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May 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 5

This month I want to address a question I’ve been asked many times: “Should I learn to read music?” The answer may seem obvious, since any skill can be considered an asset. However, there’s an ongoing debate about the negative side effects of learning to play an instrument primarily through method books. After all, music is a language, and you can learn to speak any language without being able to write it. Let’s explore the three arguments I hear most often against studying reading.
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Articles in May 2018

St. Vincent’s Matt Johnson

A Profound Evolution

Story by Patrick Berkery Photos by Alex Solca
Mar 28, 2018

The Elf’s Giant

For Eddie “the Elf” Piotrowski of Edison, New Jersey, it took more than ten years of collecting and assembling to build this month’s monster setup. Piotrowski explains that his extensive collection of individual drums and reclaimed sets, which includes a…

Modern Drummer
Mar 28, 2018

101 Drums - 5.5x14 Woodfiber Snare

Lightweight and weather-resistant shell with a big, robust sound.

by Michael Dawson
Mar 28, 2018

Five-Note Phrasing

Part 1: Creating Rhythmic Tension

by Marc Dicciani
Mar 28, 2018

Paramore’s Zac Farro

Spending your teenage years making records and touring the world on a rocket ship to stardom is every young musician’s fantasy. Choosing to jump off that rocket while it’s still on a steady ascent may seem like madness. For this…

Story by David Ciauro | Photos by Lindsey Byrnes
Mar 28, 2018
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Eric Clapton's Jamie Oldaker

After forty years, the famed Eric Clapton cohort’s career is coming full circle.

Interview by Bob Girouard | Photo by Phil Clarkin
Mar 28, 2018

Belle and Sebastian’s Richard Colburn

For a touring band, life can imitate This Is Spinal Tap in any number of ways, from getting lost backstage to prop and gear malfunctions to, of course, drummers spontaneously combusting. And then there are predicaments that not even the…

by Patrick Berkery
Mar 28, 2018

Zildjian - K Sweet Series Cymbals

Larger, darker, and thinner cymbals with just enough transparency and brightness to sit comfortably in any mix.

by Michael Dawson
Mar 28, 2018

Next to None’s Max Portnoy

Within the international drumming community, the name Portnoy is synonymous with progressive metal. Through his work with Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, Flying Colors, Transatlantic, and, most recently, Sons of Apollo, Mike Portnoy has garnered every award and accolade imaginable…

Story and photo by Mike Haid
Mar 28, 2018

Travis Orbin on Silly String II

Exploring the Session Guru’s Latest Chop-Infused Labyrinth

by Austin Burcham
Mar 28, 2018

Bopworks - Drumsticks and Brushes

Faithful reproductions of classic models as well as contemporary designs with a vintage twist.

by Michael Dawson
Mar 28, 2018
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Guitar Center Destination Drum Shops

With more than 280 stores from coast to coast offering just about everything in the way of musical instruments, accessories, and audio gear, you’d think that the retail giant Guitar Center could easily rest on its laurels. “No way,” says…

Interview by Bob Girouard | Photos courtesy of Guitar Center
Mar 28, 2018

Tune-Bot - Studio Digital Tuner

A more accurate, user-friendly, and feature-laden version of the groundbreaking digital drum tuner.

by Michael Dawson
Mar 28, 2018

New Drum Gear from Tama, Remo, Rogers, Etymotic Research, Vic Firth and Ahead!

Tama Superstar Hyper-Drive Duo Drumkit Tama’s new Superstar Hyper-Drive Duo features maple shells with black nickel hardware, die-cast hoops, and the aluminum Star-Cast mounting system. The 10x14 Duo snare drum doubles as a floor tom and an extra-deep snare. The…

Modern Drummer
Mar 28, 2018

What’s Your Favorite 1980s Metal or Hard Rock Drumming Album?

This month we dive into the third installment of our series on great ’80s drumming performances with a focus on metal and hard rock tracks. As usual we asked MD readers and social media followers for their take on the…

Modern Drummer
Mar 28, 2018

Rod Morgenstein with the Dixie Dregs

The prog-rock flag bearers reunite their classic 1970s Free Fall lineup for a spring U.S. tour.

Article by Ben Meyer | Photo by J. Mimma Photography
Mar 28, 2018
by Ilya Stemkovsky
Mar 28, 2018

Smashing Pumpkins’ Jimmy Chamberlin

For the second incarnation of the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, as heard on its new album, The Parable, the mighty drummer, who came to prominence in the ’90s with the Smashing Pumpkins, gathered players from East and West Coasts to create…

by Ken Micallef
Mar 28, 2018
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Ray Lucas and Frank Capp Remembered

Ray Lucas: 1939-2017 The loyal NYC drummer had the music in him. Ray Lucas was an unsung hero of the dynamic New York City R&B/soul scene of the ’60s and ’70s, recording with Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, George Benson, and…

Modern Drummer
Mar 28, 2018

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