Some bands might let the fact they’ve got no label, no manager and no money get them down, but in 2001, when Jimmy Eat World were putting together the album that would change their lives, they just rolled with it and got down to work.

The Bleed American sessions of 2000 could be described as an exercise in financial brinksmanship and artistic freedom. Producer Mark Trombino, without whom there would have been no album, deferred payment. He believed so much in the band and their material that he could wait.

Frontman/guitarist Jim Adkins wasn’t sweating the money too much either.

“I think everyone is kind of flat on their ass in their early 20s,” he laughs, joining MusicRadar over Zoom alongside Jimmy Eat World drummer Zach Lind. “You’re in the gathering stage of everything. You’re not really concerned about retirement money. Most of your paycheque is going toward your cost of living and having fun.

“I felt like… It was lean. That’s for sure! But the amount of adventure in it all cancelled out any real stress, I feel. I dunno, I might have been the only one who felt that.”

On this Zoom call, Adkins really is the only one who felt that. Lind was the guy in the band who had just got married. He had the very real fear that the bottom was falling out of his bottom line.

“My wife and I had been married since the fall of ’99, and she was bringing home the bacon. She had a college degree, and she worked in finance, and we had enough money to buy a little house,” he says. “Right before Bleed American, we decided she quit her job, and then we decided to put our house up for rent, and we moved in with my sister-in-law.”

The fact that both are speaking to us now, on the 25th anniversary of Bleed American, with the album to be played in its entirety in the biggest shows the Arizona rockers have ever played in the UK, tells us that it all worked out. DreamWorks ultimately picked up the album, and that first cheque from the label kept the Lind household in the black.

“We were totally broke,” admits Lind. “When we got a cheque from DreamWorks after we signed, it was just in the nick of time. If that hadn’t happened, we would have been trying to figure something out, like maybe sell the house, or Holly going back to work.”

They had seen peers fall by the wayside in similar circumstances, bands whose paycheque did not come in. Life got in the way and they did other things. “For us, it was literally by a hair that we made it through and God for that,” says Lind.

It was strange that Jimmy Eat World should find themselves in this situation. They had been on Capitol, and while there had been tensions with the label, the release of 1999’s Clarity had created a buzz around the band.

The critics liked them. They were punk but melodic. They were alternative. They got lumped in with the emo scene but they never displayed emo’s appetite for overheated pop melodrama. There were just Jimmy Eat World.

Was that the problem at Capitol? That they label just didn’t know what to do with them?

“I don’t know about that. I think it was just a situation where we got signed to Capitol, we were really young, and we were also really stubborn,” says Lind. “So any sort of marketing ideas they had, we didn’t wanna do any of it. And granted, they would come up with dumb ideas but—”

“—to be fair, most of them were lame as fuck,” interjects Adkin.

This stubborn streak might have cost them their deal with Capitol but it was the bedrock for more long-term success. Lind says the label was never really all that invested in the first place – certainly not financially.

He says their deal would have covered “the budget of a marketing meeting catering spread” and little else. When DreamWorks picked them up, they had a label that was all in. It was life-changing.

But in the meantime, Jimmy Eat World needed to put together a record.

They had the songs. When the Bleed American sessions began in October 2000, it was all written, all demoed. Sweetness had been written for Clarity, but with the uncertainty surrounding their Capitol deal, to the point where they were not even sure that they were going to release the album at all, the band held the song back.

“Most of the material we had been performing live,” says Akdins. “Leading up to recording, and during recording, we took a break between recording the drums and everything else to tour to raise money, to finish making it. So a lot of it was road tested, explored somewhat. The heavy lifting with the songs – the arrangement, lyrics, general idea, approach – all of that, I feel, there was a great, rough plan for it all. I feel like we went into recording pretty confident that we had the songs – the songs were ready. It was just about exploring the concepts to make it better.”

They had to use their studio time wisely, choose their moment. Even so, some of these concepts they explored were pretty ambitious for a band without a label or management. Cautioners was one of those tracks.

“On Cautioners, we had an idea to get different drum sounds so that every hit of the beat that would be there is just some extra form of ear candy as it’s going by,” says Adkins. “Like, you can perform it as a piece, but the idea was we wanted to get unique sounds for every hit, and just cut and paste and slam them next to each other so it becomes even more jarring that these are individual and unique.”

“We didn’t have a lot of time to block out, ‘Oh, hey, we’re just gonna spend a month and figure it out.’ We wouldn’t have been able to afford that,” adds Lind. “But, to Jim’s point, there was just the right amount of wiggle room in the time that we had based on what we booked to explore some things, some targeted [sounds].

A song like Praise Chorus was pretty much like, if you listen to the demo and you listen to the song, it’s just a newer, better version of that. My Sundown, Your House, and Cautioners were three songs that we really spent a little bit of extra wiggle room to invest in those songs.”

It helped that Lind tracked his drums with some time to spare. That freed up a few days. Whenever they reached an impasse there was always another idea that made the song better. That was the case on Praise Chorus when Adkins had written a bridge that was too long to be instrumental, too good to be cut, and he couldn’t think of any lyrics that would work for it. He knew someone who would.

“We decided to just send that song off to Davey von Bohlen, who played it in a band called The Promise Ring, just to see what he would do,” says Adkins. “He came back with what you hear on the record, which is basically I sing something, ‘Come on, Davey, sing me something that I know…’ And he just basically used that as a jumping off point to reference a bunch of lyrics that he thought I might know. [Laughs] Literally, he just went with that.”

Von Bohlen went on a tear, referencing Madness, Bad Company, the Promise Wrong of course, Mötley Crüe, even Tommy James and the Shondells’ Crimson And Clover, and sent in his vocal from Milwaukee. It was like a patched-denim vest featuring of all the kinds of songs Adkins would have been listening to.

“Well sure, everything he references, if you’re our age and were interested in music at all, all those lyric quotes are stuff that’s just there in your mind whether you own those albums or not,” says Adkins. “Maybe the They Might Be Giants one is a little stretch, but, for me, like, yeah! [Laughs]”

No one had the time or money to be messing around with gear. They had just enough options. Adkins would lean heavily on his American Standard Telecaster. It was this through a Fender Champ that you hear on the solo to The Middle.

Now, there’s a track. Every classic album needs a hit and The Middle was it. It has had a Sasquatch-sized pop-cultural footprint, having been covered by Prince and Taylor Swift, the band performing it with the latter. But it was just another song that they liked at the time. They never saw that coming.

“No! Are you kidding me? No!” laughs Adkins.

“When I played it for people, like my friends, it got an immediate reaction,” says Lind. “There’s a little bit of a dysmorphia that I think every band has about their own music.

“Sometimes, there are some songs that we think are bangers. ‘Oh, this is gonna be a single!’ and, ‘The label is gonna fucking love this one!’ Then when they hear it, it’s like, ‘No.’ But with that song, when I played it for friends of mine, just the demo, it got a big response.”

It has a killer guitar solo, too. Inspired by Doug Gillard’s playing on Guided By Voices’ I Am A Tree, it finds Adkins chasing down a theme and a form – “Theme, repeat, theme, repeat, escalation, closing with more intensity!” – and playing around until he found the right modulation of hammer-ons and pull-offs, and he kept at it until it landed perfectly, the power-up the song needed.

Rolling Stone duly gave Adkins his flowers, placing The Middle 76th in the greatest guitar solos of all time.

Adkins was once a student of jazz and classical guitar but admits those booksmarts were not brought to bear on The Middle.

“Yeah, for guitar solos in general, I’m not the kind of player – like John Mayer – that just instantly can connect the dots without even thinking of where I’m taking something over what scale,” says Adkins. “I stopped studying jazz before all that really clicked.”

But something had clicked. Bleed American was the sound of a different Jimmy Eat World. They still had the energy and forward motion of punk rock, only these songs were bringing more of those heartland influences to the fore and the appreciation that simplicity in songwriting can yield some surprising results.

“Bleed American is definitely an album in our musical development that, coming from the more chaotic punk kind of playing, we were just being inspired by simplicity. Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen to some degree. I don’t know if that was totally conscious. There’s definitely a little bit of [Tom Petty’s] You Wreck Me on the beat for The Middle but it just seemed like it fit.”

The Middle is just one example out of many where Bleed American has instances of repeated lyrics, verses repeated because Adkins felt it was the “ultimate subversive thing” to do at the time.

They all learned you can subvert songwriting orthodoxy when the songs are strong – and they were. Adkins learned he could play the most simple guitar part or hook and it will work, because under it you've got Rick Burch's bass guitar and Tom Linton's rhythm guitar there too. It all adds up

“There’s something really powerful in making something very simple,” says Adkins. “There’s a feeling, an almost slightly demented feeling, of how far you can push a very simple set of restrictions on yourself, like how far between these boundaries can you take it?

“Repetition is definitely a sort of hook. I don’t necessarily know if it was a conscious decision at the time. Sometimes you can’t even quantify with words what is inspiring; you just instantly turn it around and do your version of it. If something that is like, ‘Oh yeah, this is awesome!’ now that’s part of the menu. Tom Petty was definitely one of those. Zach’s always been a big Tom Petty fan, but for me, too, Wildflowers was really clicking in a way that maybe hadn’t before going in.”

This was a weird time for the world and its popular culture. How we listened to music was about to change. Peer-to-peer file sharing was coming online, paving the way for the streaming revolution to follow. Jimmy Eat World used P2P platforms to their advantage, sharing rough mixes over Napster to prime the pump.

It worked. When they would play those songs live the crowd’s reaction told them that they had downloaded it. They had to think like this. They didn’t have the “formal infrastructure” to support them.

How could they have foreseen The Middle becoming such a hit when they had no one to lobby radio DJs to play it?

“Luckily, we ended up hiring the best rock manager in the world, and signing a deal with DreamWorks, a label that really believed in us, and that solved that problem,” says Lind. “But at the time, when we were making the record, I don’t think you can really let yourself think about, ‘Oh, this is gonna have this reach…’ when you don’t even know what that reach is gonna be. You don’t even know what label it's coming out on – even if it’s gonna come out on a label.”

Finishing the record, hiring John Silva as manager, and shopping the record around labels remains Lind’s favourite memory of the whole Bleed American cycle. Like anything in life, the hard times feel too real, and the good times take on a surreal air, like it's all just too good to be true. Silva had put together meetings in New York City with various labels – Elektra, RCA, Atlantic, and Lind could – finally – see the light, a sign their lives were never going to be the same again.

“I remember just flying into New York City, seeing the Manhattan skyline, the sun setting, and thinking, ‘Holy shit, this is crazy! It’s wild that we’re being flown to a place just to talk to people who are all wanting to put out our album,’” he says. “It was just a wild thought. It was a moment of whiplash, and that moment always sticks out to me for some reason.”

“Doing our own headlining show at Brixton Academy was definitely a highlight,” says Adkins. “Going from playing the Garage to Brixton Academy within a year was a pretty wild ride.”

• The Bleed American 25th Anniversary Tour is underway. See Jimmy Eat World for dates and ticket details.

Steve Van Zandt had an idea. Max Weinberg, the long-standing drummer of the E Street Band was double-booked, and with Conan O’Brien demanding his services for television he would have to sit out a Bruce Springsteen tour. The E Street Band needed a stand-in. Van Zandt raised his hand: what about Weinberg’s kid, Jay?

Weinberg’s kid, Jay, joining MusicRadar over Zoom, says he only found a couple of years ago that that it was the E Street Band guitarist’s suggestion that he should be the stand-in. It was a crazy idea. Max Weinberg had been in the E Street Band for decades. Jay Weinberg had only been playing drums for three years.

“I had started playing drums at 14 years old, and then at 17 years old was when I first played with them,” says Jay, now 35 years old. “It was a vertical learning curve. Steve was like, ‘What about his kid? He’s a drummer, and I’ve seen him play.’ It was funny, he told me that he told Bruce. Bruce was like, ‘Okay, that’s a wild idea – and keeps it in the family, but what are you talking about? Can he play? He’s a kid.’”

Weinberg was not as green as he looked. He had the rudiments down and applied himself behind the kit with the studied intensity of a teenage metal fan, weaning himself on Slayer, Slipknot and Mastodon. His style was a work in progress but already there were signs that he had learned much of Dave Lombardo, Joey Jordison, and Brann Dailor’s super-technical styles.

Van Zandt could see it. He told the Boss as much. Dancing In The Dark and Born In The USA were going to be easy to a kid who’s hammering away to Altar Of Sacrifice and Iron Tusk.

“Steve was like, ‘I saw this kid play once. Your music is gonna be like Mary Had A Little Lamb to this kid. He’ll be fine.’ But with that said, I had to learn decades of music,” says Jay.

He got to work. There were a lot of songs in those decades. He worked to a short-list of 200 songs, many of which he already knew. This was the music he had grown up with. He had been on tour, watching the E Street Band perform from the side of the stage, studying it, how the band interacted with Springsteen – how the Boss called the plays – not that he ever imagined that he would be the one up there behind the kit.

“I loved it so much, and I respected it so much, that when I was on tour with them, I'd be just digesting everything – not like I knew I was studying because eight years later I was gonna be filling in for my dad. That was not my train of thought. But I just wanted to learn as much as I could about it.”

And so Springsteen called, Jay Weinberg took the gig – maybe took a deep breath too – then began basic training.

If there had been a practice called for that day he knew enough to “hack away at it” – no question. But this required some deep learning.

“It definitely took some some active practice on it,” says Jay. “I mean, I’m playing along to my Slayer records. I needed to understand where Bruce’s music came from; I’m not completely embodying that style yet at 17 years old, so I had to really learn where it comes from – and what are the motivations between certain stylistic choices on the drums. It took a lot.”

Springsteen notoriously likes to switch up the set and keep it fresh. He had his young drummer learning five songs a day. They would soundcheck two or three then drop them into the set. Initially, he was tag-teaming the set with his dad, building up to take on a three-and-a-half hour set on his own. “Eventually, when the Conan show rebooted as The Tonight Show, and my dad was over there, my training wheels were off, and I was playing these full marathon concerts,” he says.

But before he got that far, Springsteen needed to be sure the kid was ready. Looking back on it now, the Boss was playing the role of frontman and coach, pushing Weinberg Jr to see what he could do.

“It was a wild situation that Bruce threw me into, and I think he knew what he was doing,” says Jay. “He’s the only actual genius I’ve ever played music with. The man has his eyes on so many different aspects of performance, and in a way coaching and motivating people. I’ve never met anybody who motivates quite like Bruce does, in unspoken ways.

“He was able to take a frightened 17, 18-year-old and make it so it was chill, and so I was able to go on and do it. He wanted it to go well, obviously. He didn't want this, you know, tour to be a bust, so he had ways of coaching me forward and pushing my abilities in ways where he knew how to get the best out of me.”

One particular night in Philadelphia stands out. This was the final test. It was an arena show at the Spectrum. The band had a lot of history there. Max Weinberg would be handling most of the set. Jay was scheduled to step up during the encore.

Springsteen announced that they would be closing the set with Kitty’s Back from his 1973 sophomore album, The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle. Jay knew the song but had never played it before – and he only had until the encore to learn it.

“It’s very, very complex. It’s not Dancing In The Dark, which is, like, one drumbeat the entire way,” he says. “This has jazz-influenced accents, and wild changes, and a swing shuffle beat – and it meanders through all these different styles. I had never sat down to the drums to actually play it, and I think Bruce knew that.”

Luckily, the set was long. There were a few hours yet to get it all mapped out. That’s not to see there wasn’t panic this whole time. It’s the set closer, they’ll probably stretch it out a bit, jam on it, and there’s a sold-out arena waiting.

“I know how complicated it is. I’m freaking out, knowing that there’s this expectation, just doing this crash course on the song,” says Jay. “I’m backstage with my headphones and writing out my charts of how to remember the changes of the songs.”

A penny for Springsteen’s thoughts? They would have been elsewhere. He knew it was going to be okay, or else he wouldn’t have called the tune.

“I got up to the drum set,” says Jay. “I tape that [chart] to my floor tom. I think we played a couple songs in the encore, and then went into Kitty’s Back, and luckily it went well. But I was deathly afraid because it was an iconic song from way back in Bruce’s catalogue to mark this iconic moment of playing a venue they’ve been playing for decades, that was to be torn down. I needed to hit the moment. That was a huge, huge moment – super difficult – but it went well.”

Jay Weinberg has scarcely taken a beat since, teaming up with NYC hardcore stalwarts Madball, with Against Me!, replacing the late Joey Jordison in Slipknot, playing with Suicidal Tendencies, then he has his solo project(s) and a new album with Massachusetts death metal ragers Fuming Mouth, The Ringing Bell, out now.

But the lessons from the Boss and that 2009 E Street Band tour haven’t left him.

“He would just ramp it up in intensity," says Jay. "That was very meaningful, him demonstrating to me that you should never be satisfied. When you feel like you’ve reached that place of consistency and flow, there are more ways to push yourself and keep ascending to whatever that abstract thing that we’re all chasing is.”

NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert has become a pop-cultural staple of the internet era, a rite of passage for hot up-and-comers, a venue for the mega-stars to drop in and play in an intimate setting – like when Bono and the Edge swung by to rework U2 classics for acoustic guitar.

Taylor Swift has played one, as has Dua Lipa. The Wu-Tang Clan, IDLES, BTS, Alicia Keys, and the Foo Fighters have all done their bit. PinkPantheress played her first show without Auto-Tune on it.

