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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.
Payton Taylor’s Zara Larsson Touring Kit
Drums: Pearl Reference One: 16×22 Bass Drum, 7×10 Rack Tom, 8×12 Rack Tom, 16×16 Floor Tom. Snares: 5×14 Pearl Sensitone Black Nickel over Brass (Main Snare,) 8×14 Professional Maple (Deep Snare,) 3×13 Maple Piccolo Snare. Cymbals: Zildjian (from stage left to stage right): 20” K…
James Edward Gadson, June 17, 1939- April 2, 2026
Born on June 17, 1939, drummer, producer, singer, and songwriter James Gadson grew up in the Kansas City music scene. He was greatly influenced by his father Harold, who was a well-known drummer in Kansas City. James later moved to…
Out Now May 2026
Modern Drummer enjoys 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…
CHICAGO DRUM SHOW SCHEDULE, NEW ROLAND EL SEGUNDO HEADQUARTERS
2026 Chicago Drum Show Announces Diverse Schedule of Educational Sessions. An exciting variety of drum clinics will be featured at the upcoming Chicago Drum Show — the 35th Anniversary edition of the world’s largest and longest running independent new, vintage,…
Ichi Go, Ichi Ye
It’s been fifty-two years since I first visited Japan. Back then I was the 19-year-old drummer for Stan Kenton’s big band, long of hair while short of experience, but with no lack of enthusiasm to be here. I’m typing this…
Clean, Compact, and Consistent.
And now for something completely different… This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of The Month comes to us from Seattle, Washington’s Jon Levitt. The origin of Jon’s rig is that after he got into electronics, he realized that he was carrying…
Summer Drum Reading
Summer is here! If you are touring you will be logging many hours in busses, vans, and planes. If you are vacationing, there may be hours at the pool, lake, or beach. Maybe you are a homebody and just enjoy…
Felix Lehrmann’s Steve Hackett Touring Kit
Drums: Gretsch USA Custom in Mystic Blue Lacquer – 16 x 22 Kick, 6.5 x 8 tom, 7 x 10 tom, 7.5 x 12 tom, 14 x 14 floor tom, 16 x 16 floor tom. Snare: 6 X 14 Gretsch USA Custom Snare. Cymbals: Paiste – 14” 602 Medium Hi-hat, 22” Signature Mark 1 Ride, 18” 602 Paper thin…
Out Now April 2026
Modern Drummer is thrilled to spotlight 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…
Bruce Gust: Broaden Your Base
If you’re an NHL hockey fan, you may have heard about the “Bongo Anthem.” It is a unique version of the National Anthem sung by Bruce Gust, a nine-year veteran of the USMC and a former national recording artist. While…
Peregrine
“This is the album I’ve always wanted to make.” Peregrine is the name of my new album. The word means wandering, traveling, or migrating, stemming from Latin for “foreigner” or “traveler.” The peregrine is also a falcon, a bird of prey…
Tama Starclassic, Beautiful Inside and Out
When David Lehnert purchased his first home in 2017, he sought his own studio with his dream drum set. He chose a Tama Starclassic. We’ll let him pick up the story from there. “The light jade burst is a timeless…
Lucky Sevens
In this month’s educational column’s you might see a theme: Sevens (or septuplets.) But why sevens? First, playing seven equally spaced notes within a beat has nothing to do with playing in 7/4 or 7/8. Sevens are a natural rhythmic…
Sean T. Lane’s Heart Touring Kit
Ludwig Drums – Classic Maple 2017 Mod Orange Finish: 9×13 Rack Tom, 14×14 Floor Tom, 16×16 Floor Tom, 14×22 Bass Drum. Snares – 7×14 Keplinger Black Iron Snare, 6.5X14 Keplinger Stainless Steel Snare (swap between for main snare.) Paiste Cymbals: 19” Formula 602 Modern Essentials Crash, 20” Formula 602 Modern…
