15 year anniversary – 2026 plans

So: we’re coming up on the 15 year anniversary of this site, in its current focus. In the mid-oughts I started it as a place to post my “Lomography” type photos, mostly of the band, from my regular river boat gig. Then on the momentous occasion of a snow storm that basically shut down Portland for two weeks, I started actually writing about the drums. Why not? Let’s see what I actually know about this instrument, that I can write down. Total disclosure of everything to the extent of my ability. 15 years later, we have [gestures vaguely everywhere] this grand edifice you are now enjoying.

With that, grand plans for 2026 are forming. Here are some things we’ll be seeing:

More videos
For a long time the major personality of the site has been in the writing itself— I had kind of a bad picture of myself in the bio, and I mostly don’t feature myself in the few videos I’ve done. But I should be demonstrating things more, and talking more, playing more. It will take a minute to get the presentation to a state where I feel good about it, so that will roll out slowly. Possibly we’ll see some streaming activity via Patreon, too.

More focus on teaching
That is, more encouragement for you to get lessons with me. My teaching business is pretty local to Portland, and there’s no great reason that should be. The internet is real! It’s the world wide web. The world wide web.

Teacher training
I’ll also be offering training in my methods specifically for drum teachers, especially about-to-be drum teachers. Teaching is one of the major ways musicians survive economically in this very screwy economy, and most of us— even if we had good instruction ourselves— learn it by accident through doing it. Drum set instruction is commonly a piecemeal affair— maybe adequate for very interested, talented students, but clearly has not been serving everyone well [gestures vaguely at everything].

What I do with my students now is cohesive enough to be called a method, and, while much of it has been presented on this site, scattershot, over a fifteen year period, understanding the totality of it, and teaching it, are different matters. I’ve also settled on a broader doctrine of teaching that I think is better for all of your students— however far (or not) they choose to go with their drumming— and better for your teaching business.

I’ll be rolling that out as an official offering in the next few weeks.

More monetization
I basically get no income from this site, so I’ll be looking for some ways to remedy that, while not degrading either my work or your experience of it, and not creating a full blown wall. At first, some posts will be shared on my Patreon page, so you’ll have the option of going there and paying for it, perhaps enticing you to become a regular supporter.

More/any $$$ for me means more and better offerings from this site— a well-compensated blogger is a happy blogger, is a generous blogger, and an ambitious blogger.

April ’26 – Bremen
Going back to Germany in April— I’ll be coming to JazzAhead in Bremen, Germany from April 23rd-25th, hopefully with a side trip to Berlin. I’ll bring some Cymbal & Gong cymbals to show, and also just hanging out and talking to people. If you’re in Germany, or close by, make your way to Bremen, keep me company hanging out with the jazz bigwigs.

---

So posting here will continue to be rather sluggish, as I’m busy with promotional activities, and writing a ton of new verbiage. Check out the goings-on on Patreon, and my other major site, Cymbalistic.

---

I am happy to help you with any of the materials on the site, and with anything else drumming related— contact me for private lessons, online world wide, or in person in Portland, Oregon. All levels of players, and all people, are welcome.

Email Todd | Call or text +1(503)380-9259 | Chat on WhatsApp