
Dom Famularo

In The Moment! This is where the magic is. One very important quality every musician requires to really be totally involved in musical expression…is the art of listening. This is a developed skill needed to be inside any song. To be in the moment…This means to be involved in communication …

I have the incredible honor of interviewing some of the greatest musicians in the world on the YouTube channel, “The Sessions Panel.” The purpose is to capture the story of these great artists for future generations to learn and be inspired. Each of their stories creates a clear path by …

I believe to really understand anything, you must be fully involved to experience the journey. There are many music and drumming events worldwide. These conventions, festivals, carnivals, and shows open our minds while opening the doors of opportunity! When I was 24, I heard about a music convention called NAMM, …

Photos from the 2021 Modern Drummer Festival For the second year in a row, the global pandemic chased the Modern Drummer Festival to an online venue. But we were unbowed. Presented by the MD team and produced by Thom Mozloom’s crew at M Network, we were able to unleash one …

Dom Famularo is affectionately and deservedly known…

Creative Solo Applications Inspired by a Master I had the chance to study with the great Jim Chapin during the last four years of his life. (Jim passed away at ninety years of age on July 4, 2009—coincidentally, as he’s been referred to as the “Father of Independence” in the …

In the hundred or so years since our instrument was invented, the art of playing it has evolved significantly. And so has the way we teach it. Few people understand drumming history more fully than this month’s cover artist—and no one has shared that knowledge more widely and with more …

Mike Portnoy, Bill Bruford, Chris Pennie, Nick D’Virgilio, Phil Collins, Dan Weiss, Gavin Harrison, Virgil Donati, Mark Zonder, Ian Mosley, Dave King, Pat Mastelotto, Aynsley Dunbar, Joey Jordison, Dom Famularo, Scott Rockenfield

Roy Hanes, Chris “Daddy” Dave, Kenny Garrett, Gene Hoglan, Trey Gray, Gavin Harrison, Todd Sucherman, Jason Sutter, Bill Stewart, Bobby Jarzombek, Travis Barker, Stephen Morris, Phil Jordan, Michael Wagener, Jim Capaldi, Bill Stevenson, Scott Rockenfield, Dom Famularo

John Otto, Tito Puente, Nasheet Waits, Dom Famularo, Anton Fig, Ed Blackwell, Tico Torres, Samantha Maloney, Pat Mastelotto, Billy Conway, Jerome Deupree, Eric Bobo, Lou Dog, William Goldsmith, Paul Leim, Russ Miller, Tony Royster Jr.

Chris Parker, Chris Slade, Mickey Roker, Neil Peart, Sandy Gennaro, Eddie Bayers, Paul Goldberg, Larry Iatarola, Billy Jones, Ted Greenberg, Harry Himles, Mike Pultro, Dean Witten, Roli Garcia Jr., Tim Laushey, Jim Keltner, David Robinson, Dom Famularo, Bill Bruford
Posted: March 1, 2022

Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship Recipient Announcement
The Neil Peart Scholarship, in collaboration with Neil’s wife Carrie & Modern Drummer, is proud to present the first recipient of the Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship, Maxx Rinkus. The scholarship, originally announced at the 2020 Modern Drummer Festival by Carrie Nuttall-Peart, provides Maxx with 52 weeks of drum lessons from …
Posted: October 20, 2021

Modern Drummer Announces Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship
Join Modern Drummer in celebrating the life and legacy of Neil Peart by inspiring an up and coming, young drummer with an incredible opportunity! In memory of Neil, with the support of his family, Modern Drummer is proud to present an up-and-coming drummer with the annual “Neil Peart Spirit of …
Posted: October 4, 2021

100 Drummers “Drum Together” for WhyHunger Campaign
The mission is simple, but critical: One Beat. One Mission. End Hunger. WhyHunger—a non-profit founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio deejay Bill Ayres to “change systems, policies, and institutions that perpetuate hunger and poverty in our world”—enlisted more than 100 drummers and percussionists to perform a …
Posted: September 1, 2020

Modern Drummer Festival 2020
Modern Drummer is rebooting its world-famous Drum Festival on September 12 at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time with a live-streaming event honoring the late, great Rush drummer Neil Peart. Proceeds of ticket sales will benefit brain tumor research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The event, which will be produced and distributed …
Posted: August 20, 2020

