October 2024 – Volume 48 • Number 10

Drums and Sports

Let’s start here. Music is not a sport, and any attempt to make music or drumming into a sporting event where there are winners, losers, best, and worst, is something that I am (basically) against. Healthy competition can be advantageous…

New and Notable October 2024

SABIAN MENTORSHIP AWARD, DW SOUNDWORKS EXPANSION PACK, NEW PORTER & DAVIES ENDORSERS SABIAN - Dom Famularo - SEN Mentorship Award SABIAN is proud to announce the launch of the second annual SABIAN - Dom Famularo - SEN Mentorship Award. Set…

October 2024 – Volume 48 • Number 10

The 2024 Music City Drum Show

The Music City Drum Show, now in its fourth year, once again proved to be a spectacular event; this year it was held at the Nashville Fairgrounds on July 20-21, 2024. The show has grown and evolved significantly since its…

Dirk Verbeuren’s Megadeth Touring Kit

Photos by Jason Mehler Drums: Tama Starclassic Maple Custom – 9x10,10x12,11x13 Rack Toms, 16x16,16x18, Floor Toms, two 18x22 Kick Drums.Snare: 5½x14 Signature Snare.Heads: Evans Drumheads: ST Dry, EC2, EQ3, G2.Cymbals: Meinl – 14” Byzance Brilliant Med Hi-Hat, 18” Classics Custom Dark China, 18”…

Dennis Chambers’ solo from John Scofield’s “Pick Hits”

Dennis Chambers’ solo on “Pick Hits” from the live recording of the same name is the “soup du jour” this month. I consider Dennis to be on the Mount Rushmore of drummers—a rare group who revolutionized how the rest of…

Joey Mullen: Crafting the Rhythm Behind Paramore’s Explosive Sound

In today’s highly competitive world, carving out a name in drumming requires more than just raw talent. It demands courage, perseverance, and confidence. The man in question Joey Mullen, has proven that he has what it takes to succeed at…

Understanding the Language of Music: Chord Extentions

Modern Drummer founder Ron Spagnardi wrote an excellent book called Understanding the Language of Music, a Drummer’s Guide to Theory and Harmony. This book spells out the basics of theory and harmony in a very easy to understand way. It…

Klook-Mop: A Rhythmic Signature of Bebop

The drum set is a uniquely American instrument that has played a central role in jazz from its inception. The invention of the bass drum pedal enabled one drummer to cover multiple percussion parts, and as the different styles of…

Brian Thompson: Rack ‘em Up!

This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes from Brian Thompson. Brian’s entire kit is mounted on a cool Gibraltar Stealth Docking Station rack consisting of a no-leg hi-hat stand, snare basket, 22” hoop over the bass, and a…

ddrum E-FLEX BT9 Electronic Drums

In 2022, ddrum unveiled their E-Flex series of electronic drums, designed to offer a quiet yet highly responsive playing experience. This line featured 6-inch mesh pads that provided both enhanced sensitivity and reduced noise. ddrum recently expanded the E-FLEX series…

Leslie Mandoki: Living His Dreams

Guitarists Al Di Meola and Steve Lukather call Leslie Mandoki the Hungarian Quincy Jones, and Jack Bruce calls him the German Duke Ellington. But drummer, lyricist, songwriter, bandleader, and producer Leslie Mandoki scoffs at those comparisons, and refers to Quincy…

1929 Leedy Conn Tuxedo Trap Set with Butterfly Silhouette Painted Head

As we look at the history of the three leading American drum companies of the 1920s and 30s, Leedy, Ludwig, and Slingerland; their story leads us to the creation of the very rare drum kit in this article. In 1896,…

The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming: Power Three’s

In the new and revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming, Bobby Rondinelli includes nine new double bass drumming chapters. The new and expanded edition covers contemporary techniques such as bass drum double strokes, feet-only exercises, binary and…

Hand-Picked Vinyl October 2024

As the music world continues to see a resurgence in Vinyl (LP’s,) Vinyl Me Please (VMP) is curating and producing some of the best vinyl remasters and pressings around. They are scouring the history of recorded music for forgotten gems…

Vocabulary Development Essentials Part 2:Embellishing Hand & Foot Combinations

Building on last month’s article titled “Vocabulary Development Essentials – Hand & Foot Combinations,” this time we’re diving deeper into how you can elevate your playing by transforming basic hand and foot combinations into more musical phrases. One effective way…

Out Now October 2024

Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performances from the drummer and/or musicians in the band.…

Joe Boyd: And the Routes of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music.

Drummers usually talk about the same drummers, and we all know their names. But producers and music lovers often talk about a different list of drummers. Joe Boyd is one such producer, music lover, and author. In his legendary career…

Zac Farro Unleashed: A Legend in the Making

In the realm of modern rock drummers, Zac Farro is a standout star with a journey as dynamic as his drumming. As Paramore’s rhythmic powerhouse since his teens, Farro has navigated the band’s transformations, including a hiatus and triumphant return,…

The Curse Of The Expert

As drummers we’re all passionate and energetic people, so it’s really easy to fall into the trap of more more more. But to speak your voice, you counterintuitively have to DELETE. I didn’t do this for a long time. “I…