December 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 12
On 01st Dec 2017
Articles in December 2017
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…
Janet Jackson’s John Roberts
“I’ve been a Tama artist since 2002,” says Roberts, who’s back on the road with Janet Jackson after the singer took some time off to tend to personal matters. “I especially love bubinga drums because of the warm tones that…
What’s Your Favorite Prog Drumming Record?
To coincide with this month’s feature on twelve heartland prog-rock drumming albums, we asked our readers and social media followers for their own favorite prog records. Plenty of choices featuring drum legends such as Bill Bruford, Neil Peart, and Phil…
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…
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…
Dennis Bryon
Since the mid-’70s, Dennis Bryon’s hypnotic grooves have been responsible for luring most of the civilized world’s population onto the dance floor. Bryon accomplished this feat by playing with one of the most successful groups of all time, the Bee…
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…
Paiste - 900 Series Cymbals
Hand-hammered 2002 bronze with a special dark finish for a slightly warmer tone.
Jon Theodore Style and Analysis
From his days playing mind-melting Mars Volta compositions to his current gig with the rock giants Queens of the Stone Age, Jon Theodore has inspired drummers with powerful grooves, explosive fills, and rock-solid time. His ability to craft the perfect parts…
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…
Black Swamp - Dynamicx Sterling, Live!, and BackBeat Snares
Pristinely crafted wood-shell drums for any professional situation.
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…
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.
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…
John Blackwell Jr.
On July 4, the drumming world suffered a heavy blow with the passing of John Blackwell Jr. Known for his deep pocket, powerful playing, and visual flash, Blackwell was a renowned performer and educator whose work included tours and recordings…
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,…
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…
John Aldridge
The famed engraver, drum tech, and vintage enthusiast helped start a movement.
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…
