May 2022 – Volume 46 • Number 5

Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault

Ringo Starr Ludwig “Pizza” Drum Set The impact that Ringo Starr has made on the drum world cannot be overstated. He inspired generations of drummers to pick up the sticks. His drums and drumming have inspired endless research into the…

Steve Lyman, From Drums to Meditation, Thinking Beyond the Surface

Steve Lyman is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Initially he was surrounded by classical guitar and flute played by his parents. Steve has always had a knack for composition and has applied it to his drumming. He has…

My Manne, Shelly

Shelly Manne was one of my first drum heroes, and he remains a hero to this day. A swinging drummer in any context, he personified eclecticism while remaining a singularly unique musician. Shelly could do it all. Since the term…

Vic Firth Bluetooth Isolation Headphones

Like many of you reading this, I have been using the Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Headphones for years now, and my ears have been thanking me. With the success of the original design, it was a logical next step for…

Zildjian FX Raw Crashes

Being the most undefinable cymbals Zildjian has ever produced, the new FX Raw Crashes certainly stand out. Even compared to the many effect cymbals Zildjian has in their product roster, these offer a unique voice that inspired me to play…

Mapex takes the Saturn Series to a New Level with New Finishes

The Saturn Series has become synonymous with the Mapex brand, serving as a cornerstone of the lineup for decades. Known for producing rich, warm and punchy drum tones that are now woven through multiple genres of modern music from live…

Tribute To Taylor

Although much of what I’ll share here in this month’s overview is echoed over and over throughout this issue, I’ll speak on behalf of my team and me, the inside Modern Drummer family, many of whom were close to Taylor.…

Essential Factors for success in the gym: Lessons learned in the Practice Room

In the last issue, we examined the myth of the muscle-bound concept. This instilled an unwarranted fear into many drummers and percussionists alike: Don’t lift weights, as it can impair dexterity and hinder your ability to play drums. Intuitively, we…

DW & LP Named New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Official Drums

Drum Workshop, Inc. (DW) in conjunction with Latin Percussion (LP) are delighted to be gear support sponsors for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Jazz Fest) 2022. Jazz Fest takes place over two weekends, 29th April to 1st May…

Bob Moses Drum Wisdom: The Eight Points

In last month’s Modern Drummer, we reintroduced Bob Moses’ fabulous notion that he calls “The 8/8 Concept” from his book Drum Wisdom. Bob’s concept of feeling music in 8/8 leads naturally into another concept that Bob calls “The Eight Points.”…

Ghost Rack

This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes from Steve Barone of Erie, PA. I’ve always liked using a drum rack, but over the years I’ve tried to find ways to reduce mass and shave weight from my hardware…

Taylor Hawkins In His Own Words…

I wasn’t good at sports and I was having a hard time finding girlfriends. It was 1982. I was ten years old, and just getting into the music of the day, new wave, the Police, and stuff. My older brother…

Julien Barbagallo: Touring drummer for Tame Impala

Making a living performing and creating music is one of the most challenging undertakings a drummer faces, all drummers aim to play at the peak of their craft. Julien Barbagallo exemplifies what determination and a positive attitude can accomplish. Barbagallo…

May 2022 - Volume 46 • Number 5

Recording from Home and Wearing Three Hats

Last month we talked about the challenges of picking up the drumsticks for the first time, studying, and the process of learning to become a good drummer. This month we take a big jump forward in your drumming journey. My…

Taylor Hawkins Remembered

As we at Modern Drummer and the entire drum and musical community continue to reel from the untimely and devastating passing of Taylor Hawkins, we wanted to create a tribute to this inspiring and energetic drummer who left us far…

Zoom Introduces the H4n Pro, Offering Superior Performance and Upgraded Features

Zoom North America has unveiled the new H4n Pro Handy Recorder. With the H4n Pro, Zoom has taken everything creators love about the original H4n and brought it to the next level. Featuring advanced microphones, high performance mic preamps, and…

Michael Stasiak of Widowspeak

talks about their new record The Jacket Widowspeak is undeniably a very nostalgic band. With a feeling of 60’s psych pop Americana the band hits a unique niche in modern music. The creation of Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas,…

Radical Hybrid Drumming “Behind the Scenes” with the Essential Rudiments

There is a range of percussion midi functionality essential to all electronic percussion controllers. In this month’s column, I am going to use several of my custom hybrid drum kits (and a new song) to demonstrate the key features that…

Taylor Hawkins

On March 25, 2022 musicians, drummers, and music fans around the world were devastated to learn that drummer Taylor Hawkins had died. Hawkins was a good friend of Modern Drummer, and we join in the deep sorrow of losing such…