Concepts
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.
Concentration
The ability to concentrate and not be distracted from the music by fear or pressure is extremely important for every professional drummer. For example, if you become nervous at a recording session or an audition you may lose your concentration.…
Friendship and Drummers
Friendship amongst drummers takes on many curious attitudes. For example, we have the fair-weather friend. He is the guy who is super friendly to you if you are with a name group. When you are between groups he loses interest…
Comparisons
There is an ancient Chinese curse that says “May your children live in ‘interesting’ times”—meaning, I suppose, a period of calamity and conflict. That also implies that if you grew up in a dull era, it was also a safe…
Buddy Rich: Dedication To Excellence
Buddy Rich has been a famous drummer for as long as I can remember. I first heard him on records in the early ’40s when I was around seven years old. I met Buddy in person in New York City…
Endorsements: Good or Bad?
There are so many rumors in the music business regarding endorsements that young drummers don't know what to believe. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Self-Appointed Authorities Can Be Dangerous To Your Health
According to Webster’s Dictionary, an authority is “a person with much knowledge or experience in some field, whose opinion is hence reliable: an expert.” Unfortunately, many so-called authorities are “self-appointed.” They want to be authorities, but they lack the training,…
Visualizing For Successful Performance
What mental picture do you have in your mind when you are practicing? Are you picturing your favorite drummer? If you have an important concert coming up do you picture what might go wrong? Do you imagine that others may…
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…
Be the Driver!
Ask any musician, especially a non-drummer, “What’s the number one role of the drummer?”
Inner Drumming
Listening With All Four Limbs, Part 4 If this is the first time you’re reading about Inner Drumming, the diagrams in this article may seem unusual. But rest assured that if you spend a few minutes with them, you’ll begin…
Concepts - Art vs. Money
If you run your own business, at the end of the year you review profits and expenses.
Concepts - "Can You Play Like John Smith?"
Recently, a friend of mine was asked to do a commercial recording session. During the session, it became obvious that things were not going well.
Concepts - Respect: The Key To An Open Mind
One of the saddest things in our industry is to hear young drummers criticize or put down older drummers. After all, when you really analyze the history of drumming, all of the newest beats are just new ways of combining…
Concepts — Tips On Sight Reading
A number of young drummers regularly take lessons and pour through drum books...
