heads up, we have sold out of spots in my Drum Hub program!
Sorry I wasn't able to take everyone that applied - if you missed out, join the waitlist here for when I can open up more spots: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply
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I'm looking for a small group of drummers who want to fix the mistakes holding back their progress and take their playing to the next level.
Friday I'm opening up spots in my Drum Hub mentorship program. If you want to apply, join the waitlist here: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
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*Most drummers waste months spinning their wheels because they practice everything and master nothing.*
Here's the bad news: If you're working on 5 different techniques, 3 coordination exercises, and trying to learn 4 new songs all at once, you're guaranteeing slow progress.
*The solution? My Monthly Outline system.*
Instead of scattered practice sessions, divide your focus into just 4 areas:
*• Technique* (pick ONE thing - maybe wrist strokes)
*• Patterns* (pick ONE thing - maybe single stroke rolls)
*• Coordination* (pick ONE thing - maybe kick drum with basic grooves)
*• Musical Application* (pick ONE thing - maybe playing along to 3 specific songs)
That's it. Four things. For the entire week.
Here's why this works: Your brain needs time to build neural pathways. When you practice the same wrist stroke technique every day for a week, it starts becoming automatic. When you switch to something new every practice session, you're starting from scratch each time.
*The magic happens when you stick with something long enough for it to feel effortless.*
Most drummers think this sounds boring, but here's what actually happens: You make more progress in 4 weeks of focused practice than you did in the previous 6 months of scattered practice.
*Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes permanent.* So make sure you're practicing the right things the right way.
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I keep getting tons of messages asking about Drum Hub availability, but we're currently at capacity. If you want to go deeper into systematic practice methods like this and completely transform how you approach the drums, join the waitlist to be first in line when spots open back up: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
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*The ONE Exercise That Transformed My Drumming (And Will Transform Yours Too)*
Did you know that just 16 rhythmic patterns unlock every groove, fill, and beat you'll ever need to play?
Most drummers spend years practicing hundreds of different exercises, when they could be mastering just ONE foundational skill that makes everything else click.
I call it the "Rhythmic Checklist" - and it's the secret weapon behind every drummer who seems to effortlessly play anything they hear.
(ok there are 9 more you should do to master triplets, but start here)
Here's how it works:
- Within a group of four 16th notes (1 e and a), there are exactly 16 possible rhythm combinations
- Master these patterns through simple counting and clapping exercises
- Add ostinatos (steady repeating patterns) to build coordination
- Soon you'll be creating unlimited grooves and fills with ease
Ed struggled with basic coordination for 8 years until he came to me and committed to 10 minutes of Rhythmic Checklist practice daily. Three weeks later, everything clicked. Three months later, he was playing patterns he once thought impossible.
I've been getting tons of messages asking about Drum Hub spots, but we're currently sold out. If you want to go deeper into foundational techniques like this and completely transform your approach to practice, jump on the waitlist to be first in line when new spots open: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
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Ever spent hours trying to nail a groove, only to have it sound... almost right?
I learned this lesson the expensive way when I was recording for my project Noradio. We'd built an entire song around this incredible Nate Smith drum loop - the pocket was insane, everything grooved perfectly.
My bandmate said "You should play drums on this instead of using the loop."
Confident? Absolutely. I'm a professional drummer. How hard could it be?
I went into the studio and failed. Miserably. Three times.
The groove had no pocket, no feel, no magic. I was trying to practice the entire thing as one big chunk instead of mastering the fundamentals that made it work.
So I did something different:
→ Slowed the loop to half speed
→ Isolated every component (hi-hat movement, ghost note placement, that open hi-hat in measure 2)
→ Spent 4 hours practicing JUST the fundamentals
→ Put it away for weeks
When I came back to record, I set up a simple kit with 9 mics (yes, overkill for 3 drums, but tone matters), hit record, and played ONE TAKE.
Perfect. That was it.
Here's what I learned: Most drummers practice complex grooves as complete units. But what you really need is to identify and master the building blocks first.
Think about Ringo's tom fill in "Come Together." You could practice that fill for months, but if your:
Single stroke technique isn't fluid
Triplet timing isn't rock solid
Movement around toms isn't smooth
...the fill will never sound right.
Master the fundamentals, and complex grooves become effortless.
The framework:
-Break it into components
-Practice each element slowly until perfect
-Focus on how it FEELS in your body
-Let it rest
-Return with fresh perspective
Every fundamental you master makes dozens of future grooves easier to learn.
What groove has been frustrating you that might need this building block approach?
I keep getting messages asking about Drum Hub spots, but we're currently sold out. If you want to dive deeper into systematic practice techniques like this and completely transform your approach to drumming, join the waitlist to be first in line when new spots open up: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
16 - 0
I used to sound like a drum machine (and not in a good way).
I used to think being a "good drummer" meant playing everything I knew, all the time.
Ghost notes flying everywhere. Sixteenth note fills packed into every available space. If I could play it, why wouldn't I?
My bandmates were... polite about it. You know that kind of polite where they say "sounds good" but their face says something else entirely.
Then I had a revelation during a recording session. The engineer stopped the take and said, "Can you just play the groove? Nothing else. Just the groove."
I was offended. Just the groove? That's it? Where's the artistry? The technical prowess? The... everything I'd been working on for years?
But I played just the groove. And when we listened back, something clicked.
It sounded... better. Way better.
