by Dustin Ransom   In part two of this feature on Orri Páll Dýrason, drummer for Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Ros, we focus on his superb playing and creativity on albums starting with 2007’s soundtrack album Hlemmur through 2008’s Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. “Óskabörn þjóðarinnar” (Model Citizens) From:Hlemmur (released 2007, recorded 2002) [...]

By Chris Munson There is this sort of unspoken code between musicians about things such as our appearance, attitude, and punctuality at gigs.  This is amplified by the fact that the music world is a small world.  Though there are tens of thousands of us playing around the country (and world), we are connected pretty [...]

By Chris Munson Biography   Most biographical resources on Max Roach site his date of birth as January 10th, 1924 in New Land, North Carolina. However, Max has been quoted as saying that it was actually January 8th.  The reason for the discrepancy is likely because he was born “way back in the sticks” and [...]

by Michael Green This the first installment of a six part series devoted to mastering the jazz waltz. Put on your dancing shoes and let’s get to it!     DiggShareShare with StumblersTweet

by Dustin Ransom To coincide with the recent remastered box set of Pink Floyd’s monumental classic Dark Side Of The Moon, this article spotlights Floyd drummer Nick Mason, one of the most well known yet severely underrated rock drummers of the past forty years. The magic of Mason’s playing is not found in flashy chops, [...]

By Chris Munson Concept If you have been following along with the last two articles on polyrhythms and extended phrasing, this is the final phase of these exercises. This represents what is typically referred to as four-way independence. That is, all four limbs playing parts independent of one another. Conceptually it is somewhat similar to [...]

by Michael Green Some more basic independence building blocks that should help get you geared up for studying and playing drum set at school.  This time we’ll be focusing on transitioning between different styles while keeping the tempo constant. Printable Version in Cut Time/Double Time (quarter note = half note) DiggShareShare with StumblersTweet

by Dustin Ransom For nearly fifteen years, Icelandic band Sigur Rós has taken all preconceived notions of the traditional rock and roll blueprint and turned it completely inside out and upside down. Whether conjuring up spacious, beautiful, euphoric soundscapes, or creating gentle strains of melancholy through acoustic instruments, frontman/vocalist/guitarist Jónsi, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson, [...]

By Chris Munson Concept   Now that you have become familiar with the two limb exercises presented in the last article, it is time to move on to three limb (or three voice) exercises.  The accent patterns will be the same as before but you will now be playing them on the snare drum using [...]

by Michael Green Some more basic independence building blocks that should help get you geared up for studying and playing drum set at school.  This time we’ll be honing in our skills on a 16th note rock groove.  First straight, and then swung. Printable Version DiggShareShare with StumblersTweet