November 2020 Issue – Volume 44 • Number 11
Articles in November 2020
“Sticks & Wires”
An extensive two-hour course on drum miking by top session/touring drummer Blair Sinta that covers everything from bare-bones one-mic setups to more intricate applications. After graduating from the famed music program at University of North Texas in 1995, Blair Sinta…
The Earth Is a Drum
A Grammy-winning, world-traveling producer makes the case for looking beyond technology and academia for rhythmic and musical inspiration. A sage, veteran live-sound engineer in San Francisco used to joke that he could already tell how much a drummer was going…
Nick D’Virgilio - An Invisible Touch
The prog-drumming vet may have recently scored a sweet new corporate gig, but he hasn’t stopped making music by any means—in fact, he’s cleverly put the two aspects of his life together, in the process making his career troubles disappear.…
Resurrection Drums
Hollywood, Florida Resurrection Drums was founded in 1982. Originally located in a warehouse by the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Broward County, Florida, the company literally focused on resurrecting quality used drums. In 1983 Resurrection moved to a location in…
Joe Wong
The multimedia renaissance man accesses all the experiences he’s had for his solo debut. MD readers who have seen the name Joe Wong in the credits of Netflix shows like Russian Doll or Master of None may have wondered, is…
Rogers USA - Covington Series Drums
A faithful reproduction of the mid-century originals with a fewwelcome upgrades. Rogers is one of the oldest names in American drum manufacturing. Joseph Rogers founded the company in 1849 to make drumheads, but in the 1930s his son steered the…
Get on the Good Foot! Part 1
Hi-Hat Comping Riffs in 4/4 Jazz drummers depend on the hi-hat to help propel the band and provide strength to the weak beats of 2 and 4. When played in sync with the ride cymbal, a dynamically controlled hi-hat pulse…
Tony Allen
A Tribute to the King of Afrobeat Drumming Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen’s contribution to modern music runs as deep as his groove. As the creator of an entirely new drumming style, his contributions are profound, and his influence has reached…
Kevin Parker’s Approach to Tame Impala’s Drum Production
In the new age of music, very few artists, producers, or performers can truly stand out and make an impact with what they do and the emotions they divulge. Packing a powerful psychedelic space-pop sound, Tame Impala has united and…
Joe Pollard
Syndrum Innovator Joe Pollard is a well-respected drummer who was part of the legendary group of Los Angeles–based session players in the 1970s known as the Wrecking Crew. He also toured with top R&B and pop artists, including Etta James,…
Barrett Deems
The Self-Proclaimed “World’s Fastest Drummer” This month I’d like to talk about the great Barrett Deems. Barrett wasn’t as much of a household name in the big band world as Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, or Louie Bellson, but he was…
Turkish Cymbals - Cappadocia Series
Dry and funky, just like the region for which they’re named. Turkish Cymbals is—not surprisingly—a Turkish company that fabricates a wide array of contemporary and traditional-sounding cymbals utilizing a combination of ancient and modern processes. Each instrument starts from a…
Stick Technique Revisited
Part 5: The Moeller Whip Stroke The Moeller whip stroke is named after Sanford “Gus” Moeller, a famous teacher from the early 1900s who became known for teaching a whipping motion used by Civil War drummers. In recent years, “Moeller”…
9 Reasons to Love Narada Michael Walden
One of the most successful record producers of the recent past is also among classic fusion’s most blazing drummers. Parallel with his ’70s career as successful producer and solo R&B artist, Narada Michael Walden was arguably the most emotional fusion…
Remembering Neil Peart
Part 3: The Professor’s Improvised Warm-Up Routine When Neil Peart came up with a series of topics to cover for his course on DrumChannel.com, he said he wanted to include his warm-up routine. I expected it to be a series…
Zigaboo Modeliste on “Cissy Strut”
The Meters’ Funk Master Shares the Essence to Nailing This Timeless Two-Hand Hi-Hat Groove “‘Cissy Strut’ is a song that was written by Leo Nocentelli, and he was very good at writing rhythms,” said Zigaboo Modeliste in an online course…
Maximal Sounds from Minimal Sources
Drummer Ben Bigelow had two of his musical passions in mind when he designed this ultra-modern hybrid setup. “I’m a big fan of jazz and ambient music,” says drummer Ben Bigelow, “and this kit is an attempt to blend the…
Aynsley Dunbar
John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Jeff Beck in the 1960s. Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and Journey in the 1970s. Starship and Whitesnake in the ’80s. Any rock aficionado will recognize the legendary status of these artists. The connection between them? This…
Zildjian, Atlantic Technology, LP, Vidami, Tama and more
Zildjian Planet Z Cymbals Crafted from brass, Planet Z cymbals are said to be bright and cutting, with a more controlled and focused sound. They are available in a 10" splash, a 16" crash, an 18" crash ride, a 20"…
