Chris Lesso - Podcast Details

Shows

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 99 - Can you make SIMPLE sound AWESOME?Get your free training and join the global drumming collective: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠Can you make SIMPLE sound AWESOME? On this episode, we get into the nuances that the masters use to get farther faster, and get more out of less. In this age of information overload, it's not what we add, but what we DELETE that defines our best self through drumming!Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTRLTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life usin...

2025-07-0417 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 98 - 'How you LIVE is how you DRUM!' Timeless wisdom learned from the best, with Nick RuffiniTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠We're live with Nick Ruffini! With over 700+ episodes of Drummer's Resource podcast combined with Nick's knowledge in the business world, hospitality industry, and cutting edge media, he takes these lessons learned from the best to his drumming AND life. This is a must listen episode!Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTRLTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in a...

2025-05-1242 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 97 - 'Feel Better, Play Better'! MIND BODY DRUMMING with special guest Adam GustWant more FLOW in your drumming? Get your FREE drumming flow guide at ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠Today we've got special guest Adam Gust on the LTR DRUMMING podcast!Ever wondering if what you're practicing over and over is actually getting you to your goals? Is your technique ok, but not quite getting the supercharged FEELING you're after?Control our state, and we control our drumming, and our life.How we feel and how we MOVE when we play are connected. This ties into effortless technique, and feeling a bulletproof confidence when we d...

2025-04-211h 25

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 96 - Live Q&A! Practice routines for drummers, and morePractice routines can be a challenge, so on this live Q&A we'll get your practicing to a new level!Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTRLTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR...

2025-04-1746 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 95 - My pre-show routine, the BEST exercise to get around the kitI get a lot of questions about my exact pre-show routine and what THE best exercise is to flow around the kit, so on this weeks show we get deep into it. This will inspire and elevate your drumming! Let me know what got your drumming the most motivated and inspired.What do you want to see next?Stay inspired!ChrisAre you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTRLTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude...

2025-04-1527 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 94 - A Drummer's Secret Weapon: The HIHAT [*live behind the scenes masterclass]TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠Are you using your hihats to their full potential? The hihats can be your secret weapon! Here's a limited replay of this behind the scenes live online masterclass, where I used real song examples of my favourites to uncover secrets of the hihat you've never noticed before. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTRLTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unle...

2025-03-271h 14

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 95 - Live Q&A! Practice routines for drummers, and morePractice routines can be a challenge, so on this live Q&A we'll get your practicing to a new level!TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠⁠LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this...

2025-03-2746 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 93 - Mike Mangini: Get maximum RESULTS with minimal TIMETRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠We went LIVE with Mike Mangini on the LTR DRUMMING podcast! We covered how to get farther faster in record time, effective practicing tactics, and a Q&A. Let's unleash our best selves through drumming! Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTRLTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.If you enjoyed this episode, please shar...

2025-03-061h 20

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 92 - TASTEFUL Crashes In Your Drumming (Behind the scenes on a live session)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ Do you use your crashes tastefully? Or do you just smack them out of default, annoying everyone around you? I admit I did this for years without much thought ... after all, that's what we drummers do right? We hit things! We have a LOT of power as drummers, and crash cymbals are like sonic bombs going off. You may be annoying the rest of the band without even realizing it. Learning to use them TASTEFULLY is actually really fun, and the musi...

2025-01-0653 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 91 - Drumming and life with master Billy WardTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ So many drummers just spew out the same tired old patterns and exercises. But there's a select few that live their 'Life Through Rhythm', using drumming as a vehicle to express their unique voice. The big secret the old school tradition doesn't want you to know, it that ANYONE can become world class at drumming, because there's only one you. One drummer who lives this, and that's one of the mentors here in the LTR DRUMMING community, is Billy Ward. In this live master...

2024-12-061h 05

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 90 - Upgrade your GROOVE with Mike SleathTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Do you feel like your GROOVE needs an upgrade? No pressure, but as a drummer the music entirely depends on you! Without the foundation of a solid groove, the music goes nowhere fast. A mediocre drummer brings down the entire band, but when it's done right it brings a fun and energy to the music that is unmatched! No one knows this better than Mike Sleath, drummer for Ava Max, Shawn Mendes, and many more. On this live masterclass we go t...

2024-11-281h 03

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 89 - Thursday Thrive LIVE Drumming Q&AGot a question you'd like to see on the podcast? I would love to hear from you! chrislesso.com/contact Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side!Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR...

2024-10-3132 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 88 - The Shape Of Drumming To ComeTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR The future of drumming is: • Feet First • Singing Rhythms • Open Handed Stagnation is the death of our evolution. Staying still is the opposite of flow. As we embrace change, we're reinvented along with the instrument itself. To stand still is to die. The drumkit has only been around for just over a century, and it's not done growing. Drumming is bigger than us, and it needs us to be brave and disrupt. To keep reinventing, we have to leave our comfort zones again and again. It's to stand...

2024-09-1115 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 87 - Go behind the scenes in a LIVE members only masterclass: The Art Of The DRUM SOLOTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ In this members only live workshop, you can now hear behind the scenes on this exclusive live masterclass, all on the art of soloing. How do you tell a story through the drums? How do you get ideas out so clearly that they land in the hearts of all who listen? All drummers want that free flow feeling on the kit, where our ideas come out effortlessly. But overthinking, blocks, and tension can get in the way. In this live workshop, we go into...

2024-08-061h 03

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 86 - Dom Famularo's last words to the next generation of drummersTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Dom Famularo, 'drumming's global ambassador' and my teacher and mentor, was an inspiration to drummers all over the world. In this emotional live session, we play one of his last recorded messages before he passed away for the next generation to carry his legacy forward. His message is from a lifetime of passion and dedication, and will inspire you wherever you're at on the path. It shows us what's really essential as we drum for the long game. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click...

