drummer
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.
AROUND THE WORLD - Diddling the Baiaó
Over the years, Chick Corea’s bands have featured a lot of great drumming talent. Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Roy Haynes, Jeff Ballard—all of these players brought exciting rhythms to the drumming world. We’re going to focus on a song from…
ROCK PERSPECTIVES - Progressive Drumming Essentials
Has a song ever caught your ear in just the right kind of wrong way, leaving the music feeling twisted? You knew the musicians were playing together correctly, and you might have even been familiar with the song, but what…
CONCEPTS - Your Library
American author and clergyman Harry Emerson Fosdick makes a very important point about the acquisition of knowledge in any field. We must look back, stay current, and use inspirations to build our future. For us drummers, spending time gaining knowledge…
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - TRX New DRK Series Cymbals
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP TRX New DRK Series Cymbals Warm, dark, classic sounds with pre-drilled holes for rivets. by Miguel Monroy TRX has released several new options in the past year or so, including the Blends series, which was reviewed in our…
Catching Up With Rod Morgenstein
“The concept of jam band totally applies,” the famed drummer with fusion greats Dixie Dregs says of his latest album with Jazz Is Dead, “meaning go for it, challenge yourself, and don’t be afraid to take chances.” TO READ THE…
Catching Up With The Aquarium Rescue Unit’s Jeff Sipe
When Jeff Sipe met underground art-rock icon Col. Bruce Hampton in the clubs of Atlanta in 1984, his life—and drumming—changed forever. “From the very first time I played with Bruce,” Sipe tells MD, “I felt that I’d found my calling…
John Legend and Jill Scott’s Rashid Williams
Rashid Williams has always been attracted to powerful people. When he was seven years old and attending church in Jersey City, New Jersey, the drummer with the best groove nabbed the drum chair, whether it was Rashid or the other…
Spock’s Beard’s Jimmy Keegan
Fueling the Flame Story by Will Romano Photos by Alex Solca When frontman and main songwriter Neal Morse left Spock’s Beard in 2002, drummer Nick D’Virgilio assumed the lead role, pulling triple duty as singer, drummer, and guitarist for studio…
BASICS - The Tap Nine
The traditional nine-stroke roll consists of four alternating double strokes followed by a single stroke. It can be played open (clearly articulated) or closed (buzzed). This is a popular rudiment in marching and concert percussion idioms, and I’ve found a…
STRICTLY TECHNIQUE - One-Sided Hairtas, Grandmas, and Grandpas
This month we’re going to look at three unusual rudiments: one-sided hairtas, grandmas, and grandpas. These three closely related rudiments are especially useful for drumset fills when playing the accents on toms or cymbals and the unaccented notes on the…
CONCEPTS - The Business of Gigging
This month’s topic, so eloquently summarized by Henry Ford, has been on my mind for a few months. I went to see the Rush R40 tour this past July. I’ve seen Rush many times over the years, but I knew…
Hugh Grundy
Hugh Grundy Story by Dennis Diken Photos by Rahav Segev Highly influential beat group the Zombies separated in 1968,then reunited decades later to finally receive their fair share of accolades. Today an unusual personnel arrangement allows the surviving core…
Joe Saylor Rise Up!
What awaits us down the road? Or around the very next corner? Ask Joe Saylor that question. He has an uncanny tale about a moment of seeming predestination. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Cliff Almond
San Diego native Cliff Almond had special advantages as a young drummer banging his way through the business. Surrounded by a family of professional musicians, Almond learned early the value of sight-reading, good time, and showing up to the gig…
