December 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 12
On 01st Dec 2017
Articles in December 2017
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…
Los Cabos - White Hickory, Red Hickory, and Maple Drumsticks
Top-notch products from a smaller Canadian company with big-time aspirations.
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…
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…
John Aldridge
The famed engraver, drum tech, and vintage enthusiast helped start a movement.
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…
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…
Paiste - 900 Series Cymbals
Hand-hammered 2002 bronze with a special dark finish for a slightly warmer tone.
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.
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…
Black Swamp - Dynamicx Sterling, Live!, and BackBeat Snares
Pristinely crafted wood-shell drums for any professional situation.
Dave Weckl, Omar Hakim, D'Addario and More!
Dave Weckl Launches Online Drum School Fusion legend Dave Weckl recently launched an online school that includes HD video lessons, play-along packages, and exclusive live footage and lessons from current tours. Courses include hand and foot technique and drum tuning.…
12 Heartland Prog Albums
In the 1970s, defiant artists native to America’s erroneously labeled “flyover country” developed thriving and idiosyncratic music scenes far from the media glare of the coasts, in cities as unlikely as Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. Here we present…
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…
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…
Peter Magadini’s Polyrhythmic Life
Given that rhythm is the playground of drummers, polyrhythms seem to have a particular resonance. The possibilities of two against three, three against four, and beyond are continually explored in jazz, rock, and other styles. For many a drummer across…
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…
The Psychedelic Furs’ Paul Garisto
Paul Garisto joined the iconic post-punk band the Psychedelic Furs in late 1983 and remained with them until early 1988. After that initial run with the band, he toured and recorded the album Instinct with Iggy Pop, contributed to albums…
Yamaha - Rydeen RDP2F5 Drumset
An excellent entry-level option with quality sound and sturdy hardware.
