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.
Zildjian - K Custom Dark 19" and 20" Crashes
In response to requests from artists and dealers alike, the company recently expanded the K Custom crash collection to include larger 19" and 20" models that offer the same warm, rich, and expressive qualities as the smaller cymbals but with…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop - Five-Note Patterns
We discussed Tony Williams’ use of five-note ride patterns in the February 2015 issue of Modern Drummer. In this lesson we’ll analyze approaches that Max Roach and Bill Stewart have used to utilize five-note groupings around the drumset, and we’ll…
Zildjian - K Custom Dark 19" and 20" Crashes
In response to requests from artists and dealers alike, the company recently expanded the K Custom crash collection to include larger 19" and 20" models that offer the same warm, rich, and expressive qualities as the smaller cymbals but with…
Catching Up With... Mark Guiliana
Since Mark Guiliana’s cover feature in MD’s November 2014 issue, the groundbreaking drummer’s momentum has remained in high gear. The Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet makes its debut on Family First, released on Guiliana’s Beat Music Productions label. TO READ THE…
Catching Up With... Chris Adler
No one came out of Lamb of God’s 2013 legal tribulations unscathed. But the band and its drummer seem hell-bent on proving their survival skills. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Peter Erskine - Playing With Intent
Peter Erskine’s career has been like a highway that is constantly under construction, with numerous detours, side roads, bridges, sharp curves, hills, and intersections.
CATCHING UP WITH…Kenny Aronoff
He’s played with everybody, but he doesn’t get called just for his technique.It’s been more than thirty years since Kenny Aronoff first received national attention as the drummer on John Cougar Mellencamp’s hits “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane.”…
CATCHING UP WITH...John Fred Young
Anyone who’s checked out Black Stone Cherry’s music videos might be surprised to learn that in conversation, the man who plays drums like a god of thunder is an absolute Southern gentleman. “We were very fortunate to be from a…
Jimmy Branly
He blends the best of Cuba’s intricate and colorful percussive tradition with a North American sense of swing and a firm command of 2 and 4—like Walfredo Reyes Sr., David Garibaldi, and Dennis Chambers all rolled into one, with the…
TEACHER’S FORUM - Those Who Can, Teach
Drummers today face increasingly difficult circumstances trying to earn a full-time living playing music. To make ends meet, many turn to instruction. I’ve outlined here some of the things I’ve learned over decades of teaching to help you if and…
BASICS - Six-Stroke Success
The six-stroke roll is easily one of my favorite rudiments. I was hooked on it after hearing the first few bars of the Temptations’ “My Girl.” This popular lick has crept its way into all types of music—from big band…
STRICTLY TECHNIQUE - Nine Over Two
The simplest way to think about a nine-over-two polyrhythm is by dividing each partial of a quarter-note triplet into another triplet. In this lesson, we’re adding accent patterns to this polyrhythm. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG…
ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC - Groove Construction
In the second part of this series, we’ll continue to create new grooves by displacing the snare drum. We’ll start with a basic pattern that consists of 8th notes on the hi-hat, snare hits on beats 2 and 4, and…
CONCEPTS - Organize Your Gear
I’ve had many requests to discuss selecting, organizing, and maintaining equipment, so this is the first part in a short series on those subjects. I’m starting with the organization of gear and how to take it to jobs so that…
