December 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 12
On 01st Dec 2017
Articles in December 2017
Learn to Love Easy
There’s a folksy old saying that goes something like, “People sure do make things more difficult than they need to.” We’ve all made that observation at one time or another about others—and, let’s be honest, at times we even make…
Sonor Swinger
When the indie rock group Faux in Love went into the Guilford Sound studio in Guilford, Vermont, to record its latest record, drummer Bruce Black decided to bring this vintage, late-1960s Sonor Swinger setup. According to Black, and confirmed to…
Roy McCurdy
On playing on the classic 1963 album Sonny Meets Hawk! I’d been working with Sonny Rollins for about a year prior to recording that album. Sonny was such a strong player that he made me play strong. He loved Coleman…
Drum Design Knowledge, Part 2: Shell Types and Thicknesses
Last month we discussed hoops. This time we’re discussing the thickness of the shell and what you can expect sonically from the various designs. Drum shells have been made in different thicknesses over the years, from a single half-inch piece…
2017 DCI World Championship Results
Capping the seventh undefeated season in their sixty-year history, the Blue Devils, based in Concord, California, won a record-breaking eighteenth title this past August 12 at the Drum Corps International World Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Coinciding…
Mark Guiliana
Touring is tough. And the ordeal of modern flying has upped the headache factor. But Mark Guiliana has learned to deal: He’s traveling ultra-light and loving it. The Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet is touring the U.S. and Europe in support…
Modern Drummer 2018 Readers Poll
Make your voice heard in the most important poll in the drumming world! Voting is open November 1-24, 2017. Hall of Fame Jimmy Cobb Roger Hawkins Levon Helm Danny Seraphine Clyde Stubblefield Studio Jay Bellerose Matt Chamberlain Steve Jordan Miles…
Queens of the Stone Age’s Jon Theodore
It’s been four years since the esteemed ex–Mars Volta drummer began playing in QotSA. Now we’ve been gifted with the multifarious Villains, and at long last we get to hear what he sounds like on a full-length record with the…
Rhythmic Conversions - Part 5: Brazilian Grooves and the Half-Note Triplet
In this lesson we’ll superimpose a new tempo over an existing pulse using a half-note-triplet subdivision. We’ll then manipulate the subdivision to create Brazilian grooves in the new tempo. I recommend that you practice these patterns with a metronome and…
Neo-Prog, American Style
The Oakland-based Once and Future Band doesn’t shy away from the influence of progressive rock’s legendary forefathers throughout its self-titled debut, with a heavy emphasis on sunny harmonies and ELO/Yes-inflected song structures. Drummer RAJ OJHA navigates the ever-shifting arrangements with…
Roy Mayorga With Stone Sour
With the hot new album Hydrograd in hand and health issues put well behind him, the drummer is amped to be back on the road for Stone Sour’s headlining tour.
Yamaha - Rydeen RDP2F5 Drumset
An excellent entry-level option with quality sound and sturdy hardware.
Los Cabos - White Hickory, Red Hickory, and Maple Drumsticks
Top-notch products from a smaller Canadian company with big-time aspirations.
The Circuit - An Ambidextrous Routine for Ultimate Control
https://vimeo.com/239498551 This month we’ll check out a challenging coordination study. The goal of this routine is to become comfortable playing any pattern leading with either side of the body. Right-handed drummers typically play with the right hand on a cymbal,…
Eli Keszler
When the Brooklyn-based performer and composer Eli Keszler settles in behind a drumkit, it’s likely that he’s given as much thought to the space he’s playing in as the notes he’s filling it with. “As a composer it’s essential that…
Black Swamp - Dynamicx Sterling, Live!, and BackBeat Snares
Pristinely crafted wood-shell drums for any professional situation.
New Gear from Tama, Ahead, Remo and Wuhan!
Tama Lars Ulrich Worldwired Starclassic Drumkit As part of the Starclassic series, this six-piece limited-edition replica kit features 8-ply/7mm maple bass drums and 6-ply/5mm maple toms. This pro-level instrument has the same purple finish as the kit Lars uses on…
Justin Brown
Thirty-three-year-old Oakland, California, native Justin Brown is an extremely busy bicoastal musician whose drumming with Thundercat, Gerald Clayton, Christian McBride, Stefon Harris, Kenny Garrett, Esperanza Spalding, and Vijay Iyer is simply a foretaste of his brilliant debut album as a…
