< PreviousModern Drummer September 2021 48 I went to a concert, and we found ourselves criticizing the young people who were playing—a little mistake here, a little drop in tempo there. Then, I said, “Wait a minute. I think we’ve become too professional.” When you become too professional, it sometimes gets in the way of enjoying things. You’ve lost the whole point of making music—which is to have fun and feel good about being alive. The other side to knowing about music is when you’re young, and you’ve got all this information coming at you—from magazines like Modern Drummer, and clinics and teachers. When you’ve got 15 or 20 different people telling you their way of playing drums, it’s time for you to go out and try it your way. Experiment. Pick out what is best suited for you. From each drummer you like, you take a little bit from here, a little bit from there, and before you know it, it’s sounding like a big bit. It’s sounding like you, and not any of them. But you do need the guidance of a teacher. Don’t you think there’s such a thing as self-guidance and self- discipline? Forget it. You need the guidance. Self-taught is for the birds. What about a musical genius like Erroll Garner? He was self- taught. I don’t care. He couldn’t read music. Maybe, but listen to how he played. Wonderful. Marvelous. But did you ever play with him? I played on Erroll’s final two albums. You had to stand around and wait until he learned his part, and that was frustrating for people who read music. I loved Erroll to death, and it hurt me to know he couldn’t read music. I knew what he must have felt when he had 50 musicians there who read music, and he didn’t. Why didn’t he try to learn? Because he was self-taught. When you’re self-taught, you learn too many bad habits, and bad habits can be the worst thing for any musician. B-a-d habits. They are the downfall of 90 percent of all the musicians in the world. Give me examples of bad habits for drummers. Sitting wrong. Drummers should sit up, with their backs positioned as if they had braces behind them, and with their feet flat on the floor. If you learn how to play flat-footed, it’s easy to come up on your toes when necessary. If you learn to play on your toes, there’s no place else for you to go. And if you always play on your toes, you’ll end up with nerves, so that when you want to hit something light and easy, you can’t do it. You lose the subtlety—the beauty. You get “thump” instead of “ting.” It can’t be helped. Also, when you play with your fingers and you don’t use the wrists, you can get all the speed in the world, but you’re not going to be able to sustain it, because the tendons will stretch. If your tendons stretch, sticks are going to drop out of your hands. You need the wrists to help you with power, longevity, and discipline. It takes years to find that out. Some people would say it’s confining to play from a chart. Reading gives you freedom. I am definitely freer with a chart than without one, because now I don’t have to worry about where the music is going. I can see it. The problem is that most people read a bar at a time. You can’t do that. You’ll sound mechanical. And one thing you must remember and understand is that reading is interpretation. That quarter note will be a quarter note no matter who plays it. But it’s how you as an individual interpret that quarter note that makes all the difference. You have one of the most distinctive drum sounds in the business. How do you achieve your drum sound in the studio? In the studio, they try to get the sound as dead as possible—no overtones, no ring. They want a thud—a thump. They add the highs and lows during mixing. The sound itself is muffled, so you have to hit the drums hard to get the sound out. But while you’re hitting hard, you’ve still got to keep the sound musical, and you’ve still got to retain your sensitivity. You have to do all this while you’re banging it out. So you have to fake it sometimes—fake that hard hitting that M O D E R N D R U M M E R M A G A Z I N E • • YEARS Of Excellence 4545 THE WORLD’S #1 DRUMMING RESOURCETHE WORLD’S #1 DRUMMING RESOURCE Bernard Purdie$ 3,825 Mahogany Club 3-piece Shell Pack Exquisitely handcrafted shell pack yields classically voiced depth, warmth, punch, and dryness — whether unplugged or miked up, onstage or in the studio. ITEM: AF322MCLUB $ 5,110 Maple Club 3-piece Shell Pack – Deco Gold with Nickel Hardware Make a splash onstage and in the studio with a warm punch, broadband sustain, and a throaty, open heirloom tone that comes straight out of antiquity. Vintage, handcrafted appeal comes with the integrity of modern design. ITEM: AF322DGN $ 34 .95 Raw Steel Drum Key Incredibly