January 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 1
Articles in January 2018
SJC - Paramount Series Shell Pack
A professional-quality, affordably priced kit designed to exceed nearly any working drummer’s needs.
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…
The Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins
As any recording artist will tell you, part of the fun of heading into a project with a new producer is not knowing exactly what sonic pathways you’re going to find yourself exploring, or just what the final result is…
“A Little Better All the Time”
This month’s featured kit comes to us from Edward McCarthy of West Springfield, Massachusetts, who recently purchased this vintage 1970s Ludwig set. McCarthy explains that the drums, which were originally covered in a wine-red wrap, had seen better days. But…
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…
The New Pornographers’ Joe Seiders
Hundreds of stories have appeared in MD over the years with drummers talking about the skills that helped them land a particular gig. This typically ranges from a knack for supporting songs with creative, unobtrusive playing to the ability to…
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…
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…
Jaimoe
The 2017 deaths of Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks and singer/keyboardist Gregg Allman hit the rock world pretty damn hard. But few could have felt the loss more than the man who was there from the very beginning.
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.
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…
Dream - Energy Series Additions and Dark Matter Eclipse Ride
Big, all-purpose plates and a clean, quick dual-finish ride.
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…
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.