2024-07-161h 13

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 85 - Get creative with OPEN HANDED DRUMMINGGet your FREE open handed drumming guide at chrislesso.com/OHD If you're still 100% crossing when you drum, you're stuck in the past. At about 9 when I started drumming, my teacher basically told me, 'Everybody else plays drums cross handed, so do it like this because it's always been done this way.' He meant well, but this kind of thinking holds back our evolution, and stifles individuality. The goal is to speak your voice on the drums, loud and proud! OPEN HANDED DRUMMING empowers you by: - UNLOCKING YOUR CREATIVITY - STRENGTHENING YOUR WEAKER...

2024-06-2112 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 84 - Drumming for FLOW and Peak Performance with Dr Pamela SeraphineTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ We're going live on the LTR DRUMMING podcast with Dr. Pamela Lynn-Seraphine! Dr. Pamela illuminates music's profound impact on the brain, inspiring others to harness the power of rhythm to enhance their overall well-being and performance. She empowers individuals to unlock their hidden potential, heal from past wounds, and achieve peak performance in all areas of life. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life...

2024-05-211h 16

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 83 - The Spirit of UBUNTU in Drumming and LifeTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ “None of us is as smart as all of us.” Kenneth Blanchard There's an ancient African word UBUNTU, and what it means is this: You are stronger because of the strength of the group, and the group is stronger because of the best within you. It’s with this spirit that the LTR DRUMMING WORLDWIDE family uplifts each other on the path. The power of the collective drives us to a higher standard than we would hold ourselves. In the end, we’re all here...

2024-04-0804 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 82 - The CORE of the Drumkit: Kick-Snare-HatsTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Can you command the core of the drumkit? If someone took away your toms and cymbals, could you survive? Playing kick, snare, and hihats only, challenges us to get the nucleus of the groove first, only adding the other layers once it's solid. LTR DRUMMING, or 'Life Through Rhythm' is a global tribe of drummers living confidence through drumming. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way...

2024-03-1905 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 81 - TX3/01 'Tech Talk Tuesday' Q&A / Acoustic electronic drumkit hybrids, what cymbals to use for what styles, what is the best electronic kit to buy, and more!On this first episode of 'Tech Talk Tuesdays', we answer your questions on acoustic electronic drumkit hybrids, what cymbals to use for what styles, what is the best electronic kit to buy, and more! More about TX3: The gear we use is our connection to the rhythms in our heart. But these tools of excellence can sometimes get us confused and overwhelmed. Got questions about tech? It could be about electronics, drumheads, cymbals, anything tech related. Well, we've got you covered! On the third Tuesday of every...

2024-02-2738 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 80 - Staying MOTIVATED In Drumming (with David Bowie drummer Mike Hodges)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Ever felt it hard to stay motivated? Like the world just doesn't want you to drum? I hear you. I definitely have. We ALL have. That's why 'isolation is the enemy of excellence'. Getting in a group of like minded drummers to motivate and inspire you through the dark times is the key. To help us with this, we had on David Bowie's drummer Mike Hodges on to talk about his over 55 years of drumming experience! He shares what he does right when he wakes up, and last thing before going...

2024-02-1257 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 79 - How to get UNSTUCK and reach your DRUMMING GOALSChris Lesso hosts members of the LTR DRUMMING WORLDWIDE community in this behind the scenes episode. In this live workshop we go into the 4 areas of Ethos, Flow, Rhythm, and Practice to break past what's holding us back and set a clear vision forward. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.If you enjoyed this episode...

2024-01-151h 26

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 78 - 'The Long Game Of Excellence' (Dom Famularo tribute)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR "I dare you to do better." Dom Famularo These were the final words I heard in my last meeting with my mentor and teacher Dom Famularo, only weeks before he passed. I'd known him almost three decades, and I'd heard this challenge before. Dom embodied this spirit in all he did, and to all who were blessed to cross his path. He challenged others to live a life of possibility and potential everywhere he went, which included over 60 countries. Drummers that traveled from around the world to...

2023-12-0405 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 77 - The Bass Player Is Your Best Friend! (Live workshop)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR The bass player is your best friend in the band. Let's go 'behind the curtain' for this members only live workshop to learn what to do and what NOT to do on having more fun and grooving with the bass player! Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do.

2023-11-211h 00

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 76 - Don't Find Yourself, CREATE YourselfTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR A big idea in the LTR DRUMMING universe: 'We don't find ourselves, we CREATE ourselves.' When we find ourselves, we might not like what we see. So much is out of our control: who our parents were, day to day events that shape us. But what we CAN control, is who we become in the process. "I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until finally I became that person. Or he became me." Cary Grant You have the freedom to cr...

2023-10-1925 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 75 - Optimize Your Drumming PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT (Case Study)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ What we're doing is creating a FEELING just from you being in the space, even without picking up your sticks. If it feels energizing and inspiring every time you walk in, this will make all the difference to your practice. Our environments have a massive effect on the way we feel about what we do, so let's create yours! It doesn't take much, and most of what you can do is free. I wish I knew this when I started, because like so many beginning drummers my practice space was an afte...

2023-10-0427 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 74 - Zen In The Art Of Drumming: The Teachings Of Jim BlackleyTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ Slowing down to speed up ... being a musician first and drummer second ... flowing around the kit like a dancer ... These are just some of the lessons taught by legendary teacher to the greats, Jim Blackley, who I was lucky to study with Jim for a few years before he passed away. He was revered around the world as a 'Yoda' like figure that would elevate you from good to great. The journey with Jim was one of coming out of your shell to be confident in being YOU...

