educational
Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
In the Pocket: “Rock Steady??? Demystified (VIDEO)
This article is an excerpt from the April 2015 issue, which can be purchased here. In the Pocket “Rock Steady” Demystified Four Steps to Mastering Advanced Funk Grooves by Jim Payne Have you ever checked out Bernard Purdie’s beat on…
Rock & Jazz Clinic: Progressive Independence: Rock Revisited (VIDEO)
Progressive Independence: Rock Revisited A Step-by-Step Method for Building Creative Coordination by Miguel Monroy Fifteen years ago, the founder of Modern Drummer, Ron Spagnardi, published a book devoted to developing independence for rock and funk drumming. This book, Progressive Independence:…
Rock Perspectives: The Mighty Three-Stroke Ruff (VIDEO)
The following post is excerpted from the March 2015 of Modern Drummer Magazine. Rock Perspectives Diamonds in the Ruff Part 1: The Mighty Three-Stroke by Matt Starr The first thing I learned when I started taking drum lessons was the…
Modern Drummer Education Team Weighs In On: Learning Other Styles
We asked the members of the Modern Drummer Education Team if they felt that it’s important for all drummers to study Latin music and other musical genres, even if they don’t intend to ever perform those styles. Here’s what they…
LESSON! Rock & Jazz Clinic: Odd Groupings Over Samba (From the Feb. 2015 Issue)
The following excerpt is taken from the February 2015 issue of Modern Drummer. Rock & Jazz Clinic Odd Groupings Over Samba by Mike Johnston What do you do when you have two things in the refrigerator or pantry that taste…
VIDEO! The Lindy Beat: The Grooviest of Early Rock Grooves (From the February 2015 Issue)
The following excerpt is taken from the February 2015 issue of Modern Drummer. Basics The Lindy Beat The Grooviest of Early Rock ’n’ Roll Grooves by Rich Redmond The classic rhythm we’re exploring this month has weathered the test of time…
VIDEO! Solid Soloing, Part 2: Changing Note Rates (From the January 2015 Issue)
The excerpt below is taken from the January 2015 issue of Modern Drummer. Drum Soloist Solid Soloing Part 2: Changing Note Rates by James Murphy In this miniseries we’re utilizing my “glue” method to gain freedom and flow while soloing.…
Basics: Radio Beats (From the January 2015 Issue)
Radio Beats 7 Real-World Applications of Essential, Time-Honored Grooves by Rich Redmond In this month’s article, we take a look at some popular grooves on country radio right now. All of them are variations of what I call “money beats,”…
Electronic Insights: Drum Miking 101, Part 1: Single-Microphone Setups (From the January 2015 Issue)
by John Emrich In this series of articles we’ll look at how to mike a drumset, starting with a single microphone and adding one each time until we arrive at a complete close-mike configuration. The idea behind the series is…
Terry Bozzio and Universal Percussion’s Tom Shelley Tour the South
Terry Bozzio joined Universal Percussion president Tom Shelley this past February and March for their third joint clinic tour. After covering a good chunk of the Eastern US last fall, the duo performed at venues throughout the South. Their first…
VIDEO! Jazz Drummer’s Workshop: Shifting Sands (From the May 2014 Issue)
http://youtu.be/IVXHAhRfxb0 by Steve Fidyk Transitioning from one time signature, tempo, or musical style to another is a very common technique in modern jazz. These shifts are often referred to as metric modulations, where a specific note value from the current…
MD Contributor Pistol Pete Kaufmann and Felipe Torres to Give Drum Clinic in New Jersey
On Saturday, April 12, 2014, Modern Drummer contributor “Pistol” Pete Kaufmann and Felipe Torres will hold a drum clinic at the Glenn Weber Drum Shop in West Orange, New Jersey. The clinic will include musical performances, practical tips, and…
Linear Fills, Part 1 (UPDATED)
September 2010 Rock ’n’ Jazz Clinic Linear Fills, Part 1 by Mike Johnston In this video, MD columnist Mike Johnston demonstrates some of the linear patterns based on 16th-notes that are included in his article from the September 2010 issue of…
MD Education Team Weighs In On: Tuning (UPDATED)
We asked the members of the MD Education Team to share their thoughts on how they prefer to tune their drums. Here’s what they had to say. Marc Dicciani Tuning is a critical skill that must be learned. Regardless…
