[Jared Falk]

Hey everyone!

As some of you may know, the FDL website is primarily sponsored by the sales of our drum lessons packages. If the sales are doing decent we create more content. This is why we started doing the live drum lessons weekly and adding lots of new content to the drum lessons section. This is another reason you don't see our site littered with unrelated drumming ads served by Google or other networks. Since this community/website is supported by you I want to know exactly what you want

What do you think the next step for FreeDrumLessons.com should be?
What products should we create next that you would buy?
Are all your drumming needs being currently met?
Do you want higher quality paid content delivered digitally?

Whatever your ideas are please post them...I'm all ears Like I said earlier..this site and all the products I create are for you...There is no point in me putting out products or websites that I think are good if you all don't want it.

I'm interested to hear all your replies!

[kevinplaysdrums]

You guys should sell shirts and other various FDL merch.

I don't know how possible it would be, but it would be cool to have a "Metal Drumming System" with Sean Lang.

[muckypops]

I would like to see more Jared Falk and Dave Atkinson posts on the forum answering questions and stuff like that.

[abacacus]

kevinplaysdrums, on Mar 28 2010, 04:02 PM, said:

You guys should sell shirts and other various FDL merch.

I don't know how possible it would be, but it would be cool to have a "Metal Drumming System" with Sean Lang.

Those are both really good suggestions, a metal drumming system would be amazing.

[Remmurd]

I don't really even play metal that often but a metal drumming system would please ALOT of people.

[Kol]

Maybe some more content directed at intermediate-advanced players? And maybe go in more depth about techniques rather than just beats/fills. I think a "stick-tricks system" would be pretty awesome too if there was enough out there

EDIT: I also had this idea the other day, in your live lessons, why not let people phone you guys in? I know it's the same as the ustream chat but it's more personal and it'd be kinda cool to talk to you guys live.

This post has been edited by Kol: 28 March 2010 - 05:51 PM

[Poco Askew]

Mine aren't for new lessons, more of nuts and bolts kinda things:
Maybe a member sub forum (each member gets a topic for personal show and tell).
Improved search capabilites.
This is a huge one; hosted audio, video, pictures (rather than using youtube, photobucket, 4shared, etc.)
How about a game-oriented set of lessons. People love GH and RB. Also rudiments lend themslelves well to "levels of difficulty". Just an idea of a way to add even more fun and challenge to drill and practice.

I realize these may be impossible or cause new problems I've not considered.

I think Metal lessons would be popular. I'm really ignorant of the style so I don't know what that would include. Most of what I hear sounds very simple, except for the speed. Speed tips are fine but they apply to most styles of music. What would you like in a "Metal Drumming System"?

This post has been edited by Poco Askew: 28 March 2010 - 06:16 PM

[Matt Shank]

I agree with previous posts about the Metal System, it has the possibility to as popular as the Rock Drumming System.

FDL merchandise at the Drummer Store would also be nice.

All lessons in all the systems available for digital download ( with PDF sheet music )
( Just a thought, I know it would take a lot of time and money )

[Prog70]

Updating the --Drummer-- Section of the website
New faces
Updated news

Interviews with questions sent by the members before
shooting the interview.

Lessons about everything around drumming and music
like the studio, how to shoot drum video, mixing, miking.

That's all I can think about now.
J.E.

[Kol]

Poco Askew, on Mar 29 2010, 08:43 AM, said:

Maybe a member sub forum (each member gets a topic for personal show and tell).

There was this thread in the FDL suggestions forum that just sorta died... maybe we could build on it: http://www.freedrumlessons.com/drum-forums...?showtopic=7810

[Vasheir]

Jared,

Many of us can't have any other teacher besides what we get here. Maybe some sort of build where the members are able to provide help in this Teacher-Student accountability relationship that is lacking.

I have an outlet for my music, as I play live 3 times a week, however, I'm not getting better. I seem to be at a threshold and I'm expected to teach 6 students? Heh, I don't like the feeling that I get when I think that I'm hurting them instead of helping them because I myself am not being helped.