durable — and even bulletproof — this solid- steel drum key can withstand a great deal of torque and also makes for a fashionable, rustic accessory. ITEM: AFKey $ 2,050 A&F’er RED Limited Edition Snare Drum – 6.5 x 14-inch Besides being the perfect tribute to a 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190SL luxury cabriolet, this limited edition aluminum snare drum features a bright and ferocious output full of sonic color. ITEM: AFER6514RED $ 1,420 Maple Club Snare Drum – 6.5 x 14-inch – Deco Gold with Nickel Hardware Make a splash onstage and in the studio with all the handcrafted appeal of a vintage snare with the trueness and integrity of a modern design. ITEM: AF6514DGN $179 HBCSN Nickel Cymbal Stand – Boom Hearken back to vintage stands from the early 1900s with this rugged, re-envisioned stand featuring a nickel nish that will age over time for truly authentic style. ITEM: HBCSN $ 2,809 Saturn Evolution Workhorse 5-piece Shell Pack – Birch & Walnut – Tuscan Red Create top-shelf performances with Mapex’s Saturn Evolution, boasting a bold and modern twist on the classic Saturn sound for premium playability and superior tone. ITEM: SE628XBBPA $ 429 AQX Micro 4-piece Shell Pack – Blue Ocean Sparkle A micro-sized, a ordable club kit with an incredible sound and an ultra-lightweight con guration that gigging drummers will truly appreciate. ITEM: AQXMicBOS $ 999 AQ2 Bop 4-piece Shell Pack with Snare – Aqua Silver Burst Easily portable and suited for anything from acid jazz to modern rock, this compact maple club kit is designed to maximize resonance and sustain. ITEM: AQ2BopASB $ 579 Armory 5-piece Hardware Pack with Double Pedal – Chrome Plated Hit the road in con dence with rugged hardware built for seasoned professionals who demand space- age versatility. ITEM: HP8005-DP Titanium Quartz White Marine Pearl Shell pack only. Snare, cymbals, stands not included. Shell pack only. Cymbals and hardware are not included. $ 349 Strike Amp 12 – 2,000-watt 1x12" Drum Ampli er The Strike Amp 12 provides powerful, 2,000-watt ampli cation for any hybrid or electronic drum kit without hogging stage space. ITEM: StrikeAmp12 $ 179 SamplePad 4 Compact Percussion Pad Trigger samples and MIDI onstage or in the studio with this compact trigger pad. Create drum parts with preset kits or import your own sounds. ITEM: SAMPLEPAD4 $ 379 Nitro Mesh Electronic Drum Set Perfect for low-volume practicing, and with all hardware, setup, and playing gear included, this kit is all about convenience and customization. ITEM: NitroMeshKit $ 2,599 Strike Pro SE Electronic Drum Set Bridging the acoustic and electronic worlds, the hybrid wood shells and tunable mesh heads of the Strike Pro SE o er a natural and versatile playing experience. ITEM: StrikeProSEKit Does include rack and snare stand. Does not include hi-hat stand or kick pedal. $ 2,459 .96 Performance Series 4-piece Shell Pack with 22-inch Bass Drum – Hard Satin Seafoam Get authentic, handbuilt DW Collector’s Series performance advantages and craftsmanship at a real-world price. ITEM: PSK422SSF $ 2,189 .88 Design Series 6-piece Shell Pack with Snare Drum – Smoke Glass Pack a punch with a dream sound ideal for stage or studio in a wide range of drumming styles. Featuring attention- getting Sweetwater-exclusive Smoke Glass nish. ITEM: DDACSM6pc Shell pack only. Cymbals, stands, and snare not included. $ 479 .99 Matador Wood Conga – Red Carved Mango & Black Nebula These stunning congas in exclusive Sweetwater nishes boast a traditional tone and sturdy, tunable rawhide heads. ITEM: M752S-RCM/M752S-BN $ 838 .35 Collector’s Series Purpleheart Wood Snare Drum – 6.5 x 14-inch – Black Nickel Deliver excellent attack, projection, and sensitivity with versatility for nearly any music style. DW’s nest construction and components provide the sound and performance that serious drummers demand. ITEM: DRUH6514SSBN Iridium Silver Black Midnight Sparkle Red Moon Sparkle Shell pack with snare. Cymbals and stands not included. Shell pack only. Cymbals, snare, and hardware not included.Shell pack only. Cymbals, snare, and hardware not included. Product availability and prices subject to change.Product availability and prices subject to change. $ 999 Armory 6-piece Studioease Fast Tom Shell Pack – Ocean Sunset Cut through today’s music with a clean, focused attack boasting bite and sensitivity to provide a tight, close-miked sound with pure fundamentals and resonant punch. ITEM: AR628SFUJG $ 425 Raw Steel Snare Drum – 4 x 6-inch Stay in the pocket with this micro-size raw steel e ect snare perfectly matched for midcentury- styled kits. Its formidable attack features great sonics and tuning diversity. ITEM: ANF0406STE