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.
Swingin’ the Clave
Advanced Exercises for Developing Independence In jazz, the ride cymbal is the focal point for creating a flowing, swinging time feel. In Afro-Cuban music, the clave assumes this role. Essentially, clave is to Afro-Cuban music what the ride cymbal beat…
Composing on the Drumset
Simple Ways to Bring More Intention to Your Grooves I believe that as drummers we have the ability to create music and compose on our instrument in more ways than in the conventional manner. We learn good technique through the…
Burning on Double Bass — Basic Hand/Foot Patterns
There are no shortcuts in gaining control in drumming. Just as it takes time to develop speed and accuracy with your hands, the same applies to your double bass playing. The important things are to be focused in your practice…
Inner Drumming Listening With All Four Limbs, Part 2
In my previous article (April 2012), I explained the concept of listening—or sounding—with each individual limb and the importance of practicing increased internal awareness of the energy flow from limb to limb. The exercises started by focusing on one limb…
Travis Orbin on Silly String II
Exploring the Session Guru’s Latest Chop-Infused Labyrinth
Get Up! Strategies for Playing Fast and Staying Relaxed
It’s widely understood that the faster the tempo, the more relaxed your body needs to be. In some cases, however, players psych themselves out when playing fast, which in turn affects their confidence in the ability to compose beat and…
The Spivack/Wilson Approach to Technique Part 4: Advanced Concepts
As you’ve seen throughout this series of articles, technique is built on learning a series of small, progressive steps that become more and more complex. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Brush Workshop Part 4: Rudiments
Almost every drummer practices the rudiments—with sticks. If you’re serious about learning how to use brushes, why not also practice the rudiments with them? TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
The CRASH Course to Success Part 2: Relationships
This article focuses on the second portion of my CRASH (“commitment, relationships, attitude, skill, and hunger”) concept. We’re going to look at how relationships apply to our drumming, our onstage interactions, and our overall musical career. TO READ THE FULL…
Chops Builders Part 18: Irish Spring
This month we’re going old school—with a new twist. What we’re working on is a standard exercise called Irish Spring that comprises swung double beats with smooth hand-to-hand turnarounds. This exercise has been used by rudimental drummers for decades, but…
