drumming
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.
Product Close-Up - Tama Pedals
Tama has introduced the next generation of its Iron Cobra and Speed Cobra pedals with smart enhancements that focus on feel, stability, and sound. The company’s engineers managed to reduce weight in certain key areas while fortifying the pedals’ overall…
In Memoriam - Johnny Craviotto
Johnny Craviotto, who died on July 15 at age sixty-nine, may have passed on, but his legacy isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Craviotto thrived in the music industry as an innovator and a dear friend to many. His handcrafted solid-shell…
Strictly Technique - One-Two-Threes
In this lesson we’re going to work on a fun and challenging hybrid rudiment that does wonders for developing finger control. In the exercises, the right hand plays one note, the left plays two notes, and then the right plays…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop - Rhythmic Conversions
For this lesson we’ll be focusing on the converted triplet material from Part 1 of this series, which ran in the May, 2016 issue of MD. Specifically, we’ll be using the half-note-triplet accent within each rhythmic conversion as a device…
Rock Perspectives - Advanced Overlapping Phrases
I’ve always been inspired by phrasing that seems to dance its way around the pulse. Bands such as Meshuggah apply this effect. You can bob your head in quarter notes and feel their phrases starting on different parts of the…
Concepts - Are You Playing the Drums?
This month’s quote represents a classic sentiment that seasoned drummers often feel necessary to share with younger players. By this stage in my career, I’ve witnessed many occasions when it would have been useful to repeat—at a clinic, for instance,…
Complete Percussionist
Rolling is the term used in reference to sustaining sounds on drums. Each percussion instrument has its own techniques of rolling—each unique, but yet each similar in many ways. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Understanding Rhythm: The Tie
The Tie is a curved line that connects two notes together. Only the first note is played, but is held for the duration of the two notes involved. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Drivers Seat: Understanding The Basics
Anyone who hasn't had the thrilling experience of being in the same room with a driving eighteen-piece big band has probably missed one of the more exciting experiences in all music. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG…
South Of The Border Brazilian Drumming: The Samba
The samba is a typical rhythm and dance of Brazil. It gained popularity in this country during the forties initially as a ballroom dance mostly through the famous Brazilian singer actress Carmen Miranda, who may be remembered as having the…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop Metric Modulation
Among the many lessons to be learned from the playing of Max Roach is the concept of musicality in drumming. This is shown no more clearly than in his solo work, particularly in the fact that Max has almost always…
Driver's Seat - Energy and the Ensemble
In my last article I talked about supporting the big band, not getting in the way, and cueing or directing the band. In this article, I’ll be explaining the value of underplaying and the extreme importance of energy levels. For…
Driver's Seat: Learning The Chart and Phrasing
Last time, we discussed the value of underplaying and keeping the energy level high. This article deals with two of the most important of all the nine tips I've suggested: learning the chart and phrasing. TO READ THE FULL STORY:…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop: Foundational Studies For Ride Cymbal Technique
Before be-bop, jazz rhythm was characterized by equal emphasis on all four beats of the measure. With bop came the accentuation of the second and fourth beats. This accentuation is clearly heard in the ride cymbal pattern with reinforcement on…