But NPR Music broke new ground today; it just broadcast it’s most extreme performance ever, welcoming UK grindcore pioneers Napalm Death to the studio, to pitch up in support of public access broadcasting, and to maybe introduce some people to the restorative magic of the blast beat, brutal riffs, death growls and screams.

There was no stagediving. But then there was no stage, no wedge monitors to leap from. This, after all, is an office. But frontman Barney Greenway, guitarist/vocalist John Cooke, drummer Danny Herrera and touring bassist Matt Sheridan made themselves at home, and did what they always do, tore the place apart, and were nice about it, too.

“We are Napalm Death, for the uninitiated, just in case you might be wondering,” says Greenway, addressing the crowd out of shot. “So welcome one and all. Nice to see you. Let me say we are here to heartily support public access broadcasting. Unfortunately, it is under attack from all sides, in the UK as well as over here. And we have to take care of it – it’s precious. It has to be preserved.”

Greenway has given public access radio some iconic moments over the years, like when he gave the current UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, a lesson in death metal vocals.

Greenway’s vocal style is straight from the gut, a leonine roar in the classic death metal style. He made his full-length Napalm Death debut on 1990’s Harmony Corruption, when the Birmingham grind institution explored a more death metal direction under the watch of legendary producer Scott Burns at Morrisound Studios, in Florida. In this NPR segment Greenway is kind of like the MGM lion in a Crass T-shirt.

But public access radio has been good to Napalm Death, too. It has been good to grindcore. The late BBC Radio One DJ John Peel was an early champion. Napalm Death recorded a number of sessions that were later compiled in The Peel Sessions. And there were others; Carcass, Extreme Noise Terror, and Bolt Thrower all tracked at the Beeb (and there were other grind-adjacent sessions with Unseen Terror and others – check out the 2009 compilation Grind Madness At The BBC).

Today, Napalm Death brought the old classics to NPR, opening with Instinct Of Survival, the Side One classic from their 1987 debut LP, Scum, dropping the title track later in the set before closing with their one-second ur-grind track, You Suffer.

They’d call that something silly like "micro-grind" these days but back then it was just grindcore, and it was calling card that made Napalm Death notorious.

But not everything was head-down-and-blast.

“This next little ditty perhaps approaches the merest hint of musical beauty,” says Greenway, introducing Amoral from 2020’s Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism. Before pausing to add another qualifier: “The merest hint!”

He was as good as his word. Check it out at the top of the page.

And you can catch Napalm Death at this year's ArcTanGent Festival on 21 August. See the Napalm Death for full tour dates.

In 1991, Nirvana released the album that would propel them from burgeoning club-level favourites to The Biggest Band in The World. Nevermind, Nirvana’s major label debut, would apply a sleeper hold to glam/hair metal, knock Michael Jackson’s Bad off the Billboard top spot and kickstart the ‘grunge’ movement that shaped youth culture in every form. The catalyst for the album’s success? Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Released on 10 Sept, it was a slow burn, failing to chart — no surprises there, given that Nirvana were still relative unknowns struggling to pay their rent. But to discover the origins of Dave Grohl’s iconic drum parts, we need to rewind 18 months, before Grohl was even a member of the band.

During early April 1990, Nirvana — Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Chad Channing — drove from Olympia, Washington to Madison, Wisconsin to complete a five-day recording session with Butch Vig, then known for his work with Killdozer.

The sessions were scheduled to begin work on Nirvana’s Sub Pop follow-up to Bleach, with nine songs recorded (Breed, Dive, In Bloom, Stay Away, Sappy, Lithium, Here She Comes Now and Polly), before the band headed home with the intention of returning to finish the album’s session.

In the months that followed, however, came big changes. Drummer Chad Channing was out, and Dave Grohl, whose band Scream had broken up, found himself stranded in LA and gig-less when he got word from Melvins frontman, Buzz Osborne that Nirvana were looking for a drummer.

Osborne had previously taken Cobain and Novoselic to watch Scream featuring a young Dave Grohl on drums, hair flailing, battering his kit as if his life depended on it, impressing Cobain and Novoselic.

Buzz connected Grohl with the band — who were about to poach Mudhoney’s Dan Peters — and Grohl flew to Seattle to meet his potential new bandmates. “I remember getting off the plane, and Krist and Kurt meeting me at baggage claim. It was like having the Children of the Corn meeting you at the airport.” Grohl said in a 2018 interview with VisitSeattle.

Meanwhile, Nirvana’s popularity continued to grow, and the prospect of releasing another album with Sub Pop grew less appealing. Instead, Cobain and the band began shopping the ‘Smart Sessions’ tape to major labels, eventually landing with Geffen.

With Vig back on board, planning for recording the album reconvened, with Nirvana continuing to write and rehearse songs in a rented barn/outbuilding in Tacoma, Washington, recording their ideas and progress on a boom box.

Vig recalls receiving a tape from the band with an audio message from Cobain, “Hey Butch, it’s Kurt!” it began, “We’ve got a new drummer, his name is Dave, he’s the best drummer in the world!.”

At that, the recording launches into Smells Like Teen Spirit. “I could hear the riff, but as soon as the drums came in, it just distorted like crazy.” Despite the poor recording — overloading the rudimentary cassette recorder’s built-in mics — Vig knew they were onto something.

This was confirmed when Vig visited Nirvana at their rehearsal room, becoming one of the first people to ever hear the song played live, in the flesh. “They played …Teen Spirit, and it just crushed me how good [Grohl] was, and how good they sounded.” Vig told Howard Stern in 2022.

“I started pacing around the room - usually I take notes but I was just taking it all in. They finished the song and Kurt was like, ‘What do you think, Butch?’. I went ‘Play it again.’”

By the time the band arrived at LA’s Sound City Studios, Nirvana was a tight, well-oiled, and well-rehearsed machine. Sound City had been chosen in part for its low rates.

During an era where studios were rapidly swapping analogue tape machines for the glitzy new digital platform of Pro Tools, Sound City held firm. As well as this, the studio had two more jewels in its crown that appealed to Vig.

First was the live room, previously used to capture the likes of Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac and Cobain favourite, Neil Young. The former Vox warehouse had a sprinkling of studio magic which lent itself to capturing a great drum room sound - magic which is now available to us as a plugin courtesy of Universal Audio's Sound City software.

Second, was the Neve 8028 console housed within the studio. The desk was one of only four made, loaded with classic Neve mic preamps and 1084 EQ modules. It would later go on to be purchased by Grohl and immortalised, along with Sound City Studios in Grohl’s 2015 documentary of the same name.

“That room at Sound City, it’s like a small gymnasium and it’s almost bulletproof." Vig told us in 2020. "But when you put up those room mics and hear the sound of that room, that’s part of what made that studio sound so good.

“It just had a really awesome tone to it. It was live, but not too splashy, the decay time on the high end of the midrange is very even. It’s the perfect room for drums, really. It also helped that Dave Grohl, one of the most kick-ass drummers in rock and roll was behind the kit!”

For the sessions, Grohl used a Tama Granstar (not Artstar II, as commonly reported), along with some additional gear, which was rented from Ross Garfield’s Drum Doctors company. Included in the hire list was a Ludwig Black Beauty snare, as well as a now-revered Tama Mastercraft Bell Brass snare.

Reissued in 2024, the Tama snare has gone on to become a ‘modern classic’, thanks to its supremely loud, aggressive attack and punchy, full-bodied response employed by the likes of Nirvana, Metallica, Rage Against The Machine and many more.

“It was a pretty simple setup.” Butch Vig told MusicRadar in 2020 of the mics he used to record Grohl’s kit. “I told the engineer that I wanted to default to mics I knew and was used to, so I used an AKG D12 on the kick, I think I used an SM57 on the snare and possibly an AKG 451 underneath.

“We used Sennheiser 421s on the toms, again because I was used to those Sennheiser mics. AKG 414s as the overheads, I had them at Smart and they’re great all-round condensers. I think the secret to that sound, is we had a couple of Neumann U87s [used as room mics] that were probably 15-18 feet back from the kit.”

When it came to mixing Nevermind, veteran mix engineer, Andy Wallace got the call. It’s here where some confusion over the resulting drum sound emerges. The album was recorded and mixed on analogue gear, but that didn’t remove the possibility of bolstering the drum sound with samples.

This now commonplace technique involves blending in additional sounds and elements that are deemed to be lacking from a recording in order to add cut and weight. It’s often misunderstood for editing and straightening out timing fluctuations (there’s no suggestion that Grohl’s drums required ‘fixing’ from a performance standpoint).

The use of samples is something of a staple of Andy Wallace’s mixes, as demonstrated by Rick Beato’s analysis in the video below. While Wallace has never explicitly confirmed whether or not he did or did not use samples to reinforce the sound of Grohl’s kit, he has conceded that there’s a possibility that samples were used to enhance the drum track’s ambient mics, ironic given that Sound City was chosen in-part for its fantastic drum room sound.

Whether he did or didn’t, the benefit of time has gifted us the opportunity to hear Butch Vig’s original mixes as initially submitted to the Geffen. These were included with the 20th Anniversary edition of Nevermind, and are labelled ‘Devonshire Mix’ and allow for interesting comparison.

Sonics aside, though, a huge part of Smells Like Teen Spirit’s hook comes from Grohl’s drum parts. Interestingly, it’s the first — and only song on Nevermind — where the songwriting credits are assigned to all three members of the band rather than Cobain.

Nirvana’s love for The Pixies, complete with the loud-quiet dynamic template informs a huge part of the band’s songwriting approach, something that Cobain wasn’t shy to admit, telling Rolling Stone in 1994, “I connected with that band so heavily that I should have been in that band — or at least a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.”

Grohl also maintains that at the core of Nirvana’s songwriting, sat a backbone of simplicity, on more than one occasion likening them to nursery rhymes . “I didn’t throw a bunch of drum fills in there. I tried to keep it as simple as possible.” Grohl says on the Classic Albums: Nevermind documentary. “That was kind of an unspoken rule. We almost wanted them to be like children’s songs.”

This approach is outlined from the get-go, with Grohl’s distinctive flams on the snare seemingly ushering in a simple four-count to casual listeners. But dig a little deeper and you’ll realise that he’s actually playing groups of even 16th-notes between the flams on the snare, bass drum and hi-hats.

Complex? Not really, but play it the layman’s way and it’s clear that the often-overlooked nuances of Grohl’s heavy-hitting, ‘neanderthal’ style require a little attention to discover.

But, as well as the influence of '90s indie-apathy, Grohl sought inspiration from some very different drummers when it comes to some of Smells Like Teen Spirit’s standout drum moments.

“If you listen to Nevermind, I pulled so much stuff from The Gap Band and Cameo, and Tony Thompson, on every one of those songs” Grohl tells Pharrell Williams in his Cradle to Stage series. “The big disco flam… I told Tony Thompson that. He came to my house for a barbecue. I was like, 'Man, I just want to thank you because I owe you so much, I've been ripping you off my whole life.' And he goes, 'I know.'"

There’s a James Brown-level of reliance on a foot-heavy first beat of every bar — accented with dual cymbal crashes — during the syncopated intro and chorus beat, with Grohl laying back beforehand, adding weight, anticipation and above all, groove to each cycle.

It’s a trick also used extensively by Liam Howlett of UK dance-rock titans, The Prodigy when programming and sampling drum parts, and could serve as just part of the reason why Grohl and The Prodigy have shown mutual respect for each others’ work in the past. Check out the drums on the band’s 1996 hit, Firestarter, and you’ll notice some similar traits, not least the Grohl-style quarter-note snare hits that are also present on the outro of Smells Like Teen Spirit.

The verses of Smells Like Teen Spirit demonstrate the Pixies influences, with Grohl removing the busyness of the beat, reverting to ‘2 & 4’ on the snare while the bass drum offers a simple ‘We Will Rock You’ 8th-note pattern, outlining Novoselic’s bassline to create a solid, straighter groove. Crucially, the hi-hats are closed spare a lift on ‘4&’ every fourth time round, adding to the loud/soft contrast.

Moving to the pre-chorus, and the pattern remains the same as the verse for the first half, with the hi-hats lifted open. For the second part, Grohl adds an additional 8th-note on the bass drum, pushing the song towards the chorus before he launches into the iconic machine-gun 16th notes on the snare, punctuated by another big flam.

But underneath one of Grohl’s career standout fills sits another reminder of his sometimes-subtle nuances. Grohl, a huge Beatles fan, employs Ringo-style continuity of the bass drum underneath his hands, keeping an 8th-note pulse underneath the roll.

This serves to keep the momentum of the song driving forward, and while Nirvana were never really a band whose music was intended for dancing, it highlights Grohl’s aptitude for arrangement in order to keep the pace and feel heading towards a crescendo.

So, would Smells Like Teen Spirit have been a success if, say, Chad Channing or Dan Peters had tracked the drums? It’s impossible to know, but obviously Cobain’s riff, melodies and the accompanying video all had their part to play too.

There’s no doubt that Grohl’s part (one of the few on the album that wasn’t cribbed from Chad Channing’s original demo tracks) contains more than a couple of important hooks.

Frankly, with a song where every element combines to create a near-perfect rock song, we’re not sure there’s any use in speculating.

What is it?

Following on from the release of the ’25 Series’ last year, which (as the name suggests) commemorated 25 years of cymbal production for Zultan, the all-new Alaris Series continues to expand an already vast array of traditionally manufactured cymbals for the German cymbal-smith.

Zultan now boasts a significant range of 16 different cymbal lines, catering for any style from rock to jazz and even orchestral. As one of Thomann’s in-house brands, each of the cymbal lines, which include Aeon, Dune, Heritage, Rock Beat, Z and several others (the majority of which have been reviewed here on MusicRadar), is exclusively available on the Thomann website.

Touted as Zultan’s high-end offering, the Alaris Series cymbals are Turkish-made and hand-cast from a B20 bronze alloy (20% tin and 80% copper). This is generally seen as the gold standard when it comes to professional-level cymbals, which puts them in good company alongside popular choices like the A and K ranges from Zildjian or Sabian’s AAX and HHX lines, plus the vast majority of other top-end cymbals from the likes of Paiste, Meinl and many others.

The complete Alaris range comprises 14”, 15” and 16” hi-hats, 20”, 21” and 22” rides (each also available in a light ride model), plus 16”, 17”, 18”, 19” and 20” crashes. A full price list can be found below, which is accurate at the time of writing. They are fractionally more expensive when compared to other Zultan cymbals, but still considerably more affordable when compared to the bigger brands.

In today’s market, we’d expect to pay around £400 for a ride cymbal from the aforementioned brands, whilst the rides in this set land between £228 and £254. On average, then, the Zultan’s are coming in at about 60% of the cost, which begs the question: how do they compare to the big dogs?

Performance

The Alaris cymbals feature a traditional finish with deep hand-lathing and hammering. The build quality is excellent and there are no noticeable blemishes or imperfections, which we’ve experienced with some Zultan cymbals in the past.

For review, we have been sent the 14” hi-hats, 16” crash, 18” crash and 20” ride. These make up the only pre-configured set currently available within the Alaris Series, which comes in at £615 including a Zultan-branded carry bag. This represents a saving of just under £200 when compared to the individual prices of each cymbal in the set – enough left over to allow for an additional crash, perhaps?

Overall, these cymbals have a fairly dark tonal quality and, despite a healthy decay, veer somewhat towards a dry and slightly earthy nature. That said, they possess a broad frequency response with higher-pitched overtones apparent in the stick response. This can be heard most clearly in the bells of the crashes, which are surprisingly cutting. Harder strikes open up these higher frequencies, which give the crashes an explosive nature, opening up quickly and resonating with complex overtones – giving them the ability to cut through a mix without being overbearing.

The ride bell is equally clear but lower-pitched and comes with an incredible amount of wash from the whole cymbal. Playing on the bow of the ride at lower volumes gives a delicate and sweet sound with a crisp stick definition, but any amount of power spreads across the cymbal, resulting in a loss of clarity and sound more akin to playing the edge.

This makes it well-suited as a crash-ride but not necessarily ideal as a main ride, depending on playing style. On a related note, the ride sounds just as good, if not even better, as a crash cymbal – exploding into life with a dark sound yet not overstaying its welcome and fading back into the mix relatively quickly.

The 14” hi-hats are actually quite cutting with a dry stick definition. They work well held tightly closed, but any loss of pressure underfoot causes a noticeable high-pitched sheen as the cymbals react together, which isn’t particularly pleasant. The hi-hats’ open sound is also surprisingly high-pitched and lacks the body possessed by the ride and crashes, which is somewhat underwhelming.

Due to the handmade nature of these cymbals, there is every chance that this isn’t the case with all of the Alaris hi-hats but is with these particular cymbals. We’d love to get our hands on the 15” and 16” models to see how they compare.

Verdict

With the exception then of the hi-hats, the Alaris set is well-balanced and they sit wonderfully with each other in terms of pitch.

Hands-on demos

Zultan

Alternatives

Specifications

Donner has visibly grown its reputation over the past few years, offering true bang for your buck entry-level to mid-range music gear in a range of product categories, including electronic drums. Now, with the 3-tier Groove Series, the brand is targeting intermediate drummers on a budget. Sitting right at the top of this lineup is the flagship Donner Groove Ultra that I have here on test.