Shell pack with snare. Cymbals and stands not included. From (800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com MORE WAYS TO PAY THAN ANY OTHER RETAILER. (800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com MORE WAYS TO PAY THAN ANY OTHER RETAILER.DISCOVER THE SWEETWATER DIFFERENCE FOR YOURSELF. CALL OR VISIT ONLINE.DISCOVER THE SWEETWATER DIFFERENCE FOR YOURSELF. CALL OR VISIT ONLINE. Expert Adviceand Attention to detail from our highly knowledgeable Sales Engineers Best Prices thanks to our huge buying power Free 2-year Warranty and factory-trained technicians to solve any issue Fast, Free Shipping** from our centrally located warehouse in Fort Wayne, IN **Sweetwater.com/about/free-shipping Free Technical Support from trained professionals on every product we sell Expert Adviceand Attention to detail from our highly knowledgeable Sales Engineers Best Prices thanks to our huge buying power Free 2-year Warranty and factory-trained technicians to solve any issue Fast, Free Shipping** from our centrally located warehouse in Fort Wayne, IN **Sweetwater.com/about/free-shipping Free Technical Support from trained professionals on every product we sell 0908-ModernDrummer-8PG-GateFold.indd 20908-ModernDrummer-8PG-GateFold.indd 29/8/21 10:59 AM9/8/21 10:59 AM$749.99 SPD-SX Sampling Percussion Pad This advanced percussion pad is the perfect addition to any kit with its massive selection of sounds, intuitive external audio sampling, and nine velocity-sensitive pads. ITEM: SPDSX $ 99 .95 Primero Cajon – Music Town USA This cajon features a range of sounds you can’t nd in other box drums with a rich, deep bass that can be traded out for the brightness and articulation of its snares. ITEM: PBC122B $ 9 .99 Wincent Hickory Drumsticks – 5A – Wood Tip Strike a balance between speed, precision, and attack with versatile, weight-matched drumsticks — stone ground and wax coated. ITEM: W5A $ 23 .99 Wincent Pro Brush – Medium Steel Add comfort and control to your stick bag. From stage to studio, master that classic wire-brush sound and response. ITEM: W33M $899 Decade Maple 5-piece Shell Pack – 22-inch Kick – Satin Black Burst The attention to detail is present in each shell of this Pearl Decade Maple kit — hand-treated interiors and tour-ready out tting make for a top-quality pack. ITEM: DM5PC-SBB$ 3,099 .99 V-Drums TD-27KV Electronic Drum Set With an accessible and hands-on interface, the TD-27 o ers easy tweaks and customizations for heads, kicks, snares, and tuning. ITEM: TD27KVSet Abstract Red Classic Satin Amburst Tree of Life Gloss Kobalt Fade The Raven Gloss Depp Red Burst Figured Cherry Satin Brown Burst White Satin Pearl Does not include snare stand, kick pedal, and hi-hat stand. Does not include snare stand, kick pedal, and hi-hat stand. Hardware and cymbals are not included. $ 819 .95 Studio Recording Cymbal Set – 14"/16"/18"/21" Handpicked by our in-house drummer Nick D’Virgilio, these cymbals o er a tone perfectly balanced between brightness, crispness, dryness, and darkness. ITEM: ZilSweetPack $ 339 .95 I Series Pro Gig Cymbal Set – 14"/16"/18"/20" Get a mature, glassy response that can really stand out in a mix without overtaking it and without breaking the bank. ITEM: ILHPRO $ 349 .95 Quiet Pack Low Volume Accessory Package – L80 Cymbals & Remo Silentstroke Heads These mesh heads and perforated cymbals can reduce playing volume by up to 80% without sacri cing the feel or natural response of a regular acoustic set. ITEM: LV468RH $ 9 .99 American Classic Drumsticks – 5A – Wood Tip Regardless your genre and personal playing style, there’s a pair of dependable Vic Firth drumsticks precisely made to t your taste. ITEM: VF5A $ 76 .95 Drum Mute Prepack – 6-piece Made of no-slip rubber, these are a staple for drummers who need to practice quietly. ITEM: MUTEPP6 Product availability and prices subject to change. $ 4,899 .99 V-Drums Acoustic Design VAD506 Electronic Drum Set Combining groundbreaking electronics and traditional response, this VAD hybrid kit o ers the realism of an acoustic kit plus customization and ambience control. ITEM: VAD506Set $ 7,999 .99 Roland V-Drums Acoustic Design VAD706GE Electronic Drum Set – Gloss Ebony Blend the look and response of a traditional acoustic kit with the control and powerful versatility of V-Drum electronics to handle musical styles from jazz to metal. ITEM: VAD706GESet $ 7,749 .99 V-Drums TD-50KV2 Electronic Drum Set Take complete control of your drum sound using Roland’s versatile agship V-Drums for studio and stage with an intuitive interface and the most lifelike experience to date. ITEM: TD50KV2Set $ 29 .99 Ambassador Snare Drum Propack – 14" Bring out the snap in your snare