Recently, I was asked - for the first time in a long time - why I decided to become a musician. I didn’t have an immediate answer. Was it because I “loved” making...
GEMA, GVL and royalties: How you can earn money as a musician through collecting societies
Playing concerts as a sideman, working in studios, teaching… If you want to earn money as a drummer, there are plenty of ways to do so. However, one...
4 qualities without which you will not be successful in the music business
“Be professional as a musician and agreeable as a colleague”: if you’ve paid attention to my last few blog posts, you might have noticed this advice crop...
Your goals as a drummer – and how you can achieve them (spoiler alert: make a plan!)
You’re bound to know at least one person who is an undeniable natural talent: someone who learns easily, understands things quickly and whom every...
Networking: How to build long-term business relationships as a musician
When I decided to spend five years studying at a conservatory, it had nothing to do with getting a nice certificate. Of course, the institution’s international...
Endorsements: who gets them – and what to look out for when striking a deal
Endorsements... I still remember the hours I spent browsing my favorite manufacturers’ catalogs as a child. For me, the huge drums and amazingly shiny...
Don’t panic: Dealing with the mental demands of live concerts as a drummer
The third song sends the pedals splintering into bits, your setlist has sailed away on the breeze, you’re still feeling yesterday night’s party and you didn’t have...
Facing rejection (or: how to deal with the outcome of auditions)
The last note has faded away and the audition is over. Now, you now face two potential outcomes: if you’re lucky enough to get the job, you’ll have to work hard...
What’s the quickest way to get better? 10 tips for more successful practice
I began practising properly during my degree. Of course, I’d also spent many hours at my drums as a younger player, but my practice wasn’t as effective...
How can I find live gigging opportunities as a professional drummer?
Whenever I asked this question of colleagues with more experience, I always got the same answer: “Word-of-mouth recommendations.” Right from...