July 2025 – Volume 49 • Number 07
On 01st Jul 2025
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Articles in July 2025
BE A FUSION DRUMMER
The word fusion gets a lot of use in this issue. Unfortunately, it’s become somewhat of a “bad” word in some musical circles. It’s (unfortunate) meaning has become the name of the style of music, born in the late 60s…
Simple Truths
It feels like a good time to state some simple truths… THE BESTS The best-recorded drum sounds (in my opinion)… Buddy Rich’s Rogers kit on the first two big band albums he recorded for Pacific Jazz. Wally Heider was the…
DW SONICPLY SHELLS, NEW HEADPHONES FROM BEYERDYNAMIC
Drum Workshop SonicPly Shells Drum Workshop has introduced SonicPly drum shells to the Collector’s Series, the first new shell construction since PurpleCore in 2021. Developed by DW’s “woodologist,” John Good, the latest design blends the best characteristics of wood and metal to offer a new,…
EVANS REALFEEL 10" ATTACKTILE PAD SCHOLASTIC PACK
The RealFeel drum pad was a trusted favorite among drummers long before it became part of the Evans (D’Addario) lineup. I still have my original HQ Percussion double-sided 12” RealFeel from the early 2000’s. The newer Evans model with its…
SOME MOST EXCELLENT FOOTWORK!
Yamaha Corporation is Making Waves again with their new high-end kick and two legged hi-hat pedals! Modern Drummer received a box full of these impressive pedals to take through their paces and see what we thought of them. What we…
The Many Hats of Narada Michael Walden
In 1974, Michael Walden was given the name Narada which means “Supreme Musician” by his guru Sri Chimnoy. His career (and this interview) features him giving the knowledge of the many hats he wears as a drummer, producer, songwriter, and…
Sam Hunt’s Josh Sales, The Best Version of Himself
Drummer Josh Sales has had an interesting up-bringing. After early exposure to a drum- oriented film, his midwestern and slightly confined Indiana roots, were turned into becoming a more “free-range” child, when his family moved to London for a short…
Anna Mylee: Creating Her Own Voice Behind the Drums
Anna Mylee started her musical career in her native Belgium at the age of 14 when she started touring the country with several musical projects. At the age of 18, she moved to London to study at Tech Music School…
Billy Cobham "Quadrant 4" from the Billy Cobham recording Spectrum
Let’s rewind to October 3rd, 1973—the day Spectrum by the legendary Billy Cobham hit the world. Recorded in just three days, the album captures a raw, live energy, with most tracks laid down in only one or two takes. That urgency and…
The 5th Limb: SING YOUR DRUMS
Singing anything we can hear or imagine births it into the world by giving it shape and substance. Now we’re no longer just drummers, but sound-crafters. Singing rhythms taps into the soul of the drummer, awakening consciousness of a deeper…
Progressive Drumming Essentials: Double Bass Boot Camp
Progressive Drumming Essentials is a collection of articles originally written for Modern Drummer magazine. They are exactly what the title says, PROGRESSIVE drumming essentials. This series of articles, and the book that contains them all, represent a great deal of…
Master Studies II: Variations of the Triple Paradiddle
As a follow-up to Joe Morello’s legendary Master Studies book, he released Master Studies II in 2006. Joe was a masterful teacher and helped many great drummers with their musicality, technique, and touch. Joe was also masterful at creating exercises,…
Rhythm Vocabulary Development Series Part 4: Playing in 5/8
In the last installment of this series, we explored the concept of “filling the spaces” in 6/8—how understanding rhythm as spatial awareness can give your vocabulary new dimension and depth. This time, we’re venturing into slightly more angular territory with…
The 100 Year History of the Modern Drum Set
It’s difficult to imagine that the drum set of today has only been in existence for just over 100 years. The history of the modern drum set began in the late 1800’s, with a drummer being able to play the…
Out Now July 2025
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 high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performances from the drummer and/or musicians in the band. This…
Mike Wengren's Original Disturbed Down with the Sickness Touring Kit
Drums: Pearl Masters Custom Maple - Midnight Fade - two 18” x 22” Kick Drums, 16” x 18” Floor Tom, 16” x 16” Floor Tom, 12” x 14” Rack Tom, 10” x 12” Rack Tom, 6.5” x 14” Kapur/Fiberglass Snare Drum.…
Remembering Al Foster
January 18, 1943 – May 28, 2025 Al Foster and I met 37 years ago, and we hit it off instantly. He became a mentor, a friend, and a huge influence on my drumming. We spent a good deal of…
