He’s become known for his Big Band and jazz drumming, but Greyson Nekrutman wants you to know that he’s no one-trick pony. In an awesome turn of events, Greyson is now the drummer for legendary hardcore thrash band Suicidal Tendencies.

And naturally, he has no problem keeping up. I mean, have you seen him play Slayer?

Greyson’s calendar has been full this year, between clinics and masterclasses, tours, and work with DJ Premier, William DuVall (Alice In Chains), Billy Howerdel (A Perfect Circle), Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails) and producer/bassist Brady Watt.

In this video, the jack-of-all-trades talks about versatility and how it’s important to not be afraid to try different styles. He touches on his practice regimen, and how he was able to pivot from swing and jazz drumming to prepare for his gig with Suicidal Tendencies.

As a young drummer who has come up in the social media age, he also explains how having an online drumming resume can have more of an impact than you realize. You never know who’s watching.

Check out Greyson’s courses and playthroughs in the Drumeo members area – click here to get your free 7-day trial!

Lesson Index:
0:00 – SONG: “Cyco Vision” by Suicidal Tendencies
2:01 – Introduction
4:18 – Versatility as a drummer
5:50 – SONG: “Flight Of The Murder Hornet” by Brady Watt
10:15 – Greyson’s style foundation and how he practices
23:15 – The types of grooves he’d play on the gig with DJ Premier
26:50 – SONG: “Toad” by Cream
32:42 – Why social media is important
42:18 – Final thoughts
45:57 – SONG: “Havona” by Weather Report

Greyson Plays:
Pearl Drums
Meinl Cymbals
Remo Drumheads
Vic Firth Drumsticks

Follow Greyson:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook

Drumming in TV & movies: is it real or fake?

Did they do it right, or is the actor overdramatizing what drummers actually do?

When Whiplash came out back in 2014, everyone was talking about it. The Academy Award-winning film covers the experience of a young jazz drummer and his intense music instructor. If you’re a drummer, everyone from your best friend to your weird uncle has probably sent you the trailer or a clip from the movie at some point.

Hollywood tends to add dramatic effect where it wouldn’t exist in real life, and a movie about drummers is no exception. So we asked Greyson Nekrutman, a young jazz drumming prodigy himself, to react to Whiplash and see how much of it looked convincing.

He’s the same age as the main character and has also had to work hard to prove himself. Is there anything else they have in common?

Are there actually deranged instructors like Fletcher out there? Do drummers really sweat and bleed that much?

From chalk thrown across the band room to dealing with mind games, Greyson says he’s had some similar experiences. Sometimes it actually does feel like everything is going in slow motion when he’s in the moment.

Watch the video to find out which parts of Whiplash Greyson thinks are accurate, and which scenes have been graced a little too hard with Hollywood’s magic wand.

If you haven’t seen the movie, do it. The message about overcoming challenges is a good one for anyone – even non-drummers.

Oh, and Greyson actually covered “Caravan”, the final performance piece from the movie. Check it out here!

If you’re a Drumeo member (get a free 7-day trial here), try playing over the drumless version of “Caravan” in the members area!

Watch: Did Nick Cannon Actually Play Drums In The Drumline Movie?

Read: Why Every Drummer Should Watch “Count Me In”

People are always comparing Greyson Nekrutman to legendary Big Band drummers. And it makes sense, because these are the drummers he’s studied for years.

We are what we eat, as they say.

While Greyson has taken care to build on the concepts he’s borrowed from the legends, in this video he talks about his major influences and who inspires him while he develops his own sound.

(Check out Greyson’s 14-video course, “Big Band Drumming”, available for Drumeo members – and available for you, too, with a free 7-day trial!)

1. Louie Bellson

Bellson was known for playing double stroke rolls on the snare while changing it up with accents. He’d keep time on his two bass drums while his hands performed in a frenzy.

Greyson also credits Tommy Igoe’s lessons for helping him make sure his double strokes are consistent.

2. Buddy Rich

Rich would use his left hand to keep the flow during a drum solo, connecting the notes and staying consistent on the snare drum while his right hand would move around the kit.

► Watch: How To Drum Like Buddy Rich
► Watch: 5 Impossible Buddy Rich Licks

3. Sonny Payne

One thing Greyson loves about Sonny Payne is how he’d play a phrase on the drums and repeat that same phrase on the cymbals – like trading back and forth with himself.

4/5. “Papa” Jo Jones & Sam Woodyard

Papa Jo and Sam Woodyard would often mute a drum with their elbow or drumstick, which not only added an interesting visual element but also unique dynamics to their playing.

6. Art Blakey

A master of showmanship, Blakey would play crossovers on the drums, which also made certain patterns and melodies easier to play.

If you want to play jazz and Big Band music like Greyson – or even if you don’t – you should try to incorporate these examples into your own playing.

But don’t just steal them note for note; make them your own and expand on these ideas.

Every drummer should watch videos or listen to songs and pause on the parts that make you say “what the heck”. Look at the drummers who came before you and learn from them – the same way most of them learned from drummers who came before them.

Some say he’s the next Buddy Rich.

Others think he’s a social media sensation.

Either way, Greyson Nekrutman is definitely not your regular 19-year-old.

Greyson decided in high school that instead of partying and hanging out with his peers, he’d sneak off to practice drums at lunch. He’s sacrificed a lot to get to where he is today: a young Big Band drummer with hundreds of thousands of online followers and growing gig opportunities.

There aren’t many modern drummers who play the style popularized during the golden age of drummers. Influenced by Big Band and jazz legends like Sonny Payne, Louie Bellson, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Max Roach and Art Blakey, as well as players in other styles like Carter Beauford, Mitch Mitchell and Ginger Baker, Greyson does a great job taking notes from his heroes while developing his own identity as a drummer.

