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.
Savannah Harris: Slick, Swagger, and Swing!
When Terri Lyne Carrington goes out of her way to tell you about a drummer and Christian McBride hires that same drummer for his new band, it is someone that you NEED to check out! That drummer is Savannah Harris,…
Bassist Antoine Fafard, Composing for the Great Modern Drummers
After ten recordings that have featured some of the greatest modern drummers ever, bassist and composer extraordinaire Antoine Fafard has a story to tell. He began by leading, touring, and recording five records with his own Canadian fusion band Spaced…
Earth, Wind & Fire's "Getaway" from the recording Spirit, Fred White, Drummer
This month’s transcription is a tribute to the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire. The track “Getaway” appears on the band’s seventh studio album “Spirit,” released in 1976. Among the group’s lineup was drummer Fred White—one of three brothers in the…
Press Play & MOVE
“The real knowing is in the playing. Drums give up their true secrets only to players, not PhDs.” Mickey Hart I once heard a health expert ask, if you could do just one thing for your overall well-being that would…
Progressive Drumming Essentials: Understanding Odd Time Signatures
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, represents a great deal of…
Master Studies II: Paradiddles with Fill-Ins Using Multiple-Rebound Strokes
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,…
Rhythm Vocabulary Development Series Part 3: Filling in the Spaces in 6/8
Rhythm as Space: In our last installment, we explored how rhythmic vocabulary can be expanded by understanding rhythm as space—a concept that becomes even more powerful in odd time signatures like 7/4. This month, we shift our focus to a…
More from the Frankie Banali Collection
Frankie Banali was best known as a member of Quiet Riot, the Los Angeles based metal band whose 1983 breakout album Metal Health was the first heavy metal album to top the Billboard album chart. They racked up huge hits…
Out Now June 2025
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 high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performances from the drummer and/or musicians in the band. This…
DeAndre Hemby's Teddy Swims Touring Kit
Drums: SJC Drums – 16×22 Kick, 7×8, 7×10, 7×12 Rack Toms, 14×16 and 16×18 Floor Toms, 6.5×14 Brass Snare, 6.5×14 Maple Snare.Heads: Evans – EC2 and EC Reso on rack toms; EMAD and EC Reso on floor toms; HD Dry on main…
Clement Anthony “Clem Burke” Bozewski November 24, 1954 – April 6, 2025
Clem Burke is known as the influential drummer for Blondie, he was a member of Blondie from 1975 until his death and appeared on every Blondie recording and every hit. According to Burke, Blondie combined the influences of The Beatles,…
The New Breed: Concepts
Gary Chester’s groundbreaking book The New Breed is influential and legendary. The book, Gary’s teaching methods, and his Concepts are deeply intertwined. They are a lifelong commitment of dedication, study, and development. Before we start practicing Gary Chester’s Systems, Reading…
Chris Adler Chapter Two: FirstBorne
With a new band called FirstBorne and a debut record called Lucky that is coming out in July, legendary and influential drummer Chris Adler (ex of Lamb of God and Megadeth) is starting a new chapter in his musical life.…
The Drum Community
Because of the passing of everybody’s friend Marco Soccoli, and the fact that so many drummers wanted to contribute their thoughts to Marco’s Modern Drummer tribute, I am thinking about the drum community a lot this month. The Modern Drummer…
