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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.
Going to the Movies, with Peter Erskine
Scene 1: Jam session, rehearsal, or a gig. Bandleader’s Line: Let’s play “Green Dolphin Street” … and… Drums, how about you play an intro? Spot Quiz: A.) Do you ask, “How long?”B.) Do you ask, “What tempo?”C.) Do you ask,…
The Muscle-Bound Myth and Weight Training for Drummers
If someone asked me to put together a list of non-negotiables – things I need to prioritize for my own well being – two activities would immediately come to mind: Drumming (obviously) and weight training. Drumming and training are a…
Sarah Thawer: Developing, Evolving
Sarah Thawer is not your typical drummer. Starting her unconventional music education at a very young age of two, she shaped her musical identity by combining her cultural roots with her extensive experience absorbing all the music around her—from Jazz…
Sandy Nelson
Dec. 1, 1938 – February 14, 2022 We ALL, (every drummer alive,) owe Sandy Nelson a well deserved moment of drumming (as opposed to silence.) Before the Surfaris had a hit in 1963 with “Wipeout,” Sandy Nelson was recording drum-centric…
Sonor’s Steve Smith 30th Anniversary drumset
In 2007 Sonor drums created a limited-edition drumset to honor Steve Smith’s 30th anniversary as a Sonor artist. Steve has two such kits, one is stored in New Jersey for use on the East Coast, and one is stored at…
Welcome Back My Friends... to another Modern Drummer first!
Welcome to another Modern Drummer first! We are grateful for the 45 years of being the #1 community for drums and drummers, and we will always continue to innovate for you, our valued readers. This month we are releasing the…
Yamaha Hipgig – a 20+ year update
This Yamaha Rick Marotta Signature Hipgig drum kit made in 2000 has been updated by John Cutbill, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. “I wanted the opportunity to consider other equipment and configuration options while still retaining the intended design concept…
Putting Ideas Into Action
My dear old friend, the late John Abercrombie, used to say when drinking his favorite breakfast beverage, “You know, there’s nothing like a good cup of coffee in the morning … and this is nothing like a good cup of…
Carl Palmer’s 1973 Stainless Steel Kit
In 1973, Carl Palmer and Paul Ravn designed this unique stainless steel kit which was manufactured by the British Steel Company, and their subcontractors. It features quarter-inch-thick shells fitted with Gretsch hoops. Each drum features an ornate engraving of woodland…
IN MEMORIAM
Mike Shapiro Frank Gambale and Mike Shapiro Mike Shapiro was a talented musician-drummer who died on November 14, he was 57 years old. Mike was known for his passion for Brazilian grooves and music, but it went much further than…
A Salute to Modern Drummer Festival 2021
The year 2021 is behind us, and 2022 arrives with many hopeful wishes—as well as the second virtual festival in Modern Drummer’s history. We put together the 20th edition of the Modern Drummer Festival—albeit virtually for the first time—on September…
Concentration
There is no way around it. If you want to succeed as a musician, you have to practice. It requires focus, drive, and concentration to turn your skill set from outstanding to legendary. That means removing distractions—all distractions—when you are…
Daniel Gollin’s Hodgepodge with History
Daniel Gollin has played in a lot of bands—Halfway to Gone, A Thousand Knives of Fire, 40 Pound Hound, and many more—and his kit salutes its owner’s musical mishmash by being comprised of bits and pieces. Some of those pieces…
Words Versus Nuts and Bolts
I’m literally happy to be sitting in the jazz-drumming-column chair for Modern Drummer. It’s a well-worn seat that I’ve occupied from time to time over the years. If I stand accused of being too wordy, well, then I plead “guilty…