I have products, lessons, exercises to go through (Drumming System, Rudiment System, Language of Drumming, Secret weapons for the modern drummer, fixing to get Mike Portnoy's In Constant Motion), but I still just don't feel the growth I would like to have.

I'm providing more of my problem than an answer to help, but maybe you have a better idea of how to fix it (or maybe someone else does).

This post has been edited by Vasheir: 28 March 2010 - 06:58 PM

[Jonbo]

Prog70, on Mar 28 2010, 06:38 PM, said:

Lessons about everything around drumming and music
like the studio, how to shoot drum video, mixing, miking.

That's all I can think about now.
J.E.

Hey Jared, Along with what Prog said here, i think it'd be cool to have a single lesson, or live lesson or something on just items that drummers should have, cool / helpful handy things....little gadgets ect... i understand some people could take it as a huge advertisement, and it could be, if you portrayed it that way, but i think it should be more info than sales, and just show people some cool gadgets or tips (such as duct tape this and that together and BAM you get [insert something cool])

thanks for your ears too, see i was missing some in my collection and now its all good, so thanks for giving me your ears

[Sean Lang]

It would be so fun to make a metal drumming system!
As far as more advanced lessons go.... it would be fun to get into the deep concept of polyrhythms and polymetres...so many things you can do and so many different ways they can influence your playing.
Also, advanced double bass applications and patterns.
Maybe some sort of database of rudimentary kit chops that can be combined, mixed and matched.

etc, etc

[code1]

Im sure that a metal drumming system would be popular, even though it wouldnt interest me. 80% of all bands where I live are metal bands.

[Iyce]

What do you think the next step for FreeDrumLessons.com should be?
See below.

What products should we create next that you would buy?
While there is not much variation between Metal, Punk and Funk, and they're covered somewhat in the Drumming System, I think they would be a good step forward. Also, see additional suggestions below.

Are all your drumming needs being currently met?
Currently: Yes, I have yet to burn through the RDS and DS, plus the extras.

Do you want higher quality paid content delivered digitally
While this is nice for some people, I would think most prefer the physical media. I know I'd rather have the DVDs and Books over something digital.

As mentioned above, here are some really good suggestions I'd like to highlight below:
-Metal/Punk/Funk drumming system, or at least some further explanations on the styles (the live lessons do a decent job, though)
-More active RRM posts on the forum
-Intermediate & Advanced (or "professional" or "expert")-focused content (like polyrhythms and polymetres, advanced double bass)
-Showmanship DVD (different stick tricks and other things that can be done to look cool behind the set)
-Lessons around gigging: sound checking, mic'ing, mixing, gating, and compressing (a good how-to) would be how the drum covers have been done so far)
-Lessons on extra "gadgets" and when they're commonly applied (shakers, cow bells, duct tape, etc)
-Lessons on Licks and Chops and various uses (including terminology)

[Prog70]

Actually, In the Drumming System, Mike covers the stuff you should
bring with you to a gig, he gives greats advices for live shows,
how to do sound check. It's dvd 15 I think. It's like listening to a
war veteran !

[Cyric]

The only thing that I think will be most important is making digital delivery available. I live in Russia and sometimes packages can travel for decades before come to reciever here. And other far countries will be grateful for such service too. I think that's a great idea.

[Janado]

Hey Guys

First of, thanks a lot for letting us give our two cents about the future of FDL and RRM products, it's cool to know that you guys really focus all your effort in us...so once again thank you.


What products should we create next that you would buy?

- Like many have said, a Heavy-Metal Drumming System would a be a killer product. I had already thought about it, but after watching Sean Lang perform in the live lesson, I consider it to be the next big product for you guys to produce. And since Sean as such a different approach (from what I can tell) to blasting, like adding rudiments, it would really bring something new to the market. So, although I'm not a metal head, I really think this would be a killer idea....and with a play-along DVD featuring First Reign...BOYA!!! ;

- A product on Funk drumming;

- If you think that just about funk drumming wouldn't be cool, maybe about Groove Rock (like you guys called it on the Drumming System), with blues, funk and reggae.

