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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.
Chart Reading, Part 1
The drummer has many responsibilities when reading a chart. They become especially evident in a sight-reading situation. This article deals with some basic skills necessary for the beginning drum-chart reader. I shall touch upon some theory behind the drummer’s function,…
The “Bam Bam” Kit
The Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based drummer Patrick “Pattycake” Morris custom ordered this 3.1 mm aluminum-shell drumset from Trick Drums. The kit features a unique pine-tree wrap, which the drummer specifically requested from the manufacturer. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS…
Industry Happenings, Who's Playing What, and more
Jazz Drummer and Composer Matt Wilson Awarded Two 2018 Jazz Journalists Association Honors | Randy Pratt of Sweetwater Sound Passes | KoSA Celebrates Seventeenth Edition of Cuban Drum and Percussion Camp TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG…
John “Jabo” Starks: 1938-2018
“He had that ‘stop-your-heart’ groove.” That’s how Fred Wesley, former bandleader for the “Godfather of Soul,” James Brown, describes the drumming of John Starks, who died this past May 1 at the age of seventy-nine. And the description is apt.…
Jethro Tull’s Stand Up
As the drummer for the progressive/folk/hard rock band Jethro Tull in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Clive Bunker infused the group’s music with a frenetic, raw energy. Body twitching, using the butt end of his sticks, Bunker beautifully brutalized…
Jonathan Barber, Kobie Watkins Grouptet, Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, Jack DeJohnette, and more!
We take a look at the latest music featuring Jonathan Barber, Kobie Watkins Grouptet, the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, Jack DeJohnette, and more! TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Bernard Purdie
On every track of his new album, Cool Down, the iconic R&B drummer burns like a house on fire in a live-in-the-studio setting. “And would you believe,” the pretty one adds, “with no overdubs at all!”
Perfect Beings’ Sean Reinert
Sean Reinert made his name drumming up a storm with experimental death metal bands Death and Cynic—playing with fire, precision, and a serious level of technical facility. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Conrad Choucroun with White Denim
The longtime Austin drumming workhorse reflects back on touring and recording with the stylistically diverse rock band.
Joe Magistro on the Magpie Salute’s High Water I
Long-running relationships, veteran perspectives, and killer tones power the first studio release from a collective of seasoned pros.
Remembering Pat Torpey, Learning to Read Music, the 1978 Issue, Roy Burns, and Dropped Beats
Remembering Pat Torpey Thank you for your article on the Nashville Drummers Jam tribute to the late Pat Torpey . For the longest time I felt like I was the only drummer who considered Pat to be a huge influence.…
Pre-Gig Calibration
Being an employable drummer in 2018 carries more demands than it did in 1918, especially when it comes to melding live performances with the variety of A/V technology being used by most pop, rock, and R&B artists these days. And…
Kenny Clare and Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clare British drummer Kenny Clare died on January 11 at the Westminster Hospital in London, at the age of 55. Kenny had been hospitalized for eight weeks and had several operations for the removal of cancer from the esophagus.…
An Evanescence Tribute
The U.K.–based drummer Ben McIlvenna assembled this customized Tama Silverstar for live gigs with his Evanescence tribute band, Fallen. McIlvenna tells MD that he’s been building the setup over the past five years. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO…
