November 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 11
Articles in November 2018
Sticking Patterns for Odd Groupings
https://vimeo.com/292155932 Utilizing unique sticking patterns can yield plenty of interesting orchestrations on the drumset, especially when those stickings differ in length from a given subdivision. They can also help you feel odd subdivisions when you’re using a particular sticking that…
Jason Bowld with Bullet for My Valentine
Following lengthy stints with the established U.K. alternative groups Pitchshifter, Killing Joke, and Pop Will Eat Itself, Jason Bowld recently officially joined British modern-metal titans Bullet for My Valentine. The group’s latest full-length, Gravity, is the first to feature Bowld,…
Drums of the Tombs
The musician, composer, and producer Tom Holkenborg, who performs under the stage name Junkie XL, custom ordered this month’s featured kit to use while creating the score to the 2018 action film Tomb Raider. To match the movie’s Pacific-island setting,…
8 Reasons to Love Whitesnake
(Above: When Deep Purple went on hiatus in 1979, drummer Ian Paice helped Whitesnake achieve mass popularity.) Whitesnake formed soon after the dissolution of the Mark IV lineup of Deep Purple, when singer David Coverdale combined his love of blues, rock,…
Fear, Ego, and Overplaying
Overplaying—whether you’ve been aware of it or not, you’ve probably done it at some point in your musical journey. Some might say that overplaying is how you work out what fits and what doesn’t as you’re learning your instrument. During…
Angel Olsen’s Josh Jaeger
After five years of steady touring and recording with the indie-folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen—including a fifteen-month tour cycle behind 2016’s My Woman—Josh Jaeger is shifting gears. With Olsen using 2018 to focus on solo shows and writing for a new…
Buddy Rich - “Stars and Stripes Forever”
By 1929, a twelve-year-old Buddy Rich was already a seasoned performer, having been an integral part of his parents’ vaudeville act since he was eighteen months old. According to Mel Tormé’s biography of Rich, Traps: The Drum Wonder, with the…
Drumset Ergonomics - Part 5: Positioning the Hi-Hat, Ride, and Rack Toms
https://vimeo.com/281286833 Welcome back! The final two articles in this series will focus on the placement of primary and secondary suspended instruments, with an emphasis on preserving shoulder health. Primary suspended instruments are the ones we play most often (hi-hat, ride,…
Jake Morris
With all of the rock ’n’ roll self-help books, articles, and websites available at the click of a mouse these days, it can be strangely comforting to learn that a musician can still land a dream gig armed with not…
Jay-Z’s Eric “Boots” Greene
Eric “Boots” Greene is a prime example of the contemporary drummer, an amalgam of classic musical influences and contemporary career approaches, which demand skill and creativity whether it’s a drumstick or a computer mouse that he’s got in his hand.…
Hidden Treasures
Photo by Jeff Smith Hello, everyone in MD land. I hope your summer went well. There were so many classic and new bands out on the road; hopefully you got to enjoy a few of those live shows. And hopefully…
Roland - TM-6 Pro Trigger Module and RT-30 Triggers
To be an in-demand professional drummer these days requires not only an incredible groove, a diverse musical vocabulary, and a great-sounding drumset, but you also have to have at least a working knowledge of electronics, especially when it comes to…
Sam Lay
The legendary drummer with Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, and Paul Butterfield has been inducted into the Blues and Jazz Halls of Fame, was present for two of the most important chapters in Bob…
Jon Hiseman & Gene Stone
Jon Hiseman The seminal architect of British jazz-rock made the most of his own indiosyncracies. “When people ask me what I play, the usual answer is ‘the drums’ because that is the instrument, but what I would like to say…
Nick Mason
It’s safe to say that fans of psychedelic pioneers Pink Floyd and their cofounder Nick Mason weren’t expecting the sonic riches that have been bestowed upon them this year. It’s also safe to say that neither was Nick himself, at…
Columbus Pro Percussion
It’s not uncommon for drum retailers to balance playing and teaching commitments with the myriad responsibilities of owning and operating a shop. But you’d be hard pressed to find a multitasker like Columbus Pro Percussion owner Jim Rupp, who’s managed…
Flam Ostinatos - A Creative Approach to a Drumming Staple
In the context of contemporary hybrid rudiments, the flam has been used in different ways to create some new and exciting patterns. Inspired by some of these modern hybrid combinations, I’ve come up with a concept to add yet another…
New Releases From Jojo Mayer's Nerve, Finally George with Todd Sucherman, and more
RECORDINGS Photo by Ben O’Brien Nerve After the Flare JOJO MAYER returns to the acoustic jazz format he cut his teeth on. Nerve, Jojo Mayer’s drum ’n’ bass ’n’ everything else collective, has been pushing the boundaries of electronic music for…