2023-09-182h 02

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 73 - DRUMMING to combat STRESS and PTSDTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ How do we balance the different high stress roles that life demands of us? Like a pinball machine, we bounce back and forth from our professional and personal lives, and it can all become too much. How to be cope with it all? Often we're left not feeling enough, frustrated and defeated. Nowhere is this more evident than in the world of high stress jobs like Military, Police Officers, Medical Personal, and First Responders. There are too many tragic stories of escaping into heavy medication, overeating, and addiction to cope...

2023-08-0924 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 72 - When to FIRE your drum teacher: Barry's inspiring storyTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR The great teachers, guides, and mentors have a proven system, focus on individuality, while making drumming FUN like it was meant to be. This is when you'll discover your inner power, where concepts and systems become HABITS that grow stronger with each passing year. But beware of the bad ones ... They'll strip you of your confidence, while making you feel small for how little you know. The mark of a true guide is that they EMPOWER. I've had some of my mentors since...

2023-07-2407 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 71 - Keep your DRUMMING strong through the BUSYNESS of lifeTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR ‘This just isn’t the right time.’ I hear this so much, and I get it; ‘Life gets in the way’ of our drumming dreams. We all have legitimate fires to put out that drain us physically and emotionally. I’ve heard every good excuse NOT to drum, from 14 yr olds, to 40 yr olds, and to 70 yr olds and beyond. Life never lets up, and there is NEVER a good time to drum. Now’s not the right time for you? That’s exactly why you should start...

2023-06-2707 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 70 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown prt 4, RHYTHMTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ We'll release your inner rhythm just waiting to be uncaged, drawing from sources globally so you can express in an instant any idea you dream. With a rich world centric view to draw from, we sing and FEEL the grooves first, not getting stuck in old school counting from books that get you nowhere fast. Traditional drumming lessons can give you blinders, hijacking your creativity by burying your inner voice. In my world travels as a seeker performing on stages and studying with greats around the world, I've uncovered anci...

2023-06-0608 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 69 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown, part 3: PRACTICETRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Here, we dial in our daily practice to run the routines that grow our best selves through drumming. Discipline, energy management, and high performance habits get you to your drumming dreams faster. This is the art of learning, stacking daily 1% wins that compound over time to reveal your greatness. It's doing the work to release old roles that no longer serve you, and rewire new habits that rev up your engine to play and create. Trying to drum without having these four steps down solid...

2023-06-0110 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 68 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown, part 2: FLOWTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ Flow sets you up to play for the next century and beyond. Removing restricting tension from our mind and body, drumming becomes fun again like it should be. Floating around the kit with effortless mastery, you express any idea you have with ease. The tide of your body's natural energy flows into your drums with relaxed intensity. Flow is also to enter THE ZONE, that revered space when our minds slow down to speed up and our inner critic finally goes offline. If you’ve ever played when an hour p...

2023-05-2412 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 67 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown, part 1: ETHOSTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR What's the mighty WHY that fuels you, that fire in your belly driving you forward? Can you see that vision of yourself living out your goals with rockstar confidence? Your dream may be to have a daily jam in your basement, or rock out for thousands on lit stages around the world. This is YOUR journey, but can you see it clearly? In the LTR DRUMMING METHOD, we call this starting point your ethos. It's what sets you apart from the masses, when your special voice is...

2023-05-2308 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 66 - My 'Life Through Rhythm' LTR DRUMMING philosophy (*4 steps you need to know)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ This was the system I wanted to learn from! But it didn't exist so I had to create it, along with other like minded drummers around the world. It empowers us to: -Overcome our inner critics with unbeatable confidence -Delete the unessential to combat confusion -Help us flow around the kit with effortless mastery But you can't skip steps. There can be no missing pieces. With a holistic system, each part affects the whole. When your breathing improves, your fills start to come together. With an ergonomic setup dialled in, all of a...

2023-04-2514 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 65 - Are you too BUSY to drum?TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR “At the end of the day, a legitimate excuse and a bad excuse serve the same purpose: to justify failure and minimize the amount of shame we feel for not figuring out a way to overcome the obstacles in our way.” Rick Ross There will always be really good reasons to postpone your dreams and procrastinate. But it still equals the same thing: failure to act. Life gives many great excuses not to go into the blue ocean unknown, to leave your comfort zone, no matter how painful...

2023-04-0704 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 64 - Unlock YOUR VOICE Through DRUMMING | Chris Lesso on The Drummer's Pathway podcast with Michael ScottChris Lesso's LTR DRUMMING METHOD is for drummers who want to reach higher. If you're ready to unleash your best self through drumming, book your FREE vision session here at ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ What's in the way of YOUR voice coming out on the drums loud and proud? Imposter syndrome Unfocused practicing Overwhelm and confusion How do we get past these obstacles to become our best selves through drumming? If you're OBSESSED with drumming and striving for your 'Life Through Rhythm', you'll love this episode where I guest on The Drummer's Pathway podcast with...

2023-03-201h 10

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 63 - The HIDDEN BENEFITS of drumming that no one seesWe all know what we love about drumming: it feels good to move, it's loud, we're living our inner rock star! But drumming is a force that gives more than we think. What are some HIDDEN benefits that happen unexpectedly? I asked some LTR drummers to find out, you'll never guess what they said! TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. If you...

2023-03-0106 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 62 - DRUMMING GEAR: What to look for and what to avoidTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR What's the right GEAR to get that will unlock your sound? The equipment we choose to use is personal to us, because it's what expresses our rhythmic voice to the world. Whether you're new to drumming or have been at it for a while, getting the right equipment can be overwhelming. With all the choices out there, it's confusing and can break the budget fast. I went into this and more in my exclusive interview with Canadian Musician Magazine, where we uncover what to look for and what to avoid...

