August 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 8
On 01st Aug 2018
Articles in August 2018
A Keller Innovation
This month’s inventive setup comes to us from Stephen Shepard, who’s been playing drums since 1962. In the late ’70s, Shepard started a drum restoration and manufacturing company in San Diego called the Drum Craftsmen with his best friend and…
What’s Your Favorite Hip-Hop or R&B Drumming Performance?
Acoustic drumming generally isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when considering modern hip-hop and R&B album production. But when we took to Facebook and Instagram to ask readers about their favorite hip-hop and R&B drumming performances, plenty of…
Zildjian - A Series 18" Uptown Ride and 12" New Beat Hi-Hats
Quick, articulate, and bright sounds for compact setups and electronic/fusion situations.
Drumset Ergonomics - Part 2: Seat Height
This month we’re going to explore the critically important relationship between the drum throne and the human body. Selecting an appropriate throne height is one of the most overlooked steps of setting up a drumset, yet it could have the…
Mark Sheppard of Robyn Hitchcock and His L.A. Squires
It’s a balmy January evening, and at the back of an Italian restaurant nestled in a southern California strip mall, Mark Sheppard is telling the story of how he came to be the drummer with the psychedelic pop institution the…
John “Jabo” Starks and Roy Burns Pass, Guitar Center Names Donny Gruendler Vice President of Music Education, and More Industry Happenings
Photo of John "Jabo" Starks by Paul La Raia. John “Jabo” Starks and Roy Burns Pass As this month’s issue went into production, Modern Drummer was saddened to hear about the passing of the funk legend John “Jabo” Starks and…
Andy Stack with Wye Oak
On stage with the powerful indie-rock duo, the drummer and musical alchemist does no less than manipulate space and sound in real time.
Multilayered Polyrhythms - Rhythmic Puzzles for Your Mind and Body
Last month we concluded our two-part introduction to polyrhythms with an example that combined multiple polyrhythms within one phrase. In this lesson, we’ll continue layering multiple polyrhythms to take the previous ideas to an even deeper level. These exercises will…
Pete Lockett
Pete Lockett has traveled the globe countless times in search of new sounds and ethnic styles to interpret. The latest example of his approach is Boom!, a collaboration with Luis Conte where the two master percussionists seamlessly meld Indian, Cuban,…
Ryan Pope on the Get Up Kids’ Kicker
Wild drum tones, energetic grooves, and signature hooks fuel the eminent group’s first release in seven years.
Drum Journalism
Every once in a while when I’m trying to sound important in an editorial meeting, I’ll pull out this line: “We can never forget that even though we’re all drummers around this table, it’s just as crucial that we’re journalists…
Jimmy Paxson’s Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie Tour Kit
Fleetwood Mac guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham required an electronic kit for his 2017 duo tour with bandmate Christine McVie, but that didn’t stop Jimmy Paxson from applying his creative vision to the Roland V-Drums he chose to use. The drummer, who…
WFLIII - Signature Metal and Classic Wood Snares
Uniquely designed drums that carry the legacy of generations of high-quality craftsmanship into a new era.
Drum Wisdom: Dana Hall
The drummer, composer, and director of jazz studies and ethnomusicology at DePaul University is all about seeking out true sources.
Noble & Cooley - Walnut Classic Drumset
A new horizontal-ply shell construction from the original American boutique builder.
What You Need to Know About Snare Drum Heads
We began our deep dive into drumheads with a survey of the assorted types—and their sounds/applications—that are available for the bass drum (June 2018). This month we’re examining the different makes and models for the snare drum, which is arguably…
