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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

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

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

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

How to Play Odd Time Signatures

Part 1: 16th-Note Meters

by Aaron Edgar
Mar 28, 2018
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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

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

John McLaughlin’s Ranjit Barot

Drumming in the 4th Dimension

Story by Ken Micallef | Photos by Paul La Raia
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

Finding a Balance

Drummers often grapple with certain questions or problems that could be answered by simply finding the right balance between two choices. For example, a popular debate among drummers is the choice between using traditional or matched grip. Or some players…

by Willie Rose
Mar 28, 2018

Up-Tempo Studies

Part 2: More Exercises for Reflexes and Chops

by Steve Fidyk
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
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101 Drums - 5.5x14 Woodfiber Snare

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

by Michael Dawson
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

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

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

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

The 42nd Annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention and Cascio Music Drummerfest 2017

The 42nd Annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention Clinics and performances abound as the industry’s biggest names gather for drumming’s largest event This past November 8–11, thousands of drummers and percussionists of all levels gathered at the Indiana Convention Center in…

Modern Drummer
Mar 28, 2018

Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III on the Sword’s Used Future

Monstrous grooves underlie heavy riffs and Black Sabbath–inspired melodies on the group’s latest release.

Article by Willie Rose | Photo by Dean Dickinson
Mar 28, 2018
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Yamaha - Tour Custom Drumset

An aptly named series designed to bring full, versatile tones to any stage and at an economical price.

by Michael Dawson
Mar 28, 2018

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