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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.
The Art & Challenge of Teaching
I am writing this on the last day of 2022, in preparation for my last semester of teaching full-time at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. Why am I leaving such a coveted job? The…
Phil Seamen: Percussion Genius, Legendary Rebel, and Born Raver By Peter Dawn
One day in late 2022, my phone rang, it was drum industry stalwart John DeChristopher telling me that fellow drum industry vet Colin Schofield was trying to get in touch with me. I emailed Colin only to learn about a…
Rogers 1960s Gold Louie Bellson and Sammy Davis Jr. Kit
This Rogers kit was originally owned and used by Louie Bellson in the 1960s. Noted drum historian and drum shop owner Steve Maxwell once owned the kit, and he provides the following description: the kit features two 14X24 bass drums,…
Under The Radar
We have all seen the lists on the internet: Underappreciated Drummers, Underrated Drummers, Unsung Drumming Heroes, Drumming Talents Deserving Wider Recognition… Why do so many drummers go under the radar? What does a drummer have to do to get some…
Ludwig Classic Maple, classic indeed!
Every Modern Drummer Kit of the Month doesn’t have to be a huge monster kit. Sometimes there’s nothing cooler than a classic four-piece kit. This month’s Kit of the Month comes to us from Jim Chronopoulos of Whitby Ontario, Canada.…
My Cup Runneth Over…
It’s been a good month. More precisely, it’s been one heck of a week. First, my wife returned home from being nanny and granny to our grandson in Italy while our daughter is busy filming a new show there. Much…
The 2022 Music City Drum Show
It was another difficult year with COVID-19 in our midst, but with vaccinations and boosters, people have started to venture out, live life, and enjoy live music again. One of the highlights of 2022 was the return of the Music…
Drum Workshop’s Don Lombardi and John Good and Roland’s Masahiro Minowa: A New Team for 50 More Years of Innovation
Upon the news of the purchase of Drum Workshop by Roland, and in celebration of Drum Workshop’s 50th Anniversary, Modern Drummer is excited to sit down with the primary players in this new musical dream team: Don Lombardi,John Good, and…
Drumsville! The Evolution of the New Orleans Beat
In Modern Drummer’s “Out Now” column, we usually spotlight several different CD’s, DVD’s, or books that have been recently released that feature notable drummers or impeccable drumming. But every once in a while, something comes along that deserves a little…
Tama’s Dream Theater Custom Logo kit
The kit shown here is from Dream Theater’s 2002-04 tour. It was created by Tama drums to meet Mike’s imaginative specifications and was dubbed “The Siamese Monster” because it essentially consists of two conjoined kits. The massive collection of drums…
Carl and I
This month’s Modern Drummer documents another milestone in our drumming community’s storied history: Carl Palmer and the reunion tour of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It’s hard to believe that EL&P has not performed for many years, but they’re back, and…
Eric Carr inspires Kyle Schneider and “Fred.”
This month’s Kit of the Month comes to us from Kyle Schneider. The story that accompanies this kit is inspirational, educational, and touching. We’ll let Kyle tell the rest… “In 1985, I watched KISS: Animalize Live and I became completely…
What Drummer’s Don’t Like
There are reminders, and then there are painful reminders. I was on the receiving end of a most-unpleasant reminder recently concerning what I don’t like, and I thought it would be useful to pivot the negative experience into a teachable…
Hal Blaine’s Ludwig and Blaemire 1960s and 70s Studio Kit
The unique studio kit that Hal Blaine designed (shown here) started with a Ludwig Super Classic blue sparkle bass drum and single-headed floor tom, along with a 6.5 X14 Supraphonic chrome snare drum (into which Hal etched his initials.) Then…