wires with the Snare Side head, or balance out your attack, tone, and sustain with the Ambassador Coated head. ITEM: PP1090-BA $ 51 .99 Emperor Colortone 3-pc Tom Pack – 10"/12"/16" – Red Add a pop of color to your kit without worrying about coloring your sticks — the infused pigment of these Colortone drumheads will never chip or leave marks. ITEM: PP-2700-CT-RD $48.99 EMAD2 Clear Bass Batter Head – 22" Command your sound with the ideal balance of punch, power, and low end with enhanced attack, focus, and durability. ITEM: BD22EMAD2 $45.99 EC2 Clear 3-piece Tom Pack – 10"/12"/16" inch Rock your toms with long-lasting heads to make your drums sound like new. Featuring enhanced low-end punch, broad tuning range, and dampened higher overtones for great, warm sound. ITEM: ETPEC2SCLR-R $ 22 .99 B600 Retractable Nylon Brushes (Pair) Great for styles demanding more impact than traditional brushes deliver, nylon B600 bristles won’t bend out of shape or snap with routine use. ITEM: B600Nylon $19.99 Hot Rods Sticks The perfect in-between for sticks and brushes, the Hot Rods allow drummers to explore new textures at a volume that is neither too loud nor too soft. ITEM: PMHRODS $ 10 .99 TX5AW – 5A Wood Tip Hickory Drumsticks These classic, hickory 5A drumsticks feature oval- shaped tips, making them great for any player and any playing style. ITEM: PMTX5AW $ 13 .99 PW747W – Neil Peart Signature Shira Kashi Oak Drumsticks The oval-shaped tips and oak wood of these Neil Peart signature sticks are perfect for rock, country, and heavy pop. ITEM: PMPW747W Also available in Blue Product availability and prices subject to change. Shell pack only. Cymbals, stands, and snare not included. Does not include snare stand, kick pedal, and hi-hat stand. Does not include snare stand, kick pedal, and hi-hat stand. From $ 3,878 Masters Maple/Gum MMG924XSP/C 4-piece Shell Pack – Silver White Swirl Deliver explosive, old-school punch and enveloping warmth on maple/gumwood shells with round, classic response. ITEM: MMG924XSPC187 $ 429 Breakbeats by Questlove 4-piece Shell Pack with Snare Drum – Azure Sparkle Compact but powerful, this highly portable Breakbeats set is perfect for gigging around town and playing in even the tightest clubs. ITEM: BreakBeats-AZ $ 889 Element Evolution 5-piece Drum Set with Zildjian Cymbals – Gold Sparkle Complete with stands, mounts, legs, throne, and Zildjian cymbals, this Element Evolution 5-piece set with resonant poplar shells is ready for playing upon setup — just add sticks! ITEM: EVO22GSi $209 Speed King Single Bass Drum Pedal This new and improved Speed King maintains the greatness of its predecessor with a few contemporary improvements, such as more durability and less squeaking. ITEM: L203 Black Sparkle Blue Sparkle Azure Sparkle Emerald Green Sparkle Black Sparkle $ 765 Black Beauty Snare Drum – 6.5 x 14-inch – Black Nickel with 8 Lugs Play with warm, fat, metallic punch for responsive playability and classic looks. ITEM: LB415 (800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com MORE WAYS TO PAY THAN ANY OTHER RETAILER. (800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com MORE WAYS TO PAY THAN ANY OTHER RETAILER. PST X Swiss Thin Crash Cymbal Though unorthodox, the swiss cheese–esque design of these crashes creates an exotic, explosive sound that has an equally quick response and decay. ITEM: PSTX16C/PSTX18C $ 445 PST 7 Universal Cymbal Set with Free 16" Crash No matter their style or genre, all drummers can appreciate the brightness, warmth, and traditional tone of this PST 7 cymbal set. ITEM: PST7USET16 $1,095 2002 Cymbal Pack with Free 18" Crash Paiste’s 2002 cymbal series is all you need for a quintessential rock kit — its expertly crafted crashes, rides, and hats will cut above and beyond the stage. ITEM: 106BS18 $ 120 $ 146 16" 18" DISCOVER THE SWEETWATER DIFFERENCE FOR YOURSELF. CALL OR VISIT ONLINE.DISCOVER THE SWEETWATER DIFFERENCE FOR YOURSELF. CALL OR VISIT ONLINE. Expert Adviceand Attention to detail from our highly knowledgeable Sales Engineers Expert Adviceand Attention to detail from our highly knowledgeable Sales Engineers Best Prices thanks to our huge buying power Best Prices thanks to our huge buying power Free 2-year Warranty and factory-trained technicians to solve any issue Free 2-year Warranty and factory-trained technicians to solve any issue Fast, Free Shipping** from our centrally located warehouse in Fort Wayne, IN **Sweetwater.com/about/free-shipping Fast, Free Shipping** from our centrally located warehouse in Fort Wayne, IN **Sweetwater.com/about/free-shipping Free Technical Support from trained professionals on every product we sell Free Technical Support from trained