November 2023 – Volume 47 • Number 11
Articles in November 2023
Mysterious Traveller
This month’s Kit of the Month comes to us from Phil Raskin. This Slingerland 12, 13, 14, 16, 18 set was originally owned by drummer and educator Skip Hadden. The drums originally had a natural finish but are now finished…
Pat Steward: Making Adjustments with Bryan Adams
You might know drummer Pat Steward’s name, but you’ve definitely heard his drumming. Pat’s relentless drive on iconic Bryan Adams songs like “Kids Wanna Rock,” “Summer of ‘69” and “One Night Love Affair” makes them jump out of the speakers.…
Techra Drumsticks
Drumsticks that are not made from wood is not a new idea. Those of us who have been around for a while have seen the idea come and go with varied amounts of success. One of the problems was that…
Cymbal Swap: Try Cymbals Before You Buy
If you’ve ever shopped for cymbals, you know that it can be frustrating and expensive to find the perfect cymbal that harmonizes flawlessly with your drum kit and produces the sound you desire. A new service called Cymbal Swap is…
Drummer and A&R Person, Dave Rath - It’s the Drums That Makes People Move
Maybe you are in a band that is trying to “make it” and get signed, but young musicians and bands must navigate a lot of things these days. And with many of those things, come different people with different…
Drum Workshop’s New Hybrid Purple Core Shells, Serious Low-End with Serious Durability
Drum Workshop’s John Good has been experimenting for years with a hybrid shell idea that would provide the lowest fundamental tone from a drum shell without sacrificing strength. After much experimenting, he finally succeeded. That prompted DW to send Modern…
New and Notable
Lauten Audio Snare Mic Family-owned microphone maker, Lauten Audio, has announced the release of Snare Mic — a purpose-built FET condenser microphone designed explicitly for use on snare drums. At only 4.2” in size, Snare Mic is optimized for use…
"The Deathless Horsie"
Recorded live at the Odeon Hammersmith in London England on February 19th, 1979, Frank Zappa’s “The Deathless Horsie” was the show opener and appeared on the recording Shut Up ‘n Play Yer Guitar. Vinnie Colaiuta’s drumming is an unbelievable display…
Snare Drum Duets, "Duet 3"
Ron Spagnardi wrote a terrific book called Snare Drum Duets: 25 Duets For Two Snare Drummers. It offers a selection of 25 challenging duets that range in difficulty from relatively simple to more complex. A wide assortment of time signatures…
Nick Mason’s Solo Tour Set
Drums: Drum Workshop. Custom Painted by Katy Hepburn (Recreation of 1973 Ludwig Kit influenced by Katsushika Hokusa) Bass Drums: 20” and 22 “. Toms: 10”, 12”, 13”, 14”, 16” , 18”. Snare: DW Edge 14” Cymbals: Paiste. Prototype 8” Micro…
Jeremy Dutton: The Power of Community
The recent tradition of jazz drummers from Houston, Texas is a long and always growing list. Among them has been Sebastian Whittaker, Chris Dave, Eric Harland, Kendrick Scott, Jamire Williams, and now Jeremy Dutton. Jeremy has been on the New…
Be Undeniable
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” -Steve Martin Whether you want to be a rising star on stages around the world or simply cultivate a daily drumming meditation in your practice room, be undeniable in all you do. It’s…
OUT NOW! November 2023
Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performance from the drummer and/or musicians in the…
The Bass Drum Owners Manual: Groove Etude and Hi-hat Substitutions
This month Modern Drummer will continue to include excerpts from Michael Packer’s essential book on bass drum control and technique The Bass Drum Owners Manual: Applying the Moeller Technique to the Bass Drum. As you have seen in previous months,…
1928 Ludwig Rialto and 1933 Ludwig Pioneer Trap Kits
The drum set has come a long way from the simple trap kits of the 1920s and 30s. Ironically, many drummers today are returning to these very simple sets for busking (type) gigs, favoring the convenience and ease of packing…
Drummers Make the World Go ‘Round
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the Avedis Zildjian Company. Founded in 1623, Zildjian is the oldest musical instrument company in the world as well as the oldest company in the USA. Zildjian has a great past because it…
Fill-In Studies Groups of Four Fill-ins
Joe Morello advanced the idea of endurance exercises with his Fill-In Studies included in his book Master Studies. These are not “drum fills,” instead they are endurance exercises built on the idea of filling in between the primary rhythm of…
The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming: Skiplets
In the new and revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming, Bobby includes nine new double bass drumming chapters. The new and expanded edition covers contemporary techniques such as bass drum double strokes, feet-only exercises, binary and ternary…
Transcriptions. Vocabulary.
This month Modern Drummer is glad to welcome Marc Atkinson. Marc’s transcription of Vinnie Colaiuta’s drumming on Frank Zappa’s “The Deathless Horsie” will astound you and leave you laughing and bewildered. Marc’s precision, attention to detail, and his ability to…