I tell people that I'm a self-taught drummer, but that's not quite true.  When I was twelve I had about 3 "lessons" from my Uncle Tommy, who was a wicked good drummer.  He was my mom's brother and like all of her siblings (9 of them), he had played in drum corps growing up.  Even as an adult, he continued to play in marching bands and he was fast, precise, and tight.  All great things for a drummer. He stood me and two of my cousins at a 2x4 balanced on kitchen chairs, and he taught us how to hold a stick, how to count time, and what a paradiddle is.  We only met a few times before the busyness of life discontinued our lessons, but it must … [Read more...]