{"id":43605,"date":"2023-03-16T08:50:58","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T15:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/?p=43605"},"modified":"2023-03-23T12:25:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T19:25:55","slug":"7-ways-to-make-money-playing-drums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/7-ways-to-make-money-playing-drums\/","title":{"rendered":"7+ Ways To Make Money Playing Drums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you spend time on social media, you might see a conversation about how social media drummers shouldn\u2019t be put in the same light as drummers who have taken the more traditional route.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What does that mean, exactly? And what should aspiring drummers believe about the music industry and how to make a living?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The drumming world has expanded dramatically regarding career opportunities, and here\u2019s everything you need to know.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\"><h2>In this article:<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#strong-drum-influencers-vs-industry-drummers-strong\">Drum influencers vs. industry drummers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#strong-what-is-a-social-media-drummer-strong\">What is a social media drummer?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#strong-what-does-a-traditional-drumming-career-look-like-strong\">What does a traditional drumming career look like?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#strong-which-career-path-is-better-strong\">Which career path is better?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#strong-7-ways-to-make-money-playing-drums-strong\">7 ways to make money playing drums<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#strong-examples-of-drummers-who-do-it-all-strong\">Examples of drummers who do it all<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strong-drum-influencers-vs-industry-drummers-strong\"><strong>Drum influencers vs. industry drummers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a hot topic on social media: are drum influencers &#8220;real drummers&#8221;? Some of the tension comes from those struggling with a shift in career opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few decades ago, all drummers would need to grind to make ends meet. Sleeping on a friend\u2019s couch was a normal way to save cash on rent, as nightly gigs wouldn\u2019t always pay enough to be financially stable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To become well-known and respected as a drummer, you\u2019d need to work hard to get to the top, performing, recording, and teaching wherever possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the new age of social media, it\u2019s possible to gain major fame by posting a few videos. You technically don\u2019t have to leave your house and can still become an influential figure in the drumming and wider music communities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is that a bad thing? Well, it depends on how you look at it. There are pros and cons on both sides, and we think it\u2019s important to deeply understand both to see which path you want to take as a drummer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Influencers vs. Industry Drummers (w\/ Domino Santantonio) | The Drum Department \ud83e\udd41 (Ep. 17)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zRUn75ZXteM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strong-what-is-a-social-media-drummer-strong\"><strong>What is a social media drummer?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Someone who regularly posts pictures and videos (such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-make-drum-covers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drum covers<\/a>) on social media platforms can be considered a social media drummer. However, most drummers do this, even if they\u2019ve taken the more traditional drumming career route.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s the drummers with large followings who make significant incomes through online platforms that are typically considered \u201cdrum influencers.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These drummers get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/todd-sucherman-interview-drumeo-gab-215podcast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">endorsements from drum companies<\/a> and leverage their followings for business opportunities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many drum influencers do a lot more work this way than by playing gigs or recording albums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is there anything wrong with that? Not at all! Drummers who regularly post videos must learn an entirely new set of skills to keep up with current trends and algorithms compared to the traditional route of playing gigs and recording.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These skills include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&nbsp;Knowing how to use cameras and lighting&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Video editing&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Talking in front of a camera<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Marketing strategies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Managing communities&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strong-what-does-a-traditional-drumming-career-look-like-strong\"><strong>What does a traditional drumming career look like?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The conventional drumming career involves:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Joining bands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Performing live gigs regularly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Touring different places to perform<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tracking drums for albums<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You could also throw in-person teaching into the mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This career path is seen as traditional as it was the only way to have a successful drumming career before social media was a thing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s often seen as more difficult than taking the social media route, but people don\u2019t consider that many of the skills needed are entirely different.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the traditional route, you need to make connections and find yourself in the right place at the right time. Some aspiring drummers never made it big with this route, while others were lucky enough to join bands that became popular.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/23130535\/mario-duplantier-Gojira-live-2016-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28064\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/23130535\/mario-duplantier-Gojira-live-2016-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/23130535\/mario-duplantier-Gojira-live-2016-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/23130535\/mario-duplantier-Gojira-live-2016-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/23130535\/mario-duplantier-Gojira-live-2016-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/23130535\/mario-duplantier-Gojira-live-2016-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gojira live, 2016 <em>(Photo: Mario Duplantier, Gojira)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part about doing it the old-school way is that you get to play music with other people. Whether you make money or not, playing drums in a band can be rewarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t need to be in a huge band for this career option to work, either. Some drummers comfortably support their families by playing in local wedding bands.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And there are other gigs you might not have thought of. