October 30, 2024
The DIVA Jazz Orchestra leader on technique, teaching, gear and why stuffing a blanket inside your bass drum isn’t the answer. Plus: the 5 common pitfalls for developing big-band drummers For a young Sherrie Maricle, there was never any question about where to focus her efforts behind the kit. “It was definitely jazz, and it […]
October 10, 2024
One of Latin jazz’s greatest bandleaders offers tips for unlocking the foundation of Afro-Caribbean music. Many musicians who play “Latin jazz” or other styles born out of the Afro-Caribbean/Latin American experience grew up with those styles and internalized their rhythms—particularly the core five-stroke pattern known as the clave. They didn’t just learn the music, they […]
August 19, 2024
Lee Brice’s go-to drummer on Nashville, Neil Peart, Dave Weckl and the record-setting Stagecoach crowd that nearly made him cry. In many ways, Donnie Marple is the perfect drummer for the current state of country music, when old-school honky-tonk fare has given way to explosive, genre-spanning music built for sold-out amphitheaters. He’s been influenced not […]
June 27, 2024
Famously, the late Buddy Rich didn’t push practice. The hot-tempered genius of jazz drumming, who began his career as a child prodigy, liked to say he learned his craft by performing. Rich also trash-talked rock drummers, though he did tackle arrangements of rock songs in his popular big bands. Which begs the question: What would […]
June 7, 2024
So your kiddo came to you and said that their musical heart beats to the rhythm of a drum kit—congrats! Learning the drums is a fun, fulfilling endeavor that opens up a wide world of music and instruments to explore. It also comes with a learning curve—especially if you and your child are new to […]
January 1, 2021
Buying Drums Playing the drums is a lot more enjoyable when the kit you own matches your personal tastes, skill level and physical traits. The key is knowing what to look for on your buying journey, and this guide has been assembled to help you out along the way. Having a basic understanding of what […]
September 3, 2020
Learning to play the drums can be fun and exciting. But getting started can be difficult for some drummers – especially those who are very young or have never played an instrument before. Playing the drums requires a certain level of practice and commitment before your child can fully enjoy its benefits. The following drum […]
June 22, 2020
In order to create a great experience for students and fully develop a school’s overall music program, there are several factors to consider when building a drum line. One of the first priorities is setting the overall structure of the drum line by determining the quantity of products and demands of the program. A well-balanced […]
March 8, 2020
If someone asks you “who is the most famous percussionist?” it would be difficult to answer right off the bat without some clarifying question – specifically, what genre? Additionally, if you asked ten people to name the most famous percussionist, you’d probably get ten different answers. That’s all to say that narrowing it down to […]
September 24, 2019
If you want to learn how to read drum notes, beginning will first need to understand a few basic concepts like the staff, musical notation, and time signature.
