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’A Drummer’s Guide To...’ is the podcast that dives into everything it takes to thrive as a professional musician beyond the practice room. Hosted by Emily Dolan Davies, a drummer since 1999, pro since 2008, and a passionate mentor since 2018, this show unpacks the real-world challenges, triumphs, and strategies for building the career of your dreams. Whether you’re chasing gigs, navigating the music industry, or balancing passion with practicality, Emily’s got your back with honest insights and inspiring stories. Find out more about Emily at EmilyDrums.com
Episodes

4 days ago
182 - Gig Vid Glow-Ups
4 days ago
4 days ago
🚨 If you are a musician wanting to level up your socials video game, then my podcast episode #182 - A Drummer's Guide To... Gig Vid Glow-Ups could be for you!
👀 Are you a musician who is trying to post videos to showcase yourself, but…
😫 you feel you’re not getting any traction
😖 you feel that the quality is too low
😤 you just have no idea what to post!
🙈 Let me tell you, I’ve been there, trying to find some decent footage to post, or create my own, and then by the time I actually get something, I find it’s rubbish quality, or boring, or I feel so insecure I don’t even get to the drafts page on my Insta, and just abandon ship altogether!
🎙️ If this sounds familiar to you, then join me in my podcast episode #182 - A Drummer's Guide To... Gig Vid Glow-Ups. In the episode I share:
💡 How to make the most of even the worst phone footage
💡 How to make the videos really HIT with your audience
💡 How to present yourself in a pro way through your socials
👀 If this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #182 - A Drummer's Guide To... Gig Vid Glow-Ups
🎙 And if you’d like to learn all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 If you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, you can submit it at:
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Mar 15, 2025
181 - Before You Quit...
Saturday Mar 15, 2025
Saturday Mar 15, 2025
🚨 If you’re a musician and thinking about quitting, STOP, and listen to this!
👀 If you’re a musician that has been grinding away doing, or trying to do the pro thing, but feel like the only thing you're getting closer to is throwing in the towel, then my podcast episode #181 - A Drummer's Guide To... Before You Quit… is for you!
🏳️ I’ll admit, there have been many times I’ve come so close to just giving up, tired of it all, ready to be defeated, and literally going to grab my white flag of surrender…
🙌 However, I (thankfully) didn’t.
🎙 In my podcast episode #181 - A Drummer's Guide To... Before You Quit… I share exactly how I have brought myself back from the brink in various ways, and if I found myself in that position now, how I would tackle it.
🛠️ Hopefully these tools will help you too, if and when you get to that point (because to a degree I think we all need to!)
👀 so if this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #181 - A Drummer's Guide To... Before You Quit…
🎙 And if you’d like to learn all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 If you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, you can submit it at [www.emilydrums.com/ama](http://www.emilydrums.com/ama)
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Mar 08, 2025
180 - The Invisible Goal Gap
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
🚨 Do you feel there is a gap between your goals and where you are right now, but you don’t know what the in-between contains?
😩 Are you a musician who doesn’t know the components that need to be in place to obtain your goals?
🧐 Or maybe you know the skills needed but are waiting to ‘get the call’ before you get good at those skills?
😖 Or maybe you’re working on the skills, but you don’t know what level they need to be at before you can start looking for opportunities? 🎙 If any of this is resonating with you, then my podcast episode #180 - A Drummer's Guide To... The Invisible Goal Gap could be for you!
👀 Personally I have experienced the ABSOLUTE WORST CASE SCENARIO where I got the call, got to the gig, and didn’t have the skills!!!!
🎧 I don’t want that for you, and so that’s why I share my ethos on having the skills in place for your professional goals in my podcast episode #180 - A Drummer's Guide To... The Invisible Goal Gap
🎙 And if you’d like to learn all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 If you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, you can submit it at www.emilydrums.com/ama
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Feb 22, 2025
179 - Hyper-Focus Highs and Lows
Saturday Feb 22, 2025
Saturday Feb 22, 2025
🚨 Are you a musician who is becoming burnt out from your hyper-focus sessions?
