A Drummer’s Guide To...

206 - The Dark Side of Being Easy to Work With

Being “easy to work with” is one of the biggest compliments a musician can get — but what happens when it goes too far?

In this episode of A Drummer’s Guide To…, Emily Dolan Davies explores the fine line between being kind, professional, and adaptable… and losing yourself in the process.

She shares personal stories of times she over-accommodated others — saying yes when she meant no, taking on too much to avoid rocking the boat, and confusing silence for professionalism.
Through honest reflection and years of industry experience, Emily dives into the darker side of being “the nice one,” and how to rebuild confidence, boundaries, and self-respect without losing your warmth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
🎯 Why being “easy” can lead to resentment and burnout
💬 How to set boundaries without guilt or confrontation
🧠 The psychology behind people-pleasing in creative industries
💡 Practical ways to protect your time, energy, and self-worth

👉 Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Emily: emilydrums.com

👉 Submit questions or stories for future episodes: emilydrums.com/ama

👉 Follow Emily on Instagram: @HeyEmilyDrums

205 - The Fear Of Silence

What happens when the music stops?

When the noise, the hustle, the scrolling… all fade — and you’re left with yourself?
In this episode, Emily Dolan Davies opens up about her lifelong discomfort with silence — how she used drumming and constant productivity to drown out difficult emotions, and what she’s learned over the last two years about sitting still, listening inward, and finding peace in the quiet.
She explores:

🎧 Why silence feels so uncomfortable — psychologically and emotionally

🥁 How busyness and distraction keep us from processing feelings

💭 The link between silence, self-worth, and creativity

❤️ How learning to sit with discomfort can build emotional resilience
If you’ve ever filled every spare moment with sound, work, or social media — this one’s for you.
✨ Try this: Practice sitting in silence for 10 minutes today. No distractions, no goals, just awareness. Notice what surfaces.
🎙️ Listen, reflect, and reclaim your calm.
➡️ Book your free discovery call: emilydrums.com

➡️ Ask a question anonymously: emilydrums.com/AMA

➡️ Follow on Instagram: @HeyEmilyDrums

204 - Social Media Balance

Feeling stretched thin trying to be everywhere online? You’re not alone.
In this episode, Emily shares how to find balance between your live gigs, remote recording, teaching, and the endless scroll of social media — without burning out or losing focus.
🎯 What you’ll learn:

🥁 How to balance live and studio content authentically

💬 When (and when not) to split your accounts

⚙️ The psychology of online identity for musicians

❤️ How to show your versatility without confusing your audience

💡 Why people follow connection, not categories
If you’re trying to grow online while staying true to who you are — this one’s for you.

Thanks to Jake P for this question too!

🎧 Watch A Drummer’s Guide To... Social Media Balance (Ep. 204)

📣 Book a free 30-minute discovery call: emilydrums.com

🎙️ Listen to all episodes: A Drummer’s Guide To... Podcast

203 - Money, Music & Shame

Talking about money in music is awkward enough. But shame? That’s the hidden weight nearly every musician carries.

In this episode, I open up about my own journey with money — the free gigs, the low fees, the times I felt like asking to be paid made me “less of an artist.” I share how shame shaped my early career, how I’ve learned to push past it, and why charging what you’re worth is not only okay — it’s essential.

We’ll dig into:
• Why so many musicians secretly feel shame about charging 💸
• The hidden costs of playing for free (and when it actually makes sense)
• How to reframe “breadhead” stigma into professionalism
• Negotiation strategies that don’t feel icky
• Why your self-worth and your rates are more connected than you think

If you’ve ever felt guilty, awkward, or ashamed about money in your music career — this one’s for you.

👉 Book a free discovery call with me here: emilydrums.com

👉 Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/emilydrums

202 - Courage Over Perfection

Are you waiting until you’re “perfect” before you go for it? In this episode, I dive into the real reason perfection holds musicians back — and why courage is the thing that moves your career forward.
I’ll share my own stories of saying yes when I didn’t feel ready, the lessons I learned from failure, and why the moments I was most scared often became the ones that changed my career the most.
🎧 What you’ll learn in this episode:
• Why perfectionism is secretly self-sabotage
• How courage creates growth (and opportunities)
• Practical ways to step out of your comfort zone
👉 Listen now, and if you’re ready to build confidence and momentum in your career, book a free discovery call at emilydrums.com.
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

201 - Build It and They Will (NOT) Come

We’ve all heard it: “If you just put yourself out there, people will find you.”