It might be hard to believe that a capable player like Greyson would be met with criticism, but he’s already encountered his fair share. He says it pushes him harder and reminds him that he’s doing something different. He’s setting out to prove people wrong, whether it’s those who don’t like what he’s doing or those who rejected him from music school.

In this video lesson, Greyson shows you how he plays Buddy Rich’s legendary one-handed rolls and how he puts together drum solos – and shares a vulnerable side as well.

Lesson Index:
0:00 – SONG: “Caravan” by Duke Ellington (Arranged by Chris Fischer)*
2:10 – Drum Solo
9:32 – SONG: “Caravan” by Duke Ellington (Continued)
11:18 – Introducing Greyson and his influences
18:10 – How to play Buddy Rich’s one-handed roll
28:18 – Drum Solo
32:24 – Breaking down the solo
37:00 – Getting compared to Buddy Rich
43:31 – How his childhood illness and music school rejections fueled him
49:15 – Was Buddy Rich the greatest drummer of all time?
50:57 – “Trajectory” by Chris Fischer

Thanks to Chris Fischer for arranging “Caravan” for this live lesson. You can download and practice along with the drumless version inside the Drumeo members area.

About Greyson:
19-year-old Greyson Nekrutman has received accolades by the National Association for Music as one of the top-performing high school jazz musicians in the United States. Both a live performer and a popular social media drummer, Greyson is slowly but surely becoming a household name because of his incredible musicianship, work with Bakithi Kumalo, and performances in various New York venues.

Greyson Plays:
Pearl Drums
Meinl Cymbals
Remo Drumheads
Vic Firth Drumsticks

Follow Greyson:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook

Look at these distinguished gentlemen. Look at the way they are drumming.

Are they twins? Are they brothers?

In this intense face-off, Greyson Nekrutman performs a drum battle with…Greyson Nekrutman.

Have you ever seen someone have a drum-off with himself? This video echoes the drum battles of yesterday but with a modern editing twist.

It’s only 5 minutes long – and every second is worth it.

If you like Greyson’s playing style (and not just his sartorial style) check out his Big Band and jazz lesson courses on Drumeo!

Greyson Nekrutman is a teen drumming phenom who has so much passion and energy, he’s impossible to ignore. He admires the great drumming legends and he’s covered a ton of classic jazz and big band tunes over the past few years.

“That’s cool and all, but can you play ‘Caravan’?”

The movie Whiplash came out in 2014, and it reminded the rest of the world how awesome drumming is. It featured the song “Caravan” (Juan Tizol/Duke Ellington), which became a recurring piece for the protagonist.

Of course, whenever a song enters pop culture, people start requesting that song. And as a drummer – especially as a jazz drummer – you bet Greyson has been asked to play it. It’s like asking a metal guitarist to shred the solo from Dragonforce’s “Through The Fire And Flames“.

In the video above, Greyson nails the song and goes into an extended drum solo with killer technique and dynamics, blazing fast hands, and confidence.

(P.S. Have you seen Greyson’s tips for nailing Buddy Rich licks?)

For more videos from Greyson – plus more jazz lessons, song tutorials and an incredible community – become a Drumeo member!

Many drummers look at Buddy Rich’s solos and think, “I could never play that.” They’re wrong!

Greyson Nekrutman is here to prove one thing, and that’s how possible these impossible licks really are. In this quick tip video, Greyson breaks down the illusion and shows how even the coolest licks are relatively simple when you slow them down.

Impossible Drum Solo (1982)

You may not nail this lick today, but with enough practice you’ll be flying eventually. It’s not a ‘special’ lick per se – it’s just a single stroke roll! Alternate between your right and left hands, and voila. The tricky part is how fast and smooth Buddy played it.

To get your single strokes up to speed, you’ll need to focus on your drum technique. You’ll get the motion from your wrists when playing slowly, but you’ll need to use some sort of finger technique as you speed up. Working on techniques like Moeller and push-pull will help you get there.

The key is nailing that smooth transition from wrists to fingers as you increase the tempo. Start slow and make sure you’re relaxed. Don’t overthink it!

Live In Tokyo (1964)

Buddy Rich was playing with the Harry James Orchestra in this clip, and this section is based on paradiddles, paradiddle-diddles, doubles and singles. While it might sound relatively simple on paper, Buddy didn’t just play patterns – he made them melodic and gave them his own signature touch that no one else can quite replicate.

Live In The Hague (1978) – Kick & Ride Lick

This lick focuses heavily on the ride cymbal and sounds quick and effortless, especially when the bass drum pairs so cleanly with the cymbal at the end. Another lick based on single strokes, it’s all about where in the roll Buddy put the accents and where he moved them around the kit.

Live In The Hague (1978) – ‘One Handed Roll‘

Buddy played a one-handed roll here. Or did he? This ‘one-handed roll‘ is actually a group of three strokes on the left hand followed by a bass drum or floor tom hit. As you build up speed, the broken pattern starts looking and sounding like a one-handed roll. Your hands will play in unison on beat one, followed by two more left hand hits and finally a stroke on the bass drum. This is a timeless lick that sounds great in solos, comping, or keeping time.

Live In Copenhagen (1968)

This lick comes from the classic break in Buddy Rich’s “Love For Sale” and consists of a single stroke roll with accents. Buddy was great at taking traditional patterns and giving them his own twist.

For more classic drumming content, check out Greyson’s full course for Drumeo members where he breaks down Big Band and jazz drumming.