20th Annual Modern Drummer Festival featuring A Tribute To Iconic Drummer Neil Peart.
LiveXLive to Produce and Distribute Live Pay Per View Show Featuring Incredible Lineup Reaching over 150 Million Social Media Fans — Taylor Hawkins, Chad Smith, Cindy Blackman-Santana, Thomas Lang, Alex Gonzalez A global platform for livestream and on-demand audio, video and podcast content in music, comedy, and pop culture, announced …
Posted: March 17, 2020

COVID-19 Announcement From Modern Drummer
“We are a community of dedicated artists. As drummers we are a brotherhood worldwide. Modern Drummer is our global connecting voice. Let’s unite now and be one force for each other!”
Posted: July 9, 2019

Mike Greenfield of Lotus
Hello drumming family! I grew up reading Modern Drummer magazine so it’s an honor to contribute to the publication. While growing up, I remember poring through the pages of the latest edition so adding to the conversation means so much.
Posted: June 13, 2019

Gregg Potter of the Buddy Rich Band
Cathy Rich and I brought Buddy’s band back as a touring, living, breathing sixteen-piece big band. The group features alumni who played with the BR Band at some time in their careers and who now travel the world to bring Buddy’s music back to the masses.
Posted: August 29, 2017

Dave Weckl Launces New Online School
The all-new Dave Weckl online school includes HD video lessons with sound mixed by Dave, full play-along packages, and exclusive live footage from current tours with “lessons from the hotel room.”
Posted: March 21, 2017
Billy Cobham Bringing Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat to the Mesa Arts Center
Drumming legend and jazz fusion pioneer Billy Cobham will bring his highly acclaimed Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat back to the Mesa Arts Center for its second year, offering an immersive educational program for drummers, bassists, guitarists, and keyboard players.
Posted: July 29, 2016
Backbeats – Woodstick Groove 2016
This past April, Groove Music for Youth and the Emerald Queen Casino held their annual nonprofit drumming charity event, Woodstick Groove, in Tacoma, Washington. Check out our highlight reel of the event below!
Posted: January 1, 2016

