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The 180 Drums Podcast

Hang with the best drummers in the music industry. Stevie Wonder, Ariana Grande, Paramore, Carrie Underwood, TLC, NKOTB, Christina Aguilera, Thousand Foot Krutch, Lecrae, TobyMac and Jason Aldean are just some of the artists who have lent us their drummers. Wisdom, laughs and heartfelt moments are what you should expect to hear. The in's and out's of being a touring Drummer are the fundamentals of this podcast. Getting gigging with 180 Drums.
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Now displaying: June, 2016
Jun 29, 2016

"It's vital to understand that music is a business, not just art. You're an entity inside of a larger industry. Think beyond music." – Nate Robinson

Nate Robinson is not just Lecrae's drummer, but he's also an amazing teacher and entrepreneur. Nate has played with a variety of Grammy-winning and Billboarding-topping artists including: Wayman Tisdale, Kelis, Tank, Angie Stone, Lecrae, Jermaine Dupri, Sarah Morrow, and Tyler Perry among others. His style is flavorful and unique. He never plays to hog the audience’s gaze, but rather to form the greater whole of the musical experience through unity and balance. “Heard Not Seen.”

Why listen to this episode? You will learn how to:

  • Play for the Music
  • Not Talk Too Much
  • Develop your Weaknesses
  • Expose your own musical Identity
  • Create a successful music business
  • Develop a strategy for a successful career

Enjoy!

 

Nate's #180Seat

ZION Cymbals

 

AJP Custom Drums

 

Hardware

  • DW 9000 series pedals and hardware
  • DW 5000 series pedals

Remo Drumheads

Notes

He began banging on stuff at 2 years old

His experience on 180 Drums

Earnest Walker was Nate's mentor, who allowed Nate to drum tech his gigs. This was Nate's early education and further exposure to the drums.

Nate wasn't schooled at all.

He got started in church, but didn't like gospel music

Grew up in Houston w/ Chris Daddy Dave

Prayer Each Morning - "This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24

Most productive at night. Last thing of the day - shutting down computer, gone straight to bed around 3AM.

Nate's Father is an electrical engineer

His mother is a nurse

Blockbuster music selection

Mo' Better Blues

Violin and Recorder were Nate's schooled instruments

Quotes

- Nate's dad, "Always focus on your weaknesses... It's the exact opposite of what you want to do, but that's where you need to spend your time."

"All I ever see, all I ever hear are my weaknesses... and because of that, I always have something to work on."

"Being an amazing musician requires the artist to create some infrastructure in order to have a career. You have to create something."

"Create something comfortable and authentic to who I am, and define myself as a player."

"It had the potential to be awful."

"Vital to understand that music is a business, not just an art. You're an entity inside of a larger industry."

"Think beyond music and just the drums."

"95% business 5% music."

"Play the music. Don't play at the music, play with the music."

"Music is your business product."

"Continue to practice and work even when things look good.

Connect with Nate:

TheBeatBreaker.com | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram 

People and Artists Mentioned

JAKE NICOLLE

@JakeNicolle

Co-founder of @180Drums and @SundaySeat. A lover of all things drums. I have toured and recorded with various artists, constantly refining my craft. I spend my time working on 180Drums.com, Sunday Seat and various other projects, inspiring and raising up other drummers and young entrepreneurs when time permits. A good book and cup of coffee is always near by.

Click HERE to see Jake’s Lessons

MARK SCHROOR

@MarkSchroor

All around bad to the bone. Mark tapes not only the intro and outro of the podcast but he's also a killer drummer in his own right. When Mark isn't out touring with Manafest or other artists he can be found in his studio recording satellite drum tracks for artists all over the world and mixing the latest 180 Drums Podcast episode. He's the real deal.

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Jun 21, 2016

Drake's Drummer Adrian Bent walks us through how he got the gig and played bass on some Drake tracks you love as well. Have you ever tried to understand how the guys touring arenas all over the world and playing on your favorite records first landed their big break? We have too and we know what that curiosity feels like. Getting a big gig is hard and there's a lot more than just one element involved. Hard work, network and opportunity all vary in their significance, person to person, but they matter. Adrian has all three working for him and explains how he practiced and put in the time to be prepared when the opportunity came knocking... Even though it did catch him sleeping ;) 

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"A lot of people can fall by the wayside... and give up. But, if they just stayed the course, they would realize nothing is built overnight." – Adrian Bent

Adrian Bent has played not just drums on Drake tracks you know... He's played the bass on several too. 

adrian-bent-clinic-pearl-drums-sabian-cymbals-evans-overhead-stage-drake-live-180

Why listen to this episode? You will learn how to:

  • Play Less and get hired to play drums more
  • The value in a "straight groove" mentality
  • Get big gigs
  • Keep big gigs
  • Develop a network
  • Value playing less

Enjoy!

