L&M Blog Opens New Tab

Ruminating on Rudiments

Tens of thousands of drummers utilized their rudiments to guide soldiers during the American Civil War. Eventually, drumming grew beyond its military roots, and became the backbone of popular music.

Things I Wish I Knew Then

A primer for beginner drummers.

8 Things You Need to Know Before Starting Music Lessons

Before you start your music education, there are 8 things you need to know before starting music lessons to make the most of your musical journey.

Drum & Percussion Month Livestreams

Be sure to check out our online drum clinics that will be featured throughout the month of May!

5 Reasons Why Steel Drums Are the Perfect Choice for Students During a Pandemic

Move over, recorders. Students have another option when it comes to basic music education, and it’s more sanitary than many other options! Steel drums are a low-touch, high-performance instrument for kids to learn music during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Drum Muffling Part 2: Bass Drum Muffling

In many ways, bass drums define the sound of the drum kit. Only you can determine the appropriate bass drum sound for the music you are making. However, it is good to experiment and learn how to modify the sound of your bass drum. You may be surprised by the range of sounds available to you without buying another kit.

Drum Muffling Part 1: Gels and Rings and Tape, Oh MY!

Muffling is used to eliminate unwanted overtones or to focus and/or fatten a drum's sound. In this blog, we guide you through different products and methods you can use to muffle your kit to get the best tone.

The Heart of Your Drums: A Guide to the Sound of Different Shell Materials

One of the best ways to decide what drum set you want to see yourself behind (aside from which model has the coolest finishes!) is by choosing what sort of materials you want it to be made of. This quick guide gives you a basic rundown of the most common, and even some rarer, materials used, the sort of tone they produce, and the best musical setting to use them in.

The Vibrant Experience of Amateur Piano Competitions

In the world of classical piano, it can often feel like all the opportunities to perform or compete are exclusively for young prodigies and the pros - especially here in Canada, where we don't appear to have any established Amateur Competitions. But if you think you've missed the chance to showcase your talent on stage as an adult, you need to talk to Glenn Kramer!

Play Along Recordings for Jazz

If I could, I’d practice every day with a live rhythm section, but this is impossible so I settle for the next best thing: Play along recordings. This is not only handy but also a fun way to learn and practice tunes.

A Drummers Guide to Cleaning Cymbals

Clean cymbals can be the most eye-catching instruments on the stage. You can clean cymbals in one of five ways. This guide will teach you how to clean your cymbals and recommended cymbal polishers.

Beating the “Load-Out Blues” - Ten Tips to Make Moving Your Drums Easier

Nothing compares to the thrill of playing live music in front of an appreciative audience. Similarly, nothing can dampen that excitement as effectively as the thought of packing up your drum kit and hauling it to your car at the end of the night. Here are some tips to help make that job easier!

In Defence of the Stick Spin

Live music is entertainment, and anything you can do to raise the level of excitement for your audience is positive. However adding a visual flair to drum performance is a lot like adding spice to a dish...context is everything and individual tastes vary.

The Right Cymbal For You

It can be quite intimidating to walk into a music store and see rows upon rows of different cymbals hanging on the walls. You may ask yourself, “How do I know what I am looking for?” Here's a guide to help you understand cymbals a bit more.

6 Things to Consider BEFORE You Sit Down to Practice

It's the new year and you've made some resolutions. Maybe one of them was to start learning a new instrument or to play your instrument a bit more. Here are 6 things you should consider before sitting down to practice.

Sympathetic Snare Buzz...Symptoms, Causes And Cures

You're getting ready for sound check at your biggest gig of the year and everytime you hit your tom, your snare sizzles like a pan of frying bacon. What do you do? Find out what might be causing the buzz, whether you should fix it, and how you can in this article.

Choosing Cymbals: A Guide for the Beginner

In some ways, choosing your cymbals is a more complex endeavour than choosing your drums. While carefully choosing your drums is very important, the types of cymbals you pick will really help you to define your "voice" as a drummer.

NAMM 2016: Yamaha Recording Custom kit, alloy snares, and DTX electronic drums

Sean Browne shows off  Yamaha’s Recording Custom kit re-issue, as well as 7 new metal alloy snares, the new DTX-760K electronic kit with larger tom pads on the toms, and mutable three-zone cymbal pads.

NAMM 2016: Sonor Drums

Take a look at the new Red Oyster Vintage Series kit,  bass drum brackets, burnt walnut limited edition snares, and more. This article is from our Namm Show series, where we focus on new and upcoming products in the world of music.

NAMM 2016: Paiste Cymbals

Let's talk about the new Black Label Big Beats cymbals, Danny Carrey ride, Formula 602 crash, and more. This article is from our Namm Show series, where we focus on new and upcoming products in the world of music.

NAMM 2016: Mapex Drums – Storm and Saturn V Series Kits.

David Lawrence of Mapex demos the company’s latest Storm Series poplar drums kits, which replaces the Voyager series. Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun talks about what he loves about his Mapex Saturn V drums.

NAMM 2016: Gretsch Drums - New Kits and Snares

Here is the new 2016 lineup, including black hammered steel, bronze, and copper models, Catalina Club and revamped Renown RN2 kits. This article features products from our latest Namm Show series.

Top 5 Gift Choices for Drummers

With the holidays fast approaching, a common question we hear behind the music shop counter is "what do I get my little drummer boy or girl?" Here are some gift suggestions for drummers that are both useful and fun!

Hybrid Drumming

Hybrid is hot right now. Everything is a hybrid of some kind. Add a sample pad to your kit. Trigger your bass drum. These little steps will take your playing and your band to a whole new level. Let’s take go back in time to the experimental time of the 1980s

How To Drum Without Risking Eviction

It is 10 pm. You are bored and there is nothing on TV. You eye your drum kit that is set up in the corner. Your heart rate goes up, palms get sweaty. You grab a pair of sticks and proceed to play the groove from the song Sober, by Tool.