April 2016 Issue – Volume 40 • Number 4

Cliff Almond

Cliff Almond Story by Ken Micallef Photos by Shinnosuke ”Danny” Natsume San Diego native Cliff Almond had special advantages as a young drummer banging his way through the business. Surrounded by a family of professional musicians, Almond learned early the…

TEACHER'S FORUM - Building a Teaching Business

Teacher's Forum Building a Teaching Business From Breaking Ground to Finding Students by Jeff Salem I’ve owned and operated my own teaching school, Jeff Salem’s Music Studio, for eleven years. Prior to that I taught percussion lessons at a local…

April 2016 Issue – Volume 40 • Number 4

Joe Saylor Rise Up!

Joe Saylor Rise Up! Story by Jeff Potter Photos By Rahav Segev They say comedy is all about timing. So, of course, is music. Stephen Colbert certainly recognized something familiar in the grooves of Jon Batiste and Stay Human when…

JAZZ DRUMMER'S WORKSHOP - Crossovers

10 Exercises to Improve Drumset Facility by Steve Fidyk This month’s lesson focuses on the crossover, a technique that legendary drummers such as Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Louie Bellson, Jo Jones, and Sonny Payne popularized in their extended solos. Employing…

CONCEPTS - Trolling

CONCEPTS Trolling The “Greatest” Drummers and the Bliss of Ignorance by Russ Miller I have to admit that I’m not very excited about the whole social network thing. I realize that I didn’t grow up with it, and accepting something…

Kevin March

Story by David Jarnstrom Photos by Paul La Raia Guided by Voices/Ricked Wicky leader Robert Pollard’s go-to drummer avoids cliché at every turn—even down to the way he’s managed his career. For him it’s all about living in the moment,…

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - Ahead Switch Kick Quick-Release Bass Drum Beater System

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Ahead Switch Kick Quick-Release Bass Drum Beater System by Michael Dawson Need to swap out your beater or adjust its height in seconds? Here’s the solution.  One of the highlights of the 2015 Winter NAMM Show was an…

BASICS - Backstage Warm-Ups

BASICS Backstage Warm-Ups by Rich Redmond In this lesson, I’m sharing some of the warm-ups I use before hitting the stage with Jason Aldean each night. I improvise with rudimental figures that isolate both sides of my body, which helps…

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - Chicago Drum

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Chicago Drum 6.5x14 Maple/Poplar and 5.5x14 Mahogany/Poplar Snare Drums by Michael Dawson Classic American drum manufacturing revised and reborn.   Chicago has a long history in American drum manufacturing, with two of the most prominent companies, Ludwig and…

Hugh Grundy

  Hugh Grundy Story by Dennis Diken Photos by Rahav Segev Highly influential beat group the Zombies separated in 1968,then reunited decades later to finally receive their fair share of accolades. Today an unusual personnel arrangement allows the surviving core…

ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC - Squashed Stickings

ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC Squashed Stickings Getting Creative With Rolls by James Murphy Finding creative ways to apply rudiments to the drumset can be a great way to discover new vocabulary. In this lesson, we’ll discuss what I call “squashed…

STRICTLY TECHNIQUE - A Twist on the Buzz

STRICTLY TECHNIQUE A Twist on the Buzz 6 Exercises for Smoother Rolls by Greg Sundel A drummer once approached me after a show and said, “Your rolls sound as smooth as running water.” This statement gave me a new sonic…

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - Bucks County Drum Company

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Bucks County Drum Company Semi-Solid Bebop Drumset by Michael Dawson A winning shell combo blending the flexibility of ply with the power of solid. Bucks County is a custom shop located thirty-five miles north of Philadelphia in the…