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.
South Of The Border - New Directions In Latin Drumming
Much of contemporary popular music draws greatly from the rhythms of Latin America. The contagious excitement generated by these rhythms is partly responsible for the success which disco has enjoyed over the past few years, and fills an important place…
Concepts - Stanley Spector: Challenging the Rudimental System
Stanley Spector studied percussion with Ralph Eames, George L. Stone and Simon Sternberg. He was a scholarship student at Tanglewood from 1942-46 and received a Bachelor of Music Degree from Boston University in 1950. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE…
Danny Seraphine: The Rhythm of Chicago
"I loved to watch my uncle who was a drummer, when I was young, but he only played weekends because in those days, most of them didn't really devote their lives to it. It was such a long-shot," says Danny…
Bob Moses: Beneath the Surface
If I were asked to make a list of the most underrated drummers. Bob Moses would be the first name that would come to my mind. I first met Moses through Charlie Perry at a jazz drumming workshop Perry was…
Barriemore Barlow
Since their 1972 album "Thick As A Brick", Jethro Tull's music has become more and more layered, intricate, and demanding on both players and listeners. Also, since that time, Barriemore Barlow, a 29-year-old Scotsman, has been their percussionist. TO READ…
Michael Carvin: Spreading The Word
One might nickname Michael Carvin "Man Of 1,000 Albums." He's played drums on many albums, including 100 jazz albums. The artists with whom he's been associated run the gamut of jazz— bebop, traditional, to the avant-garde and soul-tinged. TO READ…
Rock Perspectives: More Rock Studies
In these examples, you'll notice a distinct difference in the sound of the hi-hat being closed with the foot as opposed to striking it with the stick. These two distinct sounds used with accented and unaccented snare drum/bass drum strokes…
Basic Brushes
Basic Brushes by Charley Perry In the history of drumming, brushes are a fairly recent addition to the drummer’s arsenal. They go back perhaps forty years and have been used almost exclusively in jazz and dance bands. The origins of…
Show And Studio: Victor Feldman Up-Close
Victor Feldman is a distinguished veteran of the recording industry. His unique abilities as a keyboard player and percussionist are sought by such artists as Hubert Laws and Joni Mitchell, plus groups like Steely Dan and the LA Express. His…
Catching Up With... George "Funky" Brown
Five decades on, the legendary dance band Kool & the Gang was recently honored with a Soul Train Legend Award and given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One drummer has been there from the start. by Bob…
Chet McCracken and Keith Knudsen: Takin' It To The Doobies
Keith Knudsen and Chet McCracken, drummers for the popular Doobie Brothers, relate how the advantages outweigh the difficulties working in a two .0drummer situation. The pair also evaluate their own performance styles and preferences within the musical context of the…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop: Getting It Together With the Bass Player
Everybody knows that if the rhythm section is not 'happening' neither is the rest of the band. The drums and bass are two different sides of the same musical coin, and when two players are really together it is a…
Andrew Cyrille: An Aesthetic Endeavor
Andrew Cyrille has always been interested in the interpretive power of drums and percussion, and he has shown various aspects of this in contexts ranging from the Cecil Taylor Unit, to solo percussion albums and concerts. Here, he shares his…
Saul Goodman The Master Tympanist
With every instrument, there are certain players who, through their musicianship, manage to raise everyone's consciousness about how that instrument can he played. Often, these players also become involved with instrument design, in an effort to reduce the physical limitations…