professionals on every product we sell 0908-ModernDrummer-8PG-GateFold.indd 30908-ModernDrummer-8PG-GateFold.indd 39/8/21 10:59 AM9/8/21 10:59 AMSeptember 2021 Modern Drummer 49 everyone thinks you’re doing, and achieve the sound another way. For example, I can get the same impact by coming off the drum at the same time I’m hitting. That’s wrist action. That gives me the clarity and crispness of feel. I get the hard sound without doing the hard sound. It takes a lot of years to understand the difference between letting the stick fall down, and letting it rebound from the drum. Also, I use the rim a lot—not just on cross sticking. I use the rim and the drum together, but I’m not pressing down on it. I’m coming off so I’m still getting the skin, but I’m getting it higher. It’s not as deep as the sound of the drummer who is just hitting the center of the snare. I want the highs, and I want the brilliance that muffling robs, and that has to be restored with mixing. So, I try to give myself an edge by using the rim, so I can get some of my highs, and retain my depth of feel. How do you tune your drums? I tune the bass drum first, getting the depth that I want for a live sound, and then making it lower and deeper for the studio. Then, I move to the floor tom, and I just tune it so it sounds good with the bass drum. It’s the same thing with the toms and the snare. I never tune the drums to thirds. It’s the worst thing you can do. You alienate the bass player and the piano, because you’re moving into their register. Stay within the drum sound, and you can’t help but sound good. Why do you play with the ride cymbal on the left? It’s easier to get to. Why waste energy? It’s easier to play the ride when it’s in front of you—especially if you use it as much as I do. Also, I was doing a lot of playing behind artists, and I wanted to see them as they played. I couldn’t see them when I had to reach over for my ride cymbal. I was concentrating too much on my right side when everything was in front of me. You started with an 18" bass drum, then you went to a 22", and now you’re back at 18". I played the 22" bass for two years because Sonor, who I was endorsing, asked me to. The 22" was alright, but it’s just that everything comes up in the air, so you’ve got to reach further to get what you want. I find that the 18" bass gives me the opportunity to see more and to be seen more, and I can still get a big enough sound. You don’t need a big bass drum to get a big sound. That’s an ego thing. Of all the stars you’ve drummed for through the years, who were the toughest bosses? James Brown was tough. I didn’t even know James when I started with him. Sammy Lowe, an arranger, got me the gig because I could read music. James didn’t like to do a lot of rehearsing when he was ready to record, so I had to be a quick learner. But I was so happy just to be working for him. James and I had no conflicts at first, but after a while, I couldn’t handle his way of correcting me on stage. He didn’t have to run any star trips on me—I knew who he was. He was Mr. Brown to me. We parted company, but we’re good friends now. What about Ray Charles? Was he a taskmaster on stage? Worse. He humiliated me about two years ago in Chicago, when we were doing a reunion band. I hadn’t played with Ray for about 12 years, and I came in four bars too soon during a piano intro on a song. He yelled, “Hey drummer, lay off!” I felt two feet tall, but I wasn’t alone. He had already crucified the bass player a few songs before. One thing you learn with Ray Charles or James Brown is dynamics—if you don’t learn anything else. And that will stay with you forever. With James Brown, you could go from a whisper to a scream. With Ray Charles, you could go from a whisper to a moan. You could never get louder than the piano. You learned control, and that means hold in. Is that good for you? Well, it’s discipline. But that’s why you go out with different people. You’ve got to let it out of yourself. That’s why you go out on a jam session and go crazy—because you’re bottled in. When you work with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, King Curtis, or Ray Charles, you hold it in. I know. I played with them all. What has been your biggest disappointment in the music business? What people say. Whether they don’t call me for a job, or they say I’m too old to do a job, or that I’m a has-been, it hurts. It hurts if it comes from the same people I’ve tried to help. It hurts the most when it comes from fellow musicians. And, of course, it hurts when it comes from producers who are worrying about being “in.” Image— things like that. It hurts since I’ve tried to give so much back to this business. But