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/cool-drumming-gigs-drumming-on-cruise-ships\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Drumming on a cruise ship<\/a>, joining a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/cool-drumming-gigs-nfl-drumming\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">football team&#8217;s drumline<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/cool-drumming-gigs-cirque-du-soleil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">playing drums with Cirque Du Soleil<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/cool-drumming-gigs-war-reenactments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drumming in war reenactments<\/a> &#8211; these could all be options in your future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strong-which-career-path-is-better-strong\"><strong>Which career path is better?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The interesting thing about drum influencers vs. industry drummers is that both parties often feel that their career path is harder than the opposing one.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neither career path is better. They\u2019re just different, and some drummers may prefer one path over the other.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest downside of being an influencer is that you don\u2019t get to play with other musicians as often as industry drummers do.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One huge aspect of learning an instrument is playing with other musicians; that skill can fall flat when you spend more time playing the drums alone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06152404\/2022-05-13-Jam-Band-133-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43778\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06152404\/2022-05-13-Jam-Band-133-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06152404\/2022-05-13-Jam-Band-133-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06152404\/2022-05-13-Jam-Band-133-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06152404\/2022-05-13-Jam-Band-133-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Most professional musicians can tell when a drummer isn\u2019t comfortable performing live in a band setting, and that\u2019s something social media drummers should note (read this article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-deal-with-stage-fright\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to deal with stage fright<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If social media isn\u2019t your thing, you may find more reward in getting gigs to earn a living. You can forget about the ever-changing algorithms and just enjoy playing with other people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, your social presence is also your resum\u00e9. Sharing content online makes it easy for other musicians to see your playing, and many social media drummers have landed huge \u201creal world\u201d gigs because of this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also: not everyone can (or wants to) leave home regularly for gigs or sessions. If you&#8217;d prefer to be a homebody, the online content creator life might be for you.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/21092259\/Social-Media-Drummer-vs-Traditional-Drummer-Chart-1080x1350-1-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"social media drummer vs traditional drummer\" class=\"wp-image-44345\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/21092259\/Social-Media-Drummer-vs-Traditional-Drummer-Chart-1080x1350-1-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/21092259\/Social-Media-Drummer-vs-Traditional-Drummer-Chart-1080x1350-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/21092259\/Social-Media-Drummer-vs-Traditional-Drummer-Chart-1080x1350-1-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/21092259\/Social-Media-Drummer-vs-Traditional-Drummer-Chart-1080x1350-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some key differences between social media drummers and &#8216;traditional&#8217; drummers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strong-7-ways-to-make-money-playing-drums-strong\"><strong>7 ways to make money playing drums<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/making-money-playing-drums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">support yourself as a drummer<\/a>. You\u2019ll be golden if you can fill up your schedule with different income streams. However, it\u2019s also possible to succeed by sticking to one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/nick-dvirgilio-interview-drumeo-gab-podcast-159\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this podcast episode<\/a> where Nick D&#8217;Virgilio (Sweetwater, Genesis) explains how grinding at bars and tracking for small artists led him to get some massive opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Playing gigs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playing gigs is the tried and true way to be a successful drummer. When you tell someone \u201cI\u2019m a drummer\u201d, they\u2019ll assume you play in a band, and that\u2019s why gigging is seen as one of the most popular routes to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/04152810\/Blog-comedy-show-featured-image.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15915\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/04152810\/Blog-comedy-show-featured-image.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/04152810\/Blog-comedy-show-featured-image.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/04152810\/Blog-comedy-show-featured-image.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/04152810\/Blog-comedy-show-featured-image.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Take your passion to the stage <em>(Photo: Elie Bertrand)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While many drum parts are programmed these days, artists still want to perform with live drummers, so there are countless opportunities in all styles of music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Recording drum parts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Studio recording isn\u2019t as popular as it was a decade or two ago. You\u2019ll get the occasional studio gig, but digital drum sounds have become incredibly realistic, so producers tend to work with those more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there\u2019s still a big market for remote recording. If you have a personal studio space around your drum kit, you can market yourself as a remote session drummer, and people will send you their songs so you can add the drum parts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Do Remote Drum Recordings (the right way)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iYSpW4BT2fk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Start a Recording Studio Business!\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OBki_YLh4fw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, drummers are still being hired for recording sessions in a commercial studio. But these gigs can be harder to come by, and producers\/artists tend to hire the same drummers over and over. If you can constantly work on your networking skills and meet people when you can, you may get invited to work traditional sessions as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Teaching<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can offer drum lessons in person or online. You can either find local students or use social media to reach students from around the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/07120616\/Teacher-and-student-Jared-Brandon-education-book-DSC_0720-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24254\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/07120616\/Teacher-and-student-Jared-Brandon-education-book-DSC_0720-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/07120616\/Teacher-and-student-Jared-Brandon-education-book-DSC_0720-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/07120616\/Teacher-and-student-Jared-Brandon-education-book-DSC_0720-768x471.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/07120616\/Teacher-and-student-Jared-Brandon-education-book-DSC_0720-1536x941.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/07120616\/Teacher-and-student-Jared-Brandon-education-book-DSC_0720-2048x1255.