CONTENTS

Equipment22 Product Close-Up • Gretsch Catalina Ash Drumset • Soultone Wave Hi-Hats and Mega Bell Gospel Ride • Outlaw Weathered Heart Pine Snares • Canopus New Yaiba Bop and Groove Drumsets • De Gregorio Cajons and Ahead Armor Cajon Bags

30 Shop Talk Get the Sound You Want From Your Drums! Part 1: Pitch Relationships

84 Collector’s Corner Buddy Rich’s WFL Drumset Restored and Revisited

86 New and Notable

Education64 Basics Slick Hop Machinelike Beats With Multiple Kicks by Rich Redmond

66 Strictly Technique Consecutive Flams Part 1: Spaced Out by Bill Bachman

70 Jazz Drummer’s Workshop All Together Now!

Focus on Unison Exercises by Steve Fidyk

74 Rock ’n’ Jazz Clinic The Paradiddle Polyrhythm Pyramid

Sharpen Your Rhythmic Awareness and Control by Peter Magadini

76 In the Pocket The Commandments of the Half-Time Shu� e Part 2: Hi-Hat Openings by Zoro 78 Drum Soloist Solid Soloing Part 1: Connecting Ideas With Glue Stickings by James Murphy 82 Concepts The Journey of Self-Discovery Thoughts on Developing Your Own Musical Voice by Russ Miller

Departments 8 An Editor’s Overview Leading by Example by Adam Budofsky

10 Readers’ Platform

14 News

18 It’s Questionable Mind Matters: Are Open-Mic Nights Worth It?

20 Must-Have Gear Foreigner’s Chris Frazier

90 Showcase Featuring Drum Market

98 Critique

100 In Memoriam Frankie Dunlop

104 Kit of the Month Marching in Place

Volume 38 • Number 12

On the Cover

Features

36 Gregg Bissonetteby Miguel MonroyHe’s got a new solo album, a headlining spot at this year’s Percussive Arts Society conven-tion, and yet another Ringo Starr tour under his belt. The time was right to reconnect with this part-time Winnie the Pooh voiceover artist and full-time drum hero.

Cover and contents photos by Rob Shanahan

16 2015 MD Readers Poll It’s time to show your love!

32 Catching Up With… Ginger Baker /// Matt Helders /// Keith Carlock /// Robin DiMaggio

52 Dan Weiss Bringing tabla ideas to the set is just the start. by Ken Micallef

58 Omar Tavarez Melting-pot beats with Pitbull’s drummer/MD. by Robin Tolleson

62 Brian Reitzell The soundtrack wizard sets his sights on the road. by Adam Budofsky

94 Up & Coming Aric Improta of Night Verses. by Ben Meyer

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Consumer Disclosure: 1. To enter, visit www.moderndrummer.com between the dates below and look for the Roland Contest button (one entry per email address). 2. ODDS OF WINNING DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED. 3. CONTEST BEGINS DECEMBER 1, 2014, AND ENDS FEBRUARY 28, 2015. 4. Grand Prize Drawing: Winner will be selected by random drawing on March 10, 2015. Winner will be notified by phone or email on or about March 12, 2015. 5. Employees, and their immediate families, of Modern Drummer, Roland Corp US, and their affiliates are ineligible. 6. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, misdirected, and/or delayed entries. 7. Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, 18 years of age or older. Void in Quebec, Canada; Florida; and where prohibited by law. 8. One prize awarded per household per contest. 9. Prizes: Grand Prize – One (1) winner will receive the prizes as described above. Approximate retail value of prize: $5,240. Approximate retail value of contest: $5,240. 10. Sponsored by Modern Drummer Publications, Inc., 271 Route 46 W, H-212, Fairfield, NJ 07004, 973-239-4140. 11. This game subject to the complete Official Rules. For a copy of the complete Official Rules or the winner’s name, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Modern Drummer Publications/Roland/Official Rules/Winners List, 271 Route 46 W, H-212, Fairfield, NJ 07004.

