I’ve found that many drummers have difficulty when a drum arrangement is full of tied notes. No doubt one of the reasons has to do with the lack of practice reading material with tied notes in drum books.The rhythm in the following etude is simple, but it’s replete with ties. Reading it perfectly at sight may prove challenging even for drummers experienced in reading charts
Read moreNAIVE OR JUST PLAIN STUPID?
I was actually unaware that there were tiny bottles of liquor for sale--I simply assumed they were free samples given to hotels for their guests as advertisements. Before going home I took all the small bottles from the fridge thinking I would give them to friends, and packed them into my drum case with the snare.
Read more3+3+3+3+2+2 = Four Three Stroke Rolls + A Single Stroke Four
Editor’s Note: Richard Best sent me this thing he’s been working on for his students. He’s calling it variations on the classic 3+3+3+3+2+2 rhythm. There are two rudiments within these patterns.
Read moreLudwig Finishes in the 1960s
Just how common are each of the wraps and finishes that Ludwig used during the 1960s? This study reviews data gathered from a representative sample of Ludwig Keystone badge drums produced from late 1960 through late 1969.
Read moreSimmons Mania
Alex played a monstrous set with the core of the set centered on Simmons bass drums and toms with an acoustic snare drum and an array of Paiste 2002 cymbals. I had thought the Simmons drums sounded pretty cool and unique when the album came out that March but that night at the concert, the sound of those Simmons drums coming from the PA rattled my teeth and just exploded with low end. One round house fill around the toms sent chills up my 15 year old spine and it was then and there that I knew I wanted a set.
Read more1920s Ludwig White Enamel Snare Drums
In 2020, I traded a few Slingerland snare drums for this 1923 – 1926 Ludwig All Metal Separate Tension snare drum. It was in rough shape and needed a lot of work.
Read moreRare 1952 Leedy & Ludwig Broadway Parallel Snare Anomaly
This drum is a leftover 1930s Leedy 6.5”x14”, “Broadway Parallel”. The finish is blue and silver Duco, and is equipped with a solid, 1-ply maple shell.
Read moreNSMD welcomes DrummingNewsNetwork.com
We are adopting each other, so to speak. Paul and Drumming News Network will be our official news channel and he will be publishing a NSMD article every Wednesday on his network.
Read moreKenny Aronoff Tama prototype and Trackmaster snares
I’ve had these drums for a while but they were only seen on pages 148-153 in my book: VINTAGE SNARE DRUMS THE CUROTTO COLLECTION so here they are offered to a wider audience.
Read moreFrom Editor George Lawrence
DrummingNewsNetwork, Fund Drive, Archived articles
Read moreCymbal/Snare Coordination w 16th Notes
The following article shows what I consider 40 basic two-way coordination patterns between the eighth note rock cymbal pattern and snare drum using sixteenth notes.
Read moreMy Wood Snare Drum Collection, Part II
1956 5.5x14, White Marine Pearl Classic Porto-Pak Snare Drum I recently purchased this drum from Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault in Seattle, Washington. Donn gave me a really good deal in exchange for some inside stories about a band called Moxy that I played with in the 70s. Donn was a big fan of that band, so when I mentioned I played with them we immediately hit it off!
Read morePeter Magadini: Remembering Tony Williams
I had some first-hand experience with Tony Williams while attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in1965 and several years after that.
Read moreThe Great Hi Hat Tilter Debate!
Well, the hi hat tilter debate hasn’t actually ever started as far as I know, so I’m starting it! What is the correct side for the hi hate tilter screw; near side or far side?
Read more1969-1970 Slingerland Green Glass Glitter Duet Set
Like so many collectors, I regularly look through DrumSellers, Reverb, Ebay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for vintage drums and cymbals. Early last summer, I came across a 1969-70 Slingerland Duet set in Green Sparkle (actually glass glitter), offered by someone who lived out near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Read moreLudwig Standard, Pioneer, or Universal?
My problem is that I have read that the Pioneer also had 8 lugs, and I don’t know the difference between a Standard, Pioneer, and a Universal.
Read more1920s L&L Peacock Pearl
In my early days of collecting I was drawn to engraved DeLuxes (Black Beauties) and out of the ordinary finishes. One of my favorite 1920s-30s finishes is Ludwig & Ludwig’s Peacock Pearl. Over the years I have tried to collect as many different “runs” of this finish. The following is what I have collected as of this writing. There are a few standouts that I will explain later in the article.
Read moreStudy with George Lawrence
George teaches private lessons at his studio in Memphis Drum Shop and in his home studio in East Memphis. Remote Zoom lessons are also possible. He teaches beginner, intermediate, semi-pro and pro drummers.
Contact George at 330 338 6035, george@notsomoderndrummer.com for details.
Mr. Lawrence specializes in teaching adult drum set students at any level. Special “intensives” can be scheduled for one to three days.
Read moreThe Single Stroke Four (Four Stroke Ruff)
The Single Stroke Four, which I prefer to call the Four Stroke Ruff, is one of the most lovely-sounding rhythmic embellishments played by drummers when executed perfectly, either with brushes or sticks. And it is used quite often by most players. But the ruff is not easy to perform exactly right every time. I’ve heard even top-notch drummers mess it up once in a while. The exercises below will go a long way in helping any
drummer develop or polish up this wonderful rudiment.
Read morePlastic Fantastic - 3D Printer drum parts
So, I have an invention. I wanted to get a prototype made from my sketches and got a quote of $250 to have a one 3D printed. I thought that was pretty good and I was all set to commission the work. Then I got talking to a friend who is a designer and mentioned the prototype and the cost. He said he’d just bought a 3D printer for $300. Well that was enough to send me off in a totally different direction.
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