Available exclusively through Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, and direct from Donner, the 9-piece Groove Ultra comes in at a highly competitive price of $859.99, slotting neatly into one of the most fiercely contested price bands - sub-$1,000 kits aimed at intermediate players - and is designed to tempt drummers away from long-established e-kit giants like Roland, Alesis and Yamaha.

Elsewhere in the Groove Series is the Groove Max ($659.99) and the standard 8-piece Groove kit ($599.99). The main difference between these two kits is the number of pads, while the Groove Ultra boasts pads with a deeper ‘shell’, plus a full hi-hat stand with single zone hi-hat pad.

Donner Groove Ultra review: What is it?

Configuration

The Groove Ultra is a 9-piece kit centered around three dual-zone mesh tom pads (2x 8” and 1x 10”), a 10” dual-zone mesh snare pad and a 6” mesh bass drum pad on a tower alongside a supplied bass drum pedal. The cymbal offering is generous, comprising the aforementioned 10” single-zone hi-hat pad mounted to a supplied stand, two 12” dual-zone crashes with choke functionality and a 12” dual-zone ride pad with bell. All of the mesh heads are tensionable so you can dial in the right feel and everything is mounted to a gunmetal grey rack system that I’ll go into more detail on below.

Also included in the box is a cable loom and a pair of sticks. The latter are basic yet functional if you have no alternative and want to get playing straight away, but I can’t see them lasting too long. The only other items you’ll need to factor into the cost is a drum throne and a pair of kit-friendly headphones.

Looks

Visually, this kit really stands out from the flock. Tom and snare pads include a shallow ‘shell’, approximately 2 inches deep and finished in a vibrant orange with faux wood grain. We’ve seen this style before on kits like the Alesis Nitro Max, but the Donner really pops and I personally like this splash of colour in a world of mostly black and white e-kits.

Module

Usually the module is the first thing I would talk about, but I’ve left it until last for two reasons: 1) I really do love the hardware offering, particularly the rack, and 2) the module is a little underwhelming. It’s a pretty basic affair, but comes loaded with 575 sounds, 25 pre-ordained kits and space for 25 user kits.

Donner Groove Ultra review: Performance & verdict

Hardware & build

So, onto the build… I’ve constructed countless electronic drum sets over my many years as a product tester and it’s rarely a quick process, particularly when it comes to building the rack (assuming it doesn't come built out of the box like some Roland kits). However, the Groove Ultra rack brings some light relief. It’s built from lightweight aluminium bars and connected via heavy-duty plastic lugs. It comprises four vertical posts and just three horizontal bars, plus the snare arm. Despite the minimalist footprint, it’s one of the sturdiest racks I’ve tested in this price bracket.

This standout stability comes courtesy of Donner’s Swift Rack system, centred around two large locking wheels located at the top of the central vertical posts. Adjusting the kit is beautifully streamlined: position your outer horizontal bars to your preferred angle, tighten both wheels, and the entire structure locks solidly into place. Want to make minor tweaks? A half turn of the wheel and you can swing it in or out with ease - no thumb screws or drum key to wrestle with. This is not only a great feature for speed tweaks, but it also makes it easier to adjust the overall layout of the kit for different sized players - ideal if you have multiple drummers in the house.

Mounting the pads is straightforward and painless thanks to a cable loom with clearly-labelled pad jacks and a single pad-to-module multi-pin connector.

Performance

So, with the kit set up, how does it feel to sit behind? I would describe it as both comfortable and spacious, thanks in part to the Swift Rack. I never felt like the pads were crowding me, or I couldn’t achieve the reach I’m used to on my personal e-kit.

The Donner-branded mesh heads feel pleasing under the stick, offering a convincing acoustic rebound that can be tailored to your preference using a standard drum key.

For me, the included hi-hat stand is a major hardware win. It’s a robust, double-braced unit featuring a chunky chain-drive and oversized rubber feet that stayed firmly anchored to my drum rug throughout testing. It’s obviously a cheaper stand and I experienced a bit of mechanical noise in use, but I couldn’t hear it so much once my headphones were on and I’ll always choose a physical stand over a pad and floating pedal controller where available.

The bundled bass drum pedal is less of a win. There’s a thin single-chain connecting the footplate to the rocker shaft/beater, and I noticed a fair amount of side-to-side play in the footplate. It’s a mechanically loud pedal that clatters under heavy footwork too. In its favour, there’s plenty of adjustment so I was able to dial it in to my taste. Beginners should get on well with it, but more experienced players will likely target this as an early upgrade.

So, while the hardware - mainly the rack and the hi-hat stand - punches above its weight class, the literal brains of the operation - the Groove Ultra module - brings things back down to earth with a bump. It’s housed in a lightweight plastic chassis that feels fragile; I spotted some hairline cracking in the plastic around the module mount a couple of weeks into testing.

The minimalist module interface centres around a small, monochrome LCD screen, a central jog wheel and a handful of other buttons. It’s pretty clear to see where you’re at with the screen, so I can’t criticise too harshly, but in an era where vibrant, full-colour, screens, and even touchscreens are becoming increasingly common in the mid-top-end, this style is beginning to feel distinctly retro.

I do really like the phone/tablet notch located along the top edge of the module. It’s such a simple addition, but so handy when you consider the majority of players will be streaming backing tracks or following lessons from a smart device; this solves the riddle of where to put your device when you’re playing.

So, what about the sounds? As I mentioned, the Groove Ultra module comes pre-loaded with 575 individual sounds, mapped across 25 factory preset drum kits with an additional 25 blank slots for user creations.

Scrolling through the 25 presets reveals a list of functional, if unimaginatively named options, like 'Rock 1', 'Loud Rock', 'Funk', and 'Metal'. There are 10 core acoustic kits on offer, giving you a range of sounds from punchy and wet, to more controlled and dry. Then you’re into electronic/dance territory and more unique and esoteric choices, including a crunchy, lo-fi 8-bit kit. Kits like this are fun for a while, but it’s the more typical kits where most drummers will spend their time.

The sounds are a mixed bag. Snare samples on the main kits are punchy, but I found the toms to be a touch thin and machine-gunny. Dynamic performance is ok, but if you’re looking for truly nuanced sensitivity and wide tonal dynamics, this module will leave you wanting more. Pad sensitivity can be tweaked which helps you dial things in a bit more, and creating custom kits isn’t too difficult, but it does takes time.

Connectivity-wise there’s plenty to shout about. The onboard Bluetooth audio is fantastic. It took me a moment to figure out the initial pairing sequence within the sub-menus, but it has been rock-solid ever since, finding my iPhone seamlessly every time I power up.

Around the back of the module, you'll find a solid suite of connections: there’s USB-MIDI for driving external computer software, making the Groove Ultra a viable low-cost MIDI trigger option for VSTs like Superior Drummer. There’s also an auxiliary input, left and right main outputs, and an expansion jack to add a fourth tom pad. A slight niggle is that the 1/8-inch headphone output is also located on the rear panel. I always prefer when these are located on the front edge of the module purely to make connection easier.

The foundations of the Donner Groove Ultra are fantastic - I can’t fault the rack or the pads, and the addition of a mechanical hi-hat stand is a real boon. It’s great to get a full complement of cymbals at this price too. My only real hardware gripe is the bass drum pedal, which was a little finicky. I found the module to be functional but overall pretty underwhelming both in terms of operation, tweakability and the sounds on offer.

If you want a deeply expressive electronic kit for intricate, dynamic practice, this isn't a kit I would recommend, however if you’re in the market for a robust, mesh-headed setup to jam along to music or to trigger your favourite VST, this is a great-looking package that comes in comfortably under $900.

Donner Groove Ultra review: Hands-on demos

The Cowboy Drummer

Mike Malone

Donner Groove Ultra review: Specifications

• Kits: 50 (25 preset, 25 user)
• Sounds: 575 percussion voices
• Connections: 1/8" headphone out (rear), USB-MIDI, aux-in, main out (L/Mono, R), extra tom input
• Snare Pad: 10" dual-zone mesh
• Tom pads: 2x 8" dual-zone mesh, 1x 10" dual-zone mesh
• Kick pad: 6" mesh tower with single pedal
• Cymbal pads: 12" hi-hat with physical stand, 2x 12" dual-zone crashes with choke, 12" triple-zone ride with choke
• Hardware: Swift Rack 4-post locking frame, double-braced hi-hat stand, bass drum pedal, drumsticks
• Contact: Donner

Yamaha EAD50 review: What is it?

In late 2017 Yamaha unleashed the EAD10 (Electronic Acoustic Drum Module) to an unsuspecting public. The surprise announcement was made at a Yamaha Drums Show held in Paris to commemorate 50 years of drum production for the Japanese company.

As many drummers reading this will likely already be aware, this magical box of tricks is essentially a microphone interface and trigger module rolled into one neat package. The compact sensor unit mounts to the rim of your bass drum and captures a stereo image of the whole kit from a central position using two small internal mics, arranged in an X/Y configuration. This unit also cleverly doubles as a bass drum trigger, allowing pre-recorded or electronic drum sounds to be mixed seamlessly with the acoustic kit sound.

Now, nearly a decade later we’ve welcomed the EAD50, which centres around the same functionality, whilst offering a massive number of additional features. Most importantly, the upgraded module is able to run up to five separate mic channels, acting as a mixer or mic interface in its own right.

The sensor unit has had a complete overhaul too, which despite fulfilling the same function as the original, now also boasts higher quality mic sensors optimised for drums, plus improved triggering capabilities.

This is achieved by picking up vibration from the bass drum’s hoop rather than the drum head, as is the case with the EAD10 sensor.

The new DSU50 unit uses a 5-pin stereo XLR output and a separate jack connection for the trigger output, rather than the dual A/B jack setup of the EAD10. It’s also available to buy as a standalone product (currently $399/£350) which Yamaha says can be used as an extremely compact pair of overheads for augmenting and further enhancing your overall kit sound. The XLR output also means the unit can be used universally with any mixer or interface as a portable, all-in-one drum mic.

Other key features of the EAD50 include multi-track USB recording, wireless app control, additional trigger inputs, independent audio outputs and Bluetooth audio input. There’s also an SD card slot which can be used for playback or recording.

For the record, the EAD10 is still available alongside its new bigger brother and retails for around $599/£500, nearly a third of the current EAD50 price tag, which is around $1,599/£1,399.

Yamaha EAD50 review: Performance & verdict

I found the initial setup to be straightforward and it took me very little time to get up and running, particularly when compared to individually mic’ing a full kit. After mounting the sensor unit to my bass drum, I connected it to inputs 1 & 2 of the module via the included XLR splitter cable (and jack cable for the in-built bass drum trigger), then plugged in and powered on the module.

Also included in the box are two standard XLR cables which can either be used to connect the master left and right outputs to a PA system or to connect microphones to the additional XLR inputs. This is ideal for dedicated snare, toms or overheads. The only thing you’ll need that isn’t included is a stand for mounting the module as you would with an e-drum module. There are plenty of options out there for integrating a module within a kit setup and thankfully at least the mounting bracket is included with the EAD.

There are 70 in-built presets or ‘scenes’ on the EAD50 module which showcases its capabilities across a vast range of styles. Ranging from more straight ahead studio sounds to reverb soaked stadium kits, dub reggae style delays to hefty EDM powerhouses. These make for great fun straight out of the box, but also serve as inspiration for filling the 200 user slots with custom creations.

Six LED rotary dials called ‘modifiers’ allow convenient control of assignable parameters such as reverb, compression, delays, EQ, filters, pitch and much more (this is twice as many as the EAD10). There are quick access menu buttons for scene, mic/trigger, click, recorder, live set and main menu - these call up the relevant controls on the small LCD screen to the right of the module.

A decent amount of real estate has been given to the mixer controls which I found made life a lot easier than poking around complex menus when making quick adjustments. Each of the five mic inputs can also be edited in regard to volume, panning, EQ, compression and effects. Trigger inputs can also be controlled in the same way by simply pressing the trigger button to switch the focus of the LED faders. The module also features handy physical faders for aux-in, click, mic/trig, master output and headphones output.

The only real downside of using a stereo mic setup is that control is lost over mixing the individual elements of the kit, except of course by physically playing them louder or softer. This is because the kick, snare, hi-hats, toms and cymbals are picked up by the same inputs through the stereo microphones within the DSU50. Therefore, any adjustments in terms of effects and EQ will apply to the whole kit. Thankfully Yamaha has considered this and the use of XLR inputs for the DSU50 means it can be replaced by individual kick and snare mics should that be a concern.

I experimented with this while repurposing the DSU50 as an overhead and it gave me more control over a mix, although I did still encounter limitations with the toms. This is where running triggers on the kick, snare and toms brings that individual control.

There are so many options with ten trigger inputs (compared to six on the EAD10) that countless configurations are possible. There’s also plenty of room to run external pads which can be used not only for samples such as hand-claps and the like but even controlling playback. The EAD50 is capable of running 4-track audio directly from an SD card without needing to import to the module.

There’s no question that the EAD50 is an expensive bit of kit. However, when considering its sheer versatility in terms of application, it actually begins to represent incredible value for money. Indulge me if you will: it’s a mixer, trigger module, sample pad, multi-track playback unit, USB interface, looper and potential e-kit module (it even has hi-hat control through the foot switch inputs). This makes it an immensely powerful tool for recording, live use, rehearsing and practising, teaching, live streaming and more.

Yamaha EAD50 review: Hands-on demos

Yamaha

Cowboy Drummer

Guitar Center

Yamaha EAD50 review: Specification

• Sound engine: SWX100 with 512-note polyphony and 2GB of ROM
• Effects & modifiers: Studio-grade effects and 6 assignable modifier knobs for reverb, FX, triggers, and compression
• USB audio: High-speed interface supporting up to 8-in / 10-out, plus USB MIDI
• Wireless: Bluetooth audio (for streaming backing tracks) and Bluetooth MIDI (for wireless parameter control)
• App integration: Compatible with the Rec’n’Share and EAD Touch apps
• Outputs: 2 x XLR (balanced main outs), 2 x 1/4" (L/Mono, R), and 8 x 1/4" individual balanced outs
• Inputs: 5 x mono combo jacks, 5 x dual/triple zone trigger inputs, and 2 x 1/8" aux inputs.
• Other ports: 2 x footswitch jacks, MIDI Out, SD Card slot, and 1/4" & 1/8" headphone jacks
• Contact: Yamaha

Drum Workshop has announced the launch of the next generation of their flagship 9000 hardware series. It has now been “redesigned, re-engineered, and transformed” into the 9000X Series, which they promise is the “most drummer-friendly DW hardware lineup yet.”

In a statement, DW said that they had “listened to touring drummers and techs about their experiences and set out to design the 9000X hardware with the most demanding gigs and setups in mind. The result is a new level of functionality that considers every aspect of the hardware experience. Each stand is designed for simple, repeatable, time-saving setup at every gig.”

So what’s changed from the previous 9000 series? Well, one nifty innovation is the Auto Lock, a boom-angle adjustment that apparently tightens on its own.

Another is Inner Lock, a modular cable system that controls the height memory adjustment. It means that boom stands can now be completely collapsed before they’re transported and traditional memory locks really aren’t needed anymore, thus making it – in theory, at least – much quicker and easier to set up and take down your kit.

Also new are freshly-designed Air Lift cartridges that will aid height adjustment of heavy snare drums or toms, plus a quick-release hi-hat rod system and asymmetrical snare baskets that have been optimised for 10-lug snares.

According to DW, this hasn’t meant stability and durability have been sacrificed. “The new 9000X hardware is fabricated from the heaviest gauge, seamless steel tubing, with a flex-free Ultra-Rigid tripod base design. Stackable MOD weights can be added to either the tripod base or the stand legs for even greater stability.”

The new 9000X series comprises three cymbal stands ((9700XIL/9701XIL/9710XIL), four hi-hat stands (9500X/9500TX/9500XFX/9500XFTX), two snare stands (9300X/9339X), and three tom stand models (991X/992X/9791x).

For more information, head over to the DW website at dwdrums.com

What is it?

Back in the ‘90s, cymbal brands periodically leaned into the ever-increasing popularity of electronic music, offering drummers the opportunity to recreate the pitched-up, crunchy sounds emerging from sampled breakbeats used in hip-hop, jungle and house music. This led to a number of options from Sabian’s VFX line (a collaboration with Tony Verderosa), Meinl’s Generation X partnership with Johnny Rabb – who quite literally wrote the book on playing live drum ‘n’ bass – while Zildjian joined the fun with its Remix range.

Now, despite the fact that technology means it’s now easier than ever to not only replicate, but create a perfect facsimile of any given sound and play it from the comfort of our kits, options in the cymbal world are now far more varied than ever, too.

Zultan’s designers are clearly aware of this, because its 8” Raw series hi-hats tap into the more recent version of this trend, most associated with German groove-wizard, Benny Greb. Here, Zultan delivers a pair of B20 bronze cymbals, served up in their un-lathed but heavily-hammered Raw finish, where the cast blank is finished with a wax coating, allowing that earthy patina to really pop through. Oh yes, and there are holes. Six of them, to be exact, which removes a fairly large amount of the top cymbal’s surface area. Un-lathed, cast B20 bronze cymbals of this type are known for their already-dry tonal character, but with the additional perforations, we're expecting desert-level conditions. After a gulp of water, it’s time to dive in.

