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PODCAST · music

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso

by Chris Lesso

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 we do. This is our platform as we drum TOGETHER to explore concepts and connect with the best in the world, as we dive deep into the connections between drumming and life. Unleash your best self through drumming at: chrislesso.net/LTR

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Episodes

  1. 101 - NO Drummer Succeeds Without These 4 Elements

    Get your free FLOW drumming guide at: chrislesso.net/LTR What do Chad Smith, Carter Beauford, and Tony Williams ALL Have in Common? It’s not just chops. It’s not just feel. And it’s definitely not luck. Every drummer who actually breaks through on the kit—no matter their style, background, or...

  2. 100 - 6 Pro-Athlete Secrets That Transform Your Drumming (Brendan Fox)

    Drumming is 90% mental! In this episode, Brendan Fox shows how the same protocols that train Olympians can unleash unstoppable flow and focus behind your kit. Get your free training and join the Life Through Rhythm global drumming collective: ⁠⁠⁠⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠⁠⁠

  3. 99 - Can you make SIMPLE sound AWESOME?

    Get your free training and join the global drumming collective: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ Can 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…

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  4. 98 - 'How you LIVE is how you DRUM!' Timeless wisdom learned from the best, with Nick Ruffini

    TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ We'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...

  5. 97 - 'Feel Better, Play Better'! MIND BODY DRUMMING with special guest Adam Gust

    Want more FLOW in your drumming? Get your FREE drumming flow guide at ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ Today 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...

  6. 96 - Live Q&A! Practice routines for drummers, and more

    Practice 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/LTR LTR (Life Through Rhythm) is an attitude and way of life using drumming as a force to…

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  7. 95 - My pre-show routine, the BEST exercise to get around the kit

    I 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?...

  8. 94 - A Drummer's Secret Weapon: The HIHAT [*live behind the scenes masterclass]

    TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ Are 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...

  9. 93 - Mike Mangini: Get maximum RESULTS with minimal TIME

    TRANSFORM through DRUMMING: ⁠chrislesso.net/LTR⁠ We 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...

  10. 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...

  11. 91 - Drumming and life with master Billy Ward

    TRANSFORM 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…

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  12. 90 - Upgrade your GROOVE with Mike Sleath

    TRANSFORM 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...

  13. 89 - Thursday Thrive LIVE Drumming Q&A

    Got 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...

  14. 88 - The Shape Of Drumming To Come

    TRANSFORM 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…

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  15. 87 - Go behind the scenes in a LIVE members only masterclass: The Art Of The DRUM SOLO

    TRANSFORM 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...

  16. 86 - Dom Famularo's last words to the next generation of drummers

    TRANSFORM 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…

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  17. 85 - Get creative with OPEN HANDED DRUMMING

    Get 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...

  18. 84 - Drumming for FLOW and Peak Performance with Dr Pamela Seraphine

    TRANSFORM 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...

  19. 83 - The Spirit of UBUNTU in Drumming and Life

    TRANSFORM 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...

  20. 82 - The CORE of the Drumkit: Kick-Snare-Hats

    TRANSFORM 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...

  21. 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...

  22. 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...

  23. 79 - How to get UNSTUCK and reach your DRUMMING GOALS

    Chris 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...

  24. 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...

  25. 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…

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  26. 76 - Don't Find Yourself, CREATE Yourself

    TRANSFORM 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...

  27. 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...

  28. 74 - Zen In The Art Of Drumming: The Teachings Of Jim Blackley

    TRANSFORM 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...

  29. 73 - DRUMMING to combat STRESS and PTSD

    TRANSFORM 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...

  30. 72 - When to FIRE your drum teacher: Barry's inspiring story

    TRANSFORM 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...

  31. 71 - Keep your DRUMMING strong through the BUSYNESS of life

    TRANSFORM 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...

  32. 70 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown prt 4, RHYTHM

    TRANSFORM 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...

  33. 69 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown, part 3: PRACTICE

    TRANSFORM 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...

  34. 68 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown, part 2: FLOW

    TRANSFORM 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.…

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  35. 67 - LTR DRUMMING METHOD breakdown, part 1: ETHOS

    TRANSFORM 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…

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  36. 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…

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  37. 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...

  38. 64 - Unlock YOUR VOICE Through DRUMMING | Chris Lesso on The Drummer's Pathway podcast with Michael Scott

    Chris 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...

  39. 63 - The HIDDEN BENEFITS of drumming that no one sees

    We 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!...

  40. 62 - DRUMMING GEAR: What to look for and what to avoid

    TRANSFORM 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...

  41. 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,...

  42. 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…

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  43. 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...

  44. 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…

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  45. 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...

  46. 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...

  47. 55 - The Case Against Double Bass

    TRANSFORM 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...

  48. 54 - Chris Lesso on DRUMMING, DETERMINATION, and more: Live on the 'Creative Interview Series' show

    TRANSFORM 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…

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  49. 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...

  50. 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...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

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 we do. This is our platform as we drum TOGETHER to explore concepts and connect with the best in the world, as we dive deep into the connections between drumming and life. Unleash your best self through drumming at: chrislesso.net/LTR

HOSTED BY

Chris Lesso

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso have?

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso about?

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 we do. This is our platform as we drum TOGETHER to explore concepts and connect with the best in the world, as we dive deep into the connections between...

How often does Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso release new episodes?

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso?

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Who hosts Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso?

Your Best Self Through DRUMMING with Chris Lesso is created and hosted by Chris Lesso.
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