March 2019 Issue – Volume 43 • Number 3
On 01st Mar 2019
Articles in March 2019
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.
Blondie’s Clem Burke
About the Playing It’s about ninety minutes before Blondie’s set at the Sea.Hear.Now festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It’s a beautiful early fall afternoon, and being at the Jersey Shore has put Garden State native Clem Burke in a…
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…
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.
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…
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…
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.
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…
What You Need to Know About...Plywood Snare Drums
It’s been said many times over the years, by top drummers and producers alike, that the most sonically significant component of the drumset is the snare drum. This is why recording studios and cartage companies often boast extensive collections comprising…
Larry Lelli of the Broadway Musical Come from Away
Come from Away, which was nominated for seven Tony awards in 2017, is one of Broadway’s most popular shows. In-house contractor for the drum chair Larry Lelli tells us how his sonic decisions make an impact on the audience. “We…
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…
Hunt Sales
Photo by Todd V. Wolfson Hunt Sales on Get Your Shit Together The rock ’n’ roll survivor opens up about his brutally honest solo debut. Since beginning his career in the mid ‘60s with his brother Tony in the group…
“Golden Measures” and Fibonacci Rhythms
Exploring Mathematics in Music The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers that commonly begins with 0 and 1, and every following number of the sequence represents the sum of the previous two. If starting with 0 and 1, the…
Yamaha — Crosstown Advanced Lightweight Hardware
They’re just as sturdy as steel, single-braced options, yet taken together have over ten pounds less heft.
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…
Industry Happenings
George Strait Drummer Michael Kennedy Passes He backed the country superstar for more than thirty years. Michael Kennedy, the longtime drummer with George Strait and the Ace in the Hole Band, passed away last August 31 at the age of…
Dennis Chambers’ Half-Time Shuffle
The Fusion Legend’s Take on a Steely Dan Classic If you’re not familiar with the Steely Dan album Alive in America, I’d highly encourage you to get a copy. The release, which was recorded during the group’s 1993 and 1994…
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…
Agean — R Series Low Noise Cymbals
Agean offers the unique R series cymbals, which are designed for low-volume practice and gigging situations.
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…
