An Editor's Overview
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.
A Drummers Best Friend, Make the Music Smile
For many years it was said that a drummer’s best friend is the bassist. I will contend that in some musical contexts a drummer’s best friend might (as many other drummers have stated) be the rhythm guitarist. However, let’s not…
Listen to What the Music is Telling You to Play!
In this month’s Modern Drummer, legendary songwriter Lenny Kravitz, Justin Timberlake’s Mike Reid, and Chic’s Ralph Rolle all allude to the phrase, “Listen to what the music is telling you to play” in their interviews regarding the subject of how…
Four Generations and Four Countries
As we were assembling this month’s issue of Modern Drummer, I discovered a hidden theme. It was not obvious to me until just now. It turns out that this month’s issue features four generations of drummers from four different countries.…
Cooking! Drumming!
As the holidays continue, we continue eating our favorite foods, and as ALL of my students know, I love to use food and cooking as a metaphor for music and drumming. Any musician is like one of your favorite prepared…
Dom Famularo 1953-2023
Drummers don’t often get a chance to retire, and if they do, our community of drummers doesn’t give people gold watches or big retirement sendoffs. Maybe it’s because musicians usually don’t really want or need to retire “officially”, not to…
Transcriptions. Vocabulary.
This month Modern Drummer is glad to welcome Marc Atkinson. Marc’s transcription of Vinnie Colaiuta’s drumming on Frank Zappa’s “The Deathless Horsie” will astound you and leave you laughing and bewildered. Marc’s precision, attention to detail, and his ability to…
Beneath the surface. Under the hood. Inside the mindset. Revealing the surprising facts…of Modern Drumming!
That’s what Modern Drummer is about today! After nearly 50 years of Modern Drummer, what is left to say about stickings, snares, cymbal choice, and sound? Most of it has been discussed many times over. Frank Zappa said, “Writing about…
Old and New September 2023
Firstly, NO, I’m not calling anyone “old!” However, it is possible that no issue of Modern Drummer portrays the idea and the relationship of old and new, better than this month’s issue. What more can be said about Max and…
Embrace Change
In proofing this month’s Modern Drummer, I saw a theme. It was an unconscious theme, but a theme none-the-less. Changes. It’s not just a great Yes song, a timeless David Bowie song, or a classic Buddy Miles song. Nor is…
Why is One Never Enough?
As a self-confessed “snare drum junkie,” I often wonder why owning one snare drum is just never enough. As a fan of 1920s Ludwig two-piece Nickel Over Brass (NOB), Black Beauty’s, and Slingerland Radio King’s, why can’t I just stop…
Behind the Curtain
After Sarah Jones’ interview this month, we started talking about the Beatles movie Get Back. Sarah asked me, “Did you see the Beatles movie Get Back? I thought Ringo was amazing in that movie. He was so calm when things…
Going Above and Beyond
In Robert Girouard’s excellent interview this month with Ed Sheeran’s drummer Mark Pusey, they talk about “having more skills than you need for the job.” I was extremely happy to see Mark mention this, as it is something that I…
Allan, Chick, Edward, Jeff, and Wayne
One of my favorite sayings is “great drumming lives within music” or simply “music contains drumming (and hopefully Drumming Contains Music.)” In the last few years many of my favorite musicians have died. Throughout their careers these musicians have invited…
Ready and Prepared
In reading this month’s Modern Drummer I saw a bit of a theme. When the time came, all of this month’s great drummers were ready and prepared for anything that the music world could offer. I often hear the question…