😩 Do you wear your hyper-focus sessions and work yourself to exhaustion as a badge of honour? I know I absolutely did! I only ever felt like I had done something productive if I had driven myself to the point of exhaustion through hyper-focusing on tasks?
🎙 If you can relate to this, then check out my podcast episode #179 - A Drummer's Guide To... Hyper-Focus Highs and Lows
🧐 In this episode, I share:
💪 The massive benefits of hyper-focus - let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater here!
😖 The pitfalls I personally have experienced, and it goes waaayyyyy past just burnout!
☯️ How I use hyper-focus to my advantage whilst minimising the negative impacts.
👀 If this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #179 - A Drummer's Guide To... Hyper-Focus Highs and Lows
🎙 And if you’d like the curtain to be lifted further on how to create a sustainable career as a professional musician, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 …and if you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, then you can at EmilyDrums.com/ama
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Feb 15, 2025
178 - Pricing Your Passion
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
💰 If you’re a musician who is struggling to know what to charge, then my new episode #178 A Drummer's Guide To... Pricing Your Passion could be for you!
💸 Are you a musician who is playing with artists but finding you’re doing it for little or no money, or maybe don’t know how to even approach a conversation about money.
💵 I’ll be the first to say, I find conversations about money HAAAARDDDD!!! I’m much better than I used to be, but has been and continues to be a process for me!
🎧 In my podcast episode #178 - A Drummer's Guide To... Pricing Your Passion I share…
🤑 How I approach conversations about money
🤑 How I price myself.
🤑 What NOT to do!
👀 If this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #178 - A Drummer's Guide To... Pricing Your Passion
🎙 And if you’d like the curtain to be lifted further on how to create a sustainable career as a professional musician, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 If you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, you can submit it at [www.emilydrums.com/ama](http://www.emilydrums.com/ama)
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Feb 08, 2025
177 - Building Confidence After Criticism
Saturday Feb 08, 2025
Saturday Feb 08, 2025
😬 Are you a musician that has dealt with unsolicited criticism?
👀 If the answer is yes, then you are not alone, and the lovely Greg shared with us his exact experience of getting criticism during a gig, how they dealt with it, and my own experiences of similar situations (of which there have been many!)
🎙 If you’re part of this club too, then come join me in my podcast episode #177 - A Drummer's Guide To... Building Confidence After Criticism.
🎧 In this episode, I share how I have dealt with moments of criticism, in the moment and longer term. And here are the areas I look to:
☯️ Finding ways to know in myself my strengths weaknesses
🙋♀️ How to take criticism as an opinion rather than fact
🤔 Other factors that are almost definitely involved that we may not always bring into the equation
👀 If this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #3 - A Drummer's Guide To... Building Confidence After Criticism.
🎙 And if you’d like the curtain to be lifted further on how to create a sustainable career as a professional musician, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 and if you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, then send your question in to EmilyDrums.com/ama
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Jan 25, 2025
176 - Teaching, Touring and Transitions
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
🚨 Are a musician who is wanting to transition from a ‘stable’ job to following your passion and making music your career?
☺️ Well, if it is, you’re in luck because the awesome @zachondrums asked me a question on this very subject and so I gave him some steps to make this scary step more manageable, and you can hear all about it on my podcast episode 176, A Drummer's Guide To... Teaching, Touring and Transitions.
🙋♀️ If you’re a musician who is also struggling with this step and want to know how to give yourself the best chance of success, then I think you’ll enjoy this, and feel a little less alone… hopefully.
🧐 In this episode I share how best to: Leverage your situation Leverage social media Leverage your current contacts …and then building from there!
👀 If this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #176 - A Drummer's Guide To... Teaching, Touring and Transitions
🎙 And if you’d like the curtain to be lifted further on how to create a sustainable career as a professional musician, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 Support this podcast now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/emilydrums
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Jan 18, 2025
175 - Sacrifice
Saturday Jan 18, 2025
Saturday Jan 18, 2025
🧐 Are you wondering the level of commitment needed to pursue a career as a session musician?