the business has been very good to me for the most part.Modern Drummer September 2021 50 NEW GEAR 64 Audio U6t Universal In-Ear Monitor Drummers who are done with that wedge blasting away at them a few feet from their drum throne, but don’t want to expend the time and expense to order custom in-ear monitors, should look into these universal IEMs by 64 Audio. The U6t offers various ear tips and modules to make the earbuds as customizable and comfortable as possible. The six-driver configuration produces excellent upper-midrange imaging and deep and well-defined low frequencies—a near-perfect soundscape for drummers—and the company’s patented Air Pressure Exchange (apex) vent ensures air pressure doesn’t build up in a sealed ear canal when the IEMs are in place. The result is diminished listening fatigue and a much more open soundstage. The apex modules also combat wind noise—a very good thing when you’re playing blustery outdoor festivals while perched on a high drum riser. $1,299 retail. 64audio.com. Tama Stewart Copeland and Lars Ulrich Limited Edition Snares These beautiful limited-edition snare drums are going to be “dream candy” for most of us, as by press time they may be unattainable. But they are certainly way cool enough to spotlight here, and, who knows, you may get lucky and score one of them. The Stewart Copeland Signature 40th Anniversary Snare salutes the Police drummer’s four decades with the company. It’s also an update of Copeland’s first Tama signature snare, the SC145. The new 5x14 SC145A40 snare features a brass shell in an antiqued finish, 20 strands of Starclassic carbon-steel snare wire, a linear- drive strainer, a die-cast hoop, two signature badges, and a Remo coated Ambassador head. Only 200 of this model will be available worldwide. $999 street. Commemorating the 30th anniversary of Metallica’s “Black Album,” the Lars Ulrich Limited Edition Black Album Snare is outfitted in a matte-black finish, a Black Album badge, a die- cast hoop, 20 strands of Starclassic carbon-steel snare wire, a 3mm diamond-plated steel shell, and two Remo Black Suede Ambassador heads with Metallica’s logo—one bearing Ulrich’s hand-signed autograph. The “none-more-black” snare is limited to 300 pieces across the planet. $999 street. tama.com. Latin Percussion Tony Succar Signature Timbales Latin Grammy-winning percussionist and producer Tony Succar certainly didn’t go conventional with his rainbow-chrome timbales. In fact, each colorful finish produces subtle variations in the hues, which means one particular set of these timbales never looks exactly the same as another. The vibrant, 6.5x14 and 6.5x15 shells are visually counterbalanced with black nickel hardware and black Latin Percussion drum heads. A heavy duty stand with an anti-rattle sleeve and a die-cast, geared tilter is included, as well as a cowbell bracket, timbale sticks, and a tuning wrench. $799 street. lpmusic.com.51 September 2021 Modern Drummer Gretsch New Silver Mist Duco Color Gretsch’s Brooklyn and Brooklyn Micro drum sets can now be ordered in a sophisticated Silver Mist Duco finish. The Micro line also gets a massive fashion upgrade, as it is now available in all 16 Brooklyn finishes, instead of just two. The color craziness doesn’t stop there, either. USA Custom and Broadkaster kits (not shown) offer a sensual new finish of metallic blue and black gloss that started as a staffer’s experiment. It’s appropriately designated as Caribbean Twilight Gloss. $TBD. gretschdrums.com. Rogers Powertone Snare Rogers has revitalized its iconic Powertone snare, while keeping its sound true to that of its classic predecessors in the line. The five-ply maple and poplar shell produces a stout midrange, which makes the Powertone a versatile snare for just about any style of music. The 6.5x14 snare also features a 2.3mm chrome hoop, eight beavertail lugs, upgraded snare wires, and Remo batter and resonant heads. $395 street (piano black, steel finishes); $393 street (satin natural finish). rogersdrumsusa.com. Sabian 7” HHX Complex Splash Cymbal The Complex Splash can add a unique color to any cymbal armament with its dark tone, quick response, and short sustain. Accents are fast and focused, thanks to its 7” size. A large, hammered raw bell adds to the timbral characteristics. $154 street. sabian.com. Vic Firth BD7 Soundpower Rolling Bass Drum Mallets For drum corps players—or even experimental types who like to hit all kinds of stuff with different sticks—these mallets promise “comfortable, two-fisted bass drum rolls.” The lightweight BD7s reduce physical fatigue over long rehearsal and performance sessions, and feature seamless, round felt heads and tapered maple handles that