How To Get & Keep The Gig | Neal Daniels

[@DrumeoOfficial]

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[@Morganstudios]

I saw this guy's Primus audition and it had zero likes.... I was like WTH? He did what he said here, he simply played the part and nailed it with great feel and sound. I was rocking out. He had the smallest kit of anyone I think I've seen in the auditions and he didn't need anything more. I was so impressed that I searched his name to see what was out there and found this video. Ohhh! Neal Daniels is the real deal!

[@StillAGreatNight]

As a guitarist who spent four years touring with Neal, may I just chime in and say that this man is the REAL DEAL. All I ever want from a drummer is for them to create a bed and for me to never have to think about feel and time and keeping track of the click. Playing with Neal is so effortless and such a joy, and let’s me do my job with complete ease. Amazing drummer, and a killer dude on top of that!

[@Axel-tb7ci]

It saddens me to read what you're saying because those are some valid parts why you SHOULD study and learn as musician to keep the feel correct and keep time. Just as drummers should learn what melody, chord progressions and such are and how they work. Knowing how to keep your own time without messing up is vital. This is just missing the importance of rhythm man.

[@StillAGreatNight]

Cool!

[@bryancello]

I had the privilege of playing in a few bands with Neal back in 2010-2011 when he was just starting out in LA. He's always been a stand-up dude and a rock solid drummer. So cool to see him doing well!

[@cfusilier2]

This was very comforting. It’s great to hear from a working drummer advocating to keep things simple, and play for the song, the folks who you’re playing with, and all the others who’re listening to it.

[@sebavitali]

What if he's hired to play for Songs like Dance of Eternity or the Black Page? Will he play them comfortly? In Argentina or in the US... This is complete BS. Telling young student to be mediocre playera as long as they Have good PR and get some bucks. Gary Chester Warned about this half a Century ago

[@erikondrums]

I think this is one of the more important lessons you guys put out. It’s SO important to work like Neal.

[@tjblackmore7863]

Went to LA Music Academy with Neal back in the day... Great to see him killing it in his career, we all knew he would!

[@WoockerSocket]

a lot of great information in this lesson, very underrated

[@jsspears]

Saw Neil play with Matt N this summer and immediately dug his feel and sound. Great interview

[@cc_1983]

Probably the best interview I’ve seen and the most down to earth and honest advice from a guy that just wanted it and did whatever it takes. That’s the real lesson. Plus it shows you don’t need all the best gear from Day one. Renting a car and borrowing a kit says it all. How many people had everything and still never have a gig.

[@spencerkim4755]

This is the real deal right here folks. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 No fluff, nothing overly complicated. Just keeping it solid, professional, being strategic, serving the song, consistently nailing it. I love it! Great video.

[@ChanMorgan]

I'm not a touring musician but I freelance in the film industry and Neal Daniels' story on getting auditions at Craigslist (38:39) was exactly what I did when I started. Some of the best gigs I've gotten to work on were possible because of the connections made on the path that originated from the Craigslist gig I did early in my career. Really enjoyed this video.

[@guillermorodriguezcoore4856]

Man, only half away this video and this dude only speaks truth. This man is giving us the key to drumming success (on working drummer pov obiously)

[@TK-ec5bv]

Very authentic guy. Excellent interview.

[@jas_bataille]

I think a lot of aspiring pros don't understand what this job actually is. In the comfort of your own home studio, it's real easy to think you can do this in your sleep. Now... you have to memorize 20+ songs, and execute them in front of sometimes 20K plus roaring fans, night after night, 7 days a week, 8-12 times a week, around the world for 2 or 3 months; with the pressure of a click-track and samples you can't back-track from if you sent them at the wrong moment, for 3-4 hours per show. And, you are responsible for the energy of the band every single hit you do. Still think you can do this in your sleep? I think not. I think this is one of the hardest jobs in the world!

[@tobaidi]

Really educational video, feels like the good old Drumeo educational videos that I so miss! I am not a professional drummer but his advice for those who are or want to be are worth listening to. He is serious and professional.

[@roymckown7763]

Really great advice and drumming! Man, his FEEL, that’s where it’s at ! A lot harder to actually play with FEEL than chops sometimes & FEEL is going to trump chops every time! Thanks Neal & Drumeo!

[@sarahmiller9075]

This was great! As a drummer for officially one year, I learned a lot from you, Neal!

[@ChairFoldersUnited]

I once did a gig in Paris where I met Neal. Really nice guy! He joined in on tamburine! :) Great player!