 

Adrian's #180Seat

adrian-bent-clinic-pearl-drums-sabian-cymbals-evans-overhead

Quotes

"People really don't understand drums…. You've gotta make it more relatable."

"Even when it comes to soloing you need to make reoccurring themes for people to understand."

"Stay the course."

"No one sees the groundwork."

"No one saw the hours I practiced in church by myself, they just assume I came out of nowhere."

"Everything will come that is supposed to come your way."

playing "Relatable Fills."

"We need to simplify to make it relatable."

adrian-bent-clinic-pearl-drums-sabian-cymbals-evans-overhead-stage-drake-live

Connect with Adrian:

Adrianbent.com | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

People and Artists Mentioned

 

Jun 8, 2016

"Cymbals are one of the best way for drummers to customize their sound. Picking cymbals out is a really special experience and it helps you create your sound... That's a really big deal for people who work here and are players at Zildjian."

Tony hosts the most eclectic vocabulary to describe cymbals. "Lush, shimmering, flavours, shades, Distortion boost, White noise, raw aggression."

Tony is responsible for Cymbals, Stick, Accessories and Gear at Zildjian

His role as Product Manager has an artist relation focus, brand awareness, and marketing co-relationship.

Tony creates his lists every day and eats his morning cereal from his desk.

" A funnel, not a tunnel. Funnel your ideas down into prioritization. This has the biggest potential... This is what people are absolutely screaming for."

Methods to the madness: Evernote, Google Docs

Cymbals trends: bigger Diameter and darker crashes, hi hats, rides. Fewer cymbals.

"There's so many directions we can go and there's never a shortage of ideas."

New Products

20" A Custom Projection Crash is the latest A Custom line addition

Extended ranges in K and K Custom family

Diversity in Ride Cymbal A Custom categories

New A Avedis Cymbal line - Vintage take on 50/60's A series. Taking the consumer through Zildjians footprint from the 50's - 90's. How Zildjian has managed to stay with popular music through the genres. A Series has followed that path.

"We make our cymbals as versatile as possible."

Schooling

Western Illinois University

Played in ensembles, rock bands, marching - DCI Drum Core

Worked for Tycoon Percussion and Corporate offices of Guitar Center in Southern California before Zildjian.

"This industry is pretty small... [if] you develop a good reputation for yourself, it can carry you along."

New S Family mid tier price point Cymbal line, B12 Alloy - Tony helped bring this product to market.

Favorite moments with Zildjian - Listening to the prototype, as a team, before it becomes the final product. Meeting drummers at events around the country, providing a background to drummers on what goes into the making of each cymbal or new product release. 

Zildjian K line/series - A catch all for great ideas.

Special dry, k custom dark, hybrid...

K custom dark have really done quite well.

K Dark, K Custom Dark, Constantinople, Kerope

K Custom - overhammering with a lot of tone

K Dark - More of a fundamental pitch

Zildjian A line/series

Dave Grohl and the A Custom EFX - Distortion boost, White noise, raw aggression

People and bands Mentioned

Tool

Jason Bittner

Shadows Fall

Snarky puppy

Pucifer - James keening?

Mutemath

Deftones

Hands like houses?

Larnell Lewis

Taylor Hawkins

Dave Grohl

Foo fighters

Emily Smith - Link to her podcast on a special highlighted level

 

Breaking Through the Noise

What would have defined a superstar drummer 15 years ago would have been a headlining gig. Now to be successful; market yourself online and utilize social media and youtube. Those guys are the new hero's [of the drumming spotlight].

Not only are you able to look at those guys videos every day but you're able to get lessons with them.

If you do it well... you can really make a name for yourself... In a different way... We want that to continue.

Nothing truly good comes easy... Work hard and keep at it.

180drums.com/TonyL

Jun 1, 2016

 - SHOW NOTES - 

“Out of everything I've done musically... such an easy idea is getting me traction.” – Tristan Kelley

Tristan Kelley (@TristanKelley) has more than 1,000 videos of original grooves. Try that one on for size.

What's exciting about todays podcast is it's emphasis on creating original ideas and being unafraid to share those ideas with the world. It can be intimidating creating your own videos and ideas but trial and error is your best friend.

 Why listen to this episode? You will learn:

  • Tristan's drum collection
  • How Tristan grew his Instagram account
  • More about your own creative process
  • How to Re-evaluate your own playing
  • How Tristan picked up the drums
  • How to quickly create new ideas
  • Tristan's daily routine
  • Why slow is fast

 - SHOW NOTES - 

1