ABOUT GUILLAUME
I am your main host for these sessions.
Originally from France, I’ve been based in London, UK since 2006. Over the years I have been playing with a wide range of bands, artists and productions, either live or in the studio. In the last few years I have played with 90’s rock band Reef. We toured extensively across the UK and Europe as well as a short trip to Japan and we were lucky enough to have the legend Ronnie Wood joining us on stage for a few tunes. I also played with Crystal Fighters (with a highlight opening for Prophets Of Rage), indie artist Seil Lien, soul singer Seramic, electro wizard Mr Fogg and Apocalyptica frontman, Franky Perez.
I am a passionate educator and for the last 15 years I have taught hundreds of drummers privately and in formal institutions such as BiMM London (formerly Drumtech), ICMP and LMA colleges.
I remain a keen student myself and regularly check in with maestro Ralph Salmins and L.A heavyweight Dave Elitch.
To build a thriving and unique community, helping drummers meaningfully with their practice;
be it Mental, Musical or Physical.
I want to share the stuff that I find useful, that’s applicable on stage when playing with other musicians.
No cheap tricks or flashy licks.
As a performer, I am committed to make the song move; to make the music feel good, on stage and out front.
Our job is to lead.
Our job is to make the band sound great.
To borrow Steve Jordan’s words:
“To be an ambassador of good will (…) and bring joy to the situation”.
I want drummers to have better hands to do a better job. To look at their habits and make structural changes.
Not to work on technique for technique’s sake but to develop a better touch, a better sound, a better sense of placement; to lead the band purposefully and better serve a musical, artistic vision.
All of my favourite drummers, regardless of how loud, how soft, how hard, how delicate, how fast, how slow, how explosive, how restrained, how obnoxious, how considered, how elaborate or how simple they play, have beautiful hands and ‘a’ sound, a voice, a pocket. So can you.
I want drummers to stop getting distracted and confused with shortlists, appealing soundbites and gimmicks.
In the noisy age of abundant information, the less sexy, less entertaining is easily ignored or dismissed in favour of quick fixes, shortcuts, appealing soundbites and hollow promises.
Aiming for the ‘best’ exercise, sticking or lick is the wrong way to go about it.
We are changing that.
There are no magic shortcuts.
Diving in and drilling it, yes, AND pausing a moment to align mind and body, to do it smart, not hard.
I want to show that the Fundamentals hold so many keys to real improvement for the quality of our playing.
It is all right there in front of us if we let it. Rudiments, Stick Control, Hand Technique get a bad rep because it’s ‘boring’, ‘tedious’ or ‘thankless’.
Perhaps it is. Perhaps not.
Perhaps we make it boring.
Perhaps we approach it too literally, with too little creativity, avoiding many uncomfortable questions it can raise about our playing and habits.
