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.
Bebop Syncopation, Part 3: Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones was a driving force behind John Coltrane’s explorations in the 1960s and is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in jazz drumming. This lesson applies the principles of his style to rhythms found in the…
John Clardy On Tera Melos’s Trash Generator
Diving Deep Into the Experimental Trio’s Latest Release
Three Birds With One Stone - Optimize Your Practice Time
Time is tight for many of us. If we had unlimited time to shed, we’d probably spend hours behind the kit. But the reality is that life’s twists and turns can keep us busy. Therefore, I try to practice things…
Shifting Gears
3 Paradiddle Exercises for Strengthening Subdivisions Practice the following subdivision pyramid exercises using a metronome to be sure your timing is accurate and consistent. You may need to work on each line individually before trying the entire thing. Tap your…
Flamacue Variations
26 Ways to Apply the Standard Rudiment to the Drumset In this article we’ll take the flamacue rudiment and apply it to the drumset. Let’s start by playing the flamacue on the snare. Now play it in 3/4. Notice that…
Approaching Standards
A Framework for Musical Practice, Part 3: Language and Vernacular Welcome to the final installment of our series on applying the rhythmic phrasing of jazz standards to the drumset. This time we’re exploring ways to extract themes from the…
Scott Devours
Playing with legendary Who vocalist Roger Daltrey is badass enough. But what happens when an opportunity to play with the Who itself drops in your lap? TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Rediscovering Rudiments
Simple Ways to Progress Beyond the Snare Regardless of your desire as a drummer, whether it’s to play blistering solos or tasteful grooves, studying the rudiments will do much to help you take your craft to the next level. In…
Double Bass Workout
Part 6: Paradiddle Patterns For the final lesson in this series we’re going to have some fun with paradiddles, double paradiddles, and paradiddle variations over 16th notes, 16th-note triplets, and 32nd notes. Remember to play to a metronome or click…
Balanced Hands
Two Exercises to Eliminate One-Hand Dominance This article consists of exercises designed to develop strength and endurance in both hands. The first one begins with a balance of four right-hand and four left-hand strokes. As you repeat, the balance is…
The 45-Minute Practice Routine
Get Organized to Optimize Your Time Behind the Kit When I sit back and think about the thousands of questions I’ve been asked by students in my eighteen-year career as a drum teacher and clinician, I would have to say…
Wisdom And Technique
Lasting Lessons From Ed Shaughnessy I grew up watching Ed Shaughnessy drive Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Show Band. For twenty-nine years, Shaughnessy held the throne of one of the most visible and respected groups in television history, and for many of…