Performance

These are mini-hats, and are unlikely to be a first choice for ‘main’ hi-hats, but in order to try the full count of articulations, we begin with the cymbals mounted on a regular hi-hat stand. First up, it’s worth noting that while the top part of the hi-hat is missing (perhaps these parts fuel a Zultan B20 tambourine?), the bottom cymbal is intact and weighty. This is a classic pairing for hi-hats, designed to enhance the fatness of the ‘chick’ sound. It’s exactly the case here, with heavy attack coming both when played with the foot or – more likely for these cymbals – with a stick in a fixed position. Except it does so with a bit of a twist, because the combination of the dryness from the simplified finishing process and the Polo-ing of the top cymbal creates an additional layer of trash, sort of like layering a traditional hi-hat with a burst of electronic white noise.

Played semi-open open for tight barks and accents, you get a fast, dark response, with some of that trash still present, while separating the hats fully for more sustained eight-note lifts, the sound dries out again, bringing the effect of those holes into play.

Finally, we mounted them in the ‘Greb’ position (to the right of our rack tom) using a fixed X-hat on a boom. As an addition to a larger setup, this feels like the hats’ natural home, allowing for some cool two-handed patterns between these and a more conventional 14-inch pair of hi-hats, while also having the option for ‘riding’ on the mini-hats. We found the most responsive fixed clutch setting was to have them closed to about 85-90% of our X-hat’s range, delivering a solid, staccato note without losing the trashy element. One thing that stands out, though, is the versatility of these cymbals. Tensioned carefully and they’re a trashy pseudo-stack, but they could just as easily be incorporated into percussion and hybrid setups when you want to add some additional colour.

Verdict

You might expect a pair of 8-inch hi-hats to sound thin, high-pitched and great for reliving those early ‘90s Acid Jazz grooves (much like our long-lost Zildjian 10-inch Special Recording hats). But that’s not really what’s on offer here. These are chunky, organic, trashy and very characterful. The fact they’re made of ‘proper’ cymbal alloy means that they feel and sound quality, and let’s be honest – they should do. Zultan has been making its name for over 25 years, and while it has a reputation for making high-quality yet affordable cymbals, these hi-hats still cost just shy of £200.

They’re not going to cut it as a main pair of hi-hats in any sort of rock-derived band setup, and it’s debatable even outside of those genres. But they are a brilliant auxiliary addition, and as mentioned, can serve multiple purposes. In that regard, they represent excellent value and a lot of fun.

Hands-on demos

Zultan

Alternatives

Specifications

Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan of Slipknot has revealed that he needs heart surgery and has said that sometimes he feels like he’s “dying”.

All a bit worrying for fans of metal icons. Crahan – who is only 56 – talked candidly about his health on an edition of Rick Rubin’s Tetragrammaton podcast.

“I have a skipping heart and I got to get a surgery,” he started. “And I found this out after my last tour. I went in, I wasn’t feeling good, and I went in and the nurse was trying to get an EKG thing going on me or whatever and it just wasn’t happening. I kind of fell asleep and I woke up. I’m like, ‘Are you going to get this thing?’ And she’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not working.’

"They thought I was having a heart attack right there. Anyway, my heart skips and apparently I’ve taught myself to be like a cross country runner.”

He continued: ‘So, I’m overweight and my brain is so strong that it tells this stuff what to do. So, my standing heart rate at night is 43 and during the day I get down to 33. (It) hasn’t happened since I’ve been here with you, which is good, because I’ll go from ‘on,’ to just straight up I feel like I’m dying. So, I got to get a surgery. It’s a very easy surgery. You’re usually out on the same day. It’s not like they rip you open.”

The alternative, Crahan explained, was a pacemaker, which he said is an absolute no no. “I was like, ‘Doc, listen, I get a pacemaker. I’m done, right? Touring, Slipknot?’ So he goes, ‘Oh, no. You’re going to feel better.’ And I just I lost it. I was like, ‘I can’t get out of this to save my life’. I’m like, there is nothing... It’s going to be better because of Slipknot.”

Inevitably, this sort of talk led to some reflections about the two Slipknot members who are no longer with us: Joey Jordison and Paul Gray. Crahan explained that after Gray’s death in 2010 he had to be convinced to continue: “He’s the whole reason I’m sitting here.

"He hijacked me from my art career. So many people innately wanted to say, so blindly, well, ‘You know, Paul would want you to go on’, and I wouldn’t say much. And then finally, I had enough. And I’m like, did anyone think that maybe I might not want to go on without my friend?”

There was a time where there would be no point shopping on Amazon for drum gear. Beyond e-drums and the odd set of sticks, there was no reason to look beyond your local drum store or your friendly specialist online music retailer. But with Amazon’s Big Spring Sale in full flight, I wanted to dig a little deeper to see if I could uncover anything actually worth recommending. And it turns out… there is!

Honestly, my top pick from the offering below is the cheapest, too. Pearl’s tough-as-they-come multi-tool is an essential for any stick bag in my book. And with a 36% discount right now, it’s an absolute steal considering you get 13 handy tools in one. I also really rate Vic Firth’s stick bags, and the Performer series bag below is as spacious as they come and currently has 9% off.

Keep reading for more of my finds.

• Shop the full Amazon Big Spring Sale
• In the UK or Europe? Try Thomann’s up to 60% off Spring Sale

NAMM 2026: Our bass drum pedals form an integral part of our setups, yet attempting to convince a drummer to change pedals is a hard-fought challenge. Mapex is clearly giving it a solid go, though, as its new Design Lab Swift bass drum pedal brings a plethora of design points that might well encourage you to dip your toe.

First, it’s the product of the Mapex Design Lab - a gang of top-level designers and artists who collectively devise, build and road-test new creations. From this, the Swift arrives at a belt-driven design, tethering the footplate to the pedal’s cam with a solid, lag-free connection.

Now, one of the stand-out features of the Swift, is it’s conveniently-placed Quick-Set Spring Tensioner. It works in conjunction with the similarly easy-to-use Spring Tension Guide by giving a top-mounted thum-bolt. So what? Well, this means no more awkward, two-handed spring adjustments. Instead, it’s easy to reach, and puts finely-tuned spring tension quite literally at your fingertips.

Moving on, and it’s clear that the Mapex boffins have been thinking hard. From the independently-adjustable beater hub –– which allows for perfect placement of the beater angle, without affecting the footboard height –– to the super-smooth footboard hinge which is designed to keep the pedal movement slick, silent and durable.

Elsewhere, Mapex has equipped the Swift with an easy-reach hoop clamp, which can be attached and adjusted single-handedly from a seated position, and, when it’s time to break-down your kit, you can remove the springs quickly in order to stow the Swift in the included smart-form case.

The Mapex Swift is available now, for more information or to find a stockist, visit the Mapex website.

NAMM 2026: Back in 2022, DW announced its DWe line of electronic-acoustic convertible drum sets, delivering a premium acoustic kit that doubled as one of the world's best electronic drum sets. Years in the making, it combined premium DW 333 drum shells, internally-mounted wireless triger technology, access to DW’s Soundworks computer-based sound library. It was another 12 months before we finally got our hands on the first production models.

Now, DW has announced integration with modules from parent company, Roland, meaning that you can now purchase a DWe kit –– complete with wirelessly-connected triggering –– and pair it seamlessly with one of Roland’s next-generation modules.

The range-expansion centres around all-new DWe bundles, which are available in four-andfive-piece configurations. For the four-piece, that means a 12x9” rack tom, 14x12” floor tom, 20x14” bass drum, and 14x5.5” snare drum.

The five-piece, meanwhile, comes with 10x8” and 12x9” rack toms, a 16x14” floor tom, 22x16” floor tom and a 14x6.5” snare drum. Also included in the bundle is a cymbal pack, giving the option of either DW’s Metal Cymbal Pack or a Roland pack comprising CY-16R-T crash/ride pads as well as its VH-10 hi-hat pad. Bundle purchasers will also receive a DrumLink Wireless Hub, Roland Rubix24 audio interface, DW 5000 hardware pack, and a DW Soundworks license.

The big news, though, is that DWe shells and cymbals are no longer exclusively tied to using DW’s computer--based sounds. Both of these bundles come with the option of either a Roland V71 or V51 module. The V71 was released in 2024, and saw Roland turn a fairly big corner, bringing VST-rivalling multi-mic’d and multi-layered sounds (ported from DW’s Soundworks library) natively to a drum module.

It was the answer to the pleas of drummers everywhere who didn’t want to connect to a computer for superior drum sounds when practicing, recording or playing live. Then, in late 2025, Roland took the concept nuclear by unleashing its V51 and V31 modules. These share the same core sound library as the V71, offering Roland’s greatest module-based sound libraries at a lower price point, and now they’re available to DWe owners.

In addition to the shell pack bundles, DW has also created its DWe Side Snare bundle. Here, you get a 10x5” maple snare, equipped with a DWe digiMAG throwoff (a physical, traditional-style throwoff that can turn your electronic snares off). Also included in the bundle is a DWe DrumLink wireless hub and Soundworks license.

For more information on the full range of DWe bundles, visit the DW website.

NAMM 2026: Donner is known for squeezing-in plenty of bang for your buck, and new for 2026 is its Groove Series, a new line of professional electronic drum sets made exclusively for the US market, and delivering what it describes as “portability without compromising the authentic feel and expressiveness of an acoustic drum kit”

There are three kits in the Groove Series: Groove, Groove Max and Groove Ultra. Each kit follows a five-piece drum pad setup, with mesh-headed snare and tom pads throughout, and the trio uses the same quick-setup Swift-Rack system.

The Groove Series starts with the Groove kit, which is designed to be a space-saving compact setup for daily practice. In addition to the five-piece pad setup (3x 8” tom pads, 1x 10”, dual-zone snare pad, 1x 6” bass drum pad), also comes with a single-zone 10” hi-hat pad and two 10”, dual-zone cymbal pads with choke.The hi-hat is controlled by a remote foot pedal, and of course, it also includes the Groove drum module.

The Groove Max follows a similar configuration, with the same drum pads and module as the Groove. However, when it comes to the cymbal configuration, we get an upgrade courtesy of an additional two-zone, chokeable 10” cymbal pad.

The Groove Module features an integrated, tilted phone support to keep your device safe while you jam to your music library. It’s home to over acoustic, electronic and percussion instruments, which are arranged into 50 preset kits. There are 50 ‘demo songs’ to jam with, and the module allows for expansion with additional tom pad and second crash trigger inputs. In addition to this, the Groove module offers L/R stereo outputs, a headphone output, aux-input (mini-jack) and MIDI over USB for connecting to a computer for recording/software control.

When we get to the flagship Groove Ultra, things start to change up a bit. First, the drum pads are all upgraded to match the shell-like appearance of the snare pad. The sizes remain largely the same, but the floor tom is larger at 10”, matching the diameter of the snare pad.

The cymbals are improved, with a stand-mounted, 12” hi-hat pad, as well as an upgraded ride cymbal which includes a third zone (bell) for more expressive ride cymbal playing. Finally, the Groove Ultra also sees the introduction of the Groove Ultra module, which retains all of the functionality of the Groove module, but comes packed with an additional 175 (575 in total) sounds.

Donner’s Groove Series is available now exclusively from Guitar Center and Musician’s Friend.

NAMM 2026 is officially underway, and If you’re anything like us, you’ll have been keeping your eyes peeled for the most exciting new releases. Yamaha knows this, and has leaned into it with teasers for an all-new electronic drums product over the last couple of weeks.

The cryptically-cropped pictures got tongues wagging - is it a new electronic drum set module? Maybe a new multi-pad? As of now, we know that it is, in fact, a new addition to Yamaha EAD line-up: the EAD 50. And it seems to have its sights set on doing away with your sample pad, trigger module, mics, interface and mixer in one fell swoop.

Unless you’ve been locked in a practice room since 2018 (and if you have, we’ve got a lot to catch up on), you’ll know about the Yamaha EAD10. It’s a multi-faceted hybrid drum processor comprising a trigger/stereo microphone, sound module, effects processor, audio recorder and more.

Now, the EAD50 is here to take things to the next level with more power, more control, and a number of upgraded, pro-level features. It starts with an update to the dual-purpose trigger/microphone sensor.

The DSU50 combines a pair of custom-matched cardioid condenser microphones, and as with the original EAD10 sensor, an integrated bass drum trigger. This time, though, it’s built into a more rugged, stage-ready housing.

One thing many EAD10 users have called for is the ability to combine multiple microphones, and the good news is, not only does the EAD50 do so, it gives you five combo XLR/TRS jack sockets. So, as well as the stereo signal from the DSU50, you can add a further three mics to your kit, or simply connect five third-party microphones for full multi-track mixing, processing and recording.

There’s more when it comes to triggering, too. Expanding on the EAD10’s total trigger and footswitch count with five dedicated, stereo trigger inputs. These will work with pads and triggers from a range of manufacturers, and offer a combination of 1-3 zones. What's more, you can split each input for a total of up to 10 trigger inputs.

Need more trigger inputs? The EAD's USB Trigger Link connection allows you to hook up an additional trigger converter/drum module and send a further 12 trigger signals to the EAD50.

Output connectivity is also improved, with a set of eight balanced individual outputs over TRS jacks, balanced stereo outputs via XLR sockets, and an unbalanced stereo output (jacks). There are two sockets handling memory functions - either from a USB memory stick, or SD card. These allow you to stream four channels of audio, with the ability to route them flexibly too. Ideal say, for using a backing track and click track sent to different audio outputs.

As well as playing audio, the EAD50 is, of course, capable of recording it too. On board is a built-in recorder, sampler and looper to help you capture your performances, as well as expanding your creative possibilities. In addition to standalone recording, it's also equipped with a 8-in/10-out USB audio interface for recording with a DAW.

To the top of the EAD50, we get more hands-on control thanks to 11 rotary encoders, plus a five-channel master mixer section giving you real-time tweaking of your mic’d kit, triggered module sounds, monitoring and more.

Now, that’s a lot to navigate, and while the EAD50 has a screen to make sound-editing easier, Yamaha has also developed the EAD Touch app for iOS and Android. This gives a more visual representation of what’s going on under the hood, and, being mobile device-based, gives the added benefit of harnessing the power of your device’s touchscreen.

The EAD 50 is available for preorder now. For more information, head to Yamaha’s EAD product page.

NAMM 2026: While DW brings the high-end releases, we can always count on PDP to pull something just a little different out of the bag. This year, DW’s sister-brand is turning its attention to acrylic, with the release of the PDP Concept Acrylic kit and snare.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen fantastic plastic shells from PDP, however, just as with its 2024 Anniversary Edition acrylic drums, which paired the clear shells with walnut-stained hoops, PDP is once again mixing things up. This time, the shells come fitted with seamless acrylic hoops throughout - a feature that PDP is claiming as a world-first.

Each drum is fitted with the acrylic hoops, which cap each seamless, see-through shell with a translucent band at each end –– 1-inch one the snare and toms, 2-inch on the bass drum –– and PDP says that the hoops offer a “cutting rimshot” while helping to control the overtones of each drum. Given that acrylic drums already feature a punchy attack with some of the pure fundamentals, it’s an intriguing idea.

The PDP Concept Acrylic snare is available separately, with a 14x6.5” shell and a DW MAG throwoff. Meanwhile, the kits are available in two shell pack configurations: a four-piece comprising 10x7”, 12x8” and 16x16” toms plus a 22x16” bass drum, or a six-piece setup following the same dimensions, but with the inclusion of an 8x7” rack tom and 14x14” floor tom.

Each tom makes use of PDP’s STM mounting system, and the True-Pitch tension rods grasp the hoops with vintage-style claw hooks, rather than through-hole mounting. They’re anchored by PDP dual-turret lugs, and each drum is fitted with Remo heads.

The PDP Concept Acrylic Kit and Snare are available now. Head to the PDP website for more information.

NAMM 2026: If there’s one trend that we’re glad to see continued at Namm 2026 , it’s that of heavyweight, cast bell bronze snare drums, and DW is first out of the gate with the latest edition to its True-Cast series, the Limited Edition MFG True-Cast 14x4” snare drum.

Designed in collaboration with ace session drummer, posture expert and cast-snare aficionado, Dave Elitch (The Mars Volta, Miley Cyrus, Weezer and more), the 4-inch-deep version of the True-Cast is just slim enough to claim the crown as DW’s first ever piccolo model in the range.

Shell-wise, the True-Cast features a contoured profile, starting at 5mm-thick at the top and bottom, and tapering into the classic ‘Bell Brass’ 3mm thickness in the middle of its height. It’s sand-casted as a single piece and machined into its final dimensions, with two-piece machined DW Mini-Turret lugs made of solid brass along with True-Cast hoops.

Elsewhere, the brass theme continues with a Mini-Mag throwoff and matching buttplate, tension rods –– even the mounting screws –– all made from hand-machined brass at DW’s Oxnard, California HQ.

The True-Cast 14x4” comes with 20-strand True-Tone snare wires, and is fitted with vented DW MFG heads made my Remo. Now for the bad news - numbers are extremely limited with only 100 drums set to go into production ever.

Each snare ships with a certificate of authenticity, and includes a custom-made, blacked-out flightcase made by Calzone Anvil. For more information on DW True-Cast snares, or to find a stockist, visit the DW website.

Well, this is a new one. A diplomatic summit between South Korea and Japan was wrapped up yesterday (January 13) by the two leaders – South Korean president Lee Jae Myung and Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi playing a drum duet together.

No, this isn’t a surreal sequence dreamt up by an anime animator or more AI slop. It actually happened. Takaichi actually used to be the drummer in a metal band and in a nod to her past, the leaders ended their summit in playful fashion by banging out a medley of K-pop hits, including Dynamite by BTS and Kpop Demon Hunters’ Golden.

