This session will demonstrate the limb independence needed to play as a “Pop” Percussionist. There will be examples I’ve used on The Voice and American Idol, as well as other situations used in both live and in studio (with playback tracks, to hear how these examples work in real time). I’ll start with folkloric rhythms and show how to incorporate them into pop music. There will be actionable advice as well as exercises to show attendees how to create and transcribe parts, build limb independence, learn tunes, incorporate electronics, draw from different genres and even touch on some music business, the tools used, and other “off the stage” topics to help you remain employed. I’ll show how to think like a producer with deciding which parts to play (or leave out) and how to pace them throughout a song. I’ll even show how to layer parts for a recording session, and then cover those parts in a live setting. I’ll demonstrate how to approach playing with a drummer (regardless if that drummer knows how to play with a percussionist). I will also help drummers understand what they can do to cover basic percussion parts if necessary. Lastly, I’ll make sure to talk about using the vocabulary of the different styles to be able to improvise and solo. I’m also open to answering any and all questions to help people become better percussionists.