Rock Perspectives
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.
Hiding in Plain Sight - Musically Applying Odd Rhythms
Unless you’re playing in a technical prog-metal band, you may find it difficult to apply odd rhythmic ideas to songs without getting deathly glares from your bandmates. Although I wouldn’t suggest that you start cramming polyrhythms and septuplets into pop…
Multilayered Polyrhythms - Rhythmic Puzzles for Your Mind and Body
Last month we concluded our two-part introduction to polyrhythms with an example that combined multiple polyrhythms within one phrase. In this lesson, we’ll continue layering multiple polyrhythms to take the previous ideas to an even deeper level. These exercises will…
Style and Analysis: U2's Larry Mullen
Larry Mullen plays drums with the very popular three-piece band, U2. Larry and bassist Adam Clayton lay down a solid foundation for the guitar. U2 is a prime example of a drummer and bass player working together as a unit.…
Burning on Double Bass — Basic Hand/Foot Patterns
There are no shortcuts in gaining control in drumming. Just as it takes time to develop speed and accuracy with your hands, the same applies to your double bass playing. The important things are to be focused in your practice…
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…
The Art of Soloing
I may as well admit the obvious: I am, indeed, a practitioner and partisan of that much maligned and oft-persecuted musical form, that thudding, plodding, torment of tedium, that dazzling display of passion and virtuosity—the drum solo. Much contempt has…
A Beat Study
The following musical examples comprise what I term a “beat study.” It is by no means exhaustive (every possible variation), but simply presents related time feels. Bar 1 is the pattern on which all the others are based. The focus…
The Military Sound
The application of rudimental/military type patterns to the drumset has added another dimension to contemporary music. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of Archives (500+…
