November 2015 Issue – Volume 40 • Number 11

Pearl - Wood Fiberglass Drumset

https://vimeo.com/134656928 Product Close-Up Pearl Wood Fiberglass Drumset The innovative hybrid shell that defined the company forty-plus years ago is back…and better than ever. While American companies like Ludwig, Slingerland, and Gretsch established their now-classic drum sounds in the late ’60s…

Hybrid Drumming Basics - 3 Contemporary Scenarios That Meld Electronics and Acoustics

Electronic Insights Hybrid Drumming Basics 3 Contemporary Scenarios That Meld Electronics and Acoustics by Donny Gruendler Many modern record producers have replaced the acoustic drumkit with programmed electronic textures from various physical and virtual drum machines, like the Akai MPC,…

Catching Up With... Chris Adler

Catching Up With... Chris Adler No one came out of Lamb of God’s 2013 legal tribulations unscathed. But the band and its drummer seem hell-bent on proving their survival skills. In July 2015, Lamb of God released its seventh full-length…

Benny Goodman - The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert

Encore Benny Goodman The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert It was the floor tom heard round the world, Gene Krupa’s call to revolution: “Drummers to the fore!” By January 16, 1938, the time of this Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall…

Swing Style 101 - Part 3: The Most Common Song Forms

Jazz Drummer's Workshop Swing Style 101 Part 3: The Most Common Song Forms by Justin Varnes If you’ve practiced the exercises in the first two “Swing Style 101” articles, you should have your syncopated comping (“accompaniment”) and basic swing feel…

Closed Roll Studies - Exercises for Developing Control of Multiple Rebounds

Strictly Technique Closed Roll Studies Exercises for Developing Control of Multiple Rebounds by Jeff W. Johnson The closed roll, aka buzz roll, is a mystery to many drummers, and for good reason. This type of roll attempts to imitate the…

Gaai - Sun & Stars Collection Snare Drums

Product Close-Up Gaai Sun & Stars Collection Snare Drums One-of-a-kind hand-cut finishes and classic maple tones…with a twist. Gaai Drums is a two-person operation based in Los Angeles, with Gaai Nakamura handling design and construction and his partner, Tomo, handling…

Catching Up With... Mark Guiliana

The Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet at the Bunker. From left: saxophonist Jason Rigby, bassist Chris Morrissey, Guiliana, and pianist Shai Maestro. Catching Up With... Mark Guiliana The forward-leaning musician finds clues to the future by engaging his passion for the…

Rebuilding Double Bass Chops

It's Questionable Rebuilding Bass Drum Chops Do you have any tips for an older guy to get his double kick chops back? I’m really struggling. What should I practice? My hips get tight. Jay As in any area of drumming,…

Falling Rocks - A Primer on One of Drumming's Most Powerful Fills

https://vimeo.com/137267361 Basics Falling Rocks A Primer on One of Drumming's Most Powerful Fills by Rich Redmond The term “falling rocks” refers to a very powerful fill concept made famous by legendary rockers like Carmine and Vinny Appice, John Bonham, Cozy…

Bass Drum Development - 4 Focused Exercises for Building Raw Speed

https://vimeo.com/138200980 Rock 'N' Jazz Clinic Bass Drum Development 4 Focused Exercises for Building Raw Speed by Mike Johnston One of the most common questions I get asked in clinics is, “How did you develop your foot speed?” And that is…

Starting (or Advancing) at Any Age

Concepts Starting (or Advancing) at Any Age No More Excuses! by Russ Miller I have the privilege of meeting players from all over the world. I also meet many people who are interested in taking up the drums but are…

November 2015 Issue – Volume 40 • Number 11

Jeremiah Green

Features Jeremiah Green Rabid fans of Modest Mouse were relieved to see the band return with a new album and tour in 2015. The drummers among them got an especially big bang for their buck. Story by Stephen Bidwell Photos…

Catching Up With... Slim Jim Phantom

Catching Up With... Slim Jim Phantom The drummer’s bold playing and even bolder stage presence with the ’80s rockabilly icons the Stray Cats helped prompt a resurgence of interest in rock’s roots. Though that wasn’t necessarily the plan from the…

In Memoriam - Jim Coffin

In Memoriam Jim Coffin Sitting in a restaurant in Tokyo in the mid-1980s with executives from Yamaha, Jim Coffin noticed that people at an adjoining table were pointing at him excitedly. He asked one of the Yamaha guys what was…

Robert "Sput" Searight

Snarky Puppy’s soul sender has seen tears of joy in the eyes of fans who’ve been starving for the band’s adventurous spirit, meticulous arrangements, and generous vibe. Story by Ken Micallef Photos by Marco Hammer When Robert “Sput” Searight signed…

Progressive Drumming Essentials - Part 5: Incorporating Odd Groups Into Grooves and Fills

https://vimeo.com/136324959 Rock Perspectives Progressive Drumming Essentials Part 5: Incorporating Odd Groups Into Grooves and Fills by Aaron Edgar One of my favorite things to do with quintuplets and septuplets is to create syncopated, angular-sounding grooves. Exploring this unusual territory can…

Soultone - Noa Cymbal Pack

https://vimeo.com/134771590 Product Close-Up Soultone Noa Cymbal Pack A beginner’s pre-pack with potential for professionals. When putting together its first pre-pack, the Noa, Soultone wanted to keep the price down without sacrificing quality. To do that, the company decided to use…

Pack That Van! 15 Essential Things to Take With You on Your First Tour

Features Pack That Van! 15 Essential Things to Take With You on Your First Tour by Rich Scannella You got the gig, the band is rehearsed, and you’re excited to hit the road. All that’s left is to throw your…