🎙️ If you’re wanting to make music your career then my podcast episode #175 - A Drummer's Guide To... Sacrifice is for you
🏞️ In my experience I feel sacrifice is necessary if you’re looking to excel into spaces that are off the beaten path, however, too much sacrifice in the name of music can make you fall down injured on that path and come crawling back to the mainstream!
🎧 In my podcast episode #175 - A Drummer's Guide To... Sacrifice I share my personal sacrifices I’ve made in my career that have made my career, as well as the ones that have hindered my career and life.
👧 This is an episode to my younger self, and so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did.
👀 If this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #175 - A Drummer's Guide To... Sacrifice
🎙 And if you’d like the curtain to be lifted further on how to create a sustainable career as a professional musician, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
📣 And shoutout to Patreon member Matthew North, and if you’d like to check out his music, www.matthewnorthmusic.co.uk
🥰 If you'd like me to cover a specific topic on a future episode, hit me up at: https://www.emilydrums.com/ama
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Jan 11, 2025
174 - Big Gig Ready
Saturday Jan 11, 2025
Saturday Jan 11, 2025
😱 So you get the call for the big gig, but then what?!
🤔 Are you a musician, aiming for a professional career, but maybe you don’t actually know what is expected from you, and are too embarrassed to ask, because you’re meant to be acting like a professional after all!
😳 That was me, embarrassed to ask what the job actually meant, and kind of guessed a lot of it, and when I say I took a path SO MUCH HARDER THAN IT NEEDED TO BE!!!! I want you to have the easier path.
🎙 In my podcast episode #174 - A Drummer's Guide To... Big Gig Ready I share how I get ready by:
📝 Finding out the info of the gig (seems obvious right), song list, lineup, my role expectations past my instrument i.e electronics, are we playing to clicks, is there track, am I running track(?!) what’s the monitoring setup, and loads more!
🤓 Researching peripheral information like previous live shows, other material that is not on the song list.
💪 Practical practising advice before rehearsals start (if you even get a rehearsal!!!)
👀 Other smaller life things that will make things easier to handle.
😖 I share all my experiences in so many different circumstances and the repercussions of being (and not being) prepared!
🎧 If this has piqued your interest, then check out my podcast episode #174 - A Drummer's Guide To... Big Gig Ready where I expand on all the thing you need to be ready when you get the call for the big gig!
🎙 And if you’d like the curtain to be lifted further on how to create a sustainable career as a professional musician, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 If you have a topic suggestion for a future episode or something specific you’d like me to talk on, then hit me up at www.emilydrums.com/ama
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry

Saturday Jan 04, 2025
173 - Where Are All The Musicians?!
Saturday Jan 04, 2025
Saturday Jan 04, 2025
😩 Are you struggling to find other musicians to play with?
🎧 If you’re a musician wanting to play with more people and expand your network and grow your career, then my podcast, and episode #173 - A Drummer's Guide To... Where Are All The Musicians?! could be for you!
👀 In this episode I cover how important other musicians are to our careers (sometimes even those playing the same instrument!)
🔥 I share the top places and scenarios I have met musicians that created seminal relationships within the industry and ultimately led me to my career flourishing.
😳 I include how I find these spaces, as well as the courage to actually enter into them!
✋ These include…
🥁 Jam Nights
🎸 Gigs (yours and others)
🎹 Trade shows, clinics and masterclasses
💻 Online options
👀 If this has piqued your interest, then check out episode #173 - A Drummer's Guide To... Where Are All The Musicians?!
🎙 And if you’d like the curtain to be lifted further on how to create a sustainable career as a professional musician, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and YouTube
🥰 If you have a question you’d like me to answer on an episode, you can submit it at www.emilydrums.com/ama
#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #MusicPodcast #EducationPodcast #BusinessPodcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #diymusician #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry