The Drum Panel: Trash Can Lids, Technique Traps, and Amateur Traits

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. In this episode of The Drum Panel, host Ben Hilzinger is joined by Sterling Laws and Fred Eltringham for an insightful roundtable on all things DRUM.

Meet the Panelists:

  • Sterling Laws: Grammy-nominated drummer from the Pacific Northwest, now based in Los Angeles, known for collaborations with Olivia Rodrigo, Kim Gordon, and more.

  • Fred Eltringham: Nashville-based drummer, a mainstay with Sheryl Crow since 2012, with credits including The Wallflowers, The Chicks, and kd lang.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Dream pieces of gear from music history.
  • Albums they wish they could have witnessed being recorded.
  • Balancing technique and groove, and the idea that overemphasis on technique might mask a lack of feel.
  • Essential, budget-friendly gear they rely on.
  • Personal experiences of re-evaluating their approach to the drum set.
  • Common drumming advice they find questionable, such as rigid techniques or creative limitations imposed by producers.
  • Trends in drumming they’re eager to see fade.
  • Identifying traits that distinguish amateur drummers in live settings, like cymbal choices and hi-hat control.

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