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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.
1997 Satin Emerald Green DW Kit
Mick McDermott plays classic country as well as classic rock, Western swing, and some Les Paul and Mary Ford for good measure on his 1997 DW kit refinished in satin emerald green by Spinelli Drums in St. Petersburg, FL. The…
The Next So-and-So!
I’m tempted to begin each of my new Modern Drummer columns by writing “With everything else that’s going on in the world…” because the unrelenting news cycles force me to question the relative importance of an artistic particular or a…
Cardiovascular Fitness for Strength and Longevity
In my series of articles, under the “Health, Wellness, and Drumming” section of Modern Drummer, we have explored the many of the benefits of weight training and maintaining healthy musculature. This is done to keep our joints pain free so…
Dan Mayo: Breaking the Norm of How Drums Sound
Dan Mayo is the definition of unique, in the best way possible. He started his musical journey at the age of three, and by the time he was six, Dan was exposed to (arguably) the best form of learning, playing…
Tama Lars Ulrich Signature Kit
The kit shown here replicates the Limited Edition Lars Ulrich Signature configuration originally created by Tama Drums for Metallica’s 1992 tour. It includes two 16” X 24” bass drums; 10” X 10”, 11” X 12”, 13” X 14”, and 15”…
Modern Drummer Next Level
Fresh on the heels of our well received Salute to Women in Drumming issue, Modern Drummer is stronger than ever! Whether you are an eager to learn developing drum student, an intermediate drummer playing in a band, a working pro,…
Michael “Squeak” Melusky, DW Collector’s Series Maple/Mahogany
The kit utilizes a Gibraltar rack system designed to be stealth and easy to pack up. Thankfully, it goes into two road cases with minimal tear down. The bass drums have custom matching bass drum hoops with inlay, and also…
“Where Am I Going?”
More often than not, I preach precision while espousing specificity when it comes to expressing our ideas on the drumset. In simple terms, that adds up to, “saying what we mean and meaning what we say.” That approach, however, runs…
The Practice Mentality and Increasing Motivation for the Gym
In the drumming community, every so often one can stumble into a discussion about the importance of technique. There is this strange idea that some people argue that technique doesn’t matter much. I see this in forums and the argument…
Josh Harmon: From Comedy to Drums, Shaping His Unique and Timeless Sound
Josh Harmon is the definition of a boundary breaker. Regarded as one of the world’s most creative drummers, his approach is an unconventional as it is successful. His mega-popular series, Rhythms of Comedy, has garnered love from BILLIONS across the…
Alan White June 14, 1949 - May 26, 2022
Alan White is best known as the drummer for the legendary English progressive rock band Yes. But his career was much more than that. Before his days with Yes, Alan contributed his groove to recordings by John Lennon, George Harrison,…
Joey Kramer’s Aerosmith Nine Lives tour kit
The Drum Workshop Collector’s Series kit shown here was created for Joey Kramer’s use on Aerosmith Nine Lives tour. The tour ran from May 1997 to July 1999, and included dates in North America, Canada, Japan, and 14 European countries.…
A Salute to Women in Drumming
While we were planning this month’s Salute to Women in Drumming issue, I happened to be talking with Peter Erskine. We talked about the fact that singling out women drummers could be counter-intuitive, and segregating people by anything other than…
Frankenstein Amber Vistalite kit
When Ted “Tazz” Price of Greenville, South Carolina describes his kit, we can all harken back to our younger years of mixing several smaller kits to create one big kit. He explains, “Originally, I was playing a Vistalite John Bonham…
Peter Erskine-Lauren Ellis: Women in Drumming, Mentorship
This month’s Jazz Insights column focuses on my former USC student and teaching assistant Lauren Ellis. Her bio informs us that, “Lauren is a drummer, composer, and educator from Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand. There, she studied at the Te Kōki…