produce deep, dark tones. $79 street. vicfirth.zildjian.com.Modern Drummer September 2021 52 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Mapex Saturn Four-Piece Rock Shell Pack By Jon Christ R esonance appears to be an essential element of almost every component of the Saturn SR529XU Rock architecture. With a focus on warm and robust tones, these drums sound explosive and articulate in every application—whether that’s under the scrutiny of studio microphones or perceived by the ears of humans on stages, rehearsal spaces, and in the home. Mapex sent a Rock kit in a glorious teal-blue-fade finish with all hardware and a Mapex Black Panther snare to facilitate our tests. The four-piece shell pack includes a 18x22 bass drum, 7x10 and 8x12 rack toms, and a 14x16 floor tom. By the way, although they weren’t part of the review, I should mention that the Mapex Falcon boom stands, Armory snare stand, and Falcon two-leg hi-hat stand are incredibly robust and move into position as smoothly as Irish dairy butter. Vibrational Impact The Mapex big-sound equation—which is long enough to fill a university professor’s floor-to-ceiling blackboard—starts with the Saturn Rock six-ply shells. A four-ply, exterior maple shell provides projection, while a two-ply walnut core adds depth and resonance with a hint of snarl. The next bits are the Mapex SONIClear bearing edges that let the drum heads sit flatter upon the shells, resulting in a tighter fit for increased resonance (there’s that word again), better note articulation, and easier and more stable tuning. Then, there are the air-flow vents specifically designed for the size of each shell—meaning that toms and bass drums possess different combinations of vents. These vents are positioned along the nodal lines with the lugs to ensure nothing dampens the resonance of each shell. Just like sound porting in studio monitors, bass cabinets, and P.A. speakers, the vents help “fine tune” the natural timbre of the shells, and they also provide an open and lively frequency response. Moving on to the rack toms, another SONIClear innovation—low-profile suspension mounts with padded rubber feet—ensures that sustain and beefiness isn’t choked off by the hardware. Speaking of hardware, Mapex even went to the extent of designing floor tom legs and “floating” feet that further prevent sonic energy from being transmitted to flooring. Setup All of the Saturn Rock drum hardware reeks of quality and total badassness. The aforementioned peripherals—cymbal and snare stands and the tom-mount clamps—are super heavy duty and ergonomically brilliant. It was easy to get everything positioned just the way I liked it, and there was no slippage once the drums were set. The memory locks and position markers were much appreciated, as well. The only things that took some getting used to were the SONIClear suspension mounts on the toms, which are floated on the shells, rather than fastened tight. I tend to hold the edges of the hoops when I’m positioning toms, which opened the floating mount a bit during the operation. When I let go of the tom, the suspension mount would close, and my tom would not be exactly where I wanted it. Of course, once I realized what was happening, I rethought my handling of the toms during setup, and all was right with the world again. Sounds This should be no surprise, given the Mapex sound equation and the commitment to resonance, but these babies are loud! The promised resonance is in attendance with all the might and power you’d expect, but along with the warm, blossoming booms are an articulate and musical attack. From kick to rack toms to floor tom, these drums can really cut through a band mix and make themselves heard in a bullishly beautiful way. You can perform wide dynamic shifts without losing any of the beef when playing softly, or worrying about the sound getting muddy or compressed when you really dig in and bash. As an added bonus, the toms tuned up really nicely. The Saturn Rock shell pack—especially in its stunning teal-blue-fade—is an eye- catching kit that matches its supermodel looks with epic tone. $1,789 street. mapexdrums.com. September 2021 Modern Drummer 53Modern Drummer September 2021 54 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP PDP Concept Select Series Snare Drums By Dana Parker P DP’s new Concept Select Series is a collection of three beautiful metallic snare drums designed with DW Drums in California. PDP obviously sought to up its game with these metal glories, and, as a result, there has already been online commentary about the pricing being close to what some of the company’s complete shell packs go for, as well as the fact you can get some excellent