You Don’t Have to Be a Legend to Shape the Future of the Drummers Community

Attention often goes to high-profile performers: viral videos, top level drum corps, and world-class educators. While these figures undeniably shape our field, this blog explores a more fundamental idea: that the ongoing tradition of rudimental drumming is sustained not by a few icons, but by the collective of dedicated practitioners — including you.

This blog reflects on the role of leadership and influence in the drumming world, reconsiders the “Great Men Theory” and presents rudimental drumming as a collaborative, evolving tradition. You will find out how your own practice, creativity, and composing directly contribute to the future of our global community of rudimental drummers.

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The Icons Who Lead Us

Prominent individuals can serve as powerful entry points into our passion for drumming. Many drummers, including myself, first encountered the excitement of rudimental drumming through watching standout performers such as BYOS (Ralph Nader and Harvey Thompson). Their unique combination of groove, visual flair, and technical skills captured my attention and pushed me to develop my own skills.

Others, like Scott Johnson of the Blue Devils, shaped big part of the landscape of competitive marching percussion. Through his capabilities on technique, sound clarity, and consistency, Scott has not only led one of the world’s best drumlines, but has also helped shape the instructional standards adopted globally in marching percussion.

Influence is also about dedication for our passion. A key example is Mark Reilly, whose work with The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and The Washington Tattoo exemplifies a commitment to sharing tradition across styles and borders. Mark’s contributions go beyond performance; he brought people together, he spread the word of #ShareTheTradition.

The piece The Adventures of Joe 90, composed by Ross Andrews and Brian Pentony, is another example of how drumming legends have advanced tradition through creative innovation. Combining traditional rudimental vocabulary with groove, stick tricks, and visual elements, the composition attracted a wide audience and inspired many players to connect with this historical style in a new way. These leaders do not just preserve tradition; they activate it.

The Power of the Crowd

While celebrated figures are important, it is crucial to acknowledge the role of the wider community in sustaining musical traditions. A compelling idea shared by Alexander Krabbendam challenges the “Great Man Theory” of history. He argues that societal progress is shaped less by exceptional individuals than by ordinary people who act — the nurses, the soldiers, the teachers; our in our context: the everyday drummer.

In our field, it is not only the high-profile names that shape the future. It is the young drummer uploading their first video. The small-town instructor guiding five students each week. The band member driving long distances to rehearsals because they love being part of something.

This community dynamic inspired the creation of the Marching Drummers Festival in the Netherlands as well. The goal was not simply to highlight top-tier performances, but to offer a platform where local groups, students, and unexpected collaborations could share the same spotlight as renowned acts.

Rudimental drumming is best understood not as a hierarchy, but as an ecosystem — a distributed network of practice, influence, and growth. In such a system, innovation travels in all directions: bottom-up, top-down, and peer-to-peer. This inclusive structure allows tradition to stay dynamic and relevant.

The Legacy of The Adventures of Joe 90

Musical tradition survives when pieces are learned, performed, and reinterpreted across generations. The Adventures of Joe 90 serves as a perfect example of how a single composition can energize and unite a community. This piece has been widely adopted.

After I first saw it at a clinic with Mark Reilly in 2016, I started noticing versions pop up all over YouTube and social media. Players from various countries, military groups, some in full uniform, others just sneakers and a hoodie — everyone put their own spin on it — all contributing to the same living tradition.

The point is, unlike a static painting in a gallery, a drum solo must be played to be preserved. Its legacy exists not on paper, but in the hands of those who perform it. This is a reminder that every act of playing is an act of participation in a larger story, and needed to pass this story on to the next generation.

Create to Evolve

Composing new material is not just a creative act — it’s also where you can help shape the future of rudimental drumming. When I began composing as a teenager, I wasn’t trying to innovate, though. I was simply trying to work through ideas. Composing helped me understand phrasing, structure, and technical limitations — and pushed me to overcome them. A fun additional benefit of writing my material slightly beyond my current ability, is that I gave myself room to grow.

Composing also invites reflection on existing material. You can use a piece instrumentally to explore new possibilities. Taking an existing piece and arrange it with slightly more difficult rudiments or more difficult phrases, is an easy way to develop yourself and become a better drummer. A solo like Joe 90 can serve not just as repertoire, but as a resource this way. By isolating a phrase, shifting time signatures, or modifying sticking, you could create your own exercises and expand your own musical vocabulary.

Tools like MuseScore make this process accessible to everyone. You don’t need a degree or expensive software to begin composing. You just need the curiosity to explore and the willingness to try.

In conclusion, the future of rudimental drumming is not secured by a few — it is shaped by the many. The contributions of legends, educators, and innovators are vital. But their impact only lives on when everyday drummers engage with, carry, and reinterpret the tradition. Whether in conservatories or community centers, rehearsal rooms or garages — every player helps ensure that rudimental drumming remains a living, breathing culture.

So yes — study the classics. Learn from the masters. But just as importantly: add your voice. Compose. Perform. Teach. Share.

That’s not just how we keep the tradition alive — that’s how we make sure it keeps moving forward. Because honestly, the future of rudimental drumming is way too exciting to be left on repeat.

If you're interested in this topic, you can also watch our video about it:

https://youtu.be/AzkYxrlC60w?si=-ps0S2oTV2UfbgLm