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.
Tama - Star Single Tom Stand and Classic Stand
Tama is not only one of the world’s premier drum makers, but it also offers some of the most stable, durable, and well-engineered hardware on the market today. This past year the company introduced two new pieces for drummers looking…
Kit of the Month - The Dream Police Kit
This vintage gold sparkle kit comes to us from Minnetonka, Minnesota, reader Rob Gilboe, who explains that the set was custom-built by drum tech Paul Jamieson and manufacturer Patrick Foley for former Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos in the…
Concepts - It's Time To Retool!
I came to the realization a few years ago that to maintain success, I have to constantly adjust, retool, forecast, and create new business plans. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Rock 'N' Jazz Clinic - The Musical Drummer
One of the questions that has come up the most times in conversations is: "What is this about form in music? How do you know where you are? How do you approach playing with other instruments on specific tunes? TO…
Around The World - African Pop Meets American Funk
Popular African pop rhythms from the past twenty to thirty years are starting to appear in American funk music. In this article we’ll explore the triplet-based African rhythm mangambe, which we’ll apply to a funk setting. TO READ THE FULL…
Rock Perspectives - Groove Contraction
Groove contraction can create rhythmic tension and release. Similar to how, with implied metric modulation, we can use new subdivisions to trick listeners into feeling like the quarter-note pulse has shifted, we can use the concept of contraction to make…
Teacher's Forum - Interleaving
A typical practice session is often laid out in a format that sports psychologists call “block learning,” where you repeat the same skill over and over for a predetermined amount of time. If you’re practicing four different skills (A, B,…
Rock Perspectives - Converting Those Old Rhythms, Part II
In Part I we learned how to play a shuffle properly and how to apply it to a "half-time, shuffle-funk" concept. In Part II we'll explore this idea further with an emphasis on more complicated patterns. T TO READ THE…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop - Bass Drum Technique
The bass drum foot should be developed with the same technical/musical objectives as the hands: control of tempo, dynamics, and syncopation. A simple approach to these objectives is to relate bass drum technique to hand technique. TO READ THE FULL…
Sum 41's Frank Zummo
Frank Zummo has always been a team player—whether performing with his drum brothers in Street Drum Corps, filling in for an injured Tommy Lee in Mötley Crüe, or joining existing lineups with Dhani Harrison’s thenewno2, Gary Numan, the late Scott…
Concepts - Playing From The Inside Out
This month I’d like to discuss one of the biggest issues I see with young drummers: the loose and questionable sound of unintentional ideas. This usually happens during fills and solos, but it sometimes exists during grooves as well. Many…
Product Close-Up - Zildjian S Family Cymbals
After two years of research and development, Zildjian has released a new series of B12 (12% tin and 88% copper) cymbals, the S Family, to replace its mid-level ZHT line. While retaining the bright, explosive tonal qualities and competitive price…
Product Close-Up - Tama Superstar Classic Drumset
Tama’s Superstar Classic series feature well-crafted, versatile drums that make for a great all-around kit at an affordable price point. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Product Close-Up - Promark ActiveGrip Forward 5A Drumsticks
Promark experimented with its ActiveGrip coating on Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche’s signature Active Wave 570 stick, which was released in the summer of 2015. This year the company is expanding the ActiveGrip coating—to be offered in black—to some of its…