Lee described his performance as “a little clumsy” but it seems like the President didn’t embarrass himself.

The South Korean leader was visiting Nara, Takaichi’s hometown and as a gift he gave his counterpart a new kit. The pair also exchanged drumsticks after their performance.

Writing on Twitter/X afterwards, Takaichi said: "When we met at APEC last year, (Lee) said it was his dream to play the drums, so we prepared a surprise.”

Unsurprisingly, the footage has gone viral, not just in East Asia but around the world. "Music seems to have the power to connect hearts at a deeper level than words ever could," one X user wrote in Korean. "Exchanges like this may be quiet, but they will surely help move relations between Korea and Japan forward."

"Just seeing them actually playing drums together - not just posing - looks like they are having so much fun, and that's what matters most," one user tweeted in Japanese. "Both Korea and Japan are facing tough situations, but if we can meet each other halfway, I truly believe things will move in a positive direction."

The two countries haven’t always had an easy relationship. Korea, after all, was occupied by the Japanese during the Second World War, and there have been various territorial disputes down the centuries. But both nations are now US allies in a region where China is an increasingly assertive major power.

Given the current situation in other areas of the world, perhaps more world leaders could think of adopting music as a diplomatic tool? In summary: more drums, less bombs.

So, you've just unboxed a new electronic drum set for Christmas. If you're totally new to the drums, then congratulations - you're about to embark on a supremely fulfilling rhythmic journey (I'm 25 years deep and still loving it). If you've been playing for a while, you're now in possession of a powerful home practice and recording tool.

Whatever stage you're currently at, once your kit is out of the box and built - here's MusicRadar's guide on how to set up an e-kit here if you need pointers - there's a few other investments I think you should make sooner than later. All of the suggestions in this guide are designed to make your e-kit sound better (and quieter!), to help expand your creativity, to make your time behind the kit more comfortable and, finally, to keep your new drums in prime condition so they serve you for years to come.

Since the birth of my son I've played electronic drums almost exclusively (I refuse to take the heat for waking the toddler) and I've personal employed a good portion of the recommendations on this page.

Volume control: 3 ways to keep the peace

While electronic drums are quieter than their acoustic brethren, they're not exactly silent. If you've gone down the e-kit route for home practice, or you convinced someone to get you one because 'it would be quieter than acoustic drums', you probably had a rude awakening when you first took stick to pad.

Electronic drums aren't as family-friendly as the marketing spiel would have you believe, but thanks to a few reasonably affordable upgrades - such as a rug, Noise Eater pads for your pedals, or Roland's own V-Drums Quiet Design bass drum beater - there's a few ways to reduce the overall acoustic noise and general vibrations of your kit, and maintain harmony at home.

Monitoring: A treat for your ears

An e-kit is only as good as the gear you use to hear the module sounds. Most e-drummers use headphones, which is why I've recommended a couple of tried-and-tested pairs below - including a great sounding but affordable pair from Audio-Technica and Vic Firth cans that offer fantastic sound isolation - either of which would be a wise investment. We've got more recommendations in our guide to the best headphones for drummers.

If you'd prefer to hear yourself out loud, then you'll need a drum monitor. Plenty of brands offer them, but my Alesis choice below is reliable, affordable and sounds great.

Software: Supercharge your kit sounds

Unless you have the budget for a flagship kit from Roland, Alesis, EFnote et al, you'll quickly realise how unrealistic many of the sounds in your module are. That doesn't mean your kit is a dud, it's just an invite to get creative with your setup. The easiest way is to invest in a drum VST such as Superior Drummer 3, which opens you up to a world of professionally-recorded drum samples that you can trigger using your e-kit. All you need is the software and a decent laptop or PC to run it from.

I've recommended a couple of add-on packs here too, opening you up to a variety of sounds, but this merely scratches the surface of the range of sample packs available covering a huge variety of styles.

Hardware upgrades: Get comfortable, play better

Once your kit is unboxed and built, there's a number of ways to upgrade it, whether that's expanding the number of pads to grow the canvas on which to paint your rhythmic masterpieces, or taking other hardware to the next level, whether that's a smoother, more adjustable bass drum pedal, or a more comfortable throne to facilitate longer hours of practice.

Essential accessories: My go-to tools

Honestly, once you have your kit, a comfy throne and a few pairs of sticks, you'll enjoy many happy years of drumming without spending a penny more. But, what's a hobby without the inevitable Gear Acquisition Syndrome? My suggestions in this section range from a drummer's tool for quick fixes and tensioning of mesh heads, to a tablet/phone stand for hands-free learning (hello Drumeo subscription) and a trusty cleaning solution to keep those pads and rack in tip-top condition.

‘Sing, Sing, Sing’, the Benny Goodman Orchestra’s sensational hit of 1937, featured the explosive drumming of Gene Krupa, with the most enduring tom-tom tattoo ever committed to wax. It’s still an infectious beat, butchered by every drummer with a floor tom while also endlessly engaging the advertising, TV and movie industries.

Goodman famously stormed Carnegie Hall in 1938 and the visceral thrill of Krupa’s take-no-prisoners stomp (here on YouTube) instantly entered drumming folklore. That moment furthermore revolutionised the drum set itself. Krupa’s mahogany ply Slingerland Radio King toms were the first to be tuneable both top and bottom. Radio Kings became the prototype for the modern drum kit.

Although widely forgotten, Slingerland was also second only to Ludwig in the post-Beatles world. Slingerland had built “the world’s largest, most modern drum plant”, just north of its Chicago hometown. By the time Buddy Rich was reducing us to quivering wrecks with his yearly appearances in the UK, his gleaming late-1960s/1970s Slingerlands were robust ‘Unimold’ ply. Numerous top drummers followed Buddy’s lead: Brits Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Bev Bevan (The Move, ELO), Nigel Olsson (Elton John); and many, many more across the pond, including Peter Erskine with Weather Report and Neil Peart in early Rush.

Rich ended his career playing a restored Radio King from the 1940s. He just loved that vintage warm mahogany tone.

What is it?

Why mention all this? Well hopefully it explains why the revamped Radio King is such a big deal. Why Chris Lombardi secured the marque for his dad, DW founder and lifelong drum nut, Don Lombardi, in 2019. Why it has taken the financial clout and respect of today’s biggest US drum company five years to re-imagine.

The quandary facing DW was how to cherry pick from 40 years of historic drum crafting (roughly 1930s to 1970s) to formulate a worthy modern successor. Following Krupa, Slingerland’s popularity ballooned, resulting in occasionally slipshod workmanship. So whilst eminently collectable, 1930s-1950s RKs are inconsistent. Re-rings can disengage, shells may not be quite round.

By the 1960s Slingerland had largely overcome these demons. But the vintage sound of Krupa’s earlier toms and kicks remained that of the ‘airplane type’ thin three-ply mahogany-poplar shells with their solid maple re-rings; a labour-intensive type of construction lost to most modern manufacturers. Slingerland’s erstwhile Chicago neighbours and rivals Ludwig finally resurrected this shell layup for its Legacy Mahogany kits in 2015. Now the new DW/Slingerland has taken on a similar job.

So, much rests on the quality of these new shells and you only have to take the briefest look to be assured: they are top-draw. Construction is flawless, the finish immaculate. Two ultra-thin veneers of horizontally laid mahogany are wrapped around a rather thicker vertical core of poplar and held in the round by solid North American maple reinforcing rings. Forming these rings involved DW in the age-old craft of steam bending at its California Oxnard plant. (Note that most re-rings offered by major companies today are simply another belt of plies.)

The original Slingerland famously continued to make solid maple shell snares long after other major companies had stopped. DW kicked off its Slingerland rebirth with limited edition solid shell Radio Kings, but the snare drum seen here today has the same mahogany ply shell as the toms. This is fine as old Slingerland (check out the beautiful 1960s/70s catalogues) also made three-ply mahogany snares.

Finishes

Most RK drums from the 1940s are yellowed White Marine Pearl. Some are Black Diamond Pearl. Both these definitive wraps are back on offer. The BDP of our review kit is the real deal with that large diamond pattern rarely seen today. Alternatively, Slingerland offers two attractive heritage dual-fade lacquer finishes.

Hardware

The sheer heft of the drums tells you something about the hardware. Vintage hardware is too feeble for today. DW has wisely plunged for 21^st century stadium-ready stability.

Bass drum spurs are of familiar modern design, while the floor tom legs are half inch diameter, with thickset brackets and integrated memory clamps. As for the small tom mounting, many will simply resort to a snare stand. But DW has retained the traditional outsized diamond plate, now part-isolated from the shell by rubber buttons, and sporting a mounting clamp with saw-toothed innards, eliminating the dreaded lateral slipping characteristic of so many ‘L’ arm mounts.

The lugs really give vintage RKs their distinctive look, but the pot metal of the 1930/40s was prone to cracking. DW has painstakingly copied these timeless profiles with expensive new moulds. They look perfect and won’t fail. 1940s beavertail ‘clam shell’ lugs adorn the toms and bass drum, while the snare drum has eight double-ended Streamlined, ‘cigar’ lugs. Our 20” bass drum has 16 lugs; all but the bottom pairs have tap handle rods, completing the elegant period guise.

Pre-War hoops were dubbed ‘Stick Choppers’. But from around 1955 Slingerland was distinguished by its chic inward-rolling Stick Saver ‘Rim-Shot’ hoops. DW has recreated these complete with the Slingerland script logo stamped into them.

Choice of snare strainer is the straightforward mid-1960s Zoomatic. This also has been faithfully copied and solidly re-worked.

All the metalwork is nickel plated, which has a warmly radiant, slightly golden tinge, softer than chrome, suiting the aura of the drums. Other details such as the internal name-stamped washers and updated ‘cloud’ badge complete this classy revival.

Performance

If you’re used to modern loud and clattery tom sounds be prepared for a different vibe. Bearing edges are cut at 30 degrees giving a smoother, less aggressive attack than modern drums. The tail-off from the toms is shorter, not so much muted as defined.

I tuned the 14” floor tom batter down for a deeper Krupa rumble and was rewarded with a generous velvety thrum. No real necessity for damping, which rather questions the inclusion of ‘tone’ controls. They’re nice for authenticity though, and practical if used judiciously. Because they’re now so sturdily made, they don’t rattle, slip or tilt, so just by allowing the tiniest kissing contact you can get a subtly foreshortened, almost eq’ed timbre.

The Stick Saver hoops look pretty and somehow create a different, cossetted ambience, splendid on the snare drum in particular. European drums including Sonor and Trixon had similar hoops back in the 1960s and were widely prized.

The bass drum came with both single-ply coated Remos intact and two DW BDP2 pillows inside. Unsurprisingly the sound was supressed. Taking the pillows out allowed the drum to breathe. Even so, the retort was thuddy rather than slamming. A simple felt strip under the resonant head will probably suffice for many.

Incidentally, when I re-mounted the heads I just gave each ‘T’ rod a swipe and they flew in – the threads are so finely engineered. Details like this give you confidence in the overall quality of components.

The snare has a dark yet snappy scrunch. Centre hits are brisk, but followed by a pronounced ring. It’s a musical ring, the result of the thin resonant shell and inwardly curved hoops. Rim shots have a melodious woody clonk, almost like a soft cowbell. This carries over into the side-stick response which is borderline shrill with a flute-like clarity. There is no doubting this is a sensitive instrument.

All-in-all not the most thunderous of kits. Not particularly loud, but sophisticated, rounded and darkly inviting, with a woody, thuddy tone.

Also consider

Specifications

• Review kit sizes: 12”x8”, 14”x14” toms, 20x14” bass drum, 14”x5½” Slingerland Radio King snare drum
• Where built: Drum Workshop’s factory in Oxnard, California, USA
• Other available sizes: (bass drums) 18”x14”, 20”x14”, 22”x14”, 24”x14”; (toms) 10”x7”, 12”x8”, 13”x9”, 14”x14”, 16”x16” and 18”x16”; (snares) 14”x5½”, 14”x6½”, 14”x5”, 14”x7”
• Finishes: Black Diamond Pearl (pictured), White Marine Pearl, Black and Gold or Blue and Silver Lacquers
• Shell makeup: 3-ply mahogany-poplar-mahogany with steam bent solid North American maple reinforcing-rings
• Badges: Vintage style gold ‘cloud’ badge in aluminium, laser-etched with the legend ‘Slingerland Quality Drums U.S.A.’
• Lugs: Beavertail, single tension ‘clam shells’ on bass and toms; Streamlined, double tension ‘cigar’ shape on review snare
• Hoops: Stick-saver triple-flanged steel, nickel plated
• Bass drum tension rods: ‘T’ handle rods with modern cast hooks lined with thin protective felt
• Snare wires: Slingerland Snappy snare wires, chromed steel
• Mufflers: Twin tone control felt pads with nickel plated steel frame and small exterior knurled adjustment knob
• Supplied heads: All drums ship with Remo coated heads sporting the 1970s style Slingerland script logo
• Welcome pack: Contains Radio King pennant, cloth bag for dusting cloth, spare tension rods and drum key with pouch
• Contact: Slingerland

EFnote Mini review: What is it?

Since the company’s launch in 2018, EFnote has released a decent range of electronic drum set configurations under its 3, 5 and 7 series’. In 2024 the line-up grew further with the new flagship EFnote Pro - focussed on live stage use and aiming to blur the lines between electronic and acoustic drums thanks to its full-size drum and cymbal pads and unique stage-box style module (you can check out my review here). The most recent addition to the EFnote family and the focus of my review takes a step in the opposite direction from the Pro, looking to minimise the footprint for drummers in the market for a great-looking, home practice solution.

The EFnote Mini combines the compact form factor we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on more traditional e-kits, with the visual stylings of a full-sized acoustic kit (or even an acoustic style e-kit in more recent years). The result is an extremely cute compact drumset reminiscent of Ludwig Breakbeats or Tama Club Jam jungle-style kits, yet smaller still and completely electronic.

The 7-piece setup comprises a tiny 14''x10’' bass drum (with riser), 10''x4.5’' dual-zone snare drum (plus dedicated X-stick wedge), 8’’x6.5'' rack tom and 10''x10’' floor tom (both dual-zone). On the cymbal front, there are 14” hi-hats, a triple-zone 16” ride and a dual-zone 8” splash/crash. A snare drum stand, cymbal stand for the ride, tom mount and a rod for the splash are all included, but you’ll still need a bass drum pedal, hi-hat stand, throne and of course some drummer’s headphones or a drum monitor before you’re ready to go - something you’ll need to budget for on top of a kit that’s already north of two grand.

Whilst I’m on the tricky subject of price, weighing up the value of an e-kit naturally relies on a multitude of factors, not just its size. With the EFnote Mini it would be easy to see such a tiny kit and wonder why it isn’t more affordable; in the case of more common rack-based e-drum setups, it almost certainly would be. The EFnote 3, for example, comes in at a slightly lower price point than the Mini, yet offers additional tom and cymbal pads, plus larger diameter drums. But to counter-argue, the Mini is a unique proposition and the full-depth drum shells are 6-ply birch, finished in EFnote’s signature white sparkle wrap. This gives an overall feeling of quality and makes it look like the real-deal, albeit in a slightly shrunken form.

Arguably one of, if not the main consideration when it comes to shopping for an e-kit is the module itself. This is where all the computing power happens and where the actual drum sounds come from - without it we’re just left with some very good looking but fairly useless lumps of wood and rubber.

In the case of the EFnote Mini, its namesake module has been especially designed for this kit, with a new collection of sounds and some features borrowed from other modules. It’s most comparable with the EFnote 5 module (which uses the same touchscreen) but is finished in a fetching white rather than brushed steel. It comes pre-loaded with 12 kits plus room for 18 user kits, but there’s also a growing number of freely available kits which can be downloaded via the EFnote Tools app.

The pads connect to the module via a cable snake which allows for an extra tom or crash to be connected. There’s actually a 14” crash and stand add-on pack available from EFnote, although I found it tricky to find in stores at the time of writing this review. The module also features 1/4” left and right jack outputs, Bluetooth audio, a mini-jack input and USB-C connection for 8-channel multi-track recording to a computer.

EFnote Mini review: Performance & verdict

When it comes to customisation of sounds, the module allows fairly basic control over panning, tuning and muffling, although I found the muffling control a little too subtle when trying to tame a particularly lively snare sample. There’s also a two-band equaliser and eight types of ambience (such as room, hall and stage reverbs).

Each kit sound is bone-dry out of the box (something I’ve found to be the norm with all EFnote kits), so the reverb is certainly a necessary feature. The effect level is dialled in as a percentage, with 100% of course offering maximum ambience. I’d love to see a way of mixing the dry and wet levels in future firmware updates as I found the dryness of the samples was still prominent even with the reverb level set to maximum.

The overall sample quality is decent, focusing on natural sounds within a mixed bag of styles, and promising to keep the majority happy. Most of the presets are geared specifically toward the Mini setup, using a splash sound in place of a crash for the most part and tonally matching the size of the pads. The same can be said for the bass drum and tom samples which work well to mimic the physical aesthetic of the kit.

Tweaking presets and replacing/swapping sounds is easy, or alternatively the entire kit can be duplicated to a free slot and used as a starting point for a new creation. Most of the kit presets are borrowed from other EFnote modules but there are some brand new ones too. Some highlights include FunQ pico, Street Groove, Firstnote mini and Super Vintage (which is one of the downloadable kits available through the app).