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">You can make a living as a drum teacher.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re teaching online, you just need a decent setup so your students get good audio. You also have to accept that many students will have lesser audio quality coming from their side.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. YouTube<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can take time to get started, but \u2018YouTube Drummer\u2019 is a real potential career path. If you have a large viewership, you\u2019ll make money through Google AdSense, and you can tack on affiliate marketing and sponsorship deals to round out your income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06134739\/2022-04-20-Studio-A-Hangs-147-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43700\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06134739\/2022-04-20-Studio-A-Hangs-147-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06134739\/2022-04-20-Studio-A-Hangs-147-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06134739\/2022-04-20-Studio-A-Hangs-147-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/06134739\/2022-04-20-Studio-A-Hangs-147-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">You don&#8217;t need a full setup to post drum videos. A phone is enough to get started!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Streaming<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Streaming is getting bigger and bigger each year. As a drummer, you can sign up for a streaming platform like Twitch and get paid per subscriber. You can also receive tips when you stream.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"HOW TO Stream MUSIC to Twitch \/ YouTube \/ Facebook | Part 1: Gear\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Nt0xj1wuF5M?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"HOW TO Stream MUSIC to Twitch \/ YouTube \/ Facebook | Part 2: OBS Tutorial\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sYiLge58l2s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Sampling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With so many people valuing electronic drum sounds, drummers can record four to eight-bar grooves and then sell them as samples. You can also record single sounds from your kit to sell.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn how to do it in this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/the-ultimate-guide-to-drum-samples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ultimate guide to drum samples<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Getting sponsorships<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We briefly mentioned sponsorships for YouTubers, but you can get them if you have a large following on any platform.Just note that most paid sponsorships don\u2019t come from drum, cymbal, or stick brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instrument companies typically offer endorsements on a relationship basis, offering product instead of payment, while monetary sponsorships will come from other industry brands willing to pay to put their product in front of an audience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s not to say that drum brands don\u2019t pay their artists. It\u2019s just not as normal as some people think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How SMALL YOUTUBERS Can Get PAID BRAND DEALS (Real Advice)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KXuNM6VZrbo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Even smaller channels can get sponsorships if you find the right fit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strong-examples-of-drummers-who-do-it-all-strong\"><strong>Examples of drummers who do it all<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You should know that you don\u2019t have to stick to one side of this whole debate around if social media drummers are &#8220;legit&#8221;. Plenty of drummers have major social media followings from posting videos, but they also perform and record regularly in more traditional ways.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few examples.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Zack Graybeal (ZackGrooves)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I can\u2019t stop playing this groove\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wGP3ZbiLFXE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ZackGrooves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ZackGrooves<\/a> is a jazz drummer who started posting videos that blew up on YouTube. He\u2019s since become many people\u2019s favorite YouTube drummer, but he&#8217;s also a drum teacher who performs with various artists and is releasing an album with his band, Everything Yes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Domino Santantonio&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dua Lipa Drum Performance (Domino Santantonio)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Dpu0b5hRtQE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@DominoSantantonio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Domino<\/a> has a massive following across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. She\u2019s most well-known for posting drum covers of popular songs, but she also tours with artists like <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Roxane_Bruneau\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Roxane Bruneau<\/a> while maintaining her social media platforms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What most people don&#8217;t know: she was, in fact, a gigging drummer before she blew up online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>El Estepario Siberiano<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ONE HANDED DRUMMING VOL.1\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/21z3PJmDuqw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ElEsteparioSiberiano\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">El Estepario<\/a> has been posting drum covers on YouTube for several years and has a huge following across all social media platforms. Many people know him for being the drummer who plays crazy things with only one hand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>El Estepario has used his following to get gigs with bands like <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Saratoga_(band)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Saratoga<\/a>, which means he\u2019s used the social media route to break into the more traditional one (and he\u2019s not alone).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In summary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to drum influencers versus industry drummers, both are valid. We should be grateful that there are so many ways for drummers to make a living these days.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you primarily work on creating solo social media drumming videos, know that your ability to improvise and play comfortably with other musicians may take a hit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you want to take the traditional drumming route of playing gigs and recording, know that you\u2019ll make a lot more connections by starting a social media page to get seen. Running that page may be trickier than you think!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, we all get to play the drums, and there\u2019s nothing better than that.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Can I have a social media career?&#8221; &#8220;Can my band pay the bills?&#8221; Here are all the ways you can make money as a drummer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198,"featured_media":44291,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4019],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drummers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/198"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43605"}],"version-history":[{"count":51,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44397,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43605\/revisions\/44397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}