January 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 1
Articles in January 2018
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…
New Gear from Promark, ATV, Cymbomute, Sabian and drumdots!
Promark Matthew Strauss Signature Sticks This signature stick series is the first in the Promark catalog to use persimmon, a preferred wood type among concert percussionists for its strength, comfortable weight, and density. The .670"x17" General Concert Stick features a…
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…
Dweezil Zappa’s Ryan Brown
When he took over the drum chair with Dweezil Zappa more than four years ago, Southern California–based drummer Ryan Brown had to expand his setup in order to accommodate all of the sounds required in the extensive catalog that the…
Chris Cohen
Chris Cohen describes himself as a member of the Portastudio generation. It’s a classification he’s coined to describe musicians, now in their late thirties and early forties, who cut their teeth in production with Tascam’s legendary Porta One tape machine.…
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…
SJC - Paramount Series Shell Pack
A professional-quality, affordably priced kit designed to exceed nearly any working drummer’s needs.
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…
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.
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…
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…
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.
Dream - Energy Series Additions and Dark Matter Eclipse Ride
Big, all-purpose plates and a clean, quick dual-finish ride.