Navigation through the module is straightforward and intuitive thanks to the touchscreen and rotary dial combo. It’s a shame that there’s no colour screen though as I feel the old-school Game Boy vibe does cheapen it somewhat.

In terms of hardware, I’ve been continuously impressed with EFnote’s build quality and attention to detail. Even with the relatively small 16” ride cymbal here for example (compared to full-size 20” rides on other kits), the separate bell, bow and edge triggering alongside the physical playability makes it feel perfectly natural under-stick. An added bonus is that the ride plays fantastically as a crash/ride which means the splash can work as intended rather than as a strangely tiny crash. The 12” optical hi-hats play well, comparable to EFnote’s 14” models which I’ve been impressed with before. All EFnote cymbals have 360 degree playability which means smooth triggering and choke function all the way round.

The drums themselves feel solid and the 14” bass drum felt completely planted to my mat thanks to solid spurs and riser, however hard I played it. The drums are - as I’ve already discussed - very small. I needed to be quite precise when it came to avoiding the rims, particularly when it came to the 8” tom, but it’s something I got used to fairly quickly. On the whole, the dimensions add to this unique kit’s charm.

The EFnote Mini is versatile enough to be an ideal set up for adults or children alike. Proportionately it would likely suit the frame of a younger person but has plenty of adjustability to adapt to anyone. I’m over 6ft and despite probably looking a bit silly sat behind it, I managed to get it set up comfortably for me. There’s plenty of length on the supplied, bass drum-mounted tom arm, although I was maxed out on the height of the floor tom legs. In terms of actual floor space, the footprint of the setup kit is roughly 3.8ft by 2.3ft (without throne).

So, should you buy this kit? The EFnote Mini genuinely offers something a little different from the pack and would make for an excellent looking and sounding home practice kit - I'd even consider taking it to the stage for the right gig. If you want something with more pad choices (and physically larger pads), a wider range of sounds and editing capability, then there are ways to get more for you money both within the EFnote stable and beyond.

EFnote Mini review: Hands-on demos

MusicRadar

E-Drumcenter

65 Drums

EFnote Mini review: Specification

• Configuration: 14''x10’' bass drum, 10''x4.5’' snare drum, 8’’x6.5'' rack tom, 10''x10’' floor tom, 14” hi-hats, 8” splash/crash, 16” ride.
• Preset drum sets: 12
• User drum sets: 18
• Preset instruments: 8
• Preset sounds: 153
• Equalizer: 2-band
• Ambience effects: 8
• Connections: 2x line-out, 6.3mm jack, unbalanced
• Outputs: Stereo phones out, 6.3mm jack
• USB: USB-C audio interface 8 out / 2 in - USB-C MIDI interface in / out
• Bluetooth connectivity: Yes
• Pad material: Mesh
• Shell material: Birch
• Shell finish: White sparkle
• Cymbal finish: Grey
• Contact: EFnote

Roland TD516 review: What is it?

Forget what you know about electronic drums. What was once primarily aimed at offering an at-home solution to space and noise issues by way of compromises in nearly every area has evolved over the decades. Realistic playability and response? Evermore faithful recreation of the physical size and placement side of our acoustic drum kits? These are nuts that have certainly been cracked before now, leaving one final piece in the puzzle left to solve: sounds.

Ironically, while manufacturers have been serving-up convincing digital facsimiles of complex electronic circuits from guitar amps, effects and vintage keyboards for years, it seems that distilling one of the most primitive instruments of all into a portable box has also taken the longest to mimic. What is it about a hollowed-out log with some synthetic animal skin stretched over it that is so difficult to capture in a drum module?

Well, apparently electronic drum brands are starting to find the answer. Pearl started the ball rolling with its Steven slate drums-equipped Mimic Pro. Alesis followed suit with the Strata Prime, and Roland brought a double-barrel to the shootout with its DWe (Roland acquired the Californian acoustic drum royalty in 2023) and its 7 Series, V71 module-powered kits in 2024.

These releases all form a new wave of next-generation electronic drum sets and modules with one primary objective: provide VST-rivalling sound generation in a ‘traditional’ drum module format. Gone are the lo-res sample layers with baked-in ambience, taking with them the giveaway machine-gun repetition.

In their place sits sophisticated, nuanced sound libraries which, rather than giving you dynamically filtered variations on the exact same drum and cymbal sample when you strike a pad softer or harder, have been captured from real drums being hit expressively. Not only that, but electronic drum makers have felt the penny drop on the fact that the booming, head-nodding, gut-bothering sound of an acoustic kit played in a room isn’t achieved by placing your ear three-fingers from a drum head. It’s a culmination of sympathetic resonances and reflections interacting, and to even approach capturing that requires microphones. Lots of them. Turns out that hollow log and faux hide are actually pretty complex.

“But you just said we’ve already got that. Why am I reading this?”. Well, if Roland’s wallet-melting (albeit impressive) 7 Series kits left you with a choice of swapping your car for some of the finest electronic drum sets on the market, you might want to delete your Auto-Trader ad. Because, in true democratic economic style, Roland recently unleashed the next-gen concept on us little people with not one, but two more odd-numbered e-drum series’.

Not only that, but at the centre of them both sits the exact same sound engine as found in the flagship Roland 7 series. While you Google the catch, I’ll clarify that this isn’t some marketing spin. The proof? Both the ‘entry level’ (within this tier) V31 (we reviewed the Roland VAD316 recently, too) and - the subject of this review - the V51 can load presets from the Roland V71. Of course, there’s a lot more going on here than just sounds, with new pad designs, a UI overhaul, improved connectivity and on-board integration with Roland’s Cloud resource.

Roland TD516 review: Configuration

The 5 Series comprises three tiers of kits, all of which include the V51 module, but pair it with a different pad configuration. The TD516 I’m testing for this review sits in the middle, with Roland’s real-shell configuration of the VAD516 priced above it, and the more compact TD513 below.

As the 5 Series replaces the outgoing TD-27 Series, you’ll be glad to hear that the headline of the playing surfaces is once again a trio of Roland’s digital pads. We get the flagship VH-14D 14-inch, two-piece hi-hats; an 18” CY-18DR ride cymbal and the tried-and-tested PD-140DS snare. It’s worth noting that these form the first of the big differences between the 5 Series configurations, with the VAD516 including Roland’s top-of-the-line PD-14 DSX, and the TD513 equipped with all-analogue pads.

Next up, the TD516 comes with a pair of Roland’s new PD-10P 10-inch pads for the rack toms, and a 12-inch PD-12P in the floor tom position. These are a new design which feature chrome hoops and a rubber rim, designed to give a more natural feel when playing rimshots. But as well as this, Roland has applied multi-sensor technology under the head to help eliminate the machine-gun effect.

This configuration is kitted-out with Roland’s KD-12 kick drum pad with a 12-inch playing surface, introduced as part of the 7 Series last year. Finally, the crash cymbal slots are fulfilled by the CY-12-CT and CY-14-CT pads, offering 12-inch and 14-inch crashes respectively, and the T at the end of the model numbers denotes that these are Roland’s ‘thin’ models, which, while not new (the slimmed-down format arrived with the previous generation of V-Drums kits), are a feature that I don’t feel always gets the credit it deserves.

They’re lighter, they move more naturally, and when profiled side-to-side with Roland’s previous crashes, feel svelte and agile, while still inviting you to crash them with all the mite of a real B20 pie. In both of the ‘TD’ V-Drums configurations, the whole lot is mounted to Roland’s MDS-Standard 3 rack, which bolts together securely and offers three sides on which to hang everything from. The crash cymbal boom arms are mounted into ‘hideaway’ ports on the tubing either side of each rack tom, saving space on the rack for wider tom placement. But, they can also be moved and mounted elsewhere if you’d rather position them differently.

Now, that’s a lot of model names and numbers to wrap your head around, but to simplify it - the TD516 gets you a full-house of digital pads. Step up to the VAD516 and you’re gaining real drum shell dimensions, Roland’s (frankly awesome) flagship digital snare drum, larger cymbals and a kick drum. Step down to the TD513 and you’ll lose the digital pads and get smaller tom and kick playing surfaces.

Roland TD516 review: The module

There’s a lot to cover with the V51 module, and it starts before you even boot up. As an owner of a Roland TD-27 for a number of years, the first thing I notice is the size difference. The V51 takes the form of Roland’s ‘pro’ modules such as the V71 and its predecessor, the TD-50X. Gone are the hardware controls for instrument selection, tuning, muffling and level, and instead Roland has equipped it with a bank of 6 faders for adjusting individual kit part volumes whenever you goddam feel like it.

Booting-up offers a breath of fresh air, too. The colour screen ousts the now rather old-school-looking display of the TD-27. But it’s bigger, too, allowing for a much friendlier graphical representation when it comes to navigating menus and changing parameters.

There’s a definite ‘app’ feel to a lot of the screens with larger, icon-based layouts rather than a reliance on scrolling deep into multiple screens. Despite the new UI, though, Roland hasn’t thrown the baby out with the bath water, and as such, I’m able to start delving and finding my way around pad settings, sound tweaking and the module’s basic functionality without having to read the manual.

At the time of writing, Roland is still yet to release its supplementary apps and software for the 5 Series. On the menu for release is the V51 Editor for desktop, which explodes the module’s functionality into a full desktop application, allowing you to make deeper editing dives. As well as this, Roland has announced the V-Drums Play mobile app, which will hand over control of functions such as preset selection, metronome and recording control to your smartphone.

The most important aspect here is, of course, the sounds. In the last decade or so, computer-based sound libraries have really become the go-to for e-kit drummers who want to simulate the sound of a pro-recorded kit at home, and, as mentioned earlier, it’s the biggest hurdle manufacturers have faced. This is due largely to the fact that multi-sampled and multi-mic’d drum kits create a lot of data in the form of sample information. To capture it is one thing, but software companies - unlike instrument manufacturers - have the advantage of not being responsible for the hardware that plays it back. As well as the sample data, you need processing power fast enough to translate a hit on a pad into ultra-low latency audio, and, in the case of a drum kit, it needs to do that with a lot of polyphony to incorporate the sustain of cymbals and four limbs continuously striking multiple pads. In short, there’s a lot of number-crunching going on.

Roland has delivered, though, and the V51 follows in the V71’s footsteps by delivering a truly enjoyable experience with the factory sounds. Whether it’s crispy, tight snares, punchy kick drums or warm, open-sounding toms, the drum sounds are responsive throughout most of the preset acoustic kits. The cymbals ring out with character, and, especially in the case of many of the ride cymbals, have an added dimension of realism to them, from the stick attack to the sustain.

During my time with the TD516, I had access to Roland Cloud Ultimate, allowing me to take an all-you-can-eat approach to trying out sounds from Roland’s subscription service. It’s home to some great V51-ready kits ported from DW Soundworks including a collection of 50th Anniversary kit presets, a DW acrylic kit and more. With the module connected to my home Wi-Fi connection, and the Roland Cloud Connect app installed on my phone, it takes a couple of minutes to beam a whole new set of studio-captured DW presets into the module.

It’s straightforward, and you can place them on whatever user preset slot you like. Any paid-for Cloud content remains playable in the kit as long as your subscription is valid. If you’d prefer not to subscribe, you can buy a perpetual license to take full ownership of any downloaded content to keep forever. The big question - is it worth it? That’s impossible to say, as my tastes are different to yours. But I will say that I own Superior Drummer, Steven Slate Drums, BFD and titles from Mixwave and GGD, and I didn’t feel the need to connect the V51 to my computer for sound generation throughout my time using it.

Now, that’s not to say that the module beats, or in some cases rivals these libraries unanimously. In fact, there are some areas that I hope Roland will continue to expand into. For big-album, roomy-sounding rock drums and contemporary metal, there’s still some work to be done. At times the kits head a little too much towards processed, slightly synthetic sounds. But, if it’s live, well-recorded, natural-sounding acoustic kits you’re after, it’s got them, and they’re satisfying to play. Let’s face it, very few of us own a space that happens to be on-par with the world’s greatest drum rooms, and as such the most appealing sounds within the V51 for me are the ones that could replace an acoustic kit played in a realistic room.

It’s not just the traditional sounds that grab the attention though. Hats must be removed for Roland’s sound designers all round. The electronic kits sound modern, as well as classic, and will totally fit-in to function band and pop sets. For the more experimental tastes, there are some wildly addictive crunchy, compressed and distorted kits which inspire different grooves every time I sit at the kit, and there are some killer world percussion samples in there to boot. That is, with the exception of one timbale which sounds like it was modelled on a certain reality show about sending celebrities to a jungle and, presumably, leaving them there forever to think about what they’ve done.

Roland TD516 review: Verdict

The TD516 is very, very good, and so it should be, given the price. But, that justification hasn’t always been matched by the result. With the V71 module, Roland turned the corner drummers have been hoping for. Now, we’re seeing the results of the world’s leading electronic drum manufacturer passing that advancement down to more affordable price points.

This review scratches the surface of what is on offer, because what’s on offer is so vast. The TD516 configuration offers an excellent trade-off in terms of keeping the most important elements while saving space and money. Not having to reach for a USB cable feels like the advent of a new era for electronic drums, and we might be about to see a lot more e-kits out in the wild as a result.

Roland TD516 review: Hands-on demos

MusicRadar

Roland

Sweetwater Sound Check

Roland TD516 review: Specification

• Drum sound module: V51
• Snare: PD-140DS
• Tom 1: PD-10P
• Tom 2: PD-10P
• Tom 3: PD-12P
• Hi-hat: VH-14D
• Crash 1: CY-12C-T
• Crash 2: CY-14R-T
• Ride: CY-18DR
• Kick: KD-12
• Drum rack: MDS-Standard 3
• Other features: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3x digital pad slots, SD card slot, user sample import
• Contact: Roland

We're big fans of the sheer accessibility afforded by Alesis's keenly-priced e-drum output, so I always keep an especially beady eye out for reductions on their offerings when putting together our Black Friday electronic drum set deals hub.

So today, I'm happy to discover this chunky $100 saving on the entry-level Alesis Nitro Max. That price point is one key reason it's the perfect kit for beginners, but it's far from the only excuse to take the plunge before this offer expires. With Black Friday deals set to end tonight, you might not have long to take advantage.

You can read our full 4.5-star Alesis Nitro Max review here.

Proper mesh drum heads give a great feel, and this 8-piece set-up, complete with 10" snare, also boasts extremely credible BFD-powered sounds to enthuse any budding Bonham plus, for play-along fun, Bluetooth connectivity so you can stream the tunes of your choice through your headphones or separate amp as you hammer away.

That BFD-powered Nitro Max module is the star of the show here, offering 440 drum sounds and 32 preset kits. BFD, in case you didn't know, is the multi-sampled, computer-based drum sample library software that Alesis’ parent company, inMusic acquired in 2020. Every purchase of a Nitro Max also includes a copy of BFD Player for deeper customising of your sounds. You'll also get a free three-month trial with Drumeo, the world-leading online drums tuition platform which we rank as the best drum lesson offering out there.

For more great deals during Cyber Weekend, make sure to go check out our Black Friday music deals page, where we're covering all the comings and goings for the biggest sale of the year.

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• Musician's Friend: Early Black Friday 50% sale
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• Plugin Boutique: 100s of software savings
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• Reverb: Black Friday early access
• Sweetwater: Up to 80% off Black Friday sale
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• Universal Audio: 12 Days of UAD software sale
• Waves: Huge plugin bundle deals up to 95% off

Increasingly Black Friday has become the time for drummers to score the biggest discounts on the best electronics drum sets from most of the major brands. Case in point: the Alesis Strata Core is now $1,899, down from its usual $1,999 at Amazon. What makes this exciting is that this marks one of the first real discounts we’ve seen on this flagship-tier set that scored 4.5-stars in our review earlier this year. For anyone serious about e-drums, this is a rare opportunity to score a worthwhile saving on one of our highest-rated kits.

So, what makes the Strata Core so compelling? Essentially, Alesis has condensed the best bits of the Strata Prime, its top-tier e-kit, into a more compact, home-friendly size.

It still sounds incredible, though. The heart of the set is the 7-inch touchscreen Core module, which runs a BFD-derived sound engine with over 370 individual drum pieces, 75 factory kits, and more than 144,000 individual samples. That means you’re not just getting a few clicky electronic hits. Not here. Instead, you’re working with deeply layered, expressive acoustic-style articulations, which means you can introduce a level of nuance and finesse to your playing which is way above what you might expect from a non-acoustic kit.

Physically, the Core delivers a five-piece mesh-head layout, with a 12-inch dual-zone snare, two 8-inch rack toms, a 10-inch floor tom, and an 8-inch kick tower, paired with ARC cymbals (crash, ride, hi-hat) that offer 360-degree, triple-zone playability. So even though it’s optimised for home use (smaller footprint, simpler routing), it doesn’t feel like a stripped-down toy.

Why buy now, though? Well, put simply, because this price cut isn’t routine. It’s a meaningful drop for a high-spec e-kit. For drummers who’ve been eyeing the Strata series, this is the time to dip. And for home-studio users who want pro-level tone without blowing their budget, you’re effectively getting flagship sounds for less.

There are some trade-offs: the Core lacks an audio interface and more complex routing, so it’s not quite stage-ready in the way a fully modular rig might be. But that might not be a flaw. For many players, it’s exactly what they need: pro sounds, compact design and a price that’s suddenly hard to resist.