- A new bass drum secrets Pack...with more techniques shown on the DVD, besides the heel-toe. You could do an all new package, like the DRS 2.0, but would add to the original Heel-Toe, the slide teached by Dave, explore techniques for heel down playing for instance... OR maybe ask Tim Waterson to do whole new product for you guys...a Bass Drum Secrets 2.0, with lots of techniques and applications.. BUM!! after it RRM can buy Hudson Music .


Drumming Contextualization

I study drumming and music history, specially R&B and Latin. I do this to have a better understanding of what I am playing on the drums...for instance, I want to be as authentic as I can, playing to old recording and also when playing Afro-Cuban or Latin styles. So, I think that It would be a must to add this to the site, and also to the RRM products, to give more than beats or techniques, but show when and how certain beats were created, what to listen to to get more ideas for certain styles of music, great drummers of those styles of music, great bands, and in the case of Latin beats, it would be important to have notions about the original instruments that played the various parts of each beat that we then see applied to the drum set. This way it would easier for us to develop ideas in a certain style. I will give an example to show you guys what I mean...

In the FDL Latin Section, there are 10 Cascara patterns. As I stated in a comment I made in that lesson, when I was first thinking of learning them, I couldn't help but think that I didn't knew were this beats were usable, and how did they come about, so why learn them?. So, I had to do a lot of reasearch to know in what styles of music to use them, names of artists that play those styles of music, and most important of all, at least to me, how did they come about; what were the original instruments that played the different parts of the beat. So I had to learn about timbales and other percussion instruments.

Since I bring this topic to discussion, I think that the books on the RRM products could be used for this purpose as well. Specially the products on Styles, like the Jazz, Rock and Latin packs. They could be used to give us further insight into a cetain style, like the history of the style, important drummers, important bands, albums to listen to; in the case of latin, percussion instruments originaly used in the different parts..etc. And also, since the product as been purchased already, why not show a list of further reading (from other publishing companies) to further help us delve into the history of the style or just to go check other good products that may complement the one we already have.


DrummerStore

I liked the idea of selling your products on download, or maybe just sell each video segment of the DVDs by itself. So, for instance, we could buy the Jazz Drumming System or if we were just interested in the Bass Drum Comping Exercises, we could just purchase that.

Another thought...since you guys have discontinued some products, like the Jazz Drumming with Jared and the FDL pack, why not put those on the download section of the drummerstore, this way if a guy does not have enough money for the JDS he could buy the Jazz Drumming DVD much cheaper and in download. This way these packs are always available and cool packages like the FDL pack, don't get lost forever.


Loops

It would be cool to add loops for garage band and Sony's Acid Express (since this is a free product for windows), on the FDL site. These loops could be of different sections (intro, chorus, verse, bridge) of the various play-alongs that we already have on the site.


Hybrid Rudiments

Like the 40 rudiments on the FDL site, why not had some hybrids, with an exercise on snare, a idea for a fill and one for a beat.


take care guys

This post has been edited by Janado: 29 March 2010 - 07:29 AM

[Ray65]

I'd just like a reminder when the live lessons happen.
I seem to be missing them all lately.

And a tee-shirt...I'd like a tee-shirt.

[Jared Falk]

Ray65, on Mar 29 2010, 08:11 AM, said:

I'd just like a reminder when the live lessons happen.
I seem to be missing them all lately.

And a tee-shirt...I'd like a tee-shirt.

We can add t-shirts to the Drummer Store.

For all live drum lesson updates just follow me on Facebook or Twitter. There you can get up-to-the-minute updates.

Edit: You can also put the time and date of the lesson in your phone or PDA as a reminder of when it is. I do this for everything, otherwise I would forget it all