October 2026 – Volume 50 • Number 10
On 01st Oct 2026
Articles in October 2026
We Can (and Should) Learn from Everybody!
As drummers, it seems like everyone always wants to give us advice, whether we asked for it or not. “You should use a smaller set,” or “You need a bigger kit.” There is always someone suggesting that we, “Lay back…
All Fired Up: Ken Mondillo’s Salute to Myron Grombacher
This month’s Kit of the Month comes to us from Ken Mondillo of Philadelphia, PA. This is his replica Pat Benatar / Myron Grombacher, Japanese drum set. Many of us saw that iconic set being played by Grombacher, who is…
Blue Note Blues
This summer has been a time for both razzle-dazzle and reflection, with long durations of travel and the solitude that can bring, being punctuated by arrivals, rehearsals and performances. The challenges of getting a good night’s sleep while touring are…
DW Collector’s Series Vavona Exotic SonicPly Snare Drum: Maple and Aluminum, the Best of Both Worlds!
A Guitar Center Exclusive, this beautiful Drum Workshop (DW) SonicPly Vavona snare drum was sent to Modern Drummer to take a good look at, and to see what is an exciting hybrid shell combination. This drum brings the best of…
Alesis Strike Max Electronic Drum Kit
Alesis’s Nitro has long occupied the entry-level side of its electronic drum lineup, and the Nitro Max updated that formula with mesh heads throughout and Bluetooth. The Strike Max is the newest kit in that general range, but it arrives…
MEINL ANIKA NILLES LUNAR RIDE AND HATS, TAMA ANIKA NILLES SIGNATURE SNARE, SABIAN RAY LUZIER MANTARAY
Meinl Introduces New Anika Nilles Lunar Ride and Hats Meinl Cymbals has expanded its collaboration with Anika Nilles with the introduction of the new Lunar Ride and Lunar Hats, adding two new signature sounds to the drummer’s setup. The release…
Guitar Center Crowns Champion of Drum-Off Competition, Roland Opens Flagship Store in New York City, 3rd Annual Drum Queens Festival held in Lagos, Nigeria
Guitar Center Crowns Champion of Drum-Off National Competition Guitar Center today announced Jonathan Fortson of Hamilton, Alabama as the Drum-Off 2026 Champion, marking the culmination of the legendary drumming competition’s first run in a decade. First launched in 1988, Drum-Off ran…
Godsmack’s Sully Erna and the “Battle of the Drums”
At every Godsmack concert, there is a point during the show where the energy, the groove, and the drumming heat is turned up to 11. Suddenly, a second drumset rolls onto the stage, and there are two drumsets and two drummers on stage. That’s because Godsmack’s singer Sully Erna is as much a…
Mike Mangini: In Perpetual Motion
Ever since Mike Mangini’s departure from Dream Theater, fans have wondered what would come next for one of the most accomplished drummers in progressive metal. In June 2026, they finally got an answer: Mangini would step behind the kit for…
Cindy Blackman-Santana Talks About Her New Record, Coherence
Cindy Blackman-Santana’s new record is called Coherence. It’s her biggest and most ambitious record yet. Coherence includes special guests like Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, bassist Matthew Garrison, keyboardist Ray Angry, and string arrangements from Dave Eggar. But it is Cindy’s…
The Warped Tour Then and Now… with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Joe Sirois and Hoobastank’s Chris Hesse
With the Warped Tour celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2025 and 2026, Modern Drummer thought that it would be nice to look at the past Warped Tours with Mighty Mighty Bosstones drummer Joe Sirois, and the present Warped Tours with…
Jarvis “Jeb” Barnes: Drumming with Tate McRae, Driven by Discipline, Rebuilt Through Rhythm
For Jarvis “Jeb” Barnes drumming was never just a career goal, it was the one place where everything clicked. Before stages, tours, or credits, it was discipline, pressure, and repetition that shaped how he approached the instrument, long before the…
Godsmack “I Stand Alone,” drummer Tommy Stewart and “When Legends Rise,” drummer Shannon Larkin
This month, we feature two great tracks, three drummers, and one band—Godsmack! Our first transcription is “I Stand Alone” from Godsmack’s 2003 album, Faceless. The drum track was written by drummer and frontman Sully Erna and recorded by Godsmack’s original drummer,…
Renew-Refuel-Move to DRUM!
For our drumming to come alive, it starts way before we make it to the kit. If we don’t have peak health first, none of this matters! Start thinking of yourself as an athlete, because you are. Let’s start with…
Progressive Drumming Essentials: Polyrhythms, Demystifying the Process
Progressive Drumming Essentials is a collection of articles originally written for Modern Drummer magazine. They are exactly what the title says, PROGRESSIVE drumming essentials. This series of articles, and the book that contains them all, represent a great deal of…
Master Studies II: Adventures in Time in ¾
As a follow-up to Joe Morello’s legendary Master Studies book, he released Master Studies II in 2006. Joe was a masterful teacher and helped many great drummers with their musicality, technique, and touch. Joe was also masterful at creating exercises,…
The New Breed: Composite Systems Part 2
Gary Chester’s groundbreaking book The New Breed is legendary. The book, and Gary’s teaching methods are deeply intertwined, it is a lifelong commitment of dedication, study, and development. Gary Chester’s Systems, Reading Exercises, Advanced Systems, Advanced Reading Exercises, Composite Systems,…
Gretsch Drums and Memorabilia from the Northup Drums Museum
“That great Gretsch sound” is an iconic saying that sums up one of the greatest and oldest drum companies in America. In 1883, German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch opened a small musical instrument shop in Brooklyn, NY making banjos, tambourines,…
Out Now October 2026
Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performance from the drummer and/or musicians in the…
Kent Slucher’s Luke Bryan Touring Kit
Drums – Rogers: Dayton Series in Red Diamond Pearl finish: 14 x 24 bass drum, 9x13 cherry/maple rack tom, 16x16 cherry/maple floor tom, 16x18 cherry/maple floor tom. Snares – Rogers: 6 ½ x 14 Aluminum Super 10, 6 ½ x 14 Cleveland side snare Cymbals – Sabian: 15” AAX hats, 20” AAX Explosion Crash,…