2023-02-1619 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 61 - Stop drumming! (YOU are the instrument)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Here’s the bombshell moment of clarity that created the LTR attitude to drumming: Stop playing the drums. Play YOU. You are the instrument. "I can tell whether a person can play just by the way he stands." Miles Davis It's in the way you walk, talk, breathe, your thoughts. What's in your body, mind, and heart that you're striving to get out into the world? Next is your mighty WHY. This is your goals, your vision, what’s driving you to be bett...

2023-02-0206 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 60 - How Mike Mangini got the Dream Theater gig using HUMILITY and COURAGE (with Dom Famularo)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR If you have an audition coming up or just something you're nervous about that you have to face, hear Mike Mangini telling the story about how he auditioned for Dream Theater. Everybody thinks it must be his amazing drumming that got him the gig, but he points out that the other people auditioning could do so many things better than he could. He used the secret weapons of HUMILITY and COURAGE, with an ironclad self belief that no one could say it quite like he could. He thought, 'I'm going to...

2023-01-2414 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 59 - Is drumming better than therapy? (with Bill Burr)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR ‘Get out of your head, and into the movement!’ Drumming is a fantastic a way to blow off the stress of the day, to forget the world and work out our darkest emotions through movement, creativity, and expression. It clears our head in a world of noise and distraction. So many of us have non stop inner chatter, and inner critic that never rests. This is because so often in our fast paced world, we must always be ON. But do you have a place to go to let that...

2023-01-1307 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 58 - 10 Drumming Practice Hacks For A Busy Day!These practice hacks are great for days when the whirlwind of life takes over! It’s easy to fit at least one of the following 10 practices into your day to keep your momentum going strong! Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the bu...

2023-01-0311 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 57 - This lady is drumming at 102 years young!TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR I’ve heard all the excuses: ‘I’m too old, it’s too late, I could never start now.’ We’re going to bust all those myths today when you meet Viola Smith. She was still rocking the drums at over 100 years young! I’ve been blessed to spend time with many of the ‘Yoda’ figures in drumming, and they all had one thing in common: drumming kept them ‘child-like’ full of energy and passion. Drumming is the fountain of youth! One thing we can steal from thes...

2022-12-2008 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 56 - What I learned from Steve Smith: 4 game changing ideas‘Be in no hurry; remember it’s not a race, it’s a lifestyle.’ I first met Steve Smith at KOSA 1999. I had no idea who he was, but going by the buzz and anticipation of the other attendees, this was a big deal. Steve empowered everyone there by sharing many stories and lessons from his teacher Freddie Gruber, and many other valuable insights that continue to serve me to this day. Besides having a great haircut (I had to go there), his artistry and spirit of character have had a big impact on me. Here are 4 game cha...

2022-12-1908 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 55 - The Case Against Double BassTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR ‘Let’s have the idea come before the tool, not the tool before the idea.’ I remember saving up for my first double bass pedal (it was a Dixon), it took months! I brought it home, added it to my kit, and there I was having fun getting a deep bass drum sound with not one but TWO feet! But after a while, now what? Doing my best to copy my heroes I had learned some patterns and grooves, but over time it became something I ‘should’ have, using it just because...

2022-12-1406 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 54 - Chris Lesso on DRUMMING, DETERMINATION, and more: Live on the 'Creative Interview Series' showTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR I only had one thing going for me: DETERMINATION. I wasn't cut from any special cloth, a born a genius, or all that talented. But I did follow my passion, and was the eternal student to always learn and NEVER gave up. If you're like me, the saying 'you don't choose the drums, the drums chose you' resonates. I've made mistakes and experienced disappointment and failure, but one thing got me to where I am today: the GRIT to never give up. I shared my story when I...

2022-12-1319 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 53 - Am I coordinated enough to drum?It's a myth that drumming is reserved for the talented geniuses, as if they woke up one day and start drumming like an octopus, where every limb plays different rhythms simultaneously. This couldn't be further from the truth! Diving right into all those notes, books, and songs, without a trusted SYSTEM is a recipe for getting dis-couraged, which means 'to lose courage'. You CAN win in drumming, and prove to yourself you are capable of 10X more than you think. Unleashing the CONFIDENCE inside you waiting to come out, and doing it in record time, is the work we d...

2022-12-1009 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 52 - A bit of my origin story: My roots, and how I got here (so far!)Here Chris' story, and how to improve your daily practice, playing in a band, and pursuing your passion! Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side! Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR...

2022-12-0943 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 51 - Master your FOUNDATION with Chris ColemanTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Today we learn from master drummer Chris Coleman! (Beck, Prince, Stevie Wonder, and many more) Every time I've been blessed to spend time with Chris, he is humorous, energized, and uplifting. He has spent serious time mastering his craft, but approaches it with the humility of the eternal student. He gets his signature personality out on the drums every time, expressing what makes him unique with his bombastic creativity. In this exclusive LTR CONNECT live masterclass, we get into how to strengthen your foundation to give you ultimate freedom and confidence...

2022-12-091h 00

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 50 - When are you TOO OLD to drum?TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR 'The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.' Chinese proverb When are you too old to drum? NEVER! Drumming blesses us with vibrant health, elevated energy, joyful passion, and a confident creativity. Why would these be hoarded only to the young? As soon as you pick up the sticks at any age, you get these benefits and more. It's easy to get discouraged seeing all the amazing young drummers out there. But even the best in the world do...

2022-12-0915 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 49 - UNLEASHING POSSIBILITY on the DRUMS and in LIFE (Dad Edge podcast)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Give the gift of drumming to the young drummer in your life with this FREE first lesson: chrislesso.com/drummingyouth The next generation is watching us. How do we live in a way that inspires those that come after us to ignite the best within them? Leaving a LEGACY of dreams lived and potential fulfilled, is to unleash your best self through drumming. Here's my deep dive interview on the Dad Edge podcast. We cover: -How our youth can gain explosive CONFIDENCE in drumming and life ...

