Percussionist John Crocken has been manufacturing high end drum sticks by hand in Baltimore Maryland for forty years. Not your typical hickory, maple or oak sticks, but more rigid and dense, yet lighter woods that are preferred by symphonic percussionists and rope drum drummers. John sent four models for us to check out:
Read moreFrom editor George Lawrence
Drum Shows: The Music City Drum Show is coming up next weekend. July 9 in Nashville TN. The St. Louis Drum Show has moved into a much nicer venue In conjunction with the UMSL Music Dept. This year will be at the beautiful Touhill theater. The date is October 8. AND.. There is quite a drum show going on lately at DrumSellers.com. Check out all the latest gear for sale that has been consigned to us by collectors.
Read moreThe Rare 1930s Gretsch Heavy Brass Shell Snare Drum
In the 1930s, Gretsch was in the early stages of developing their metal brass shell snare. These models started off with a center beaded shell that was one piece, seamless in design and plated nickel over brass. The very first models came equipped with six tubular lugs, single flanged hoops and an outsourced strainers from a major drum competitor. It is important to note that catalogs referencing these early 30s model snare drums are very rare and hard to come by. Most
Read moreWhat in the heck is this? Kitchen & Co. snare drum
Hi, are you able to tell me anything about a brass snare drum I have, its marked 'KITCHEN & Co.MAKERS,LEEDS. 4 80'.
Read moreEnlightment! Ruffs and Drags - 16ths, 32nds, or 64ths?
Joel Rothman, our newest columnist, explains the different rhythmic values of ruffs and drags.
Read more1929 Ludwig & Ludwig New Era snare drum, WMP, 5x14
I just purchased a rare snare drum from Olympic Drums in Portland Oregon. It's a WMP, 5x14, 1929 Ludwig & Ludwig New Era wood snare drum.
Read moreListen Up and Listen Good! "Speed Listening"
Wouldn't it be great if we could take a ‘speed listening’ course, one that would teach us to hear 'faster'? That way we’d be able to catch just about any turn in the road and respond immediately.
Read moreImpressions of Art Blakey: A Conversation with Carl Allen - Part I
I remember hanging out with Art on his birthday at one of the famed clubs here in New York called Sweet Basils. I said, ‘Art, Happy Birthday! So how old are you now?’ Art said, ‘I’m 65 years old.’ I said, ‘oh man, that’s beautiful.’ So the following year I’m hanging out with Art again on his birthday at Sweet Basils and of course I said, ‘Art, Happy Birthday! So how old are you now?’ Art replied, ‘I’m 65 years old.’ I said, ‘hmm, that’s interesting math.’ So later I call Freddie Hubbard at home, and I said, ‘Hey listen man, I was just hanging with Bu, it’s his birthday and he says he’s 65’ Freddie responded, ‘Man, he says 65? He was 65 when I was in the band.’ So, who really knows how old Art really was.
Read moreNSMD welcomes columnist and advertiser Joel Rothman
Not So Modern Drummer proudly welcomes new columnist and new advertiser, Joel Rothman. Joel is the author of almost 100 drum instruction books, most notably the best selling “Basic Drumming”, a very thick all-in-one method book for beginning and intermediate students. I started using this big red book in 1996 when I encountered it at Fork’s Drum Closet In Nashville where I taught for a number of years.
Read moreCaptain Stephen Emory drums demonstration.
Hello, A couple of years ago I recorded to rope drums made by Captain Stephen Emory and posted it on YouTube. Please feel free to use it in your web presentation. It’s about as true and authentic presentation as we could muster. Hope you enjoy. Peter Emerick.
Read moreMike Clark: Words of Wisdom - Chapter 28
”Fortune is so fleeting yet many of us get caught up in wanting it. I see people doing something and think, I wish I was on that gig or record date... Then all of a sudden I get a call from someone I met twenty years ago asking me to do something really cool and I think - Things ain't so bad.”
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