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.
Complete Percussionist: Interpreting Marches
Is it possible to "kick" a march in much the same way you kick a dance band? As long as we're not talking about dance band rhythms, but are talking about support (supporting the brass and reeds in a march…
South Of The Border: Brazilian Percussion
Brazil has been a rich source of music and rhythm for many years. Virtually every percussionist has a few Brazilian percussion instruments in his "toy" collection. It is important for drummers to he familiar with these fascinating instruments, since by…
Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham is one of the strongest innovative forces on the drumming scene today. Both his technique, and drum set-up are awesome.We met at Starr Recording Studios where Billy was to record an instructional tape for the Tama Drum Company.…
Reflections: Don Lamond
"I was fascinated by the drums. I was always banging on things but I couldn't figure out how people rolled on drums. How could they play fast enough to produce a continuous sound?" TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO…
Zildjian 21" K Custom Organic and 20" K Constantinople Renaissance Rides (Video)
Zildjian recently teamed up with two of its artists, drummer/educator Pat Petrillo and jazz great Adam Nussbaum, to create specialized signature rides designed to offer varying degrees of “crashability” and pinpoint articulation. Let’s take a look at each. TO READ…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop - Coordinating Accents Independently
by Ed Soph Independence may mean playing two or more rhythmic patterns simultaneously. It may also mean playing two or more rhythmic patterns simultaneously and coordinating different accent patterns within those rhythmic patterns.Here are some basic exercises in accent coordination…
Jimmy Cobb: Seasoned Sideman
After talking to Jimmy Cobb and hearing him play, I was impressed both by the man, and the musician. His musical credentials are extensive. From 1958-1962 he was a member of the Miles Davis group, which included John Coltrane and…
Mr. Big's Pat Torpey - Breaking Down the Quasi-Linear Beat to "Take Cover"
by Matt Starr This month we’re going to look at a unique beat performed by Mr. Big drummer Pat Torpey for the song “Take Cover,” which appears on the band’s 1996 studio album, Hey Man.When I first heard this groove,…
TLC's Tom Knight - On Tour & On Stage Making It Work On The Road
One of the top drumming guns on the Atlanta music scene, Tom Knight made his mark with the Grammy-winning producer Dallas Austin, who once called Tom “a human MPC3000??? for his impeccable timekeeping. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO…
South Of The Border: The Mambo
Ranking among the most popular Latin rhythms is the mambo. This rhythm, which originated in Cuba, has had much success on the dance floors of the world because of its exciting, driving qualities. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO…
Driver's Seat: Listening and Learning
If you're interested in becoming a competent big band drummer, it's very important you do some research. When I say research, I don't mean back ten years or so. You've got to dig back further than that, preferably before the…
ROY HAYNES: Jazz Legend Still Goin' Strong
A 'natural' drummer, Roy Haynes has played with an array of jazz artists throughout his career, including Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Sarah Vaughan and John Coltrane. Haynes reminisces about the artists he has played with and explains how he approaches…
10 Essential Drummer Autobiographies
The most popular musician autobiographies tend to come from famous singers and guitar heroes. But drummers can tell a tale as well as anyone else. Here’s a ten-pack of proof. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Rock 'n' Jazz Clinic - Double Bass Fills Part 2
The purpose of this lesson, which is a continuation of what we explored in part one (June 2013), is to show you how to overlap bass drum notes at the end of a phrase into a crash at the beginning…
