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.
New Yamaha Recording Custom Snare Drums: Aluminum and Stainless Steel
In Modern Drummer’s first look at the new series of Recording Custom Snare Drums, we looked at the Birch and Brass shell models. This time we are going to look at a few more shell versions of this storied series.…
Artstruments MR1 Drum Mounting Bracket
In a previous review of Artstruments products, I explored the full display experience of the 5PK-L Drum Mounting Kit with its multiple brackets and LED lighting designed to turn a drum set into an elaborate art installation. The reality is…
Roland VAD516
Roland VAD516 V-Drums Kit If you‘ve followed Roland’s Acoustic Design lineup of V-Drums over the past few years, you already know the story: full size shells, premium hardware, and an e-kit that looks like it belongs in front of a large audience rather than in the…
VOXEL Percussion: 3D Printed Drums, Sound Art in Audio Visions
In the beginning there was wood. And then clay, metal, plastic, fiberglass, acrylic and even glass to name a few! Seems like folks have been making drums out of almost anything they can stretch a membrane on and create a…
Chad Sexton: The Musical Unity of 311
In 35 years as the drummer for 311, Chad Sexton and 311 have recorded 14 studio records, two live records, four EP’s, and four DVD’s. Several of their recordings have resulted in platinum and gold records and numerous hit tunes,…
Jordi Radnoti: The Pressure of Being Prepared
Jordi Radnoti’s drumming is rooted in preparation and trust. Trust in the work, the music, and herself. After coming up through drumline, local bands, and a wide mix of styles, she learned early what it actually takes to operate at…
Luigi Paraventi: Precision, Patience, and the Next Generation
For Luigi Paraventi, momentum didn’t just arrive, it arrived with preparation. At just 20 years old, the São Paulo born drummer has already stepped into professional situations that demand authority, precision, and trust. He’s carrying himself with a calm that…
“Amber” by 311 from the recording From Chaos, drummer Chad Sexton
This month’s transcription takes a dive into this month’s cover feature interview Chad Sexton’s laid-back groove on the 311 song “Amber.” It’s a deceptively simple and deeply felt part that is built entirely on restraint, groove, and phrasing. Chad settles into a relaxed,…
Silent Drum Practice
The drum set is a great instrument, but it is also quite loud, which means you can’t play it anywhere and anytime without causing problems. I often hear from students saying that they couldn’t practice, or could only practice for…
The Swing Pulse
“It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing.” Duke Ellington The swing pulse is that kinetic quality that you can’t quite put your finger on, the quality that you intuitively know when it’s there, or when it’s…
Progressive Drumming Essentials: Groove Contraction
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: Developing the Single Stroke Roll (Some More…)
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,…
The New Breed: Advanced Reading
Gary Chester’s groundbreaking book The New Breed is legendary. The book, and Gary’s teaching methods are deeply intertwined, it is a lifelong commitment of dedication, study, and development. Gary Chester’s Systems, Reading Exercises, Advanced Systems, Advanced Reading Exercises, Composite Systems,…
Snare Drums from the Northup Drum Museum
The snare drum originated from the medieval tabor, a rope-tensioned drum used for military signals, it became a distinct instrument with sharper, brighter, sounds through innovations like screw-tensioning gut and coiled metal snares. Throughout the Middle Ages it was used to…
