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.
Master Studies: Stroke Combination Studies
Going from single strokes, to double strokes, to buzz (multiple rebound) strokes, involves different pressures on the sticks. You must be able to change the pressure your fingers are putting on the sticks without tension developing in the wrists. When…
Slipknot’s “Sulfur,” drummer, Joey Jordison
This month, we dive into the world of Slipknot with their high-energy track, “Sulfur.” Get ready to move fast because this one is a real foot burner! “Sulfur” comes from their album All Hope Is Gone. Written by guitarist Jim…
Duet 17
Ron Spagnardi wrote a wonderful book called Snare Drum Duets: 25 Duets for Two Snare Drummers. It offers a selection of 25 challenging duets that range in difficulty from relatively simple to more complex. This month’s duet will inspire and…
The Bass Drum Owners Manual
Mastering the Art of Weight Distribution Part Two: Achieving Ultimate Control on the Bass Drum As drummers, our ultimate goal is to effortlessly translate our musical ideas into clear, concise rhythms on the drum set. This goal is a perpetual…
The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming
Double Bass Drumming in The Blues In the new and revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming, Bobby includes nine new double bass drumming chapters. The new and expanded edition covers contemporary techniques such as bass drum double…
The Sound Crafter
Think of yourself not as a drummer, but a sound crafter. Each zone of the kit has a voice. How does each one make you feel? Do you see colors or shapes? Can you feel the vibrations in your body?…
Buzz Roll Studies: Triplets with Buzz Rolls
In Joe Morello’s book Master Studies, he details different techniques to develop control on the drums. These exercises develop technique, control, and will help you develop different vocabulary from the different sounds we can produce with our hands. Last month…
Understanding the Language of Music - Diatonic Harmony
This month we will be building upon the subjects of the last three articles: 6th and 7th Chords, Form and Structure, and Roman Numerals and the Circle of Fifths. Diatonic Harmony is based around the chords that fall within the…
The Bass Drum Owners Manual: Mastering the Art of Weight Distribution Part Two: Springless Practice
Welcome to the second installment on the topic of Mastering Weight Distribution, The Power of Springless Practice. What if I told you that you could enhance your bass drum technique by practicing without the spring on your pedal, or what…
The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming: Eighth-Note Double Bass Drum Beats
In the new and revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming, Bobby includes nine new double bass drumming chapters. The new and expanded edition covers contemporary techniques such as bass drum double strokes, feet-only exercises, binary and ternary…
Do All Drummers Have ADHD?
Drummers all have one thing in common: we’re passionate and energetic people! Energy and passion are a blessing and a superpower, but if they’re not channeled through SYSTEMS, they run amok. I’ve heard so many drummers express that they think…
Buzz Roll Studies: 8th Notes with Buzz Rolls
In Joe Morello’s book Master Studies, he details different techniques to develop control on the drums. These exercises develop technique, control, and will help you develop different vocabulary from the different sounds we can produce with our hands. This chapter…
Duet 8
Ron Spagnardi wrote a terrific book called Snare Drum Duets: 25 Duets for Two Snare Drummers. It offers a selection of 25 challenging duets that range in difficulty from relatively simple to more complex. A wide assortment of time signatures…
Triplets with Accents
This section of triplets with accents is similar to last month’s lesson of accent studies of eighth notes with accents. Both come from Joe Morello’s outstanding book Master Studies. Again, strive for evenness of sound, paying particular attention to the…
