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.
Do Self-Taught Drummers Play Better?
Some well-known drummers, who have never taken lessons, play very well. Other well-known drummers, who have studied for years, also play very well. Drummers who have not studied sometimes tend to be critical of those who have. The following defensive…
Establishing Tempo
Drummers from every style of music have been interviewed in this magazine, and while they might express widely different philosophies or advocate various techniques of playing, they all seem to agree on one thing: the importance of keeping good time.…
Studies In Style: Part II - Tony Williams
Tony Williams joined Miles Davis in 1963, setting levels of drum technique, musicality and interaction which are models for drummers today. On Miles’ Four and More, the tightness of the rhythm section seems to give Tony the confidence and the…
Notes On The Making Of Moving Pictures Part II
I’d like to say a few words about the dreaded click track. With a purist’s pride, I resisted using this electronic metronome for many years, although the pursuit of really good time has been a constant trial for me. It…
Chuck Flores "Es Tiempo"
“Es Tiempo” from the album Flores Azules (Dobre Records DR-1001) TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Minimal Miking Techniques
One-,Two-,and Three-Mic Setups for a More Natural Sound by Mark Parsons Whether you use the term “minimal,” “organic,” “old school,” or “vintage,” there’s definitely a renewed interest in capturing that drumset-in-a-room vibe that was employed on pretty much…
Triplet Gear-Shifter
12-18-24 Exercise, Part 1 This month we’re going to challenge your hands by playing triplets as 12th notes, 18th notes, and 24th notes, with and without accents. (We’ll use two other stickings in the second installment.) First let’s define…
Funk Drumming Training Camp
Part 1: Paradiddles and 16th-Note Subdivisions Having a tight, solid, good-feeling groove has always been important in drumming. In many cases, bandleaders, singers, and other musicians value a drummer with a solid groove and a good feel more than…
Live Drum Soloing
Getting Started In this article we’ll give some insight into how to conceive, construct, and execute a drum solo in a live rock context. For those who’ve never performed a solo, it can be a very scary idea. But…
Dale Crover on Melvins Lite’s Record-Setting 51/51 Tour
On September 5, 2002, Melvins Lite embarked on a fifty-one-day rock 'n' roll journey that even other road warriors would consider insane. Drummer Dale Crover tells the tale. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Loosen Up! 18 Triplet-Roll Warm-Ups to Get You Going
The drumset is one of the most physically demanding instruments. As with any other high-intensity physical activity, it helps to loosen up your muscles first with some basic exercises. In this article we’re exploring a warm-up routine based on the…
Implied Brazilian Rhythms on Drumset
Part 1: Maracatu The musical style Maracatu is an amalgamation of Afro-Brazilian concepts within the context of the annual festival of Carnival. Maracatu, or Maracatu de Baque Virado (“turned-around beat”), originated in religious Candomblé ceremonies used to crown kings…
Grooving With Fives
A Progressive Approach to Phrasing Quintuplets on the Drumkit Sixteenth-note quintuplets are five notes played per quarter note. The simplest way to count them in 4/4 is, “ONE, two, three, four, five; TWO, two, three, four, five; THREE, two,…
The Half-Time Shuffle
Variations on One of Drumming’s Slinkiest Grooves The half-time shuffle is a signature beat for some of the most legendary drummers in history. Guys like Bernard Purdie, John Bonham, and Jeff Porcaro are all considered masters of this feel. Let’s…
