March 2022 – Volume 46 • Number 3
Articles in March 2022
IN MEMORIAM
Mike Shapiro Frank Gambale and Mike Shapiro Mike Shapiro was a talented musician-drummer who died on November 14, he was 57 years old. Mike was known for his passion for Brazilian grooves and music, but it went much further than…
Carl Palmer’s 1973 Stainless Steel Kit
In 1973, Carl Palmer and Paul Ravn designed this unique stainless steel kit which was manufactured by the British Steel Company, and their subcontractors. It features quarter-inch-thick shells fitted with Gretsch hoops. Each drum features an ornate engraving of woodland…
The Empty Canvas
Accepting Creative Input For this article I’d like to talk about a luxury that we don’t always get to experience as a professional drummer, I call it “The Empty Canvas.” This simply refers to the amount of creative input that…
Dom’s World of Drumming
I believe to really understand anything, you must be fully involved to experience the journey. There are many music and drumming events worldwide. These conventions, festivals, carnivals, and shows open our minds while opening the doors of opportunity! When I…
A Salute to Van Halen’s 1984
Van Halen’s 1984 recording set the music world on it’s ear. The group’s songwriting had evolved to Top 10 single status. Guitar genius Eddie Van Halen’s rhythm guitar playing had become funkier, and his solos continued to redefinine the instrument.…
Sixteenth Note Triplets
Carmine Appice’s Ultimate Realistic Rock book is an educational standard in teaching “realistic” rock drumming. The title means you are learning drumming vocabulary (beats and fills) that you would realisticly use in a rock song or band. The recently updated…
Carl Palmer Applied Rhythms
This month’s Basics contains a series of fills that are based on flams, and is included in Carl Palmers book Applied Rhythms. The idea here is to flam various 8th notes in the bar, and to voice the 8th notes…
TONY VERDEROSA:
Let’s call them, CREATIVE PERCUSSION CONTROLLERS! Tony Verderosa has performed and recorded with Dream Theater’s John Petrucci, Cold-Cut, Michael Brecker, Katy Perry, Joe Perry (Aerosmith,) Dave Samuels, Donny McCaslin, Philippe Saisse, and Angelique Kidjo. He is known for combining acoustic…
Raghav Mehrotra:
THE! NEXT! GEN! Raghav Mehrotra is the definition of a next generation drummer. At 17, his career is already off the ground, his drumming skills are off the charts, (as are his Instagram followers,) and his maturity (both musical and…
Charly Alberti:
Spanish Rock Drumming Pioneer Soda Stereo is considered one of the greatest and most influential Spanish rock bands of all time, selling over 25 million records worldwide and selling out stadiums. Soda Stereo has an immense global presence. Bands such…
Nick D’Virgilio
Ready, Willing and Able In today’s pandemic driven world, and amidst the paranoia that often goes with it, Nick D’Virgilio’s can-do attitude is refreshing. In fact, his spirit is quite infectious. Furthermore, to say that his drumming and singing is…
NEW and NOTABLE
VIC FIRTH ANNOUNCES SEVERAL NEW PRODUCTS Rute-X Rods Vic Firth understands that the familiar feel of drumsticks is missing from traditional rod designs. The new RUTE-X rods offer the comfort, response, and balance of standard drumsticks while further improving on…
ddrum
E-Flex Electronic Kit For 2022, ddrum is rolling out a new addition to their line of products called the E-Flex Electronic Drum Set. It features mesh heads on all three toms, a dual-zone snare pad, two cymbal pads, a hi-hat…
Putting Ideas Into Action
My dear old friend, the late John Abercrombie, used to say when drinking his favorite breakfast beverage, “You know, there’s nothing like a good cup of coffee in the morning … and this is nothing like a good cup of…
Yamaha Hipgig – a 20+ year update
This Yamaha Rick Marotta Signature Hipgig drum kit made in 2000 has been updated by John Cutbill, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. “I wanted the opportunity to consider other equipment and configuration options while still retaining the intended design concept…
Welcome Back My Friends... to another Modern Drummer first!
Welcome to another Modern Drummer first! We are grateful for the 45 years of being the #1 community for drums and drummers, and we will always continue to innovate for you, our valued readers. This month we are releasing the…