2022-12-0857 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 48 - How DRUMMING and MUSIC has the power to elevate YOUTH through dark timesDrumming is a force for our youth to combat anxiety, isolation, and depression are skyrocketing off the charts like we've never seen before. Hear from LTR DRUMMERS Dov, Max, and Beatrice how they used CONFIDENCE to beat CHAOS. If you have a young drummer in your life that needs this, get the FREE resource at chrislesso.com/drummingyouth Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as...

2022-12-0823 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 47 - Becoming a SERVANT HERO with The Dad Edge founder Larry HagnerHere's Larry Hagner from the Dad Edge Alliance! How do we find time for it all, trying to balance work, our passions, our family, with LIFE coming at us from all sides? It's essential that we feed what we love while striving to be a SERVANT HERO, on the drums and in life. On the LTR PODCAST we go deep with Larry on this and more. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of...

2022-12-0849 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 46 - How to EMBRACE FEAR and WIN with Navy SEAL David RutherfordTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Navy SEALs are the modern day 'Jedi Knight' warriors of our time. We can learn how to increase DISCIPLINE, live with PURPOSE, and EMBRACE FEAR as we become our best selves through drumming. David inspires people around the world as a top motivational speaker, author for kids and adults, radio & podcast host, behavioural training specialist, YouTube personality, private performance coach, social media presence, charity volunteer and mentor for young men. His uniquely high-impact and emotional style of speaking, writing and coaching helps all types of people gain a Navy...

2022-12-071h 43

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 45 - How to be an ERGO-DRUMMER with Candiria's Ken SchalkHere we go with one of my favourite drummers, Ken Schalk! Here we get into how movement creates your sound, Bruce Lee, golf, and so much more. Ken’s main point of public recognition was CANDIRIA, a Brooklyn, NY quintet that covered a wide range of musical styles over a 14 year career. Perceived as a progressive, urban fusion wrapped in heavy metal, CANDIRIA’s sound provided Ken an environment that most musicians dream of; to challenge his talent on every level. In 2009, Ken said yes to the drum seat for Platinum selling rock band FUEL, touring for almo...

2022-12-071h 18

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 44 - Drumming with EFFORTLESS MASTERY with Kenny WernerTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Playing music should be as simple and natural as drawing a breath, yet most musicians are hindered by self-consciousness, apprehension, self-doubt, and stress. Before we can truly express our inner self, we must first learn to be at peace and overcome the distractions that can make performance difficult. Kenny's remarkable work deals directly with these hindrances, and presents ways to let our natural creative powers flow freely with minimal stress and effort. Includes inspiring recordings of meditations designed to initiate positive thought. Kenny's book 'Effortless Mastery' has become a favourite of...

2022-12-071h 29

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 43 - Drumming For Life: Upgrade Your PRACTICE, ENERGY, and FOCUS with Olympic trainer Dr Greg WellsTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR We can't drum, or be our best in any area of life, without having our HEALTH together first. This gives us the focus, confidence, and ENERGY to express our best selves on the drums! In high performance scenarios (like drumming!), the human mind and body have to work together for ultimate results. Dr. Greg Wells is a health and high performance expert who, as a scientist and physiologist, empowers leaders to perform at the highest level, even when under the most extreme circumstances. We are honoured to...

2022-12-0755 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 42 - Building Explosive CONFIDENCE Through Drumming with Dom FamularoWe are live with Dom Famularo! In this LTR CONNECT workshop, we battle the dangers of loosing our inspiration, and becoming isolated as anxiety builds and erodes our enthusiasm for the drumming we love. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons...

2022-12-071h 02

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 41 - Grow your drumming GROOVE, ENERGY, and ENTHUSIASM with Randy CookeTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR Randy Cooke epitomizes the crucial mix of being not only an amazing drummer, but an outstanding PERSON. This is the LTR attitude in drumming and life. You DON'T want to have the fastest hands on the block, and have no sense of humour. Show me someone that practices 8 hours a day, and I'll show you someone really hard to get along with. Smile, get out there in the world, and make the world a better place because you're in it. This is what Randy lives every day, and why he's a...

2022-12-031h 14

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 40 - Why your drumming needs more ATTITUDE, with Rich RedmondATTITUDE is the life blood of drumming. OWN every note you play, and play it like it's your last! Today we go into a deep dive with the amazing Rich Redmond on why it's essential to bring out maximum attitude in drums and in life! Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. If you...

2022-12-031h 21

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 39 - How to use DRUMMING to get through challenging times, with Claus Hessler and Mike SleathWho is in YOUR circle? Who refuels and recharges you when you're down? There is a great danger in trying to 'lone-wolf' it when you face challenges, so lean in on those around you to become your best self through drumming when you're down and out! We are stronger when we drum together. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression i...

2022-12-031h 03

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 38 - How to lower ANXIETY through DRUMMING, with Navy SEAL David RutherfordAnxiety and depression levels are at all time highs. How do we handle the amount of distraction pummelling us day in and day out from every direction on the battlefield of life? We had on Navy SEAL David Rutherford to give us tools to fight anxiety and face fear both behind the kit and in all we do. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force...

2022-12-0217 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 37 - Why you MUST keep your WHITE BELT MENTALITY in drumming and life, with Tommy IgoeThinking you’re above simplicity, minimalism, and the fundamentals, is the root to the disaster of your evolution, and the ceiling of your learning. Having a never ending ‘white belt mentality’ or a beginner’s mind is the key to discovering possibilities and living your potential through drumming and life. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. ...

2022-12-0212 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 36 - Dom Famularo: Find your COURAGE through DRUMMINGTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR In the volatile landscape of the today’s world, our biggest challenges are to do whatever it takes to avoid mediocrity, lack of focus, and dis-couragement. Recently I was honoured to be interviewed recently by Dom Famularo on behalf of Sabian Cymbals, and we got DEEP into tactics on how to avoid getting to the end of your life meeting the person you COULD have been, and instead find the COURAGE to live out a life of possibility through the magic of drumming. Dom has been my mentor for over 25 years! Th...

