March 2019 Issue – Volume 43 • Number 3
On 01st Mar 2019
Articles in March 2019
Eights and Sixes, Part 1
Hand Exercises for Rhythmic Accuracy This month we’re going to kick off a new series on 8th-note and 16th-note-triplet (sextuplet) groupings. Both of these rhythms are common, yet there’s a lot to explore under their surface as we manipulate them…
It Was Twenty Years Ago....
You can keep up with what’s going on at NAMM by checking in at moderndrummer.com and at our social-media pages.
Gretsch — Brooklyn Series Micro Kit
It’s a testament to Gretsch’s world-renowned craftsmanship when a tiny setup like this can be coaxed to produce such deep tones.
Shakira’s Brendan Buckley
“A bassist friend of mine recently told me that I play drums like a conductor,” says Buckley.
Night Verses’ Aric Improta
The world’s most energetic drummer had his busiest, wildest year yet in 2018. Our heads are spinning just thinking about it. Keeping a schedule that would quite possibly kill a less intrepid soul, twenty-nine-year-old Southern California drumming savant Aric Improta…
New Gear from Mapex, Ahead, Alesis, Tama, Soundbrenner, Mr. Muff, and Innovative Percussion
Mapex Black Panther Design Lab Drumkits The Black Panther Design Lab Versatus drumset features hybrid maple and mahogany shells. Plies get progressively thicker, depths graduate by .5", bearing edges change, and the size of the SAS reinforcement rings are modified…
Lone Star Percussion, Dallas, Texas
Lone Star Percussion made it possible for percussionists all over the United States to get their musical supplies in just a few days, and at discount prices.
DW — Collector’s Series Pure Almond Snare
Almond is a difficult timber to work with, especially for drums, because the trees are thin and they rarely grow above 30 feet.
Dennis Chambers
The legendary fusion drummer is still setting stages afire with his scorching chops and unshakable groove.
Agean — R Series Low Noise Cymbals
Agean offers the unique R series cymbals, which are designed for low-volume practice and gigging situations.
Jake Bundrick with Mayday Parade
Jake Bundrick with Mayday Parade The group’s longtime drummer hits the road for a European trek in support of the band’s latest release. This past June 15, the alternative pop-punk group Mayday Parade released Sunnyland, the band’s sixth full-length since…
A Compact Flyer
The Iceland–based drummer Jón Óskar Jónsson uses this month’s featured setup with singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Sóley. Jonsson played this compact C&C kit on a summer 2017 tour with the artist, who he’s been performing with since 2010. “It’s a…
New Releases from Antonio Sanchez, Mark Guiliana, Zach Danziger, Gavin Harrison, and more!
RECORDINGS Donny McCaslin Blow. Still riding the massive spurt of creativity he uncovered on David Bowie’s Blackstar, the saxophonist channels a similar gritty spirit on Blow. Mark Guiliana, Zach Danziger, and Nate Wood share drumming duties on what is largely…
Fishbone’s Phillip “Fish” Fisher
MD: What brought the band back together? Fish: The members that are here today had a burning desire to hear the music played with an integrity that at a minimum was where we left it in the late ’90s. if…
What’s Your Favorite Dennis Chambers Performance?
This month, as we catch up with the fusion and jazz great Dennis Chambers, we check in with our readers and social media followers to find out what their favorite albums or performances are from the MD Hall of Famer’s…
Vic Firth — PureGrit and DoubleGlaze Drumsticks and VicWax Stick Wax
Specialty finishes and a tacky applique to enhance grip for sweaty or dry hands. For many drummers, Vic Firth’s traditional matte finish is a perfect middle point between the thicker, glossier coating found on old-school-style drumsticks and the coarser texture…
Craviotto Drum Company
Craviotto is also expanding its focus to include handcrafting more drums from exotic and rare wood species for its Private Reserve collection.
Yamaha — Crosstown Advanced Lightweight Hardware
They’re just as sturdy as steel, single-braced options, yet taken together have over ten pounds less heft.
Contemporary Coordination Exercises
8 Challenging Independence Ideas The exercises in this month’s lesson are meant to challenge your concentration, coordination, and independence. Traditionally, each voice of the drumset plays a specific role. In a typical jazz context, usually the snare and bass comp…
David Bowie’s Never Let Me Down 2018
David Bowie so despised his 1987 studio album, Never Let Me Down, that he didn’t play a single song from it live after wrapping the tour behind it. And on the rare occasions when he discussed the record publicly, he…
