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.
Drum Soloist: Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones needs no introduction to drummers. He reached prominence in the early sixties by way of his pioneering rhythmic concepts behind the late, revered tenor saxophonist John Coltrane. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Jazz Drummer's Workshop: Basic Brush Technique
Brushes, like sticks, are instruments of motion in time. It is motion in time which produces sounds and rhythms in time. Smooth, relaxed motions produce smooth, flowing rhythms. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
South Of The Border: Calypso
Along with reggae, calypso is one of the most popular rhythms of the West Indies. Although its roots are African, calypso originated in the plantations of Trinidad. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Concepts - Building, Not Burning, Bridges
I was recently asked to do an oral-history interview for the Percussive Arts Society. During the interview, we talked about developing business relationships and how that relates to continuing to work in the long term. As an exercise, they asked…
From The Past - Profile Of A Legend: Dave Tough
Almost without exception, every drummer that has left a mark in the jazz world, will tell you that to some degree, they were influenced by Dave Tough. Who was Dave Tough? TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG…
Hemiola shifter With Three Stickings
This month we’re going to play half-note-triplet hemiolas in four positions, with three different stickings. Each sticking will require a totally different technical approach and will have its own unique sound. For good measure, we’ll also add some flams, which…
Creative Comping - Crossing the Barline Using Seven-Note Groupings
The material in this article is designed to increase your independence and give you some fresh ideas for how to play behind a soloist. It’s important to always use discretion, of course. Make sure to play these advanced figures musically,…
Diamonds in the Ruff, Part 2: The Sexy Four-Stroke
Welcome to part two of our miniseries on the ruff. I consider the three-stroke ruff to be the workingman’s rudiment. The four-stroke is much sexier, but it’s not easy to master. And it takes a certain amount of precision, which…
Traditional Percussion on Drumset, Part 1: Congas
My goal with this set of articles is to share a few traditional percussion rhythms and techniques that can be applied to the drumset. This first installment is dedicated to the tumbadora, aka conga drum. We will explore variations of…
"Rock Steady" Demystified - Four Steps to Mastering an Advanced Funk Groove
Have you ever checked out Bernard Purdie’s beat on Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady”? And what about the classic drum break that includes Purdie’s signature hi-hat bark? That’s one of the most recognizable funk licks of all time, and we’re going…
Concepts - Defining Your Role
Music is a team effort, and figuring out our position on the team is key. This will help us better communicate in any scenario, which leads to more contentment on the job. This month we’re going to look at the…
Elvin Jones-Style Triplet Fills, Part 1
In this lesson I’m going to show you how to create high-energy Elvin Jones–style triplet fills based on common jazz rhythmic phrases, like those included in Ted Reed’s classic book Syncopation. This approach was first developed by legendary drummer and…
Traditional Percussion on Drumset, Part 2: Bongos
In order to fully understand the function and possibilities of the instrument called bongo, you must explore the Cuban styles of changui, rumba, and son. According to musicologist Fernando Ortiz, the bongo may have originated as ancient drums built specifically…
Take Your Shuffle to the Max!
The two most common types of shuffles are the jazz and blues shuffle. We won’t get into the history here, but the obvious difference is in the ride pattern. Either version can be used, depending on the song, the band,…