In short, this Black Friday electronic drum set deal on the Strata Core isn’t just a discount. It’s a genuine opportunity to own a high-performance, deeply sampled e-kit that punches well above its price point.

Shop more Black Friday deals

• Amazon: Huge holiday savings
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Fine Young Cannibals have been discussing the making of She Drives Me Crazy, their 1988 smash hit single, revealing how they drew inspiration from recording it at Prince’s Paisley Park studio complex using the great man’s gear.

Speaking to The Guardian, lead singer Roland Gift says that, as they prepared to record what would turn out to be their second and final album, 1989’s The Raw & the Cooked, the names of all kinds of different producers were discussed, including Phil Collins. In the end, though, the band elected to make the record “in a way people say you should never do an album: in lots of different studios with different producers.”

Top of the ‘dream collaborator’ list was Prince but the band’s label, London Records, had to break it to them that he wasn’t an option. However, they did manage to secure the services of Prince associate David Z, the elder brother of Revolution drummer Bobby Z, and he got the go-ahead to let Fine Young Cannibals use not only Paisley Park, but also all of Prince's equipment.

“The Purple Rain guitar was in the corner, his lava lamps were everywhere and the mixing desk had been used by Sly and the Family Stone,” remembers the band’s bassist David Steele, who also played keyboards and programmed the drum machine.

Inspired by their situation, Steele says that they started to experiment with the toys they had to play with.

“We tried things such as putting the keyboards through Prince’s wah-wah pedals,” he remembers. “Andy [Cox, guitarist] played the riff on Prince’s Rickenbacker guitar. David tells a very complicated story of how he got the snare sound by gating it and all sorts, but most of it was just the conga preset on Prince’s drum machine.”

Speaking to Mix Online in 2001 about the collaboration - and Fine Young Cannibals’ hope that Prince might produce for them - David Z explained: “They were told that Prince doesn’t work with anybody that way, as a producer-for-hire. But they were also told there was someone who works with Prince who does. That was me, and they were willing to try it out.”

Z also told Mix that “complicated story” of how the snare drum was created, confirming that the drum machine in question was a Linn 9000 - an evolution of the Linn LM-1 (and then the LinnDrum) that Prince became a master of in the early ‘80s. It turns out that there was a lot more to the sound than that, though.

“I took the head off a snare drum and started whacking it with a wooden ruler, recording it through a Shure 57 microphone,” he explained. “As I did that, I started twisting the hell out of the [API 550] EQ around 1kHz on it, to the point where it was starting to sound more like a crash. I blended that with a snare I found in the Linn itself, which was a 12-bit machine, so it sounded pretty edgy to start with.”

There was more, though: Z then took this blended sound and ran it through an upside down Autatone speaker that was sitting on a snare drum, which then rattled and added more ambience. A bit of limiting and a touch of reverb and the wood-blocky ‘snare’ was complete.

Z says that he went on to hear countless approximations of his sound on other records and believes it was even sampled directly on some. And, decades later, it was still inspiring other artists - in fact, speaking to Rolling Stone in 2014, producer Jack Antonoff said that it was this very sound that sealed his creative bond with Taylor Swift.

“The moment when we shifted from friendship into working together was when we were talking about the snare drum on Fine Young Cannibals’ She Drives Me Crazy,” Antonoff confirmed. “Taylor brought it up first, and I was like, ‘Holy shit, you’re not going to believe this: I just sampled that snare in a track.’ I played her one second of it on my iPhone, and she was like, ‘Send me that track.’”

That song would end up being I Wish You Would, from Swift’s 1989 (the very year that The Raw & the Cooked was released, funnily enough), and she was quick to praise the Fine Young Canniballs hit that kickstarted it.

“I really think She Drives Me Crazy could be on the radio now,” she told Rolling Stone. “It’s that timeless.”

Roland VAD316 review: What is it?

Towards the end of last year, Roland released its 7 Series V-Drums, introducing a selection of new electronic drum set configurations based around the almighty V71 module, which replaced the long-serving TD-50 as the company’s flagship offering.

Since its release, the V71 has been touted as a professional level, stage-ready module, boasting a completely overhauled sound library, large colour display, Bluetooth audio, built in Wi-Fi for app control and upgrading sounds, USB inputs for digital trigger pads, masses of routing options and full multi-track recording capability. You can read our full, 5-star TD-716 review here.

Fast forward to this year and Roland just dropped not one, but two brand-new V-Drum lines. The 3 Series and 5 Series are essentially smaller siblings to the flagship 7 Series - offering many of the same top-end features but in more streamlined and affordable packages. In fact, the new V31 and V51 modules which the 3 and 5 Series kits (respectively) are centred around, share a startling number of the V71’s top-end bells and whistles.

Both feature the exact same sound library as the V71 with the ability to connect to the Roland Cloud for access to the latest kit packs and expansions (but more on that later). They also share the large colour screen, Bluetooth audio, Wi-Fi, coaching functions and internal recording. Lastly, both the V51 and V31 are capable of running Roland’s high-tech digital snare, hi-hat and ride pads, although the latter has only one USB trigger input.

The kit line-up within each series is laid out identically, with each one boasting a full-size V-Drums Acoustic Design (VAD) kit at the top, followed by a medium sized rack-based setup and then a more compact offering. In the case of the 7 Series these are the VAD716, TD716 & TD713; for the 5 Series it’s VAD516, TD516 and TD513. Our review kit is the VAD316 - the largest configuration in the 3 Series - followed by the TD316 and TD313 models.

The VAD316 comprises an acoustic style 18”x14” bass drum with Roland’s KD-A (Kick Drum Attachment), 12” snare pad, two 10” toms and a 12” floor tom pad - all dual-zone pads with mesh heads and real wooden shells. The half-depth style gloss black shells are finished with a rubber rim at their base rather than a metal hoop which gives them a kind of hybrid electronic/acoustic aesthetic quality.

On the cymbal front, there’s a 16” 3-zone ride, 12” stand-mounted dual-zone hi-hat, plus 12” and 14” dual-zone crashes. Three heavy-duty Roland combination tom and cymbal stands are included but you’ll need an additional hi-hat stand, snare stand, bass drum pedal and throne to complete the setup. You also don’t get any digital pads as standard with this configuration, so you’ll need to factor in budget to upgrade.

The included cable loom is enough to connect all of these pads to the V31 module except for the second crash which uses one of two additional jack inputs on the rear of the unit. The other is ideal for a fourth tom pad but could be used for any other auxiliary trigger pad. There’s also the aforementioned single USB trigger input, master left and right out jacks, mini-jack mix input, MIDI out, a USB-C computer connection and an SD card slot. Don’t forget there’s also in-built Bluetooth audio and Wi-Fi capabilities.

The layout of the module is noticeably stripped back in comparison to the V71, which has myriad glowing knobs, buttons and dials. Most notably there are no mix faders or LED rotary dials on the V31. There is however a large colour screen taking pride of place in the centre of the module, accompanied by volume pots for master/phones, backing (including Bluetooth) and click to the left, and menu navigation controls to the right. There are also ‘Expansion’ and ‘EZ edit’ buttons for quick access to editing and changing sounds such as instrument selection, tuning, muffling and instrument volume.

Roland VAD316 review: Performance

I already know from spending time with the V71 module over the last year that the new sound library is a notable step up from its predecessors. There are 70 built-in kit presets which range from dry studio kits to reverb soaked stadium style behemoths. As you’d expect from Roland, there are a good handful of classic electronic sounds too, including the TR-808 and 909 plus a section of tuned percussion and hand percussion kits. There’s also a tip of the hat to some drumming greats which can be found in presets such as ‘Ghost Note King’, ‘Babylon Shuffle’ and ‘Gate in the Air’.

The additionally available expansion packs are well worth checking out too as they take yet another step towards mimicking the realism of playing an acoustic kit by utilising high quality samples, borrowed from its computer-based Soundworks VST software.

The rapidly growing DW collections include Pure Cherry, Pure Purpleheart, Pure Maple, 50th Anniversary and Acrylic kits which are of an incredibly high standard. There is also a Slingerland Vintage 1958 set and cymbal packs include ‘EFX Cymbal’, ‘Swiss Cymbal’ and ‘German Cymbal’ collections.

Installing the packs is as simple as connecting the module to Wi-Fi and downloading them via the Roland Cloud app on a smartphone or tablet. It’s worth noting that these are a paid extra, either as part of a Roland Cloud subscription or as a one-off payment. Some might be understandably put out by the idea of having to purchase or even effectively rent additional sounds after spending a substantial wedge of cash for the e-kit to begin with, but an included 6 month Ultimate trial membership will allow time to make comparisons with the built-in sounds and decide whether the cost is justified.

Something that Roland has always been extremely good at is marrying the playability of its samples with the physical feel of its hardware - the VAD316 is no exception. Although not quite a ‘full size’ kit which many of the VAD setups are, the configuration of the 10” rack toms with the 14” snare and floor tom feel substantial enough and work well proportionately with cymbal sizes - with the exception perhaps of the 12” crash which feels a little on the small side to me. The full 18”x14” bass drum shell helps in filling out the size of the kit as a whole, making the VAD316 a great looking yet relatively compact kit overall.

Whilst on the subject of sizes, it’s worth mentioning that Roland’s digital snare and hi-hat pads are both 14” while the ride is 18” - this is something worth considering if you’re thinking about upgrading. As discussed earlier, the V31 module has space to run one of these digital pads, which presents a tricky decision. In terms of features alone I’d be tempted by the newer PD-14DSX snare due to the throw-off and strainer which can be programmed to control tons of parameters; these include not only virtually controlling snare wires but also adjusting snare tuning, controlling the click, effects, and song playback. It’s really quite clever.

The control placed under your fingertips in the V31 module is vast - allowing up to three separate samples to be layered on any one instrument (another pro feature which has filtered down from the V71). This means that each hit of a bass drum could actually be a precise blend of two or three different bass drums, individually tweaked and EQ’d to perfection.

Roland VAD316 review: Verdict

If you’re enticed by the features on offer from the 3 Series but perhaps looking for a more compact practice solution, it may be worth looking into the TD313 and TD316 kits which are both smaller, rack based configurations based around the same 3 Series module. Equally, if you like the idea of a bigger kit or you’re keen keen on the digital triggers but can’t decide on just one, one of the larger 5 or 7 Series kits would be the way to go.

Hands-on demos

MusicRadar

Sweetwater

65 Drums

Alternatives

Roland VAD316 review: Spec

• Drum sound module: V31
• Snare: PDA120LS
• Tom 1: PDA100L
• Tom 2: PDA100L
• Tom 3: PDA120L
• Hi-hat: VH-10
• Crash 1: CY-12C-T
• Crash 2: CY-14R-T
• Ride: CY-16R-T
• Kick: KD-18-BK
• Drum sound module stand: PDS-5
• Drum combination stand: DCS-30 x 3
• Other features: Single digital pad USB input, computer control via USB-C connection, large colour screen, training functions, in-built recording function, kit expansions available via Roland Cloud, Bluetooth audio, in-built Wi-Fi, stereo jack outputs, mini-jack aux input
• Contact: Roland

Well well well. Here’s something that we weren’t expecting. Walrus Audio, who are best known for creating gizmos for guitarists, has announced that it’s launching a little something for the planet’s drummers: the DFX-1 Percussion Processing Unit.

It’s an effects unit, which Walrus are calling “groundbreaking” that will provide sticksmen (and women) the same sort of fun guitarists have been enjoying for decades. In other words, control over compression, delay, reverb, saturation and EQ.

The DFX, they say “puts studio-level processing directly into your performance rig. Its high-performance mic preamp with phantom power, flexible routing options, and deep MIDI control make it equally at home on stage or in the studio.”

Walrus has produced it in collaboration with Aaron Sterling, the producer and drummer who has played with Lana Del Rey, Harry Styles, John Mayer and Taylor Swift, amongst many others. In a statement, Sterling said that the DFX-1 was: “Designed for drummers, percussionists, and beatmakers who want to take matters into their own hands when it comes to effects. It allows a microphone to go straight into a world filled with gain, compression, delay, reverb, saturation, and EQ — without an external mic pre, without a mic-to-line level converter, and without extra cables. A true one-stop shop!”

So what does it do? Its three main effects are compression, delay and reverb. The compression has an option for a VCA circuit modelled on the API 2500 or a more punchy FET compressor modelled on the 1176. On the delay, you can opt for warm, vintage-style repeats or clean digital delays and on the reverb choose between classic Spring splash or Plate ambience.

In addition to those, there is an FX loop, a whole nine on-board presets with up to 127 MIDI, three performance pads to bypass, preset cycling and tap tempo. Oh, and there’s a forward/ reverse button to change the effect order.

It looks sleek too, in powder-coated black aluminium with slinky wooden side panels.

So what’s the damage? Well, it comes out at £859/€999/$899 Euros. Something for the Christmas list then. They’re available for pre-order in the US now from the Walrus website at walrusaudio.com.

Zultan has announced the launch of a new line of cymbals – the ALARIS, which, according to the German manufacturer, is a new collection that “redefines tone, touch and expression.”

There are 14 of them in all – two light Rides in 21” and 20”, three Rides in 22”, 21” and 20”, five Crashes in 20” size going down to 16”, three Hi-Hats in 16”, 15” and 14” and an ALARIS Cymbal Set, all forged from premium B20 bronze and handcrafted in Turkey.

In a statement, Zultan said that they “deliver a light, open sound with exceptional stick definition and a gentle, airy wash. Designed for drummers who value subtlety and dynamics, they respond beautifully to every nuance, offering full control over softer, more expressive playing styles.”

“The bell remains clear and articulate, while the playing surface offers a smooth, balanced character that is responsive to the touch. Sonically, the ALARIS Series bridges the gap between classic 1980s clarity and modern sophistication, combining timeless sound with a contemporary edge.”

Prices vary between £255 to £167, depending on the cymbal. The cymbal set, which consists of a 14” Hi-Hat, 16” and 18” crashes and a 20” ride, will set you back £794. For more information head over to the Zultan website here.

e-drums powerhouse Roland has revealed major additions to its highly regarded range of electronic drum kits, unveiling the all-new V-Drums 3 and 5 Series, which join the firm's flagship 7 Series V-drums, launched last last year.

The 3 and 5 series ranges are powered by all-new modules, the V31 and V51 respectively. These are essentially scaled-down versions of the top-of-the-range V71 brain, sharing the flagship's internal engine, and offering identical sounds and expansion path options.

Key here are multi-layer sample playback and, crucially, 'round-robin randomisation' to avoid the dreaded machine gun e-kit effect. Roland say a final layer of behavioural modelling can produce over 16,000 dynamically responsive variations.

All three platforms give you the run of an expandable on-module sound library, plus the option to leverage DW Soundworks software for computer-powered drumming. Six months of Roland Cloud Ultimate membership rounds out the offering, meaning 'untethered' access to DW Soundworks and related content, V-Drums Instrument Expansions, newly developed V-Drums Kit Packs, and more. Once your trial ends you can either subscribe or purchase your favourite selections with Lifetime Keys.

Also joining the ecosystem, Roland's new V-Drums Play app for iOS and Android will let you tweak settings on the fly from your phone, when it becomes available later this year.

Let's take a closer look at the kit options themselves...

V-Drums 5 Series details

The 5 series comes in 3 flavours, with the top-end being the 5-piece VAD516 V-Drums Acoustic Design kit (below), which voguishly mimics the look of an acoustic kit and features Roland’s 'groundbreaking' digital snare (PD-14DSX), ride (CY-18DR), and hi-hat (VH-14D) pads housed in Midnight Sparkle wraps, two rack toms (PDA100-MS and PDA120-MS), a floor tom (PDA140F-MS), and the newly-developed KD-20-MS, a full-size 20-inch kick.

One down, in the mid-level we find the TD516, comprising digital snare (PD-140DS), ride (CY-18DR), and hi-hat (VH-14D) pads and a large kick pad (KD-12).

Finally, at the entry-level (of the 5 series), the TD513 features redesigned tom pads (two PD-8H and one PD-10H), a slightly smaller 12-inch snare pad (PD-12P), and the new MDS-Standard 3 stand.

V-Drums 3 Series details

Rounding out the range at the entry-level, the V-Drums 3 series again lands as a trio.

Most accessible, and smallest of all is the TD313 (below), featuring a 12-inch snare pad (PDX-12), upgraded tom pads (two PD-8H and one PD-10H), and a rock-solid kick pad (KD-10). It's a perfect place to start, or a great option as a compact home practice kit.

One up from the 313, the TD316 upgrades each component and offers a stand-mounted hi-hat controller for a more familiar, intuitive3 feel. That full kit list, then: 12-inch snare pad (PD-12P), upgraded tom pads (two PD-8H and one PD-10H), three cymbal pads (two CY-12C-T crash and one CY-14R-T ride), and stand-mounted VH-10 hi-hats.

At the pinnacle of the 3 Series range, the VAD316, like the 516 above, brings that V-Drums Acoustic Design acoustic look, comprising a 12-inch snare (PDA-120LS), shallow-depth wood tom shells (two PDA100L-BK and one PDA120L-BK), and a full-size kick drum (KD-18-BK).

Stay tuned for full MusicRadar reviews and demos very soon...

Availability & Pricing

To learn more about the V-Drums 3, 5, and 7 Series, visit Roland.com.