News: Famed Drum Clinician/Educator Dom Famularo Voices Main Character for Animated Series Musimations
Musimations is an animated series that simplifies the reading and playing of music. The show stars a zany grandpa named Tappy Pappy (voiced by Famularo) who teaches lessons in his music shop with the help of his insightful dog, Ruff….
Posted: January 1, 2016
News: Famed Drum Clinician/Educator Dom Famularo Voices Main Character for Animated Series Musimations
Musimations is an animated series that simplifies the reading and playing of music. The show stars a zany grandpa named Tappy Pappy (voiced by Famularo) who teaches lessons in his music shop with the help of his insightful dog, Ruff….
Posted: December 31, 2015
News: Empowerment for Disabled Musicians Organization CandoMusos to Present at H.O.T. Zone During Winter NAMM 2016
CandoMusos was established to become the global voice for challenged musicians throughout the world. The aim is to promote and assist all musicians with any kind of disability by helping them bridge the gap between talent and limitations, while providing support and access to resources….
Posted: November 25, 2015
News: Sabian Education Network Hosts Events in Nashville and San Antonio
Continuing in its mission to assist drum teachers, the Sabian Education Network recently held events in Nashville, TN, and San Antonio, TX….
Posted: November 2, 2015
Dom Famularo’s Teachers List
Over the course of his forty-year career traveling the globe to teach, perform, and conduct clinics, Dom Famularo has interacted with some of the finest drummers and drum instructors in the world. The following list contains many of those names, organized by country/continent. If you’re looking for top-notch drum instruction, …
Posted: October 30, 2015
Video Demo: Handheld Tambourines
Whether you’re an aspiring session musician, a home studio owner, or the drummer in an original band that’s about to record its first album, it’s very likely that you’re going to be asked to layer some percussion over your drum tracks at some point in the process. While it may …
Posted: October 30, 2015
December 2015 Issue of Modern Drummer featuring Dom Famularo
See what’s in the December 2015 issue of Modern Drummer magazine featuring Dom Famularo!
Posted: October 30, 2015
Video Tour! Gearing Up with Gary Clark Jr.’s Johnny Radelat
As much as we love checking out giant kits, it’s nice to see someone walk on stage in front of thousands of people and make some incredible music with nothing more than three drums. Gary Clark Jr. drummer Johnny Radelat welcomes us to the Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville for a …
Posted: October 9, 2015
On the Beat With Pamela Lynn-Seraphine: Mental Fitness Through Neurodrumming Therapeutics
Hello, fellow MD readers! I’m Pamela Lynn-Seraphine, world percussionist, author, educator, and founder of Neurodrumming Therapeutics. I’ve been a lifelong reader of MD, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to finally share my story. Actually, back in 2004 I was featured in the magazine as an up-and-coming drummer, but …
Posted: October 2, 2015
News: Sabian Presents “Develop, Manage, and Grow Your Business???
Sabian Education Network (SEN) director Joe Bergamini and a distinguished panel will discuss issues facing drumset educators and how to develop, manage, and grow business….
Posted: August 14, 2015
On the Beat With Donn Garrett: Brilliant Mis-takes Made by Donn Garrett and Friends
What began as a water tank replacement in trade for studio time became a lasting relationship between London Bridge Studios and myself. At first, it was uncertain how many sessions there would be so I figured why not throw down some chops….
Posted: June 2, 2015
News: Sabian Welcomes Joe Bergamini as New Education Consultant
Sabian recently announced that drummer/educator/author Joe Bergamini has joined the Sabian team as an education consultant….
Posted: February 18, 2015
News: KoSA Miami and SFCPA Second Annual Event Report
The second edition of the KoSA Miami/SFCPA weekend intensive workshop, a collaboration with the South Florida Center for Percussive Arts founded by Brandon Cruz, took place this past January. Registrants participated in classes of Brazilian percussion, African drumming traditions on drumset, Cuban rhythms, and advanced snare drum techniques in the …
Posted: September 30, 2014
Drummer Blog: Gabor “Gabs??? Dornyei on Touring and Being True to Yourself
Hi there, Modern Drummer readers, it’s Gabor ‘Gabs’ Dornyei here from London, UK, and it’s great to be given the opportunity by MD to share some insights of my career with you….
Posted: September 9, 2014
19th Annual KoSA Camp Delivers Clear and Straightforward Sentiment: “I Just Wanna Drum!???
The 19th KoSA International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp, and Festival celebrated its annual week of intensive learning, living, and playing with internationally celebrated drum and percussion masters this past July in the serene mountains of Vermont. KoSA co-founders and directors Aldo Mazza and Dr. Jolán Kovács relayed a simple message …
Posted: June 18, 2014
Jojo Mayer Confirmed for KoSA 19 This July
Jojo Mayer has been confirmed for the 19th Annual KoSA International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp, and Festival…
Posted: April 16, 2014
KoSA Percussion Workshops
The 2014 South Florida Percussion Workshop/KoSA Miami will take place…
Posted: January 15, 2014
The Sessions Artist Panel at the NAMM Show with Exclusive Carmine Appice Interview
The Sessions (www.TheSessions.org) is a presentation designed to help artists sharpen their business skills. Items addressed include contract negotiations, entertainment law, marketing, self-promotion, image maintenance, and performance fundamentals. This year’s Sessions panelists, author/clinician Dom Famularo, entertainment lawyer Paul Quin, and drummer/educator Carmine Appice, will be sharing their experiences and knowledge …
Posted: August 12, 2013
World’s Fastest Drummer Competition Heats Up Nashville
Tom Grosset of Toronto became the second person in history to break 1,200 single strokes (hits) in sixty seconds, at this year’s WFD World’s Fastest Drummer Extreme Sport drumming event held during the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville this past July. Grosset, who played 1,208 single strokes, broke the previous …
Posted: July 17, 2013
KoSA 18th International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp, and Festival
The KoSA International Percussion Workshop Camp and Festival will take place July 23–28 at Castleton State College, nestled in the mountains of Vermont near the resort destination of Killington….
Posted: August 30, 2012
Jayson Brinkworth
Hey there, Modern Drummer readers, Jayson Brinkworth here again from Canada. Things have been crazy busy up here with Aaron Pritchett and One More Girl gigs, as well as many sessions….
Posted: April 18, 2012
Open-Handed Playing, Vol. 2: A Step Beyond by Claus Hessler With Dom Famularo
A second volume in the Open-Handed Playing book/CD series focuses on linear concepts and the application of rudiments. “Opening up??? may prove extremely useful….
Posted: January 24, 2012
Joe Bergamini
[MDEdTop]Joe Bergamini is currently the senior drum editor for Hudson Music, where he oversees book projects and acts as an associate producer on various DVD productions. He is the co-author of Pedal Control and It’s Your Move with Dom Famularo, and he is the author of Turn It Up & …
Posted: May 27, 2011
Remembering “The Chapin Magic”
Modern Drummer’s 2011 Readers Poll Hall of Fame inductee is the late drummer/educator Jim Chapin, who passed away in 2009.
Posted: July 20, 2010
Dr. Julie Grocki Reminisces About Jim Chapin
A year has passed since Jim left us to enter the heavens on July 4, 2009. How proud he would have been, Dom Famularo and Joyce Jacobs of the Harry Chapin Foundation informed me, if he were here to know that I finally earned the title Dr. Julie Grocki after …
Posted: July 8, 2010
Andrea Vadrucci: Super Mario Bros. YouTube Video
Hey, what’s up, MD world! What a great honor to be here today! My name is Andrea Vadrucci (aka Vadrum), from Italy. Some of you might know me for my drumming videos on YouTube—the Super Mario Bros. theme, and classical-music drum arrangements. I would like to take this opportunity to …
Posted: November 5, 2009
Gloria Gaynor’s Swiss Chris
I am currently doing dates with Gloria Gaynor. I’m also playing drums for Bajah & the Dry Eye Crew…
Posted: August 20, 2009
Remembering Jim Chapin
The venerable drum teacher passed away this July 4, leaving behind thousands of acolytes–and a million great stories. In this companion to the In Memoriam in the October issue of MD, we hear from some of Chapin’s many friends and drumming disciples.
Posted: March 3, 2009
David Jones
I just want to take this opportunity to share with you the amazing journey I’ve had over the last year–2008 was truly an unforgettable experience. After decades of playing in bands with other musicians and participating in international drum festivals, I decided to focus the last three years on solo …
Posted: April 17, 2008
Derek Ries of Push Play!
When I was younger I would judge a drummer by the size of his kit and the length of his solo, but didn't everyone?
Posted: April 8, 2008
Michael Mignano of The Canon Logic
My name is Michael Mignano, and I play drums for the Brooklyn-based band The Canon Logic….
Posted: February 4, 2008
Dom Famularo
2007 was another jammed year of traveling. Fifteen countries, and many of them more than once! Here are some highlights….
Posted: May 12, 2004
Grant Collins
As the saying goes, it’s not what you’ve got, but what you do with it that counts. Australian drummer Grant Collins is proof. Many drummers have a big kit like his. But not many players can audiences amazed with their drum compositions for two hours straight. And Collins performs at …
Posted: March 10, 2022

