February 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 2

Rob Thomas's Abe Fogle

With a childhood surrounded by jazz, early drum heroes from classic rock’s glory days, and a résumé filled with R&B stars, it’s no wonder the Rob Thomas regular fits in so easily wherever he goes. by Billy Amendola In 2005,…

And Editor's Overview - Signal to Noise

An Editor's Overview Signal to Noise by Mike Dawson When I first started playing drums, the challenge was finding enough credible content, whether in the form of method books, magazine articles, or instructional videos, to help me understand exactly what…

Korn's Ray Luzier

Features Korn's Ray Luzier Over the past ten years, Korn’s drummer has become an increasingly integral component of the band’s uniquely heavy sound. The latest raging slab of proof coming out of Bakersfield, California: The Serenity of Suffering. Now that…

Thor Harris

Features Thor Harris From Myth to Minimalist With a warlike handle that belies his gentle nature, the larger-than-life god of thunder shuns aggressive musicality for the joys of ethereal and cyclical rhythmic patterns. by Will Romano The last person you’d…

Groove Construction, Part 10: Exploring a Killer Cowbell Pattern

https://vimeo.com/195490211 Rock 'N' Jazz Clinic Groove Construction Part 10: Exploring a Killer Cowbell Pattern by Jost Nickel In this lesson we’ll examine a pattern that I get asked about often. I recorded this groove on the song “Rave Against the…

On The Cover - Warpaint's Stella Mozgawa

If the dominant theme of drumming in the twenty-first century is the blurring of lines—playing versus programming, online versus on stage, tradition versus exploration, band membership versus freelance work—then here is a player who stands tall as a gleaming reminder…

Ari Hoenig

Features Ari Hoenig His success proves that if you’re resourceful and persistent, you can make your way in New York City perfecting your own style, your own music, and your own way of life. Story by Ken Micallef Photos by…

Kit Of The Month - Cocktail Convenience

Kit Of The Month Cocktail Convenience For Toronto-based drummer Sekou Lumumba, this simplified rig packs more than enough punch into a small space when backing such artists as Canadian multi-platinum songwriter Serena Ryder. And when first thinking about his approach…

Paiste - Signature Rides

Product Close-Up Paiste Signature Rides Distinctive tones crafted for some of the top drummers on the company’s roster. This past year Paiste collaborated with some of its top artists to craft a handful of unique cymbals. These new models include…

Swiss Rudiments - Basel Drumming, Part 4

https://vimeo.com/197189220 Strictly Technique Swiss Rudiments Basel Drumming, Part 4 by Claus Hessler In this lesson we’ll take a look at a song from Camp Duty Update, my most recent book about the history of rudiments and their European roots. The…

Odd Subdivision Offbeats - Ten- and Fourteen-Note Groupings

https://vimeo.com/195813509 Rock Perspectives Odd Subdivision Offbeats Ten- and Fourteen-Note Groupings by Aaron Edgar When examining 32nd notes, we see that they’re twice as fast as 16th notes. Similarly, we can take this idea of doubling subdivisions and apply it to…

Testament's Gene Hoglan

Features Testament's Gene Hoglan The Atomic Clock has been everywhere but home since MD last spoke with him. As usual, he’s got a slew of projects in the works. At the top of the list of famed metal drummer Gene…

Gibraltar - Beat EFX Bass Pedal Enhancers

https://vimeo.com/192480756 Product Close-Up Gibralter Beat EFX Bass Pedal Enhancers Compact beater attachments to add subtle shaker, jingle, and finger-cymbal sounds. Always looking to introduce unique accessory items to its catalog, Gibraltar developed a trio of bass drum beater attachments that…

Encore - Blue Öyster Cult’s Agents of Fortune

Encore Blue Öyster Cult’s Agents of Fortune Thank Saturday Night Live for making the hypnotic “tock-tock-tock-tock” pulsing through Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” the most famous cowbell part in the history of song, a distinction that is both…

February 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 2

Josh Groban's Blair Sinta

Juggling arena tours, specialized studio work, and online lessons is all part of the game for this L.A.-based groover. Story by Ilya Stemkovsky Photos by Alex Solca Blair Sinta spent his formative teenage years playing gigs in Detroit, and if…

Threes and Fives - Fills With Odd Groupings

Basics Threes and Fives Fills With Odd Groupings by Jayson Brinkworth I’ve always found it fun and interesting to explore the possibilities available when using common subdivisions such as 8ths, 16ths, or 8th-note triplets. For example, we can play a…

Beyond the Noteheads - Benefits and Strategies for Transcribing, Part 1

Jazz Drummer's Workshop Beyond the Noteheads Benefits and Strategies for Transcribing, Part 1 by Steve Fidyk I recently thought about my first lesson with the great drummer and educator Ed Soph. I was eighteen years old at the time, and…

Roland - KT-9 and FD-9 Kick and Hi-Hat Controllers

Product Close-Up Roland KT-9 and FD-9 Kick and Hi-Hat Controllers Finally! Near-noiseless pedals for a quieter e-drum experience. Acoustic drums are loud. But even electronic drums, which are often marketed as quieter alternatives to acoustic kits, can cause problems, especially…

Natal - Café Racer Series Drumset

https://vimeo.com/188883638 Product Close-Up Natal Café Racer Series Drumset A compact, bop-size kit with a big, buttery sound. Natal was launched in 1965 by British percussionist Alan Sharp after he spent seven years assembling instruments that he wanted but couldn’t find…