Phil Collins

  1. What are drum fills, and how do I make them more creative? (2021 – Updated)

    Posted in: Blog
    April 12, 2021

    If you are a beginner drummer or interested in learning the drums, you will come across the terms “beats” and “fills” all of the time. A drumbeat is a generic term for the rhythmic pattern being played in a song, and this is a fairly straightforward concept to grasp. But what on earth is a drum fill, where are they used, and how do beginner drummers (and more experienced drummers, for that matter) develop them into a tasteful and musical… Read More

  2. Is it OK to simplify drum parts?

    Posted in: Blog
    December 29, 2017

    Do you obsess about playing a drum part exactly as it was recorded? Are you struggling to play a drum part because it’s too technical or too fast?  If the answer to either of these questions is “yes”, then you might want to spend five minutes reading this article. Simplification is a word that comes up in my drum studio every day without exception. You can apply the simplification approach to just about every aspect of your drumming, from beats… Read More

  3. Developing your weaker hand

    Posted in: Blog
    July 26, 2016

    Sitting behind a drum set for the first time, we soon learn that the coordination is quite challenging. In the early days, we get through the first few drum lessons by playing slowly, counting out loud, and understanding which limb plays which note. It’s a lot of fun, and the start of a great journey! It soon becomes apparent that one hand (our dominant hand) is significantly more developed, and this presents some interesting challenges. In this blog, we examine the… Read More