Departments
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.
Broadly Speaking
Near the conclusion of an album project being recorded in New York City at Sear Sound, I was overdubbing a simple shaker part to a track we had just recorded. Unnoticed by me, the arranger and pianist Alan Broadbent was…
Obsession
Last month I suggested the idea of becoming “obsessed” with music and drumming. Unfortunately, the word obsession has gotten a bad reputation. Obsession is defined as a “compelling motivation.” Compelling means, “evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible…
Al Cleveland III’s Melanie Martinez Touring Kit
Photos by Jason Mehler Drums: Pearl Masters Maple – Matte Olive Burst (color) – 7×10 rack tom, 8×12 rack, 16×16 floor, 16×22 kick. Snares: 6.5×14 Pearl UltraCast, 6.5×14 Pearl Ian Paice signature, Pearl M1060 6×10 Maple. Heads: Remo – 14-inch snare drums:…
Out Now August 2024
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 performances from the drummer and/or musicians in the…
2024 Chicago Drum Show
The Chicago Drum Show, one of the largest and longest continuous running events of its kind, just completed its 34th year thanks to the tireless efforts of Rob Cook and his crew. Over 1400 attendees from around the world flocked…
Roger Cardillo’s TJS Kit
This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes to us from Roger Cardillo of New Jersey. Roger’s kit was custom made by Tom Shulz of TJS Custom Drums. It has six ply Maple shells in a natural finish with…
It Pays To Listen
The standard advice is to listen. A common admonishment is, “You’re not listening.” There are some good quotes about listening. Malcom Forbes said, “The art of conversation lies in listening.” Stephen Covey, the author of Seven Habits of Highly Successful…
Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Both, Dave Elitch and Nick Buda uttered this phrase in their interviews this month, and it’s an important one. The older readers of Modern Drummer probably know what this phrase means and have heard it a million times. But the…
Nick Buda’s Kenny Chesney Touring Kit
Photos by Jason Mehler Drums: Noble & Cooley Union Series – 6×10 rack concert tom, 8×13 rack, 12×14 floor, 14×16 floor, 16×22 kick. Snares: main- 6×14 copper, Side 5×13 chrome/maple, 7×14 tulip (union series) Heads: Evans – Snare drums UV1…
Out Now July 2024
Modern Drummer is excited to spotlight new recordings that have the drums at the center of their musical 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…
TONY WILLIAMS : FRED
Few musicians reach such iconic status that their first name alone—Billy, Vinnie, Dennis—is enough to identify them. Tony Williams, one of the earliest drummers to achieve this, stands out among them. His influence on drumming is profound, impacting not only…
Tony Ferrari’s One of a Kind Fibes Kit
This Fibes kit was produced in 1970 at the Farmingdale factory. It consists of fiberglass shells with an actual chrome metal wrap. The eight concert toms were custom made by a Fibes employee and were tucked away for five years.…
Jack Magnet Science
As I was flying high above the clouds en route from Reykjavik, Iceland to the USA. I’d only heard of Reykjavik when I was a younger man in connection with the summit held there in 1986 between the United States…
The Power of Yes and No
In this month’s feature interviews, both Questlove and Florrie mention the merits of saying “Yes,” and learning the benefits of saying “No.” Peter Erskine has loosely addressed this in his Modern Drummer Jazz Insights column as well. When a musician…
