Education
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.
Great Grooves, Part 1
From a general viewpoint, the word “groove” suggests a certain rhythmic precision in group playing, not unlike the word “tight” or the phrase “in the pocket.” From a drummer’s perspective, groove can also indicate a particular rhythmic motif, which, when…
How Many Drums Do I Really Need?
I have heard drummers say, “You don’t need a big kit. If you play on a smaller kit, you will be more creative and more musical.” Several famous drummers have been quoted as saying, “I can do everything I need…
Percussion Colors, Part 2
Last time we discussed how the use of hand-percussion instruments can add color and spice to the music you create. We outlined a few of the items that make up the percussionist’s “pallet,” including cowbell, tambourine, and the afuche. This…
Tuning And Muffling
In order to tune or tension your drums for the best possible sound, start out with no muffling. The exception to this rule would be the bass drum where virtually all drummers use some muffling to achieve either a low,…
Expanding the Paradiddle – Part 3
As was stated in Part 2, this article will examine ways to obtain polyrhythmic patterns by using paradiddles. These exercises should be practiced with a metronome until a natural feel for the rhythms is achieved. Again, keep the muscles relaxed…
Drumming And Information
I met a young man at a clinic recently who told me that he had just purchased a $3,000 drumset, and he had only taken two lessons. I commented, “You sound like you are proud of the fact that you…
Percussion Colors- Part 1
You’ve been cooking on the traps in the studio and you’re listening to the playback now. It’s great, but there still might be room for improvement—more color, more spice. How? With the addition of a layer or two of hand-percussion…
Expanding The Paradiddle – Part II
In Part I we used different placements of accents to expand the paradiddle. In this article, we will expand the paradiddle rhythmically. As I explained in Part I, you must keep your muscles relaxed and concentrate while playing these exercises.…
An Approach For Playing In Odd Time – Part 3
In the previous two articles, we’ve concentrated on executing written exercises which have been designed to facilitate the playing of odd time. Another effective approach to learning is through listening and transcription. The following songs have one thing in common:…
Drummers And Auditions
I recently had the pleasure of spending an afternoon talking with Allen Carter. Allen is a top professional drummer whose credits include the Les Brown Orchestra, The Captain & Tenille and The Kansas City Philharmonic. Currently he plays professionally in…
Drumset Ergonomics - Part 1: An Introduction
Hello, Modern Drummer readers. My name is Brandon Green, and I’m the owner of a muscle system health and fitness studio in Newmarket, Ontario, called Strata Internal Performance. I’m also a drummer. My mission is to help people move better…