The Neil Peart Scholarship, in collaboration with Neil’s wife Carrie & Modern Drummer, is proud to present the first recipient of the Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship, Maxx Rinkus. The scholarship, originally announced at the 2020 Modern Drummer Festival by Carrie Nuttall-Peart, provides Maxx with 52 weeks of drum …
Posted: December 2, 2021

Hello everyone! Welcome to this week’s Modern Drummer Podcast. This week Billy Amendola and David Frangioni speak openly about the current state of the Modern Drummer brand. Joining us in conversation are world educator Dom Famularo and M-Network TV/Film producer Thom Mozloom. It’s a candid fly-on-the-wall conversation that explains what’s …
Posted: November 20, 2015
Episode 17: PASIC 2015, London Drum Show, Drum Depth, Frankie Banali, Tru Tuner, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike catch up after a crazy week of traveling. Dawson is just back from PASIC in San Antonio, Texas, and Johnston is calling in from his hotel in London as he wraps up a European clinic tour. After discussing PASIC and the tour, the hosts go …
Posted: November 13, 2015
Episode 16: Bass Drum Mic Positioning, Bill Bachman’s Quintuplets Article, Gerry Gibbs, Meinl’s Benny Greb signature Sand Ride, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike discuss different ways to position a bass drum mic, and then they dig deeper into Bill Bachman’s article on quintuplets from the December 2015 issue of Modern Drummer. Next, they give some additional background on jazz drummer Gerry Gibbs, who’s featured in the December …
Posted: November 6, 2015
Episode 15: Jim Riley’s Ghost Notes, Dom Famularo, Zildjian’s new K Custom Dark Crashes, Drum Muffling, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike dig into a few of the stories in the December 2015 issue of Modern Drummer, including Jim Riley’s educational article on ghost notes, the cover story with global drumming ambassador Dom Famularo, and the product review of Zildjian’s new K Custom Dark 19″ and …