gig-worthy PDP snares for under $300. So, yes, the street prices for these three new Concept Select snares span from $499 to $949. But any initial sticker shock aside, these are solid, professional-sounding snares—each of which can produce an extensive range of tones—with absolutely captivating exteriors. In fact, “works of art” comes to mind, if I may be so bold in my description. Well, actually, there’s really no argument here. They are stunning-looking instruments that glisten and glow in both natural light and stage lighting, and the laser-engraved, art-deco- style crest puts the decorative impact over the top. It’s tempting to get distracted by the gorgeous shells, but these snares are workhorses, as well. They are stage-tough with solid hardware, and the metallic trio in the Concept Select Series shares seamless 3mm shells, triple-flanged hoops, ten dual-turret lugs, True-Pitch tension rods, DW MAG throw-offs, and Remo heads. Each snare offers a 5x14 and a 6.5x14 version. I tested the 6.5x14 size for each model in my home drum studio, as well as on a gig or two. Concept Select Series Aluminum The aluminum snare sounds off with multiple layers of harmonics, and it has the deepest resonance of the trio. It is full of character and pizazz. The walnut hoops create a warm and rounded cross-stick sound that’s perfect for a performance on an intimate jazz gig. The rimshot has a surprisingly sharp attack, while simultaneously keeping its full and warm tone front-and-center. This drum feels amazing when playing music that requires midrange-frequency dynamics, such as a second-line grooves, marching cadences, or honky-tonk beats. Both buzz and open rolls resonate broadly and smoothly, but they also exhibit some nice grit. Tuning proved to be very stable—whether I went for high pitches, low pitches, or thick mids—thanks to the aptly named True-Pitch tension rods. The beautiful walnut hoops with chrome claws give this drum a regal look. I thought of this snare as a sonically versatile and majestic addition to my current setup, and, believe it or not, I think I’d be just as happy with it as a radiant art piece to decorate a formal living room. $549 street (6.5x14); $499 street (5x14). pacificdrums.com. September 2021 Modern Drummer 55 Concept Select Series Bell Bronze I loved the joyful warm glow of the bell-brass shell, and I also loved that this snare was the most sonically versatile of the trio—which is saying a lot, because each snare in the series is a tone chameleon. This beautifully crafted snare has the brightest timbre of the Custom Select gang, while also producing a rich, resonant, and almost relentless sound that can pierce through any band. It does not fear loud, distorted guitars or rambunctious horn sections. The crazy thing is, in addition to its powerful attack, the tone and dynamics are sensitive enough to work for a symphony-orchestra gig, and then lay down some old-school funk. All you need is perhaps a bit of tuning to accommodate the stylistic shifts and band lineups. The attack of the snare is fast, and it captures each nuance in your playing—clearly showcasing pianissimo ghost notes, as well as screaming forte hits. Rolls and marching rudiments easily produce multiple fundamentals and harmonics, depending on where you hit the drum. This is a snare that can deliver so many different acoustic sounds that it could almost fool someone into thinking it’s an electronic drum armed with a collection of digital-drum models. It’s magical. $949 (6.5x14); $849 street (5x14). pacificdrums.com. Concept Select Series Steel The PDP Concept Select Steel snare sounds off loud and clear, and you can feel the power in each stroke. There is no lack of confidence here in its ability to drive a rock band or a large gang of instrumentalists and singers. In fact, when the snares are turned off, and the drum tuned down, this snare almost sounds like a field drum beating troops into battle. On a more practical—and less war-like— level, the steel snare can be tuned up in pitch to deliver a dry, bright tone that works with almost any style of music. With the factory setup untouched, the snare wires were tight and ultra-responsive with a quick sustain and very little ring. Both forte and pianissimo strokes were dry, crisp, and clean sounding. Overall, the steel was the most acutely responsive snare of the group. It sounds great incorporated into a full kit, and it sound superb when played solo. This is a real eye-catcher, and its bold sonic presence isn’t overly loud or harsh. It’s kind of a steel fist in a velvet glove, and it really works beautifully in so many different settings. $549 (6.5x14); $499 street (5x14). pacificdrums.com.Next >