Drummer and producer Makaya McCraven, a Chicago transplant, is known for his genre-bending tendencies, mixing modern drumming techniques with jazz and world music roots. Drawing from a wide range of inspirations, McCraven has become one of the most widely praised and in-demand drummers in the Chicagoland area. Playing with artists as diverse as Archie Shepp, Samba Mapangala, Yusef Lateef, Bernie Worrell - even opening for Steely Dan - will do that for you.
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We were lucky enough to have Makaya come in to our studio and teach us a little bit about linear drumming, a technique in which each limb plays independently of one another. In this video, Makaya walks us through some of his favorite exercises for nailing the technique using a DW Jazz Series 18/14/12/10 kit. Check out the video above to learn more about linear drumming and how to incorporate it into your style.