“I was one of the early users of DrumSellers and over the years the site has become a regular part of my daily routine, which goes something like this; Get out of bed, brush my teeth, check DrumSellers to see what's new on the site, check other email then start my "regular" work day. I'll usually check DrumSellers throughout the day to get an update on a listing I may be pondering or just to look at all the great drums and gear on the site.”

There are a few changes going on at Not So Modern Drummer and with me. First and foremost, Billy Cuthrell is the new owner of DrumSellers.com.

With decades of experience and performance under his belt—from serving in the Army band to dazzling audiences alongside A-list celebrities and Broadway musicals—John harnessed his skills to infuse every pair of sticks with superior craftsmanship and an unrivaled ethos.

Keith was a student of several teachers who taught at my George’s Drum Shop in Jackson Mississippi in the mid 80s; me, Quinous Johnson, Bud Berthold and he also was taught by my first drum teacher, Herman “Sonny” Hill. My opinion is this is one of the best solos he has ever played. Watch it, then go practice or lock your drums up in the closet! :-)

My second George’s Drum Shop was located in Copley Ohio starting in 2002 then moved to Cuyahoga Falls Ohio in 2006. I made and sold a lot of drum sets and snare drums during those years.

150 years of SONOR craftsmanship and innovation. To celebrate this milestone, we proudly present the 150th Anniversary SIGNATURE and SONORLITE Shell Sets

Not a lot of articles this month. I suspect some of the writers are still shoveling snow off their driveways, BUT, there are some great ones. Especially Ed Tucker’s review of the first snare drums released by the new Slingerland company! An exclusive for NSMD.

Here’s the playlist of the eight videos that are on YouTube so far. I have eight more in the can that will be uploaded soon. Enjoy!

I hope you all had a good holiday and didn’t get switches and ashes in your stockings! There are some great articles in this issue. Jim

I am also finished with my book I’ve been writing for at least a year – “ The Missing Rudiments – Expanding the American rudiment system with missing and long forgotten fundamental snare drum rudiments, plus the new drum set unison rudiments”.

The Samba Train beat. video episode #5 in “5 minute lessons with George Lawrence”

Episode #3 of 5 minute lessons with George Lawrence. This is a linear groove that Steve Klink taught me when I was teaching at Fork’s Drum Closet in the nineties; The Garibaldi Seven.

I’ve started a video series in conjunction with Memphis Drum Shop; “Five Minute Lessons with George Lawrence”. Each video is a five minute or so lesson on how to play a groove, a fill, a rudiment, a pattern, etc. The concept came from drummers asking me “How did you play that”, referring to some short lick I played, and how I showed it to them.

Here is the second video in the series "5 minute Drum Lessons w George Lawrence" shot at Memphis Drum Shop . We are publishing once a week on Saturdays. Hopefully there will be many more to come.

Here is the first of 8 videos in the series "5 minute Drum Lessons w George Lawrence" shot at Memphis Drum Shop . We are publishing once a week on Saturdays. Hopefully there will be many more to come. This can also be found on MemphisDrumShop.com. Just scroll down the front page.

George Lawrence talking and playing with Chris Pat Brown at Memphis Drum Shop.

a bass player I know dropped off a couple items that he no longer wanted. One being a brass snare shell made by the Advanced Drum Co.

The creation of a Transnare drum involves a combination of traditional luthier techniques and modern equipment, such as CNC machines. The entire process, from initial design to the final product, takes several months to complete. In many cases, I build custom jigs and fixtures to perform specific tasks during the drum’s construction.

I’m featuring a great album by a bassist this month, Tom Kennedy, not just because he is a great bassist and a musician, but also because one of my favorite drummers, Dave Weckl, is playing on the album. Weckl

I got a call from producer Bobby Colomby, former drummer for Blood Sweat and Tears, to play on this recording by the band Pages in L.A. in 1979.

Drummers! You must hear this music. Besides Shrieve’s incredible drumming, the sound of his drums is SOOOO good and big on this recording. The ambience and depth of the soundscape is hypnotic, entrancing. Captivating heavy grooves that defy categorization. You will want to listen to this masterpiece on a very high end stereo system or studio quality headphones.

How to make a professional quality snare drum out of Popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, and craft sticks (sticks that at least look kind of like popsicle sticks anyway), including the drum shell, drum lugs, snare strainer/throw mechanism, and butt plate. by hand, the drum is constructed, finished in violin spirit varnish.

This one has me stumped. I’m not an authority on DW even though I was a dealer since 1985 and bought one of the first kits made. I’m thinking this is one of the first, if not the first, badge of kits made in the Fender plant in Encenada Mexico.

My philosophy on snare drum tone and tuning is that the snare drum heads should be tuned as tight as possible, top and bottom. The shell will provide the most responsive and optimal tone with the heads tuned “tight as a drum”. Buddy Rich said,  "I don't tune them, I tension them. There's a great difference” and, of course, he had the archetypical snare drum sound, especially after the advent of plastic heads.

My friend and fellow drummer, Lucas Jacobson, died on March 21st at the age of 66.

I have wanted this drum for a long time but they became increasingly hard to find after they were discontinued.