Early Access - YouTube Video of The Week AND Podcast - Heel Up vs Heel Down

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If you’ve watched more than zero of my videos, you’ll know that there’s a kick drum technique that I endorse pretty unequivocally - simple heel up.

Sure, it takes some dialing-in, but my general feeling is it’s the most versatile/least “distance-sensitive” technique for avoiding tension at multiple speeds and dynamic ranges.

But what if I was wrong.

Today’s interview subject has the opposite take: whereas I switched to “heel up” after several frustrating years trying to coax more volume, power, and speed out of my legacy “heel down” technique, he switched to heel down, when he found heel-up made soft dynamics and playing off the head more difficult.

I’m speaking of YouTube OG Tim Metz.

In our extended interview, which you can view below, we get into his background co-teaching with Mike Johnston in Sacramento, gig scenes in general, his approach to teaching, and the like, but for purposes of the YouTube video, we went head-to-head to debate the merits of the two techniques.

I don’t want any of my students or viewers to feel like “one ‘expert’ is saying this, and another one is saying something else.” I want you to see the territory.

So I present to you this slightly-longer-form-than-usual YouTube video, in which Tim and I flesh out the pros and cons of each technique, then I test everything out.

Know you’ll enjoy.

And if you want to hear the complete interview with Tim, that’s below.

Early Access - YouTube Video of The Week - Play Better "Big Rock Endings" on Drums

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It’s tough to find a word for what I’d call an “end of song cadenza”. It’s one of those things every drummer knows, but nobody’s developed a good word for.

“Garbage can endings”. “Big rock endings.” Neither really captures the vibe.

But think Buddy Rich Big Band, at the end of an big song.

Or Alex Van Halen. Or Bonzo. Or Dennis Chambers. Or Neil Peart.

The band is holding a big note, and it’s up to the drummer to…

To what, exactly?

Well, that’s the subject of today’s video. Drum cadenzas are kind of a blank spot on drum youtube. Beyond a few basics. So I decided to make a video.

Basically, I played a couple of my own garbage can endings, observed what my body was doing, then worked backward to systemize it for you good people. ;) And with a strong disclaimer that the “fancy” version is not necessary for practically ANY gig, it’s nonetheless fun to dive into hip licks on occasion.

So that’s what we’ll do this week. I’ll give you the basic, “this-is-all-you’ll-ever-need” stuff, then I’ll give you some more creative approaches, with that gigantic caveat that you do NOT need these, and should not judge your drumming harshly if you don’t do them.

Know you’ll enjoy this one!

Early Access - Arch Echo's Richie Martinez on Questioning The Conventional Wisdom

If you haven’t heard of Arch Echo’s Richie Martinez, get ready for a rabbit hole.

(Richie’s Instagram)

Richie is one of the most electrifying young drummers around.

While he calls the genre of his band “progressive metal”, his playing encompasses a type of "cross-genre” fluency not many drummers have, but it’s exiting when you see it.

Equally comfortable in funk, fusion, or prog settings, Martinez brings energy, enthusiasm, and blistering chops to anything he plays.

Martinez’ background is an unconventional one - growing up in Houston, he was mostly self-taught until high school. That gave Richie a unique perspective on teaching and learning drums. What’s more, he’s made playing “hard” a science, and coaches many-a-touring-drummer on how to play forcefully without injuring themselves or burning out.

And while Richie responded to the question “is there a reason to play forcefully when you can just let the mics do the work” with “yea - do you want to be a LOSER?” He equally obsessed with the mechanics of the low end of the dynamic range, and frequently asks students to play softly on table tops. And while he’s a jokester, he shows an unironic love for the instrument and his students.

If you’ve ever wondered about the mechanics of playing drums hard without injury, why some of the “conventional advice” doesn’t always work, or just what a super disciplined player is like to spend time with, I know you’ll love this conversation with Riche.

*Early Access - YouTube Video of The Week - The Ultimate Guide to One-Handed 16ths On Drums

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Welp - week 4 of “Nate sends the video early”, and “early” has become “semi-early”. I told you - I won’t be able to do this 100% of the time. For now, 8020 is small-and-scrappy, and that’s how I like it.

With that throat clearing out of the way, today I’ve got a video I know some of you will love, because it’s one that people have been asking for for months. Ever since I published the latest video on “Funky Drummer” beats, people have been asking “can you go deeper on the exact mechanics of the so-called “push pull”/”drop catch” technique.

As I’ve been doing this with students lately and seeing what worked and what didn’t, I thought it was high time I make that video. So today, instead of just giving you generalities, I’ve got a step-by-step process that will hopefully bootstrap you into playing basic “drop catch” in a few weeks on the pad, or snare drum.

It’s simple - that doesn’t mean it’s easy! At the core is a slightly awkward-feeling hand movement that I wish weren’t necessary. And we’re going right at the hard part first.

The good news is that once you master that “awkward part”, it only gets easier.

Know you’ll enjoy this one!