Alain Rieder

Alain Rieder was born in Geneva in 1955. He began studying cello at the age of six and, as an adolescent in the late 60s, he gravitated towards the drums. He taught himself how to play them, first by ear and observation. Inspired by what he heard in his favorite musicians’ performances, Alain began experimenting with odd meters, polyrhythms and displacements, and created his own drumming exercises even in his formative years. By 1975, Alain was a respected drummer on the local scene, participating in many groups and projects, doing studio work and was also a sought after drum teacher. In 1981, he enrolled at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles from which he graduated a year later. Alain Rieder has been playing and teaching the drums professionally ever since.