlines his diet. He does everything that he's suppose to do the be ready. But when the gun fires, he is probably not thinking "left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot." He is just doing what he trained for. He knows he's ready. He knows he is skilled. 

So it is simular for us as drummers. Again we work hard. We practice. But sometimes we have to shut off our brain. We have to stop letting our brain overcomplicate things and get in the way. We want our hard work and hours of practice to boost our natural talent, skill and confidence. So we concentrate less on "LRLLRRRLLRLRLLRLRRRLLLLRRLRLRL." Instead we concentrate more on the feel, more on the groove, and more on the sound of what we are trying to play. Try it! It works for me! 

-Korey

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=670008733074415&id=202118923196734

Korey will be playing this FREE, ALL AGES event on the 14th. You should all come!! 

One Of Our Favorite Drum Solos -Dave Garibaldi

This is a perfect example of someone using fundamentals, rudiments, and excersises/ variations in his solo, while never losing the groove and feel! And how about that groove at the end!! Haha! Love it!

http://youtu.be/Us7yp6RqBaM

Sometimes The Student Teaches The Teacher!

Teaching drums is a funny thing. Sometimes I dont really know what to teach a student before the lesson. I have an idea, maybe a gameplan. But it never ceases to amaze me, often times the student will lead you into the direction they want to be taught. Just finished up a lesson with one of our younger students. I felt like I was shooting blanks with him on ideas. Nothing was sparking interest. Everything I would show him was not sticking. And as you all know, we aim to please here at Drum Brigade. We ALWAYS want the student to want to come to the lesson. We like to keep it fresh and fun... That being said, I felt like nothing I was going with was intriguing the student. Well as we were searching for something to work on, I over heard the student noodling over a groove that sounded like Ellie Goulding's "Burn." I asked if that was the song he was playing, and then pulled it up on youtube and played it on the Studio 528 projector. Together we played through the tune. As soon as we were done my student asks "can we play that again? That was so awesome!" Of course we did... 2 more times! And that's what we worked on. The student was so stoked! I didn't even know that was one of his favorite songs. Sometimes it's not about LLRR (left, left, right, right), but is just about playing music. Isn't that the goal anyways? 

Very cool lesson. Made my day! And even better it made the students day! 

-Korey

David Rocking His Drum Brigade Sticker

We just finished up our lesson on the "Right, Together" beat and single Paradiddles, which David completely OWNED like a pro! Then we had a proper drum solo battle... I lost! Good Job David! Nice sticker!!

-Korey

Check Out This Drummer!!

Virgil Donati is one of the most amazing, most disciplined, and skilled drummers of all time! Im sure this video will blow your mind, as it did mine! ENJOY!

http://youtu.be/N9itKO3Q14A

Thursday May 29th FREE Group Lesson

The SD fires pretty much ruined a lot of plans last week. It also ruined our plan for our group lesson as well. So we are going to try again. May 29, Thursday at 5:30pm at Studio 528 (528 S Coast Hwy Oceanside) we are offering a FREE, FREE 1st timer group lesson!! If you have always wanted to play drums, but never got around to it, never thought you could, etc. etc. You don't want to miss this!

Thurs Group Class Was A Success!!

We are happy to say our friends and family Group Class was a success and SO MUCH FUN!!! It was a full class of 8, plus a few photographers. The lesson was awesome and EVERYONE did great! The youngest student was 7 and the oldest was in her 70s. Both were first timers and both had no problem keeping up. Can't wait to do it again!! Here are a few moments captured from the class

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Free Group Class This Thurs

We are so excited for our FREE group class (First Timer Beginner 1). We hope our first timer students are as well. As of now this class is full and booked up... BUT, we will be scheduling another freebee class real soon. Stay tuned if you want to get in. They book up fast!

-Korey 

Things got really REAL!

We are excited to have some literature about Drum Brigade and Drum Brigade School for Studio 528 and else where. Our cards have all the typical info on them and also our super rad logos! Our brochure has abbreviated info that you would find on our website.  It has prices, info on Studio 528, info on our instructors, and info on The Brigade. Its looking pretty strong! Come by the studio and pick one up.... BTW, other merch coming soon!

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New Website.

Hey everyone,

We have been working hard and received a lot of feed back for our previous website. We are constantly striving to keep an innovative edge in every part of the drum school. So we felt our website could be better, more simple, and easier to use. Hope you enjoy!!

-Korey