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.
The Reeducation of Drumming Education by Ben Sesar
I’ve made it my mission to carve a straighter path to greatness, not only for myself but also for those willing to learn. In doing so, however, I’ve had to question the current standards regarding the way we educate ourselves…
Raw Speed Bass Drum Workout with Mike Johnston
This bass drum workout is all about developing your raw speed. Raw speed is very different from pattern speed. Pattern speed requires your brain to keep track of a specific sequence of rights, lefts, and kicks, and you have to…
CATCHING UP WITH…Carl Allen
The jazz great has spent the year in constant motion, spearheading multiple ensembles, including one holding special interest for drummers. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
CATCHING UP WITH…Jimmie Fadden
Fifty years ago he and guitarist Jeff Hanna founded a jug band to avoid the straight life. Today the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s beautifully twisted tale continues unabated. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Twenty One Pilots’ Josh Dun
Phoning in on a day off between dates in Japan, the drummer opens up about his journey to success, what it takes to stay there, and the pressures of holding down the throne in one of the most popular acts…
The History of the Drummer Boy
Musicians have played an important role on the battlefield for centuries. Fifes, bagpipes, and trumpets have been used to instruct friends and intimidate foes. And since at least as long ago as the days of ancient Babylon, the beating of…
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT Joe Butler
The Lovin’ Spoonful burned brighter than most bands in the ’60s—perhaps too bright for its own good. But the singing drummer who made a habit of beating the odds, in an era when studio cats regularly ghost-drummed on major productions,…
SETTING SIGHTS: Raphael Mura
When the leader of the lauded French post-punk trio Underground Railroad joined the rising neo-psych band Purson, he honed his drumming approach by leaning on indie-rock influences and investigating prog pioneers. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG…
Triplet Fill Concepts - Part 1: Three Over Four
Welcome to the first of three lessons in our “Triplet Fill Concepts” series. In this part, I’m going to show you how to play some simple three-over-four ideas using accents over triplets. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS…
Sonor - Vintage Series Drumset
Gather enough drummers together, and inevitably the conversation will turn toward the eternal question of whether vintage drums sound better than new ones. The pro-vintage crowd argues that twenty-plus-year-old wood has had time to settle into a reliable, consistent tone.…
BASICS - Fundamental Fills
The abundant amount of educational material on the market can overwhelm many students and aspiring professional drummers. Due to limited practice schedules or performance opportunities, some drummers fail to see how to implement new or practical material into their daily…
Jazz Drummer’s Workshop - Rhythmic Conversions
In this lesson, we’ll focus on variations of the converted triplet phrases from Part 1 . When practicing new material, I find it beneficial to explore as many different combinations as possible. By doing so, I’m more apt to apply…
Product Close-Up - ddrum Reflex Rally Sport Drumset
One of the sister companies to Tampa-based ddrum is Dean guitars, and one of the woods that Dean uses for electric guitar bodies is alder. Alder is considered a semi-hard wood and ranks just above pine and poplar. TO READ…
Product Close-Up - Sabian HH Vanguard Series Cymbals
Canadian cymbal maker Sabian has spent the past couple years revisiting its roots in an effort to bring back some of the classic handcrafted approaches the company employed in its early days in the 1980s. First was the raw and…