[@CatLoverx900]

This has provided more direction than just about any other video I’ve seen on getting out and drumming in the industry. Thank you! Ps. Forgot how much of a bop LP, “Why Can’t I” is!

[@captainkiwi77]

No shade, and much respect to pop drummers, but this interview made me genuinely happy to be in jazz, where my enthusiasm for taking creative leaps with my instrument, and making art, is actually appreciated and necessary and not an active hinderance to my career. There’s something for everyone and that just isn’t me, it feels completely creatively dead. I’m a musician, an artist, not a glorified drum machine. I’m glad the people I work with require just as much input from me as anyone else in the band. Drummer is always the heart of the pulse and tempo, but that doesn’t mean we have to be a glorified met

[@jonashellborg8320]

I played in a room where a known pro guitar player was listening in on the band. Won’t say this person’s name, but it’s someone that’s been on major hits over the past decades. He picked out that I was doing small hi hat barks during a guitar solo to match the guitar playing. Didn’t care so much about what fills there were. But pro players go for high fidelity specifics, kind of things you won’t even see in early years of playing.

[@richardparks5639]

Great video, man... all drummers and artists should hear this one.

[@bencarter6702]

Thanks Neal. Nice to see and know it doesn't all need to be Mike Portnoy or Neil Peart level of intricacy. Much of my drumming is on the simpler-ish side, once a month at my local church. Despite being a fan of Phil Collins, Bill Bruford, etc, there's not a ton of scope for that kinda stuff. But it's still loads of fun being part of musical creativity and expression.

[@Ravizzoni]

In order to play for the song you need to know what the song and the artist are about. The way he dresses is showing that he is willing to pay attention. It’s not the appearance, it’s what it represents.

[@drumdiscussion7776]

Great ! This is very important information for drummers to embrace.

[@sebavitali]

22:00 Why would someone rate a drum teacher "BAD" because he taught them to develop a left foot clave? Why should any young student take his advice to abandon the study of interdependence or percussion skills? Has anyone heard of Gary Chester? He was a top-notch studio musician who can play just about anything left- or right-handed and because of it, he was able to make over 50 top 10 recording appearances, without issue. Subsequently, he designed THE NEW BREED and taught many of the Very Best... Diversifying your study approach is always GREAT. Criticizing what you could not play, since you do not want to invest time, sweat and your spirit, nor tolerate frustration, is typical of a lousy student and a worse teacher. Drumset is an Art, not just a business. Here's to more drum artists and less docile employees seeking for a buck selling their souls... Keep on your good work LOVING our BELOVED DRUMSET ABOVE ALL, Drumeo!

[@paulhislop4591]

Play with the band not at the same time as the band. I used to play with anybody anywhere anytime just to get out there. I remember bringing all my drums in to an open mike and not getting to play several times before I got to play. My drumming has totally evolved over the years. I'm not super chops magee, but I play well enough to be asked back. Even if I don't really know the song, I'll figure something out something that sounds good.

[@Lovelystevie]

Yup, like Steve Gadd says "fills are cool but the grooves pay the bills". And even fills can groove. The toughest part is to become musical behind the drums... And remember it's not the drummers in the room that will give you a gig, but the other musicians 😉

[@WillS-pl8wg]

Hello Drumeo,Thank you for all the great content.Long time subscriber here. Can you guys do “the genius” of jon fishman?? I really am not into his band that much,but he’s really is fun to watch and learn from.Thanks again lads.Cheers!!

[@JillUnrein]

Neal hey man I haven't seen you since we both played jazz in Chicago and you were just leaving to LA. Sewn you here on Drumeo....sound great glad your doing good. If you come back and talk to David Jennings maybe we can hook up and talk drums

[@Linbrook09]

Excellent advice in this video.

[@justseaningaround]

Goldmine of information.

[@gadymarcus2362]

Magnifico.💰💰💰💰💰💰

[@sergiozdrums]

Great lesson!!

[@FadjarMoeljarto]

Awesome,i like it..good job🥁👍

[@Ar7_L1Vs]

You didn't even finish the video😞

[@davidbalan6571]

Neal Daniels you looked so handsome liked Zack Ryder former WWE superstars that's looking so awesome .

[@jv2781]

Drumeo please get Joey Castillo on !

[@enricoferraresi]

I totally agree with what you say but there are some strange exceptions: in the last two great world tours of Eros Ramazzotti, a famous Italian pop singer, they called mr. Eric Moore, the king of chops! And on the tour before that was Thomas Pridgen!

