This particular drum is stamped #1308 which puts it towards the later side of production in 1961.The drum currently belongs to former Rogers employee, Jerry Shields. Jerry was an expert in tuning and setting up these beautiful drums prior to their shipping from the factory. In September of 2016, a group of Rogers enthusiasts set up a Kickstarter campaign to purchase this drum for Jerry’s birthday. We were fortunate to have Jerry share some words on his days with the Rogers Company.
Read more1960 Rogers Mardi Gras Set and AK snare drum
my Rogers Mardi Gras 3ply set c.1960 in 20, 12, 14 and [not shown] 5x14 snare drum. NO cracked lugs. The snare drum shown is by Adrian Kirchler [AK Drums and is the 7x14, 2 piece brass 24k gold plated Bob Meyer model made in 2012.I have Gretsch RB and Camco sets in the coveted jazz sizes, but this is my very favorite kit to play. the toms are so pure in tone. the bass drum so deep and warm. and of course looking at it is pure joy!
Read more1925-28 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 6.5 x 14 12 PT. FLOWER-ENGRAVED DeLUXE MODEL
This snare drum is very well-preserved mainly because of the fact that there were only two previous owners before I purchased the drum. The shell is very clean and the DeLuxe plated hardware is also in very good-plus condition. All that was needed was a light dusting. I did clean out the tension rod threads just because I am picky. There are not many of these 6.5 x 14s around, maybe 4 or 5 that I know of.
Read moreReview: Remo Classic Fit Drum Heads For Vintage Drums
The Remo Classic Fit Drumheads feature a slightly narrower flesh hoop and step design to address oversized drums made prior to the mid 60s. They are also ideal for older vintage drums that are out of round with thick overlapping drum coverings.
Read moreBook Review: "Charlie Watts' Favorite Drummers", by Chet Falzerano
There are twenty six very famous drummers profiled in this book who span the twentieth century and the entire history of modern drum set drumming: Chico Hamilton, Phil Seamen, Kenny Clark, Davey Tough, Big Sid Catlett, Papa Jo Jones, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, shelly Manne, Jake Hanna, Mickey Roker, Billy Higgins, Art Taylor, Elvin Jones, Joe Morello, Paul Motion, Dannie Richmond, Philly Joe Jones, Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, Ginger Baker, Jerry Allison, Earl Phillips, Al Jackson JR. and Jim Keltner. Thanks for writing such a comprehensive, educational and very entertaining book, Chet.
Read moreWin a $2000 “drum tracking weekend” at THE destination recording studio in Macon, Georgia
Win a weekend get away at Shadow Sound Studio in Macon Georgia
Read moreRecollections: Buddy Rich - Chapter Three
In the time before YouTube and VHS/DVD concert and instructional videos, it was very difficult to find any music to watch. If you couldn’t go see concerts, there were only a handful of TV shows that had bands, especially during the daytime when kids could watch. The Muppet Show with Buddy was the first real chance I had to watch a drummer and to understand how it is possible to make the sounds you hear on a record. This was monumental at that age—Buddy on The Muppet Show basically connected the dots for me about how to potentially achieve these sounds from hitting drums and what it LOOKED like to play drums.
Read moreBill Ray, Seattle Washington
Bill Ray is an American drummer most known for his work with the late Ike Turner on the Grammy Award winning "Risin' With The Blues" and is also featured prominently in the Smithsonian Channel series "Sound Revolution". He is a hard working drummer in the healthy Seattle, Washington music scene. Bill teaches at his home and via Skype.
Read moreGeorge Lawrence, Nashville TN
George Lawrence is a professional drummer from Nashville Tennessee whose career highlights include:
-Recording sessions on major label rock, pop, country and jazz albums in Nashville, L.A. and Muscle Shoals.
- From 2004 to 2015, Recording and Touring drummer for legendary country rock pioneer band POCO
-Owner of George’s Drum Shop, Not So Modern Drummer Magazine and the Nashville Drum Show.
-Teacher of many high profile pro drummers including Keith Carlock, Gregg Lohman and Seth Rausch.
Remo Classic Fit Drumheads for vintage oversized drums prior to mid 60s
Looking for drumheads to fit your vintage kit? Remo listened and has developed the Classic Fit Drumhead for oversized drums made prior to the mid 60’s. The Classic Fit batter drumheads have a slightly narrower flesh hoop and step design yet maintains a standard outside diameter that does not interfere with the counter hoop. Available with Ambassador® Coated, Clear or Fiberskyn® film and sizes 12”, 13”, 14”, 16”, and 18”. Also available in a Snare Side Ambassador® Hazy, sizes 13” and 14”. The Classic Fit Drumheads will give you the classic sound and ease of head replacement you‘ve been looking for.
