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.
Transcriptions. Vocabulary.
This month Modern Drummer is glad to welcome Marc Atkinson. Marc’s transcription of Vinnie Colaiuta’s drumming on Frank Zappa’s “The Deathless Horsie” will astound you and leave you laughing and bewildered. Marc’s precision, attention to detail, and his ability to…
Be Undeniable
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” –Steve Martin Whether you want to be a rising star on stages around the world or simply cultivate a daily drumming meditation in your practice room, be undeniable in all you do. It’s…
Fill-In Studies Groups of Four Fill-ins
Joe Morello advanced the idea of endurance exercises with his Fill-In Studies included in his book Master Studies. These are not “drum fills,” instead they are endurance exercises built on the idea of filling in between the primary rhythm of…
The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming: Skiplets
In the new and revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming, Bobby includes nine new double bass drumming chapters. The new and expanded edition covers contemporary techniques such as bass drum double strokes, feet-only exercises, binary and ternary…
The Bass Drum Owners Manual: Groove Etude and Hi-hat Substitutions
This month Modern Drummer will continue to include excerpts from Michael Packer’s essential book on bass drum control and technique The Bass Drum Owners Manual: Applying the Moeller Technique to the Bass Drum. As you have seen in previous months,…
Snare Drum Duets, "Duet 3"
Ron Spagnardi wrote a terrific book called Snare Drum Duets: 25 Duets For Two Snare Drummers. It offers a selection of 25 challenging duets that range in difficulty from relatively simple to more complex. A wide assortment of time signatures…
Drummer and A&R Person, Dave Rath - It’s the Drums That Makes People Move
Maybe you are in a band that is trying to “make it” and get signed, but young musicians and bands must navigate a lot of things these days. And with many of those things, come different people with different…
1928 Ludwig Rialto and 1933 Ludwig Pioneer Trap Kits
The drum set has come a long way from the simple trap kits of the 1920s and 30s. Ironically, many drummers today are returning to these very simple sets for busking (type) gigs, favoring the convenience and ease of packing…
OUT NOW! November 2023
Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performance from the drummer and/or musicians in the…
Mysterious Traveller
This month’s Kit of the Month comes to us from Phil Raskin. This Slingerland 12, 13, 14, 16, 18 set was originally owned by drummer and educator Skip Hadden. The drums originally had a natural finish but are now finished…
ddrum Dominion Birch 4PC Shell Pack With Paper White Birch Wrap Quality Drums, Compact Price
In 2005 ddrum raised the bar when it comes to drum quality and price when they released their Dominion series drums. They recently introduced an upgraded version of their Dominion Birch series drums, improving upon both quality and aesthetics. This…
Techra Drumsticks
Drumsticks that are not made from wood is not a new idea. Those of us who have been around for a while have seen the idea come and go with varied amounts of success. One of the problems was that…
Jeremy Dutton: The Power of Community
The recent tradition of jazz drummers from Houston, Texas is a long and always growing list. Among them has been Sebastian Whittaker, Chris Dave, Eric Harland, Kendrick Scott, Jamire Williams, and now Jeremy Dutton. Jeremy has been on the New…
Michael “Cavs” Cavanagh: The Rhythmic Force Behind, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Michael “Cavs” Cavanagh, the drummer of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, has been captivating audiences around the world with his explosive drumming and dynamic rhythms. As the backbone of one of the most innovative and genre-bending bands of our…
