Mike Johnston
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.
MD Podcast Episode 236: Tommy Harden, What is a Shuffle?, Online Teaching Basics, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike discuss Nashville session veteran Tommy Harden. The education segment focuses on defining the shuffle. In the gear section, Mike and Mike talk about the basics of online teaching and how to deal with the…
MD Podcast Episode 235: Four-Stage Practice Method, Sugar Percussion Snare Comparison, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike dive deep into the four-stage practice method, which comprises a warm-up, creative exploration, main focus, and musical applications. The gear review segment compares two 6x14 Sugar Percussion snare drums, one made from mahogany and…
MD Podcast Episode 232: Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, Playing Over the Barline, INDe RESoArmor Drumset, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike crack open the April issue and discuss cover artist Glenn Kotche of Americana alt-rock band Wilco. The education segment focuses on playing over the barline. Up for review is a classy all-maple drumset by…
MD Podcast Episode 230: Gear Hacks, Nate Wood, Zildjian K Cluster Crashes, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike share some of different hacks they’ve learned over the years to get their gear to sound and perform better. The featured artist is modern jazz innovator Nate Wood, who is featured in the March…
MD Podcast Episode 229: World Rhythms 101, Ilan Rubin, Tama S.L.P. New-Vintage Hickory Drumset, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike share some of their favorite rhythms from around the globe that they feel are essential study for working drummers. The featured artist is Ilan Rubin, who most recently toured with Angels & Airwaves and…
MD Podcast Episode 224: Eric Harland, 2020 Goals, Modern Vs. Vintage Snares, ddrum Dios additions, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike Dawson kick off the New Year by first outlining some personal and professional drum goals for 2020. The featured artist is modern jazz great Eric Harland, who graces the cover of the February issue…
MD Podcast Episode 223: Year-End Wrap-Up, 2020 Predictions, Shopping Lists, Gunnar Olsen, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike look back at some highlights of 2019 and take a shot at predicting what could be trending in 2020. They also offer suggestions on how to spend holiday cash on some much-needed drum gear.…
MD Podcast Episode 222: More Listener Questions
In this episode, Mike and Mike dedicate another hour to answering a stack of questions submitted by listeners over the past few weeks. Show Notes Readers Poll ballot Start your All Access Subscription Modern Drummer Now! MikesLessons.com subscription options Sponsored…
MD Podcast Episode 221: Listener Questions Galore
In this episode, Mike and Mike catch up while Johnston is on location in Los Angeles to film a ton of educational and promotional content for Gretsch and Vic Firth. The entire hour is dedicated to answering questions submitted by…
MD Podcast Episode 218: PASIC19 Recap, Nashville Session Ace Jerry Roe, Blue Mics, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike discuss December 2019 featured artist Jerry Roe, who has a dual career as a top modern-country session drummer and as a member of experimental art-rock duo Friendship Commanders. Dawson also reports on his recent…
MD Podcast Episode 217: 2020 Drummer Draft, Manu Katché, Tama Starclassic Walnut Birch Drumkit, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike discuss legendary pop/session drummer Manu Katché, who recently released an instrumental contemporary jazz album called The Scope. For the main segment, Mike and Mike choose fantasy drummer squads for 2020. Up for review is…
MD Podcast Episode 209: Father John Misty’s Dan Bailey, Inverted Paradiddle-Diddles, Paiste 2002 Extreme Crashes, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike discuss touring/session drummer Dan Bailey, who recently released a very informative online master class on drum tuning and recording, called “The Bailey Method.” The education segment focuses on some simple and musical ways to…
MD Podcast Episode 205: Gretsch Badge History, Listener Questions, Snare Drum Giveaway, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike begin the show by going over the history of the Gretsch drum badge, starting with the original round design and moving forward to the stop sign and square varieties before returning back to the…
MD Podcast Episode 203: Session Great Nir Z, Superimposing 4/4 in 3/4, Roland TM-1, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike crack open the September 2019 issue and discuss cover artist Nir Z, who’s been at the top of the studio scene for the past twenty years. The education segment focuses on ways to superimpose…
