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.
Episode 2: Practice, Dave Weckl, One-Mic Recording, Craviotto Vintage Series Drums, and More
Episode 2 begins with an extensive discussion about practice: what it means and what Mike and Mike feel are the most effective ways to go about it on the drumset. Next, they share stories about January 2015 Modern Drummer cover artist,…
Episode 3: Independence, “Odd Groupings Over the Samba,??? Two-Mic Recording, Keller’s Magnum Series Maple Shells, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike talk a ton about independence. They identify some of their favorite drummers who display amazing independence and share specific exercises that they’ve used over the years to improve their own four-way coordination. Then Johnston…
Episode 4: Creativity, the Meinl Cymbal Factory, Touring Germany, and the DW Jazz Series Cherry/Gum Drumset
Episode 4 is dedicated to creativity, from where to find it to—more importantly—how to practice it. Johnston then shares stories from his recent clinic tour in Germany, which included a stop at the Meinl cymbal factory. This week’s gear review focuses…
Episode 5: Polyrhythms, Drum Shell Properties, Bernard Purdie, Sabian’s Big and Ugly Series, and More
There are two main topics in this episode: polyrhythms and drum shell properties. Mike and Mike begin their talk on how the type of wood, amount of plies, and bearing edges can affect a drum’s overall sound. The conversation then shifts…
Episode 6: Industry News, Videotaping Yourself, Jojo Mayer, GMS’s SE Series Drumset, and More
This episode includes discussions on recent industry news, techniques and methods for videotaping yourself for online publishing, and May 2015 Modern Drummer cover artist, electronica expert and technique guru Jojo Mayer. In the gear review section, Dawson recalls his experience with…
VIDEO LESSON: Grooving in Form, Part 2: AABC
This excerpt is taken from the complete article that appears in the September 2015 issue, which is available here. Rock & Jazz Clinic Grooving in Form Part 2: AABC by Mike Johnston In our previous lesson (July 2015), we learned…
Rock & Jazz Clinic: Grooving in Form, Part 1: AABA Beats (VIDEO)
The excerpt below is taken from the complete article that appears in the July 2015 issue, which is available here. Rock & Jazz Clinic Grooving in Form Part 1: AABA Beats by Mike Johnston One of the first things you learn…
Showroom: Groove Freedom iPad App
Leading online educator Mike Johnston, founder of the popular live-streaming drum lesson site mikeslessons.com, recently teamed up with app developer Derek Lee to create an interactive version of his popular method book, Groove Freedom, for iPad users. Incorporating all of…
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…
NEWS: April 2014 Cover Artist, Mike Johnston, Celebrates 1,000th Live Lesson With Free Broadcast!
Today, November 26, 2014, mikeslessons.com founder and April 2014 cover artist, Mike Johnston, is giving his 1,000th live lesson. To celebrate the landmark, he is making the lesson free and open to the public. You can check it out…
FREE EVENT! Mike Johnston to host CreativeLive class “Becoming a Music Teacher: The Art of Sharing Your Talent???
Mike Johnston, drummer, educator, and founder of the world’s largest educational website for drummers, Mikeslessons.com, will host a free CreativeLive class on August 14, beginning at 9 am PDT/12 pm EDT, titled “Becoming a Music Teacher: The Art of Sharing Your…
Mike Johnston to host CreativeLive class “Becoming a Music Teacher: The Art of Sharing Your Talent???
Mike Johnston, drummer, educator, and founder of the world’s largest educational website for drummers, Mikeslessons.com, will host a CreativeLive class next month, “Becoming a Music Teacher: The Art of Sharing Your Talent.” The seven-hour course, covering everything from delivering information…
Drum Daze 2014 Columbus, Ohio
Modern Drummer Publications and Columbus Pro Percussion are teaming up to create one amazing drumming day. On Sunday, March 30th, some of the biggest names in drumming will come together for an afternoon you won’t forget. But what is Drum Daze?…
April 2014 Spotify Playlist
Welcome to the Spotify Playlist for the April 2014 issue of Modern Drummer magazine. This month’s Playlist includes feature artist Travis Orbin playing some insane stuff with Sky Eats Airplane and Cyclamen, among others; a selection of classic Lee Morgan…
