January 2014 Issue – Volume 39 • Number 1

January 2014 Issue – Volume 39 • Number 1

The 45-Minute Practice Routine

Get Organized to Optimize Your Time Behind the Kit When I sit back and think about the thousands of questions I’ve been asked by students in my eighteen-year career as a drum teacher and clinician, I would have to say…

Pedrito Martinez

Features Pedrito Martinez The Cuban-born percussionist has been slowly building his profile in the States since waving goodbye to his homeland fifteen years ago and settling in New York City, where his local performances have become the gig to catch.…

Wisdom And Technique

Lasting Lessons From Ed Shaughnessy Photo by Rick Malkin I grew up watching Ed Shaughnessy drive Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Show Band. For twenty-nine years, Shaughnessy held the throne of one of the most visible and respected groups in television history,…

Balanced Hands

Two Exercises to Eliminate One-Hand Dominance This article consists of exercises designed to develop strength and endurance in both hands. The first one begins with a balance of four right-hand and four left-hand strokes. As you repeat, the balance is…

Paul McCartney's Abe Laboriel Jr.

On The Cover Paul McCartney's Abe Laboriel Jr. His personality is big yet intimate, just like his drumming. And now, with the release of his first-ever solo recording and a singularly experimental Paul McCartney album, it’s a perfect time to…

Abe Laboriel Jr.

As a kid I was always drawn to melody. My parents say I would sometimes sing familiar melodies but would often make up my own as well. I mostly focus on the melody and the lyrics, which has been key…

Seth Raush - The Drummer Behind Little Big Town's Big Hit Record

Features Seth Raush The Drummer Behind Little Big Town's Big Hit Record by Jim Riley I’ve been a friend and fan of Seth Rausch for more than a decade. His deep pocket is undeniable to anyone who’s ever heard him…

An Editor's Overview - Honest, Abe

by Michael Parillo Last June, some friends invited my wife and me to see Paul McCartney at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Our seats were terrible— the last row of the arena, right against the wall, to the side of…

Double Bass Workout

Part 6: Paradiddle Patterns For the final lesson in this series we’re going to have some fun with paradiddles, double paradiddles, and paradiddle variations over 16th notes, 16th-note triplets, and 32nd notes. Remember to play to a metronome or click…

DISCIPLINE - Small Changes for Massive Progress

First Person DISCIPLINE Small Changes for Massive Progress by Benny Greb The Mindset When you hear the word discipline, the hairs on the back of your neck probably begin to stand up. Discipline has gotten a bad reputation, mainly because…

Rediscovering Rudiments

Simple Ways to Progress Beyond the Snare Regardless of your desire as a drummer, whether it’s to play blistering solos or tasteful grooves, studying the rudiments will do much to help you take your craft to the next level. In…