Read moreClyde Stubblefield Dead at 73. Famous as drummer for James Brown.
Clyde Stubblefield, James Brown's one-time drummer and the creator of one of hip-hop's most popular samples, has died at the age of 73. Stubblefield's wife, Jody Hannon, confirmed the drummer's death to Rolling Stone. The cause of death was kidney failure.
Read moreWorking Drummer Podcast is a new feature in Not So Modern Drummer
Everything you need to know about being a professional drummer . . . and a few things you may not want to know. Hosted by Matthew Crouse, co-hosted by Zack Albetta and produced by Mike Jackson: the podcast Working Drummer covers it all in interviews with dynamic pro drummers. WorkingDrummer.net
Read moreTodd Sucherman: Beneath The Surface
The first Methods and Mechanics for useful and musical drumming was meant to be a galvanizing voice of reason to hopefully direct the next generation to the notion of employability. There was a lot of sensationalism with chops so it was important for me to direct useful musical ideas. Conceptual ideas about playing for the song – listening to the music – trying to get the song across - knowing what the lyrics are. You have to get into the song and become part of the storytelling process and I think those that do will have an easier time finding employment than others who look at it like mathematics or playing things just to impress other musicians.
Read moreDrummer/Songwriter Matt North’s Debut Release “ABOVE GROUND FOOLS” Out FEB 24, 2017
Above Ground Fools formally launches Matt North as a singer and songwriter of great emotional power and artistic depth. It is the self-produced debut solo album from a veteran session drummer, currently based in Nashville after a long tenure in Los Angeles who’s also enjoyed success as an award winning screenwriter.
Read morePASIC 2016 Wrap Up
Wes Little in clinic at PASIC 2016 w bassist Brian Allen
Nov. 9-12, 2016, Indianapolis Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN. PASIC is the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. If you haven’t been to PASIC, then you should make time to go! It’s a day totally devoted to drums, percussion, the education of percussive arts, and just about anything that can be translated to rhythm. Just imagine – a convention center filled only with drummers! There were many concurrent sessions (making it impossible to see everything) so I elected to attend the drum set clinics primarily, and peruse the exhibitor booths in between. Unfortunately, that meant I missed out on many percussion ensembles, marching exhibitions, electronics, etc… Please check out the 60 pics on the NSMD Facebook site.
Read moreUnpacking Polyrhythms Part 1: The Basics
According to the Harvard Dictionary of Music, a polyrhythm occurs whenever two contrasting rhythms happen at the same time. That doesn't nail things down for us very well, especially given that there are a number of terms used to describe polyrhythms. What adds to the confusion is that the book uses the same bit of notation to illustrate several of these terms. So what gives?Terminology is helpful when it clarifies concepts, and a pain in the butt when it serves only to confuse. So I'd like to offer a few suggestions for interpreting the rather imprecise terms available to describe concurrent rhythms.
Read moreUnpacking Polyrhythms Part 2: The Others
Metric Modulation
This is a unique application of a polyrhythm, where a pulse is alluded to and then adopted as the new time signature. For example, if you play quarter-note triplets in 4/4 time, you are playing a polyrhythm. If you abandon the 4/4 pulse and use the triplets as the new pulse, then you have modulated to 6/4 meter at a new tempo. And you can go the other direction as well: 6/4 to a hemiola (2:3) to 4/4.
Hitting Bottom
I'd only playing for a few years and was about a year into my studies with a world-renown teacher, but at this particular lesson I was bombing. I didn't know why I was bombing. My teacher, who didn't often say much, was pacing the room slowing shaking his head. “Let’s try it again,” he said. That meant another month of the same material. So I knuckled down and did it all again. I was good at knuckling down. I had the discipline and determination to master the material I was assigned. And I HAD mastered it. Or so I thought.
Read moreRogers 1962 Swing Time Outfit, Mardis Gras finish
The set has the 3-ply Jasper shells and flat bearing edges, which were originally designed for calfskin heads. I have read that, starting in 1963, Rogers switched to Keller shells and a new sharper bearing edge. Another cool thing on this set is that both the floor tom and tom have “tall boy” hoops which were also designed for calfskin heads.
Read moreRogers 1978 Londoner V kit
I showed Jack MacFeetes a photo of one of the drums from this set and asked him to give me some comments I could use in this article. His comments were; "Five ply, maple birch. Color, Mohave Red, #84. 1976 Catalog shows this color in the Studio Ten Outfit, pg4. This drum made approximately 1978, Top hoop not correct. Memriloc hardware was developed through a collaboration with Dave Donoho and Roy Burns, and Rogers, of course mid 70s. Mounts are rock solid, stand up to the heaviest of hitters. Well made drums even though there were numerous moves during the Big R period, some of them very unnecessary, and quality at times affected by this. The hardware was about the best one could have at the time."
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