Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
International Art & Sound Shakkaritas
Shakkaritas are spherical rattles handmade by a group of artisans in Nicaragua. The rattles are made from the hard seedpods of jicaro trees. Shakkaritas measure 2.5" to 3.5" in diameter and offer an organic medium-loud sound. They are available in…
Navene Koperweis and Animals as Leaders launch second in-the-studio video exclusively on moderndrummer.com (UPDATED).
The January 2012 issue of Modern Drummer magazine will feature an interview with Navene Koperweis, drummer of the progressive instrumental band Animals as Leaders. AAL is gearing up for the release of their Koperweis-produced second album, Weightless, which hits shelves…
John Robinson The Time Machine
DVD LEVEL: ALL $24.95 It’s been a good number of years since JR’s last instructional video, but this project is well worth the wait. Robinson is widely regarded as the world’s most recorded drummer, playing on records that have…
Nia Lovelis of Cherri Bomb
When I was really young my parents took me horseback riding, and the sound and feel of the rhythm got stuck in my head. It was then I knew I wanted to play drums. I come from a musical family:…
Gene Markiewicz
Hello, MD! It is a great honor to tell you that I will be inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation Hall of Fame. I am truly humbled. There are so many people to thank, especially my mother. That’s right, mom!…
Tony Allen: Afrobeat Innovator
Tony Allen, who along with vocalist/activist Fela Kuti created one of groove music’s most glorious subgenres, Afrobeat, deserves a place on the list of the greatest funk drummers of all time. For more than forty years he has been honing…
“Frankenstein??? and “Free Ride??? Drummer Chuck Ruff Dies
Chuck Ruff, drummer on Edgar Winter’s instrumental hit “Frankenstein,” passed away in San Francisco, California, this October 14 after a long illness. He was sixty years old. Ruff was born in Reno, Nevada, on May 25, 1951. His first significant…
Ian Paice: Influence
by Daniel Glass The first time I heard Ian Paice play the drums, I was a wide-eyed nine-year-old, just getting my musical sea legs under me. At the time, my best friend was three years my senior, and like an…
J.P. "Thunderbolt" Patterson: Punk Rock Renaissance Man
From copping Cozy Powell’s licks as a youngster in Afghanistan—where his father worked for the U.S. embassy—to carving out a dual career for himself in New York as both a drummer and an actor, it’s been a colorful life for…
Cadeson Nagashi Compact Drumset
The complete review of the Cadeson Nagashi compact drumset is on page 25 of the December issue of Modern Drummer magazine.
Listen to a Sound File of Mapex’s Black Panther Velvetone Drumset
The complete review of the Mapex Black Panther vintage-style Velvetone drumset is on page 22 of the December 2011 issue of Modern Drummer magazine. Click below to listen to Mapex artist Gregg Bissonette play some classic grooves on the…
In the Studio: A Lesson in Sight-Reading (VIDEO)
December 2011 photo by Mike Monseur In The Studio A Lesson in Sight-Reading Fifty Big Band Arrangements in Four Days by Michael Dawson Army Blues drummer, and MD contributing writer, Steve Fidyk makes his living playing big band music, so sight-reading…
Rock & Jazz Clinic: Brush Workshop, Part 2 (VIDEO)
December 2011 Rock & Jazz Clinic Brush Workshop Part 2: Half-Circle Motion by Florian Alexandru-Zorn A goal of mine has been to play with brushes and think not in terms of patterns but in a more musical way, transferring all…
Audix Micro-HP Microphone
The success of Audix’s Micro-D miniature rim-mount drum mic has prompted the demand for a similar product specifically designed for hand percussion instruments. The result is the company’s Micro-HP. A rubber shock mount and protective anodized aluminum ring provide maximum…