[@eloypintos6764]

To me this is just another reason for drummers to give their best without getting stuck with the simple boring and repetitive grooves any indie band wants you to play, only for the good of 'the song', a funny or silly statement if u ask me. All they want for us is to keep playing the same old lame ass parts, staying quiet at the back of the scenario as if we were another staff employee

[@philippefrater2000]

That's my way too... 🖖🏻🇫🇷😎🇫🇷😎🇫🇷🖖🏻

[@Arbigale]

Yes, but to get a Cruise ship stable gig, good pay, Sight reading is key

[@ex0148]

Step 1. Be handsome, 2. Be charismatic, 3. Adjust your look for the gig, 4. Play the music not your drums, 5.Be relentless. Well that's me Fk'd! 🤣🤣 Enjoyed watching thanks for sharing.

[@jas_bataille]

There is so not any need to be handsome, you're literally at the back of the stage wearing sunglasses a lot of the times because of the damn lights coming to you in the center night after night. It's really not a thing, even if he is. Like this is kind of random ngl don't be insecure about this...

[@beaudain]

Just to clarify something, a side man is what we say in uk to be a session musician?

[@Brendo1872]

a sideman performs live while a session musician is hired to perform in a recording studio.

[@jas_bataille]

@@Brendo1872 Correct.

[@issessein]

Who is LP?

[@zaglotrusni9009]

drums in pop music is so easy...

[@PRODUCEMUSIC321]

La música mucha gente debe interpretar lo que muchos no yo si interpretó muy .bien los estilos musicales me gusta ver cómo esteshop es un trabajo fenomenal sigan porque muchos tendrán está cómoyo también soy principiante sigan las batas son lo mejor la base de el bajo más de las acústicas soy las eléctricas no soy .mucho por eso decido siempre acústicas porque tienen más sonido más más sangre más sudor más rock viste entonces eso le da un toque más la bata

[@ALBAHERN]

Alguien entendió algo? 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@clydetyng9192]

Great drummer, but not my kind of music

[@bishopoftroy]

What`s wrong learning independence exercises with a clave on the foot? It`s great, even if you`re gonna play a straight rock beat for the rest of your life. Every exercise will improve something in your playing. Frankly I don`t think he`s very good with advice and i don`t agree with most of what he`s saying. And being an european i can sense in between his words the typical american work ethic. Basically there is this boss artist and you should put your personality and your artistic style to the side, be a humble employee, don`t ask for anything, be grateful you`re given the oportunity and keep your head down. Well, this maybe works for cookie cutter artists in consumer music industry, but if you want to stand out, you got to be bold and outrageous sometimes even.

[@MattiaEPaganelli]

100% agree! his advice is basically telling young drummers to limit themselves in service of some bigger power which isnt really true. when i go to a show i want to see the band have fun with exciting playing, if i wanted to just hear the record i can listen to it at home

[@Mulukkis]

Yes, and drumming as a whole has been completely undermined by the mainstream music industry. Just keeping the beat is fine, but there's a lot more a good drummer can do to a song. Gavin Harrison said it well when he was in Drumeo: "It's everybodys job in a band to keep time, it's the drummers job to make the time interesting".

[@kaskade5909]

@@MattiaEPaganelli @bishopoftroy Neither of you are getting it. This is taken from the perspective of an already established musician who can play circles around you, but chooses a stable career over low paying or in a lot of cases, no-paying gigs. The artist is hiring you. Not the other way around. Dave Weckl said it best. Drummers like you have tunnel vision

[@MattiaEPaganelli]

@@kaskade5909 i dont care about his ability, i care about artistic expression. if anything you should look at dave weckl and see that he plays his gigs with his own style and flare rather than being a glorified backing track. musicians should be allowed to have fun on stage as long as it's not distracting

[@bishopoftroy]

@@kaskade5909 i can tell straight away you`re from the US. Status always trumps logic and common sense. If he`s up there then surley he`s right. You see, your society is so obsessed with capitalistic hirarchy that status and wealth are unshaken indicators of truth and pillars of succes...like that phrase "right on the money". But you're missing the whole point, it doesn`t matter how good he can play and who are his gigs (frankly i haven`t heard of any of these basic rock-country radio artists), it`s still a bad and limiting advice.

[@cianthedj966]

Bop

[@loumason6120]

Young kramer 😆

[@Axel-tb7ci]

I advocate for serving the song, not disagreeing there. However, even in pop ive seen some drummers pull off some crazy shit. Not to say you should always overplay but to add your own soul to the music while serving the music gives a much greater release for the muisc. The type of playing and music where you cannot add anything of flavour that gives just that extra spice is lifeless to me. People may disagree and i respect that but its not for me. It always comes back to this for me: Why learn something new if you aren't gonna use it at some point. If you never can use anything fun of what youve learned to apply to the music then youve made music pointless for me.

