The Renewing Worship EXPO will offer classes for drummers this year. In addition to Worship Band Masterclass and Drums and Bass Masterclass, Nikao Wallace, expert drummer and up-and-coming YouTube sensation will be offering practical instruction for beginners and more advanced players through his two classes.

Understanding the Drum Set (Basics Class)

Often times drummers find themselves confused about what to play and what’s going to work well for the song. Nine times out of ten, the song that ends up being played on Sunday morning will sound a lot different than the recording you listened to learn it. What do you do when the bass player doesn’t play the same part as the recording or the guitar lick you’ve been used to hearing and keying off of is no longer there?

In this class, we’ll dive into the function of the drum set and how it interacts with the other instruments on the stage. You’ll learn how to listen to what is being played in the moment and make the right musical choices. This will be great for drummers and for music ministers who would like to know how to communicate with their drummers more effectively.

Practical Drum Set Coordination (Advanced Class)

The most significant physical limitation most drummers have is developing the coordination to play multiple rhythms on two or more limbs at the same time. Every drummer needs to develop a decent level of coordination. This class will focus on two foundational patterns found in almost every church song and lay out a system for any drummer to gain the freedom to play whatever they want on top of them.

Nikao grew up in a very musical family in a small town outside of Charlotte, NC, and started playing drums in church at the age of 10. Upon graduating high school, Nikao began playing in several bands, including a family band playing his father’s original music, and teaching a few private students from church. As time passed, Nikao continued to work on his craft and began getting bigger opportunities. Nikao has been blessed to open up for or share the stage with people such as Kyle Matthews, Mark Wood (former TSO member), John Schnider, Mike Huckabee, Charlie Daniels, Scotty McCreery, and Hardy and has traveled across the U.S and several countries. Nikao is currently the drummer for Elizabeth Baptist Church in Shelby, NC, the NCBSO, the house band at Coyote Joe’s (Charlotte, NC), and has a full roster of private students and a YouTube channel aimed at helping drummers grow in their skill and love for the instrument.