2022-12-021h 04

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 35 - Balancing our passion of DRUMMING with family and life (Chris Lesso on the Dad Edge podcast)‘Time is not on your side, but your choices are.’ How do you balance family, work, and pursuing your passions? YOU CAN’T. All you have is time and focus. There are so many ‘spinning plates’ we all have moving simultaneously in our lives, and the only thing that keeps them all going is our CHOICES of what to focus the only resource we have on: TIME. To see anything grow, we must MEASURE it. This brings AWARENESS, allowing us to course correct back to THE PATH of our mighty mission. I was on the Dad Edge pod...

2022-12-0140 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 34 - Find your ATTITUDE, TECHNIQUE, and RESILIENCY through DRUMMINGTRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR I was recently a guest on master drummer Eric Boudreault's show Drumfills Kafé where we went into some tools on how drummers can use adversity as a tool to get BETTER. Uncover ways you can use attitude, technique, and resiliency to be your best self through drumming by using obstacles to your ADVANTAGE. Check it out, and stay inspired! Join the LTR DRUMMING NATION at chrislesso.com to live your BEST SELF THROUGH DRUMMING LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a...

2022-12-0132 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 33 - Drum With CLARITY, Not PERFECTION (Play It WRONG & STRONG!)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR A few years ago, I let go of perfection as one of my goals in my drumming, and replaced it with CLARITY. What is clarity? Expressing yourself so clearly, that the person at the very back of the room can hear and FEEL your ideas with a bright intensity. Going for clarity in your drumming brings an ATTITUDE with it, making it a MUST to express your ideas into the world. We've all had the experience of hearing an idea exactly as you want to play it in your mind first...

2022-12-0108 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 32 - RAISE YOUR STANDARDS in drumming and life, with Jocko WillinkAre you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR Bowing to the best within yourself means to STEP UP by living the standards that will elevate your rise. But how to do this consistently, especially on the days that you just don’t have the drive for it? Motivation is great, but it DOESN’T LAST. This is where a grade to continually level yourself up against is essential. We always measure what matters. To set the bar high for yourself, populate your life with mentors that demo...

2022-12-0135 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 31 - Mike Mangini's SYSTEMS and TACTICSAre you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR I am excited to share this with you! This is a conversation I had with Mike Mangini where he reveals his systems and tactics, pulled from the archives of 2002. In my years of being the eternal student of drumming and life, I've always strived to spend time with some of the best in the world and compress time by using the habits and strategies that work best for the greats into my own game, and now you can...

2022-12-0124 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 30 - How NOT To Get Fired From Your BandAre you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR This is a story from my hometown about how I was innocently and unknowingly doing everything possible to get myself fired from the first pro gig I ever had. What was I doing so badly that was practically guaranteeing I would never play with this band again? Find out the concepts I learned the hard way, so YOU don't have to. Learn what the 4 OFFENSES OF DRUMMERS are, and see if you're guilty! Unless you master them, you ar...

2022-12-0108 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 29 - 6 qualities to take into your drumming from Neil PeartAre you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR Neil inspired others to practice and push themselves, and gave us all permission to be OURSELVES. ‘We play who we are’, and living LTR is all about bridging the gap between striving for our human potential to find our best selves in drumming. Neil lived this every day. Life is fragile, and like the rest of the world I was so unexpectedly shaken by Neil’s passing. I have always been a fan of everything he strove to put ou...

2022-11-2606 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 28 - LME | Last Mile Excellence for Drumming & Life (with Josh Waitzkin)TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: chrislesso.net/LTR It’s easy to be your best in the beginning. You’re fired up, motivated, ready to go! But what do you do when you’re on that last mile, depleted and hurting? This is actually the MOST important time to give your best. The end of the race during the very last mile is when you will most feel like surrendering, cutting corners, and settling for less. When you have nothing left to give, this is exactly the time to give 100% and END STRONG. How you perform when it’s hardest...

2022-11-2307 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 27 - The WHY and HISTORY of Open Handed Drumming (Dennis Chambers, Billy Cobham, & Dick Fosbury)*Get your free open handed drumming guide here: chrislesso.com/OHD What is OPEN HANDED DRUMMING? Simply, it's not crossing your hands. But why add this to your drumming arsenal when we see most of our favourite drummers playing with their hands crossed? Why go against the grain of the norm? Because when obstacles are removed, FREEDOM EXPANDS. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through...

2022-11-2317 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 26 - The 5X Training Challenge for DRUMS & LIFE“You train how you fight and you fight how you train.” Navy SEAL saying You can’t just THINK your way to being a better drummer and human being. Living the art of possibility and potential takes continuous massive action. This is about having SYSTEMS NOT GOALS, and then living the never ending process of re-examining your systems, recalibrating them, measuring the results, and repeating. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. Are you rea...

2022-11-2308 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 25 - You Must Make SOME Percentage Of Your Drumming OPEN HANDEDUnlock your FREE video and workbook guide to start OPEN HANDED DRUMMING today: chrislesso.com/OHD Make SOME percentage of your playing OPEN HANDED now! Even if you only play this way a little at a time, the worst that will happen is you'll come up with new ideas and your hands will balance out and get stronger. You'll cultivate GRIT by going bravely into the unknown and trying something uncomfortable. Your future self will open up to something more incredible that you can possibly imagine. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of...

2022-11-2303 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 24 - Bruce Lee's LTR attitude to DRUMMING'We play who we are.' 'Life through rhythm' is realizing our best selves through drumming. Your drumming will only rise as high as your inner world. This is LTR! We build our inner strengths to create the outer expression. Bruce Lee's approach and attitude was also LTR. Bruce understood that self expression from movement was the key. The drums are capturing your MOVEMENTS, turning it into a SOUND. And to get the right movement, being in the NOW is essential. The present moment is the seat of all things high performance. LTR (Life Through R...