Enter today! www.moderndrummer.com

Win This Incredible Prize Package From Roland and QSC!

Roland TD-15K V-Drums kit with all mesh heads, 500 instruments, 100 user-customizable drumkits, and much more.

Roland SPD-SX Sampling Pad that puts powerful sample creation and playback under your sticks with audio-capturing features, expressive playability, three multi-effects engines, and more, plus the Roland PDS-10 Pad Stand, which features an angle clamp that provides 200 degrees of tilt.

Roland DAP-3X V-Drums Accessory Package including a kick pedal, a throne, and a pair of Roland hickory drumsticks.

A pair of QSC K10 Active Loudspeakers. The new standard in lightweight powered loudspeaker systems. Extensive DSP processing provides levels of sonic clarity and total output that defy the system’s size and weight.

Worth over $5,200

Roland TD-15K V-Drums kitkitRoland TD-15K V-Drums Roland TD-15K V-Drums Roland TD-15K V-Drums Roland TD-15K V-Drums

ROLAND GIVE AWAY.indd 104 9/24/14 10:28 AM

page 93

Consumer Disclosure: 1. To enter, visit www.moderndrummer.com between the dates below and look for the Glen Sobel/Mapex Contest button (one entry per email address). 2. ODDS OF WINNING DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED. 3. CONTEST BEGINS OCTOBER 1, 2014, AND ENDS NOVEMBER 30, 2014. 4. Grand Prize Drawing: Winner will be selected by random drawing on December 10, 2014. Winner will be notified by phone or email on or about December 11, 2014. 5. Employees, and their immediate families, of Modern Drummer, Mapex Drum Company, Gibraltar, Sabian, Calato/Regal Tip, Evans Drumheads, and their affiliates are ineligible. 6. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, misdirected, and/or delayed entries. 7. Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, 18 years of age or older. Void in Quebec, Canada; Florida; and where prohibited by law. 8. One prize awarded per household per contest. 9. Prizes: Grand Prize – One (1) winner will receive the prizes as described above. Approximate retail value of prize: $9,658. Approximate retail value of contest: $9,658. 10. Sponsored by Modern Drummer Publications, Inc., 271 Route 46 W, H-212, Fairfield, NJ 07004, 973-239-4140. 11. This game subject to the complete Official Rules. For a copy of the complete Official Rules or the winner’s name, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Modern Drummer Publications/Sobel-Mapex/Official Rules/Win-ners List, 271 Route 46 W, H-212, Fairfield, NJ 07004.

EntEr to Win GlEn SobEl’S MapEx alicE coopEr tourinG Kit

pluS MorE GrEat prizES FroM Sabian, Gibraltar, DW, EvanS, anD rEGal tip

This is the kit Glen used on the 2012-13 Alice Cooper tour! The Mapex MyDentity set features 7-ply maple shells and includes two 18x22 bass drums; 8x10, 9x12, and 10x13 mounted toms; two 16x16 floor toms; a 16x18 floor tom; and a Black Panther 6.5x14 Machete snare drum.

Holding it all together is a new Gibraltar Spider Rack System with snare stand and hardware for up to nine cymbal placements.

Completing the hardware package is the DW 5500TD 2-leg double-braced hi-hat stand and the DW 5002AD4 double pedal.

The included Sabian cymbals consist of an AAX Stage Performance Set (14" AAX Stage Hats, a 16" AAX Stage crash, a 20" AAX Stage ride) AND a 19" AA Holy China.

Evans drumheads and gear includes a 14" Heavyweight snare head; two 22" EMAD Heavyweight bass drum heads; 10", 12", 13", 16" (two), and 18" EC2 Clear tom heads; a magnetic drum key; a 12" Speed Pad, a red vintage logo T-shirt, and an Inked gift card.

The winner will also receive a dozen pairs of Regal Tip Glen Sobel model 7B sticks.

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