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.
Dennis Wilson
As the reunited Beach Boys make headlines this year, MD remembers their late original drummer. The Smithereens’ Dennis Diken traces Wilson’s path to the top, recounts his dramatic fall, and examines his underappreciated skills. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE…
Dave King
As he blazes the trail of a true artist, he proves that a personal voice on the instrument trumps any sense of stylistic borders. MD associate editor Michael Parillo joins the Bad Plus drummer for a few steps of his…
BERNARD PURDIE: The Hitmaker
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie has played on enough tracks to overstuff an iPod. His drumming is, in fact, pretty. And nasty too. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Maximize Your Practicing — Get the Most From Whatever Time You Have
It seems that now more than ever we live in a world where it’s a challenge to find the time to do anything outside our daily responsibilities. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Fours and Sevens in 7/8 — Part 1: Single Strokes
This month we’re going to work on a couple of shortburst single-stroke rudiments: the single four and single seven. The key to executing these rudiments effectively is using finger control to play rapid free strokes. Single fours and sevens are…
Improve Your Bottom Line — Part 2: Bass Drum Comping in 3/4
Continuing with the concept introduced in the last issue, this article explores bass drum comping ideas in 3/4. The phrases included here are intended to help you develop dynamic balance with your right foot in conjunction with your three remaining…
Exploring The New Frontier — Moving Beyond Pattern-Based Thinking
Practice materials laid out in any given method book are often validated by the possibilities for musical application that await those who work through the pages patiently of diligently. This article is designed to give you a glimpse of the…
New York Jazzer Jimmy Macbride
Still only in his mid-twenties, the drummer has been making a name for himself in the ultra-competitive New York City jazz scene for several years now, bringing an assured command of his instrument to recordings and live work with a sound that belies his age.
Drum Wisdom: Jim Mola
By his own admission, Jim Mola moved to New York in 1985 to set the world on fire as a drummer. Now, after thirty-three years of experience in the trenches as a working musician, the types of gigs he’s playing…
Russ Kunkel - The Song Server
At the dawn of the ’70s, music fans noticed the credit “Drums: Russ Kunkel” popping up on reams of LP jackets. From that pivotal point, Kunkel’s momentum as a session ace surged through five decades. The drummer’s tasteful parts and…
Foreigner’s Dennis Elliott
“I was blessed to land a gig as life-changing as Foreigner,” the London-born drummer Dennis Elliott says. “It was a band I totally believed in.” Elliott played with the group for seventeen years, powering solid-gold tracks like “Urgent,” “Feels Like…
Peter Criss on Peter Criss
"When we were planning our solo albums, I knew I might never again get the chance to do what I wanted, with horns and strings and singing. I’m a soul singer; I grew up with James Brown, the Ronettes, the…
J.P. Bouvet
The 2011 Guitar Center Drum-Off champ and Roland U.S. V-Drums Contest winner shares his thoughts on soloing. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Joel Smith
For readers unfamiliar with gospel music and its rich history, imagine the way you might feel about John Bonham or Tony Williams, Jaco Pastorius or Charles Mingus. That's how much this multitalented musician means to legions of drummers and bass…
