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.
Groove Freedom Part 2: “Funky Drummer” Permutations
Welcome to the second installment of articles based on my new book, Groove Freedom. I wrote this book for myself as much as I did for my students. There is nothing quite like the feeling of having one hundred percent…
Syncopation Revisited Part 3: 5/4 Applications
We continue this month with more ways to interpret Ted Reed’s classic book Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer. This time we’ll be converting the written manuscript from its original 4/4 form to 5/4 time. The following applications…
Rhythm and Timing Part 5: Single 8th-Note-Triplet Partials and Bonus Exercises
In this final segment we’re going to focus on the three different parts of 8th-note triplets (“one-trip-let”). Playing on the downbeats is pretty simple, and the third partial isn’t too strange, since we hear it all the time in swing…
Syncopation Revisited Part 2: 3/4 Applications
We continue this month with more of my favorite ways of interpreting the classic Ted Reed book Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer. This time we explore ways of converting the written manuscript from its original form to…
Rhythm And Timing Part 4: 8th-Note Triplets
This month we’re going to make the switch to 8th-notetriplet rhythms. Within the sets of three notes, we’re first going to get into the three available two-note groupings. I’ve found that the best way to count triplets is “one-trip-let, two-trip-let,…
Groove Freedom Part 1: One-, Two-, and Three-Note Permutations
Welcome to the first of three articles based on my new book, Groove Freedom. I wrote the book for my own practice after realizing how limited I was in certain grooves—in other words, how little “freedom” I had. Playing a…
Dubstep Drumming Part 2: Essential Tracks
In the last article we examined the various components used in dubstep, including the 2-step groove, the wobble bass, and the rewind. Now let’s take a look at some influential and real-world dubstep patterns and tunes. The following transcriptions are…
Syncopation Revisited Part 1: Basic Applications
This month’s Jazz Drummer’s Workshop features some of my favorite applications of the classic Ted Reed book Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer. Syncopation has been a staple since it was first published in 1958 and is regarded…
Open-Handed Playing
Discovering Rhythms Inside the Paradiddle Besides being one of the most popular rudiments, the single paradiddle is a good example to illustrate the overlap between linear and rudimental drumming, and it’s great for working on an open-handed approach (right hand…
Rhythm And Timing Part 3: Single 16ths
This month we’re going to focus on the four different single 16th notes, which are “1,” “e,” “&,” and “a.” Playing just one note may seem simple, but it can be quite a challenge to isolate “e” and “a” and…
Shifting Sands
Rhythmic Transition Examples Transitioning from one time signature, tempo, or musical style to another is a very common technique in modern jazz. These shifts are often referred to as metric modulations, where a specific note value from the current tempo…
Dubstep Drumming Part 1: The Basics
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music known for its head-nodding beats, dark atmosphere, and ear-shaking bass. It draws on many other genres, including Jamaican dub, hip-hop, jungle, drum ’n’ bass, and 2-step, while fusing them into a unique…
Drums Don't Lie
The former Kyuss and Fu Manchu drummer, who’s currently with Vista Chino, tells it like it is, was, and always will be. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
A 5-Step Workout for Building Coordination Over a Pulse
Complete independence is something that we all strive for, but it can be very confusing and frustrating to practice. This workout/challenge will focus on what I would consider to be “practical independence.” In other words, it’s designed to build the…