The bass player nodded along. The guitar parts had space to breathe. The song actually felt like music instead of a technical demonstration.
That's when I realized I'd been approaching drumming completely backwards.
Great drummers aren't great because they play everything they know. They're great because they know what NOT to play.
Think about your favorite drummers. John Bonham wasn't throwing in every chop he had. Steve Gadd wasn't showing off his linear vocabulary in every groove. They were serving the music.
The secret isn't learning more patterns. It's learning to use fewer patterns with more intention.
When you stop trying to impress people with your technical knowledge and start making musical choices, something magical happens:
✓ Your timing gets rock solid (because you're not scrambling between complex patterns)
✓ Your bandmates start complimenting your playing
✓ You actually enjoy playing more because you're making music, not just executing exercises
The foundation of this approach?
Master the fundamental rhythms first. Get them so deep in your bones that you can use them melodically, not mechanically.
Most drummers skip this step. They want to learn the fancy stuff without building the foundation.
But the drummers who sound the most confident? They've done the work on the fundamentals.
Your bandmates don't care about your fastest chops.
They care about how you make the music feel.
Trust the process. Serve the music. Your confidence will follow.
I keep getting messages asking about Drum Hub spots, but we're currently sold out. If you want to dive deeper into techniques like this and transform your entire approach to practice, join the waitlist to get first dibs when new spots open up: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
30 - 4
Are you practicing all wrong?
Most drummers unknowingly spend their time on practice methods that either slow their progress or actually make them worse.
Here's what I mean:
Minus 10x Practice - You're accidentally reinforcing bad habits, encoding mistakes deeper into your muscle memory with every repetition.
2x Practice - Feels productive but yields only small progress. You're touching everything but mastering nothing.
10x Practice - Delivers massive improvement and accelerates your drumming goals faster than anything else.
The difference? 10x practice focuses intensely on one building block at a time with methodical, deliberate practice.
This approach has transformed my students at every level:
Beginner student Mireya: "This is exactly what I needed someone to teach me."
Pro drummer Marc Allen: "The biggest change was learning how to leverage the natural motion of your body. That was like a skeleton key to a lot of doors in my playing."
Recording artist Janna Pelle: "He's helped me a lot with awareness of consistency so that I can make more musical, intentional choices."
When you understand these three types of practice and focus your energy correctly, you'll see dramatic improvements even with limited practice time.
But here's what's even more powerful: having guidance to identify exactly which building blocks to focus on and when to shift your approach as you develop.
As pro drummer Johnny Robèrt put it: "Now I have enough information to last a lifetime. I'm more confident in my playing and I know exactly what I need to work on to take my playing to the next level."
I keep getting messages asking about Drum Hub spots, but we're currently sold out. If you want to dive deeper into techniques like this and transform your entire approach to practice, join the waitlist to get first dibs when new spots open up: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
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There are two types of drummers in this world.
Camp A drummers practice with purpose. They stick to proven methods even when progress feels slow. They seek out expert help and feedback, ask questions, and push through plateaus because they know success is guaranteed if they don't quit.
Camp B drummers jump from YouTube video to YouTube video. They need constant motivation to practice. When things get tough or results don't come immediately, they abandon their practice routine and look for the next "magic technique."
Here's what I've learned after teaching hundreds of drummers:
Camp A mindset creates breakthroughs.
The drummers who transform their playing aren't necessarily more talented. They're just more consistent. They understand that the first few weeks of learning anything new will be painful, but they push through anyway.
They focus on building solid foundations rather than chasing flashy tricks.
They practice fewer concepts to a greater depth instead of dabbling in everything.
Most importantly, they trust the process even when their brain is screaming "this isn't working!"
Every great drummer went through the same struggles you're facing right now. The difference is they stayed in Camp A.
Which camp are you in? And what's one thing you're going to commit to practicing consistently this week, even when it gets difficult?
PS. I keep getting messages asking about Drum Hub spots, but we're currently sold out. If you want to dive deeper into techniques like this and transform your entire approach to practice, join the waitlist to get first dibs when new spots open up: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
29 - 3
Most drummers think they need to practice rudiments exactly as written to "get them right."
But here's the thing - if you're only playing paradiddles as RLRR LRLL with the traditional accent on beat 1, you're missing out on hundreds of musical possibilities hiding inside that one sticking.
Try this: Take that same paradiddle and accent just the right hand notes instead.
Now accent just the left hand notes.
Now try starting the pattern on the second note: LRRL RLLR.
Suddenly you've got three completely new musical phrases without learning any new stickings.
The secret isn't just practicing more rudiments - it's learning how to extract maximum creativity from the ones you already know.
When you shift accents, displace starting points, and move patterns around the kit, rudiments stop being exercises and start becoming your unique musical vocabulary.
Most importantly: sing while you practice. Match your vocal melody to your right hand, then your left hand. This creates the neural pathways between what you hear in your head and what comes out of your hands.
That's how you develop your own voice instead of just copying patterns from a book.
I keep getting messages asking about Drum Hub spots, but we're currently sold out. If you want to dive deeper into techniques like this and transform your entire approach to practice, join the waitlist to get first dibs when new spots open up: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply?community=Commun…
What's your favorite way to make rudiments more musical? Drop it in the comments below.
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spots in my Drum Hub mentorship are sold out -
if you missed out, join the waitlist here for when I open up more spots later this summer: www.dimitrifantinidrums.com/apply
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