2022-11-2304 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 23 - How to PRACTICE: The 4 Areas Of FocusWhat do you focus on when you sit down to practice? This time can easily be whittled away by not knowing what to focus on, getting distracted, playing what you already know and meandering off the path of your vision. Find out the four essential areas! LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR

2022-11-2209 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 22 - The Drummer's Best Friend In The Band: THE BASS PLAYER | with Ian DeSouzaThere is something I call 'The 4 Offenses Of Drummers' (see the separate blog and video lesson on my website and Youtube) where drummers must be aware of the four greatest offenses they can do to at worst get fired, or at the very least highly annoy the other players in the band. This list came from talking to many musicians OTHER than drummers, and finding out what drummers do that get in the way of the most important big picture: THE MUSIC. They are Space, Time, Listening, and Dynamics. An essential way for drummers to test where they are...

2022-11-2219 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 21 - Body Language, Drumming, & The Brain with Mark BowdenAre you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR What does studying body language and the brain have to do with drumming? It has EVERYTHING to do with it! LTR (life through rhythm) is about studying outside disciplines to get better at your main discipline. If you want to improve your golf game, steal from cooking. If you want to improve your martial arts, steal from calligraphy, and so on. In this case, we are seeing drumming as A LANGUAGE, and our body expression paired with knowing...

2022-11-161h 18

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 20 - 'The 4% Edge' For Drumming & LifeThe 4% edge is a feeling to get intimate with, where we stretch not snap. In studies done of peak performers, pushing just 4% above your current skill has been found to be the golden ticket to growth. This magic ratio may seem small, but micro steps forward that compound over days, weeks, and months, is how we embrace the art of impossible. Take a piece of crumpled paper in a ball and throw it. Now take a bowling ball and toss it the same way. Neither go very far because of the extreme lightness and heaviness. But fling...

2022-11-1510 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 19 - How to come back from a SOUL CRUSHING GIGIf you think there are consequences and risk, then it’s real, even if you’ve completely made it up. If there are no real consequences, I have to create them. Affirmations and visualization may or may not work, but I use those methods anyway to help me. Declaring my goals and vision to the world creates a pressure I invented. If it works to get the project done and helps push me to do the work daily, then I will gladly use this illusion. If it’s real or not but it creates some risk and consequences, does it mat...

2022-11-1508 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 18 - My biggest FAILURE, and what I learnedHow did you fail today? This is a great question to ask daily. This may seem negative at first, but harvesting your failures is where your greatest lessons lay in waiting for you. Wear them as badges of honour! This takes courage and humility, and is not for the faint of heart, but this is where greatness lives. This is my talk at F***Up Nights Toronto, in which I told a story of one of the worse gigs of all time, and what I learned from this failure. Use your failures as fuel to...

2022-11-1527 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 17 - The Practice Of Deliberate Listening (with Henry Rollins)Listening is becoming a lost art. I am no expert, but I realize it is a muscle, and it has to be flexed daily. How many people around you do you know that REALLY listen? It's becoming rare. Have coffee with a friend, and their phone is on the table waiting to be paid attention to like a puppy. There has never been a time in human history when this has been more of a challenge. Just being AWARE of this in your life is an advantage. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of...

2022-11-1506 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 16 - RLG: 'Be Real, Listen, Have Gratitude' DRUMMING INTO LIFE'When The Pressure Is On, Use RLG' You're walking towards the stage... you are nervous, sweating, unsure of yourself, doubting yourself, trying to remember... why am I putting myself through this ordeal again?? Sound familiar? We have all experienced this, and if it's not in music playing drums live as I do, then it is going on to 'life's stage', whatever that is for you. A life dedicated to safety is actually MORE risky, because you risk REGRET, which you can't undo and definitely don't want to live with every day (I've met too many...

2022-11-1514 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 15 - Accountability and Discomfort will push you to NEW LEVELSLTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through DRUMMING? Click the link to find out how! chrislesso.net/LTR If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using one of the buttons on the side! Take a second and leave me a review for the LTR DRUMMING PODCAST, it helps others find the content so we can all grow on this amazing journey. (I...

2022-11-1510 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 14 - The 2 Neglected Areas Of Drumming: BUSINESS & CHARACTER‘You don’t choose the drums, the drums choose you.’ This is how I feel about what I do, and many of us feel this way about our craft. It is an OBSESSION, we love it, it is our fun and joy, our escape from the world. Motivation is not needed, in fact sometimes the challenge in when to walk away and not ever do it! But there are two other areas that are the very foundation of the craft you love, and can easily be neglected: BUSINESS skills, and shaping your CHARACTER. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an...

2022-11-1210 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 13 - DRUMSET TECHNIQUE for EFFORTLESS MASTERY - MasterclassDon't let TENSION in your drumming hold you back! Enrollments are now open to find FLOW in your technique: chrislesso.net/LTR Technique is the HOW of what we do, the study of MOVEMENT. Flowing motions equals a flowing sound, so 'how you move is how you groove'! This is not about getting as fast as we can or competing with other drummers, but about SELF EXPRESSION, and removing any barriers in the way of you sounding like your best self on your instrument. Once we get out of our heads and into the movements, intuitively reacting to...

2022-11-111h 48

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 12 - 'Shyness Kills Learning': A Gregg Bissonette StoryShyness kills learning! We only have so much time on this earth to grow, and it will go FAST. Whether you are introverted or extroverted, shyness is something to overcome if you will get the most out of every opportunity. This is especially true when having the courage to approach your heroes to seize the moment, because once it's gone it will NEVER come back. Fear of the MOMENT will pass, but fear of REGRET will last a lifetime. Never worry if you are asking a 'stupid question'; be bold, approach your heroes, and go for it! ...

