January 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 1
Articles in January 2018
Chad Sexton
Everything about 311 seems epic: their longstanding lineup, their semi-annual concert/celebration, their throngs of dedicated fans—not to mention the grooves of their founding drummer.
Dream - Energy Series Additions and Dark Matter Eclipse Ride
Big, all-purpose plates and a clean, quick dual-finish ride.
Ibeyi
These dynamic siblings derive much inspiration from their ancestry. But the direction of their art is undeniably full speed ahead.
Jon Epcar
Jon Epcar’s master plan didn’t involve drumming on Broadway. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Epcar went to a high school with a strong music program that included graduates like saxophonist Kamasi Washington. So the drummer got the bug and…
Rhythmic Conversions, Part 6: Funk Grooves and the Half-Note Triplet
In this lesson we’ll superimpose a new tempo over an existing pulse using a half-note triplet, and we’ll manipulate the subdivision to create funk grooves in the implied pulse. Be sure to practice these patterns with a metronome and work…
Malachi DeLorenzo on Langhorne Slim’s Lost at Last, Vol. 1
A drummer and producer talks about the subtle, refined, and contemplated figures and tones that bedeck an indie/folk singer-songwriter’s latest release.
Get Good: Listening
As a teenager in high school, I practiced classical piano for two hours a day. I could play really difficult music—as long as it was notated. I ran into trouble when it came to playing music with other people, because…
Steve Jordan - 10 Things the Groove Master Has to Have on Tour
https://vimeo.com/243198181 No touring musician is exempt from the grueling demands of life on the road. Whether he’s playing sold-out arenas with John Mayer or Eric Clapton or hip clubs with Robert Cray or the Verbs, Steve Jordan has ten things…
Live Vibes
Having somewhat recently moved to northern New Jersey, I’ve been enjoying the opportunity to check out some of the jazz clubs that have long defined New York City culture. Although some of the more prominent venues have moved from their…
Virgil Howe Passes, Free Drum Lesson Lab Tents, Latin Percussion Joins Hurricane Relief Efforts, and More!
Virgil Howe, English Rock Drummer and Son of Yes Guitarist Steve Howe, Passes Virgil Howe, the drummer for the British rock band Little Barrie, passed away this past September 11 at the age of forty-one. Virgil, the youngest son of Yes…
Focusrite - Scarlett 18i20 Audio Interface and OctoPre Dynamic Mic-Pre Expansion Unit
A clean and simple sixteen-channel recording setup that sounds great and won’t break the bank.
SJC - Paramount Series Shell Pack
A professional-quality, affordably priced kit designed to exceed nearly any working drummer’s needs.
Paul Koehler With Silverstein
Hot off the release of a new record, the heavy hitter propels his tireless rock band around the world with a never-stop attitude.
What Album Features Your Favorite Drum Tone?
Drummers have long lauded and attempted to duplicate certain distinct tones from records that span a variety of decades and genres. John Bonham’s powerful, booming tone with Led Zeppelin, Elvin Jones’ thunderous onrush with John Coltrane, and Stewart Copeland’s dry…
Drum Design Knowledge, Part 3: The Snare Bed
We need to be experts at our jobs, and knowing our tools is a part of that. I always put together my rig for tours or gigs, and then take suggestions from my tech on how to make the setup…