[@bishopoftroy]

It depends on the artist. Not all of them are these ruthless bosses that if you do a more complex fill here and there they will fire you, i think is more on the contrary, every artist wants a drummer that`s bold and exciting. You think Eros Ramazzoti would tell Eric Moore to play quarter notes? Or maybe you are in a band and every member is doing his thing without being told what to play or not to play. Don`t listen to this guy.

[@Gmanrushfan]

More so… They want drummers who can play anything…and yes, bold, exciting, complex stuff… but also have the ability to show restraint. Some gigs are like a Ferrari on a 35 mile per hour road… but, you reach a point where that feels natural.

[@kaskade5909]

You sound arrogant. I’ve never heard of this drummer, but people will probably be more inclined to listen to someone that has a proven track record and currently gigs full-time. What exactly have you done that would warrant somebody to listen to you? This video is specifically for getting pop gigs where they want you to play the record verbatim. Even established rock bands like Guns N’ Roses or Foo Fighters have been proven to be rigid when it comes to drummers. This isn’t a video about getting jazz or prog gigs that simply don’t pay the bills.

[@bishopoftroy]

​@@kaskade5909 sure, Foo Fighters have been proven rigid, precisely that. Taylor Hawkins was totally rigid and he played note for note sure. Man, you`ve no idea what you`re talking about and you go attacking and assume things about me instead of presenting valid arguments against my proposition. And you`re thinking in a very black and white terms btw.

[@jas_bataille]

He literally said nothing about any of this. He is a Frank Zappa fan - what's telling you that he doesn't do that on other projects? If you think every artist wants a drummer that's bold an exciting in *playing* (VS in personality, which most pro musicians are) then you are completely mistaken. Have you been teacher by someone who played with Frank Zappa? No? Ever played in front of dozens of thousands of people, and so on? That's probably what I thought.

[@bishopoftroy]

@@jas_bataille yes i`ve been taught by world renowed drummers and yes i played on stages in front of thousands of people. See, you`re making assumptions yourself but even more blindly than i did.

[@petelaufman4359]

I don't wanna play this kind of music. 😆 Nor do I compromise creativity for the dollar. I can do this in my sleep. I think for auditions it's a good idea but...

[@jas_bataille]

OK. Then don't play it. When you end doing a job that you may hate, maybe you'll regret that. You might not wanna play this music - but you wanna know what???? You're still being paid to play fucking music that dozens of thousands of people enjoy every night and get a lot of money for it. That's like the coolest thing ever. You think you can hold solid beat and trigger samples and play to a click track perfectly every night 8-12 times a week all around the world, on a giant stage, with massive light and effects hitting really hard... and you think you can do that in your sleep? Stay in your home studio then. That's where you will be for a long, long time. Seeya

[@petelaufman4359]

@@jas_bataille I've been a professional drummer since I was 14. Had my own concert company. Have played with hundreds of acts. I put out 26 CDs. I've been on the biggest stages in the world. My timing is impeccable, and I've played with click tracks for years. Yes I can play constantly as I played 6-nights a week for 10 years, and it was more difficult music than your playing. That's why I refer to it as boring sleeper music. Trigger samples 😆 oh boy, that's tuff. I tour all the time...was doing it before you were born, but in the end I will have my integrity and will posses music that you can't touch...chump

[@petelaufman4359]

@@jas_bataille Personally, I'd be embarrassed to go on drumeo and do what you did... I forget to mention my triggers, 1000wt light show, special effects, flames, etc. I will be more than happy to blow you right off the stage.

[@latentsea]

Petelaufman Ironically Pete has just triggered Jas battiellie. I tend to agree with Pete. It’s like this drummer has sold his soul, and that’s fine especially if your goal is to get these type gigs, “serving the song”. But in my opinion students should be inspired to learn percussion as an art. Learn from the greats and then develop their own style Drume percussion can be as big as part of creativity as any other instrument and if you are really good, change the game and get paid. Otherwise maybe you start to treat drumming as just a job. Stephen Perkins, John Henry Bonham, Kieth Moon, Jonathan Sugarfoot Moffet, Simon Phillips, Tom Morello.. So many more. All good but this dude doesn’t seem inspiring in my opinion.

[@latentsea]

*Joe Morello