2022-11-1004 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 11 - The Martial Arts Of Drumming: 'How You Move Is How You Groove!'Music is more about the MOVEMENT and SPACE between the notes, rather than the notes themselves. In drumming, I call this 'the martial arts of drumming'. How you move is how you groove! When you play drums, even if you tried you can't help but sound like YOU. This comes from how you glide through in the air between your notes. Your movement creates your sound! Think of the rhythms we hear as the final product, the tip of the iceberg, but the movement and space in between is the depths beneath that makes the outcome possible. Vi...

2022-11-1007 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 10 - BREAK Your Winning Formula (with Stewart Copeland)'Know the rules to break the rules.' Question everything, stay curious! This to me in drumming and life is embodied in Stewart Copeland. His drumming and attitude was a bombshell which challenged me to be bold, break the rules, and be myself. I love his concept of 'why do I have to always play a backbeat?' He challenges the norm, and walks the path of true expression, authenticity, and individuality. If you adopt this attitude to the next level as a LIFESTYLE, you will regularly REINVENT yourself by breaking your winning formula. Those...

2022-10-2609 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 09 - History, Humour, and Not Giving A F**&I just watched a great special on Netflix, 'Standup For Drummers' by Fred Armisen. This was a fun reminder for three essential concepts: history, humour, and finding the balance of 'caring so much we find the zone where we don't care', or not giving a f**&. Let's get into all three concepts, then dive in and enjoy watching this special. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life through...

2022-10-2608 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 08 - The 10,000 Reps Mindset to DrumsIf you can last through the mundanity of the 10,000 reps mindset, you will open the floodgates to a freedom that you can't even imagine! The best in the world all have this self discipline, from Bruce Lee, Frank Sinatra, and Kobe Bryant. This is about getting to the state of 'non thinking' by doing so many reps that you free up your mental bandwidth to unlock our peak creativity through FLOW, and being fully in the richness of the present moment to respond and react to all that is available to us. The 10,000 reps mindset is also about SURRENDERING...

2022-10-2606 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 07 - Come As You AreThis idea was born from students coming to my studio thinking they had to live up to a certain level, or come in a good mood, or come to play well. That's great if it happens, but also show up tired, in a bad mood, not feeling like playing, not at your best. If our practice is a LIFESTYLE, we can't judge ourselves, or try to live up to perfection. We just need to SHOW UP consistently, and accept the situation with perfect EFFORT, not results. Drums have a magic that way, in that when you start MOVING, playing...

2022-10-2604 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 06 - 'Lessons From Dying': Drummers In Cars Getting Coffee, with Aubrey DayleThis was an awesome drive getting in the zone with amazing drummer and outstanding human Aubrey Dayle! Aubrey shares his incredible story on how he came close to dying, and his rise to coming back stronger than ever. These are some seriously heartfelt and deep insights that will show you how to take these lessons to your drumming and your life. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. Are you ready to TRANSFORM your life...

2022-10-2654 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 05 - The 2% Variance: How To Stay Strong On THE PATHIn the NFL, the difference between the best in the league and the worst in the league is only a margin of 2%! This is because the standards in that arena are so high; we can take these same standards and hold ourselves accountable to these as well in our daily practices. The difference between excellent and OUTSTANDING is a tiny gap, that takes work and daily discipline to stay on the path. 'Miss 1 day of practice and you notice; miss 2 days of practice and the band notices; miss 3 days of practice and the audience notices.' Push yourself to...

2022-10-2605 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 04 - Drumming and The Karate KidGo back and have fun watching the original classic 1980’s movie The Karate Kid! I loved this movie growing up, but there are a lot of great lessons to take into life. Here, I go into my top 3: sharpening your FOCUS, surrounding yourself with great people and seeking MENTORS in your life, and the power of compounding precise and disciplined DAILY REPETITIONS in your PRACTICE. Have fun watching this movie and sharing it with others, and take your focus, mentors, and practice to the next level! LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life us...

2022-10-2608 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 03 - A Jim Blackley Story: True Focus Is Going InwardThis is a story from one of my mentors, the great teacher Jim Blackley. He passed away shortly after this was filmed, so this is a tribute to the man he was, and the impact he had. The lesson he shared here was to focus on going inward, doing the WORK required and not always searching outward for answers. There are no hacks or quick fixes, just long hours spent building slowly over time. This is what FOCUS really is: going inward, and stripping away at the unessential. THANK YOU Jim Blackley! LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is...

2022-10-2609 min

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 02 - Taking Bruce Lee's energy and teachings to the DRUMS | with Mark KelsoIf Bruce Lee was only a badass martial artist he would still be remembered, but it was his philosophy combined WITH his craft that made such an impact on the world. Bruce Lee was always one of my favourite 'drummers' because there are so many connections to Bruce's martial art Jeet Kune Do to drumming. We can learn so many physical and mental approaches to make our craft and lives better. Bruce also had a huge impact on the drumming and life of one of the best in the world and one of my biggest influences Mark Kelso. We...

2022-10-261h 29

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso 01 - OPEN HANDED DRUMMING with Dom Famularo, Claus Hessler, and Stephane ChamberlandGet your FREE video lesson and workbook guide to start OPEN HANDED DRUMMING today! chrislesso.com/OHD OPEN HANDED DRUMMING - MINDSET AND TECHNIQUES | The first LTR Podcast features a roundtable between Chris Lesso, Dom Famularo, Claus Hessler, and Stephane Chamberland on the mindset and techniques of open handed drumming! This will help ALL drummers open up their creativity and strengthen their weaker side. LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to unleash focus, confidence, and self expression in all you do. Are you re...

2022-10-241h 08