All over the world, musicians travel to perform at different countries. Some perform for a quick one night show, others for days or weeks and some even staying at one venue for months or years. Of course, a document necessary for travel is the passport, and one needs to be very careful of this document as it can actually be youˊre hope for safety if all hell breaks loose.

Most times, when musicians are on contract, particularly for long periods of time, employers or the host management asks for the musiciansˊ passport for their safekeeping. A very important advise - Refuse! You as a traveller should have and be responsible for your passport at all times. A passport is officially a government owned document issued to the bearer. It is “illegal” for anyone to hold someone elseˊs passport unless they are a government office or the passport holder signs and agrees to its safekeeping by someone else. Your passport and you as a traveling musician are more safer with your passport at hand.

There has been numerous times where I personally witnessed people having problems because their passport is with their employers. At times when there is an emergency, like what we experienced during the Gulf War. When emergency strikes and you are without your passport, you are most probably doomed. Also, some employers or promoters use the passports to blackmail the talents even asking money in exchange for its return; this happens a lot, and we should be aware that this is illegal. Exercise your rights and inform them of the law in a respectful manner. Once you are in your host country, this little demand of yours to keep your passport is not enough to cancel your contract because of the expense and the documentations they went through. At the end of the day, even if you have disagreements on these matters with your employer, a good performance will always make up for it. If you are good for business, you are good.

Summary tip of the day: By law, you have the right to keep your passport. Exercise that right.

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Should you play heel up or heel down on the kick drum?

This is another well debated topic which should not be debated at all. Iˊm confident to say that the answer is: Play with whatever you prefer that is comfortable to you. You can play heel up or heel down or even alternate both styles and youˊd still be right.

Drumming is a highly physical musical task and the uniqueness of each individualˊs physical attributes make most choices in drumming styles a matter of preference. Each player should be able to feel and know which is suitable for him or her that works best.

It has been said that playing heel up delivers more power. This is true and obvious since playing with the heel up means stepping on the pedal with the added weight of the thighs or even a portion of the body. Although heel down produces less intense kicks, Iˊve seen some players who have mastered the heel down position delivering fast and powerful kicks.


​As a drummer, I prefer using both styles alternating them depending on my physical condition or the riffs I need to deliver. I used to be in a traveling band for the past 20 years and doing 3 to 5 sets a night was just another ordinary day, 6 times a week. At first, It was physically draining and muscle fatigue from all parts of my body became the norm. Either I quit or I had to find ways to make each gigginˊday more easy.

When I feel that parts of my foot or lower leg is worn out, I shift positions but I wait for the right song to do it. Heel down for ballads and heel up for rock songs which need power.

Aside from shifting styles as you go from one song to another, you can also change inside a song as long as the difference in volume or texture of the notes you deliver are almost the same. By doing this, you can go on for hours and hours of playing non-stop without complaining.

Now, here is the good part - you can actually use the shifting of the heel up and heel down positions to achieve bass drum chops which are very hard to do with just one position. There are numerous chops but try to do fast kick triplets in a row or even continuously. Even if you can do it, the strain on your foot and lower leg would be felt hard.

An easier way would be to use both the heel up and heel down position within a riff. In sequence, it goes like this:

1. start with heel up starting slightly from the left side of the pedal for the first note

2. center pedal and slightly lower heel for the second note

3. almost flat foot for the third for the completion of one triplet

4. move on quickly to a heel down for the fourth note or first note of the second triplet

5. mid and center position for the fifth note and lastly,

6. back to heel up and the original position for the third note of the second triplet or the sixth note of the whole sequence.

Youˊve done two fast and powerful bass drum triplets in a row!

Try to do this very slow at first making sure that the positions and how you attack the pedal is right. With the proper disciple and hardwork, youˊll be surprised at how accurate you can deliver such chops.

Summary tip of the day: Heel up or heel down? - Play with what youˊre comfortable with.

Summary tip of the day: Play drums with a tightly positioned kit and arms clipped for an almost fatigue free session.

Drumming for a band is a tedious mental and physical task. Aside from trying hard to stay on time, hitting the right notes and chops at the right time, having dynamics and emotions, a drummer has to struggle with the limits of his or her physical abilities mostly in terms of endurance and muscular fatigue.

Although most would presume that one need to be strong to deliver loud and powerful blows, that could actually be achieved by technique and not just brute force. The real enemy is muscle fatigue.

A simple way to avoid muscle strain when performing is to position the drum kit as tightly as possible with you being able to play with your arms clipped or at least very near a clipped position. This is so that the weight of your upper arms does not add to the sticks and forearms. The drumkit placement should be tight but still in a position where you can hit the skins where you want to comfortably. By getting used to this position, it is guaranteed that youˊll be able to play longer hours, and I mean hours and hours, keeping reserved energy and releasing it when needed. Of course since all people are physically unique, this might not apply to all, but it does to most.