December 11, 2024
William F. Ludwig and his son William Jr., both musicians as well as businessmen, represent the Ludwig brand, which bought Musser Mallet Percussion in 1966. Image courtesy of Conn Selmer. The history of Ludwig-Musser Percussion weaves together the stories of two pioneering companies and their visionary namesakes. From the beginning, music education has informed the […]
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.
June 16, 2019
Scott Johnson is the director of percussion for the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He first joined the Blue Devils in 1976 and became the organization’s Director of Percussion and Percussion Arranger in 1994. As part of the Promark “Built to Compete” campaign and for the 2019-2020 master educator catalog, Director of Marketing […]
November 10, 2018
Foo Fighters drummer, Dave Grohl once said, “I love being a drummer. Everyone thinks you’re dumb. What they don’t realize is that if it weren’t for you, their band would suck.” And it’s totally true. Drummers are considered the backbone of a band and provide a rhythm for the rest of the musicians to follow. […]
November 3, 2018
As a drummer, your drumstick is an extension of your mind. Remember the glory days, when you would play symphonies with mom’s pots and pans scattered about the kitchen floor, with only a wooden spoon to conduct the notes. You can look back fondly to where it all began, and marvel at far you have […]
July 16, 2018
Electronic drums have been around since the 80s, but have just recently started becoming more popular. Earlier versions of electronic drums were difficult to use and didn’t function like traditional drum sets, but as technology improves in general so does the technology in electronic drums. When it comes to electronic drums there are a lot […]
July 14, 2018
This buyer’s guide will help you decide which electronic drum kit suits your needs and why they can be a great tool to add to your instrument set. Guitar and keyboard players have accepted electronic technology. Drummers can also utilize this same method to take their music to exciting new places! Why use an electronic […]
August 5, 2017
Drum circle, you say? Viewed with great suspicion in the past, the contemporary facilitated drum circle and other rhythm-based experiences have found their way into organizations of all kinds, both public and private, and are used to create social connection, encourage creative expression, and as part of a comprehensive music program, are great tools for […]
April 2, 2017
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a percussionist is that you can develop a core set of techniques and apply your skillset to a wide array of different instruments. Unlike a violinist or trumpet player who is only expected to play one instrument, a percussionist in an orchestra or symphony is expected to […]