Here’s the truth: posting alone doesn’t build a career.
In this episode I dig into:

👉 Why “build it and wait” leaves musicians stuck

👉 The missing ingredient between a polished feed and real gigs

👉 How to connect with the right people online without being spammy

👉 Daily outreach habits that actually lead to opportunities
If you’re tired of posting and getting crickets, this episode will show you how to flip your socials into a tool that actually gets you work.
🎧 Listen to Episode 201 now and find out how to turn invisible into in demand.

200 - Live & Unfiltered

This isn’t your usual polished podcast… In this special live episode, I opened the floor to YOUR questions, shared behind-the-scenes stories, and let the conversation flow completely unfiltered. We dug into everything from:

👉 Gigging (even if music isn’t your full-time job)

👉 Pre-show rituals and post-show habits (the good AND the bad)

👉 Rejection, resilience, and staying confident on stage

👉 Touring, West End pit work, and building a sustainable music career

👉 Silly hypotheticals (yes, including unicorns 🦄 vs dragons 🐉)

This is raw, honest, and totally in the moment — the kind of episode you can’t script.

📩 Want to go deeper? Book a free discovery call and let’s talk about your music career: emilydrums.com

🎧 Listen. Laugh. Learn. Feel seen. This is what “Live & Unfiltered” is all about.

199 - Getting Called Out!

Welcome to Episode 199 of A Drummer’s Guide To… Getting Called Out!
This week, I’m sharing a raw and uncomfortable part of my journey — when I was publicly called out for not being authentic online. At first, it felt humiliating…but it became one of the most powerful lessons in vulnerability and accountability I’ve ever learned.
Inside this episode, I’ll cover:

😳 What happened when I was exposed for fake followers and automated comments

💡 Why accountability creates deeper trust than perfection ever could

🎶 How mistakes on stage (yes, I’ve made plenty!) actually brought me closer to bandmates

🤝 Why vulnerability is the bridge to stronger relationships in music and beyond
If you’ve ever struggled with self-esteem, feared making mistakes, or worried about being “found out,” this episode is for you.
👉 Listen now and let’s reframe rejection, mistakes, and shame into growth.

🎧 Plus: if you’re ready to get personal guidance on your music career, book a free discovery call with me at emilydrums.com.

198 - Rejection Redefined

Rejection stings. It’s personal, it’s painful, and it can leave you questioning whether you’re good enough. But here’s the truth: rejection isn’t a dead end — it’s data.
In this episode, I share the rejections that shaped my career (and nearly broke me), and how I reframed them into lessons, resilience, and growth. From missed gigs to failed auditions, every “no” carried a hidden “next step.”
✅ Why rejection hurts so much — and how to take back control

✅ The hidden reasons you might get turned down (that no one tells you)

✅ How to turn setbacks into setups for future success

✅ Practical steps to reframe rejection as feedback, not failure
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I just not good enough?” this episode will change how you see rejection forever.
👉 Listen now to Episode 198: Rejection Redefined and let’s rewrite the story together.

197 - Posting Isn't Enough

🔥 Think posting on Instagram is enough to grow your music career? Think again.

In episode #197 — A Drummer’s Guide To... Posting Isn’t Enough, I’m breaking down the real reason musicians get stuck at “likes” and never land the gigs.

You’ll learn:

🎯 The biggest Instagram mistakes that quietly cost you opportunities

🤝 How to turn followers into paying clients without feeling salesy

📲 My exact networking strategy that got me gigs straight from my phone

💡 How to make your profile a magnet for the RIGHT people If you’ve been posting and praying, this episode will show you how to actually get noticed, booked, and paid.

🎧 Listen to episode #197 — Posting Isn’t Enough now and turn your IG from a time-waster into your most powerful gig-getting tool.