August 2023 – Volume 47 • Number 8
On 31st Jul 2023
LOG IN
Digital Access
$4.99 /month or $49.99 /year
SAVE $10 | Yearly Subscription
- Digital Monthly Magazine
- 47 Years of Archives (500+ Issues)
- 40+ Drum Channel
All Access (Print + Digital)
USA $179.99 / year (Billed Annually)
- Digital Subscription
- 6 physical copies of Modern Drummer, sent bi-monthly
- Access to exclusive giveaways and meet and greets
- Modern Drummer t-shirt / Modern Drummer hat
- Modern Drummer Masterclass
Articles in August 2023
Godsmack’s Shannon Larkin Mountain vs. Machine
Photo by Mike DeMillia As you walk in drummer Shannon Larkin’s house there are no pictures of himself, or Gold or Platinum records on the wall. The only thing that would clue you into the fact that you are in…
Joe Farnsworth: Playing from the Past, and for the Future
Photo by William Brown I tell drum students this all of the time. If you become a music major in college, pay as much attention to your peers as you do to your teachers. You can learn as much (and…
Laura Donelan of Music Pro Insurance
Many musicians don’t know that specialized musical instrument insurance exists. If they do know about it, they probably assume it’s going to cost an arm and leg. And if someone knows about it, and is interested, they probably assume that…
Louie Palmer: From London to L.A. with fire!
Photo by Marcus Wolf When you scroll through social media pages you see many different posts from various guys, and you might stop for only a few seconds on one who caught your attention. But sometimes, you might spend more…
The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming: Binary Fills
In the new and revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming, Bobby includes nine new double bass drumming chapters. The new and expanded edition covers contemporary techniques such as bass drum double strokes, feet-only exercises, binary and ternary…
Latin Percussion Single Brass Timbales Versatility and Choices
Latin Percussion (LP) has been around for decades. I am literally still using LP cowbells I bought back in the 1970’s. (No, I’m not that old, I just started young!) LP is not only known for making outstanding cowbells but…
Joe Morello’s Maple Ludwigs
This Ludwig five-piece sliver sparkle maple drum kit (14x22, 9x13, 16x16, 16x18, and 5.5x14 Hammered Bronze Snare) was owned and played by Joe Morello for many years. David Frangioni studied with Joe in the 80’s and they became very close.…
Embrace Change
In proofing this month’s Modern Drummer, I saw a theme. It was an unconscious theme, but a theme none-the-less. Changes. It’s not just a great Yes song, a timeless David Bowie song, or a classic Buddy Miles song. Nor is…
Just Duet
The greatest joy in education comes when the student teaches the teacher. Jake Reed and Ryan Shaw (who is highlighted in Jake’s guest column) both studied with me at USC. They not only do me and the Thornton School of…
Patience Pays Off!
This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes from Diogo Veiga of Sao Paulo, Brazil. His kit is a Pearl Export kit with added 8” and 10” toms. At first, Diogo remembers that the Exports were only available with…
DW’s Alex Gonzalez Collectors Series Icon Snare Drum: Iconic drummer, Iconic Snare Drum
Drum Workshop sent Modern Drummer over one of their newest Collector Series Icon snare drums for a look-see. The Alex Gonzalez DW Collector’s Series ICON snare drum was created as a tribute to Latin Pop icons Mana and their legendary…
2023 Chicago Drum Show: The Drummers Family Reunion!
The Chicago Drum Show, now in its 32nd year, returned to the Kane County Fairgrounds on May 20 & 21, 2023. The show was a rousing success with an attendance of around 1500 visitors and over 180 booths. Attendees came…
Sam Smith, The 1975, Interpol, Black Crowes, Blur, and Placebo Drummers Use Porter & Davies
Photo by David Phillips The silent tactile monitors made by Porter & Davies (P&D) are used around the globe by many top professional drummers. Joining the growing P&D family are Jonathan ‘Ginger’ Hamilton (Sam Smith), George Daniel (The 1975), Sam…
Pearl Welcomes Drummers to High-End Reimagined
The emerging power drummer, gigging player, or up-and-comer can expect a fresh new selection of visuals for Pearl’s Decade Maple Series drums. Two new satin lacquer finish options are being introduced with the arrival of Blue Mirage, and Rose Mirage,…
Groove Concepts for Fusion-Funk Music
I began playing with the Carl Mayotte Fusion Quintet in 2018. We have recorded four albums since 2018 and have had the chance to release a play along series for drum and bass with Hudson Music in 2023. Creating the…
HalBlaine’s 1950s Rogers “Constellation” Drum Set
The set that started it all… By now, studio drummer Hal Blaine’s legend is pretty well known. He is widely considered the most recorded musician of all time. His extraordinarily prolific career spanned four decades from the the 1950s through…
OUT NOW! New Recordings in the August 2023 Issue
Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or a unique drumming and musical performance from the drummer and/or musicians in…
Danny Schreiber of Quor
The prog-metal band Quor has been together since 2013, and their newest member is drummer Danny Schreiber. The band just got back from a Japanese tour which found them playing at the Osaka club called Hokage’, as well as Babel…
Explosive CONFIDENCE Through Drumming
Where does true confidence come from? It’s found in the evidence of actions when you faced your dragons, and came out the other side. It’s not just thinking, but KNOWING. Everyday, we earn another 1%, but we don’t always see…
Triplets with Flams
In previous months we have learned about an often-ignored sound of drumming called Flat Flams. Then we learned about Joe Morello’s creative way of combining eighth notes with Flams.This month we will continue with a study of playing triplets with…
Understanding the Language of Music Basic Chord Structure
Modern Drummer founder Ron Spagnardi wrote an excellent book called Understanding the Language of Music, a Drummer’s Guide to Theory and Harmony. This book spells out the basics of theory and harmony in a very easy to understand way. It…
Latin Percussion Rhythm Rods New Tools for the Toolbox
The other half of my LP box had a nice assortment of Rhythm Rods. LP sent over three different pairs: Synthetic Lightweight and Heavyweight models, and the Natural Rhythm Rods. I tried these alternative implements on just about everything I…
ProMark Drumsticks Releases Innovative New Nylon Brushes
D’Addario is proud to introduce new ProMark Nylon Brushes, the next phase in drumstick innovation. Designed to deliver the control of a stick and the tone of a brush, ProMark Nylon Brushes have a soft-touch handle, complete with internal counterweights,…