The Roland V-Drums 3 and 5 Series are available now as follows in *USD: VAD516 $5,799.99; TD516 $3,699.99; TD513 $2,699.99; V51 $1,899.99; VAD316 $3,399.99; TD316 $1,999.99; TD313 $1,699.99; V31 $999.99.

Alesis has carved out a powerful position in the ever-growing electronic drum kit market, thanks to an admirable focus on affordability while striving to push features and specs - mesh heads have long been standard throughout the range, for instance.

Now the US firm has focused in on the sometimes-lacking edrum hi-hat experience. Its new flagship e-kit, the 9-piece Nitro Ultimate, tackles the issue 'head-on' with a mounted controller that works with traditional stands, as opposed to the faux pedal switch that's often deployed to occasionally suboptimal effect. The controller hosts a 10-inch dual-zone cymbal, while the stand/pedal add a traditional feel to hi-hat proceedings. Nice.

While the hi-hat is the star of the show, the rest of the kit is undeniably well-specced, especially for a kit at this price ($899 USD, €849.99, £719.99), and can be paired with a dedicated 80W speaker system, the also-new Nitro Amp Pro.

At the heart of the kit, of course, is the all-important module. In the Ultimate's case you're looking at a total of 52 kits (36 factory and 16 user programmable), thanks to BFD software integration (including the Dark Mahogany Expansion Pack).

Breaking it down, you have around 640 drum, cymbal, percussion and electronic sounds to play around with. As a decent little bonus, you'll also get a 90-day subscription to Drumeo, an online learning platform we have no hesitation in recommending.

Back IRL, there's a 10-inch dual-zone snare, three 8-inch dual-zone toms, that hi-hat controller, three dual-zone 10-inch crash cymbals (two crashes and a ride), and an 8-inch mesh kick drum tower, with pedal.

The Alesis Drums Nitro Ultimate electronic drum kit is available now for $899 USD/€849.99/£719.99, while the Nitro Amp Pro has a recommended price of €149.99 /£124.99, though it's only available outside the US.

Buy now through Thomann.

Nitro Ultimate features

• 8-inch mesh kick drum tower with kick pedal
• 10-inch dual-zone mesh snare with metal hoops
• Three 8-inch dual-zone mesh toms with metal hoops
• 10-inch dual-zone hi-hat cymbal with stand-mounted controller (works with traditional hi-hat stands)
• One 10-inch dual-zone ride cymbal and two 10-inch dual-zone crash cymbals
• Rugged 4-post steel rack with locking clamps
• Advanced drum module with 52 total kits and 640+ professionally designed sounds
• Bluetooth audio streaming for jamming along with songs or lessons
• USB MIDI connection for virtual instruments and recording software
• Comprehensive I/O: dual TRS main outputs, stereo headphone output, auxiliary input
• BFD Player software with Dark Mahogany Expansion Pack
• 90-day subscription to Drumeo interactive lessons

Nitro Amp Pro features

• 80 watts of drum-optimized amplification power
• 8-inch woofer + 2.5-inch tweeter configuration
• Bluetooth audio streaming with separate volume control
• Two ¼" TRS balanced line inputs for drums plus additional instrument
• 2-band equalizer for tonal shaping
• Compact wedge-style floor monitor design

Courteney Cox – the actress best known for her role as Monica in Friends – has been impressing folk online with something she’s hitherto not been renowned for: her drumming skills.

The 59-year-old uploaded a video of her playing along to Smells Like Teen Spirit, on a fairly basic drum kit, and it has gone viral.

“I like seeing actors having hobbies and enjoying themselves,” said one commenter on Reddit, whilst another wrote: “I love how women just get cooler and cooler with age.”

Others were in agreement: “Love Nirvana… Courteney sounds pretty good on the drums.” “That’s great! She looked like she was having a lot of fun. I love the drums on Teen Spirit,” another said.

Smells Like Teen Spirit is a pretty good song to focus on if you want to improve your drumming skills. Its beauty is that you can play it no matter your skill level. If you’re a beginning you can play the intro with just a snare and a kick drum. Intermediate drummers can add hi hats and quarter notes, and so on up through skill levels until the differences will be in feel and a slight drag on the cymbal crashes.

We’re not sure where Courteney is currently on the skill chart, but she’s surely getting there.

No word yet on what Dave Grohl thinks of her efforts...

Yamaha DTX6K5-M: What is it?

The DTX6K5-M is the latest addition to the DTX6 electronic drum set range and the first to feature mesh pads rather than Yamaha’s own TCS (Textured Cellular Silicone) heads.

The series line-up includes four kits of various configurations; all powered by the DTX Pro module. The ‘K5-M’ boasts the largest diameter drum and cymbal pads of the bunch, including a 12” snare, 3x 10” toms, a 7.5” kick pad, 13” hi-hats, 2x 13” crashes and a 15” ride.

By comparison, the DTX6K3-X which is the most closely related kit setup, features a smaller 8” snare, 7” toms and only a 13” ride pad.

The remaining two models - the DTX6K2-X and DTX6K-X - both feature more basic rubber tom pads, with the latter utilising a fixed hi-hat pad and remote control pedal rather than the more premium two-part pads mounted to a hi-hat stand system. A Yamaha hi-hat stand is included with the K5-M, although a bass drum pedal, throne and drummer-specific headphones or a personal monitor or speaker will still be additional purchases on top of the kit (and of course a pair of sticks!).

The DTX Pro module comes complete with 70 pre-installed kit presets from a total of 700 available voices, plus room for 200 user-created kits. The in-built sounds are a mixture of high quality electronic and acoustic samples, many of which are sampled from Yamaha’s own vast array of renowned acoustic drums.

The latest version 2.0 firmware update for example, brings an array of Recording Custom samples in addition to new functions including cymbal EQ, kit bleed, hi-hat pitch up and USB trigger link.

Despite the larger pads, I found the the DTX6K5-M kit is still of a relatively compact nature, taking up approximately 1.4 metres width by 1.1 metres depth with the pads mounted to the four-poster rack.

Yamaha’s choice to mount the module on the right-hand side of the rack rather than the usual left goes a long way towards minimising kit depth due to the full hi-hat stand setup. The whole kit can also be reduced to a compact rectangle when not in use by angling the drum pads vertically and folding the frame together. This could be ideal for drummers who are short on space, but still yearn for acoustic-like dimensions.

Yamaha DTX6K5-M: Performance & verdict

In practice, the kit is a joy to play, helped enormously by the fantastic samples on board the DTX Pro module. A good balance between natural and processed sounds has been struck throughout kit presets, providing a satisfying level of playability straight out of the box. There's also a deep level of customisation available when it comes to effects units, EQ, ambience and voice layering.

Remarkably the DTX Pro is capable of layering up to four individual samples - one more than Roland’s flagship V71 module. This gives drummers the option to blend multiple snare sounds together for instance, or mix electronic and acoustic sounds. Another example that I found works particularly well is adding a bass drum sample to the floor tom for some extra heft. Each layer can also be customised by velocity, meaning that each element is triggered only when struck at a chosen volume. Clever stuff.

Each of the mesh drum pads is dual-zone, enabling separate head and rim triggering, while the cymbals are each triple-zone (bell, bow and edge). This goes a long way to bridging the gap between electric and acoustic drums, taking us a step closer to feeling like we’re playing the real deal. There’s also loads of room for pad expansion with a capacity of up to 14 trigger inputs.

Visually the module looks a little basic, largely due to the minuscule LCD screen. However, a multitude of rotary dials allow for quick edits. These include the ‘kit modifier’ controls (ambience, comp and effect) and volume pots for master, aux input and click, in addition to physical controls for the click without having to delve into menus. The DTX Pro also allows app control via the DTX Touch app, which is available for iOS and Android devices.

Through a USB connection, every parameter of the module can be controlled from a phone or tablet, providing an easy to use touch interface on a large screen. I found that this saved me a ton of time whilst browsing through kits, sounds and effects.

While on the subject of apps, the DTX Pro is also compatible with Yamaha’s Rec N’ Share app, which makes recording video extremely user friendly - automatically syncing video and audio without the need for complicated video software. Ideal for budding YouTubers.

Also try

Hands on-demos

MusicRadar

Yamaha Drums

65 Drums

Yamaha DTX6K5-M: Specification

• Configuration: 12” snare, 3x10” toms, 7.5” kick pad, 13” hi-hats, 2x13” crashes, 15” ride. Room to expand to a maximum of 14 trigger inputs.
• Module: DTX Pro module
• Stock kits: 70
• User kits: 200
• Voices: 700
• App control: Yes
• Built in effects: Yes
• Sample import: Yes
• Sample layering: Up to four voices
• Independent master and phones EQ: Yes
• Latest firmware: Version 2.0 firmware with new samples, cymbal EQ, kit bleed, hi-hat pitch up and USB trigger link.
• Contact: Yamaha

What is it?

Far from the times of yore – where effects cymbals were limited to chinas and variations on splashes – the third decade of this century offers up a banquet of bronze options, allowing us to expand our palettes way beyond ‘chick’, ‘ping’ or ‘crash’. One of the most recent arrivals is a group of effects cymbals aimed at emulating the sound of a processed handclap.

Yes, you read that right: we’ve gone full-circle from organic, human flesh and bone, to sampled and synthesized electronic recreations, all the way to forged metal that, when struck, creates a copy of a copy of one of the most primitive of percussion noises. Very meta indeed…

Zultan’s Raw series SlapClap finds its niche right here, but, innovative as it might sound, it’s not the first of its kind. Istanbul Agop’s ClapStack, unveiled in 2018, was designed in collaboration with session drummer, Trevor Lawrence Jr (Stevie Wonder, Macy Gray, Dr Dre, Herbie Hancock).

The basic principle being a stack-type trio of thin cymbals, pressed together tightly and held under tension from your cymbal stand’s wingnut. When struck, the burst of trashy, muted white noise combines just enough to fool an audience into thinking they’re hearing the intro to Carwash, and you haven’t had to so much as look at a drum pad or jack cable.

Ah, yes: electronics. Why, in an age where we can ‘de-mix’ music, download free samples from any number of online resources, or simply ask AI to create the perfect clap sound for us, would one employ a cymbal to emulate one of the most fundamental sounds in popular music? Well, why not?

But being objective, there are a few reasons. Some drummers neither have, nor want to use a dedicated sample pad. Or, maybe you’d prefer to use your electronics for running clicks, tracks and loops rather than playable percussion.

Finally, setting up a cymbal requires less effort and fewer engineering issues than incorporating electronics – as an acoustic source, it’ll blend more cohesively with the rest of your kit, and, just like a cowbell, you will always have it there as a playable sound within your kit, regardless of which patch your pad is set to.

Zultan’s SlapClap takes a similar approach to offerings such as the Istanbul Clap Stack, Meinl Byzance Smack Stack and Sabian’s XSR Effeks Clap. It’s made up of three B20 bronze cymbals (12”, 14” and 16"), cast, and left un-lathed, with a particular ‘blank’ visual quality that screams ‘trashy’ before you even play a note.

They’re stacked largest to smallest, creating a side profile not unlike a horse saddle. As already mentioned, once they're mounted on the stand (as you’re probably used to from other stack cymbals), they can be controlled by wingnut tension – looser for a bit more slosh, tighter for a crisper, more staccato sound.

Performance

Now, we were lucky enough to attend the NAMM Show when Istanbul Agop released the first Clap Stack, and, even through the noise of a crowded drum hall, the effect is as surreal as it is impressive. Despite this, it’s a similar experience when trying the Zultan SlapClap for the first time – sort of like seeing a voice actor perform as your favourite cartoon character: it’s confusing, slightly disorientating, and a hell of a lot of fun.

Next, the budget chain of rehearsal studios we were initially trying the SlapClap in revealed one of the few flaws of this design: the stands in this particular establishment were fitted with No Nut sleeves. So, the only way of manually adjusting the cymbals’ timbre was unavailable. Worth bearing in mind if your stands are equipped with the same, or you’re regularly playing on house kits that have inevitably had bits of hardware lost or pillaged. The SlapClap still works in this setting, but the resulting sound is more like a longer, sloshier, more traditional stack sound, rather than the tight, crunchy and stylised hand clap we were hoping for.

Next up, we tried the Slap Clap at a couple of gigs. The first contained some modern EDM/pop tunes where a layered clap/snare combo was damn near obligatory, and it didn’t disappoint. With experimentation at hand thanks to our complete cymbal stands, we were able to find a sweet spot at a medium tension, and as the kit was un-mic’d with no electronics to blend, we found it really easy to mix the SlapClap in by simply playing appropriately. For some sections, it works really well as the only accent on the backbeat, without the jarring drop or over-loud mis-match in volume when not being masked by the snare.

The second gig contained Kings of Leon’s cover band staple Sex On Fire in the set. This time, our kit was mic’d, and as this was the only song where additional sounds were required, it didn’t make sense to set up power, a line into the PA and monitoring for our Roland SPD-SX. So, after throwing it on a lightweight DW 6000 stand during a rushed setup, the crunchy processed clap sound from the verses of SoF were not only readily available, but the SlapClap did an almost uncanny job at emulating the sound to a tee.

Of course, it’s not just for lazy covers band drummers wanting an extra layer on the backbeat. The SlapClap can function as an accent cymbal just like any other stack. Cranking the tension from its mid-point to right down takes it from a looser clap into gritty finger-snap territory, all attack followed by a short burst of noise before abruptly cutting. With the correct positioning within your kit, this could easily function as a psuedo-electronic hi-hat sound. It’s this versatility that makes the SlapClap so much fun.

Verdict

At just over £200, the SlapClap comes in at around a third less than its equivalents from some of the bigger-name brands. Of course, if you’re the type of purist who can’t bear to mix and match brands, this is going to cause you something of a dilemma. That’s because the Zultan SlapClap is one of those products that you’re not entirely sure if or why you might need it. That is until you try it, and at that point, you’ll either have to buy it and live with the discrepancy, or remain brand-loyal and spend more.

While it’s easy to view this as a novelty, it’s actually an incredibly useful, potentially time-saving and ultimately very fun addition. The fact that it is so heavily applicable to pretty much any style of music means that you’ll end up using it a lot more than you might think, and at this price, any possible caution can be thrown more or less to the wind. Just don’t forget your wing nut.

Hands-on demos

Zultan – The Cymbal Brand

Alternatives

Specifications

Zultan has launched two new editions to their range of effect cymbals – the Zultan Vortex and the Zultan Razor Disc.

The German firm – which celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year – has steadily grown its range and now offers 15 different cymbal series, as well as all sorts of drum accessories.

The Vortex is distinctive due to its spiral-like cut, which gives it a downward-hanging shape not unlike that of a tree. According to Zultan: “this striking design produces a truly unique sound, adding character and depth to any setup.”

The cymbal can be set up in the traditional way or, alternatively, stacked creatively on top of other cymbals or hi-hats to produce modern, experimental effects. Your kit – your rules.

Whatever, it’s available in both 16" and 18" sizes, and each cymbal is handcrafted from premium B20 bronze.

Meanwhile the Razor Disc, according to a Zultan statement is “a versatile tool for sharp, modern accents and cutting effects. Its crisp, short sound makes it the perfect choice for adding definition and energy to any style of music.”

Unlike the Vortex it’s available in just one size - 10" – but is crafted from “high-quality” metal.

Prices for the Vortex are £87 and £69 for the 18” and 16” models respectively and for the Razor Disc you’re looking at £43. For more information go to the Zultan website here.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Playing live, for a lot of people, is the ultimate goal of taking up an instrument in the first place, and it can be one of the most exhilarating experiences you’ll have as a drummer. However, while on paper it’s just a case of moving your gear to a venue, setting up and doing what you’ve practised, all those hours spent in the rehearsal room are just part of performing your music in front of an audience.

Here, we’re taking a look at 11 common problems that can derail any drummer’s live show, and crucially, how to avoid or rectify them when they do occur. This writer has been gigging for well over 20 years now, and has experienced - and learned from - each and every mistake on this list!

1. ETA: long before you play!

You’re due to start playing at 20:30, so you’ll get there about 20:00, right? Wrong! Often, most of the main concerns and problems when gigging have very little to do with the actual playing part itself. Depending on the gig and its location, you’re going to need to factor in traffic, unloading, parking (if the venue has none), getting your kit set up, soundchecking…

Drum kits require a bit of space to set up, as you’re going to need somewhere to place your cases and so on while you do it. All of this is made significantly easier if you aren’t navigating an assault course of guitar amps, cables, pedalboards, stands and other instruments just to get set up. So, speak to the rest of your band, find out what time they plan on arriving and try to get there earlier – or at least on time. This way you can get everything set up in plenty of time, have a break beforehand and be ready to count-in Valerie before the brawling starts.

2. Kit-sharing is kit-caring

This one is for the kit-share gigs, which throw up a lot more logistical questions. We’ve written a full guide here, but in a nutshell there are a few things you can do to make playing on a multi-band line-up with a set backline run smoothly. First, if you’re just bringing breakables, it’s polite to get in touch with the drummer who is providing the kit ahead of the gig. This way you can thank them, but also get an idea of any other peripherals you might need on the night if you’re not familiar with their set-up.

When you get to the gig, introduce yourself, and find out where your gear can be stored until it’s time to play. Keep things tidy, and have as much of your gear set up before you get to your change-over to keep things speedy, and give the previous drummer plenty of space to pack their stuff away before you start trying to add your gear to the kit. At the end of the night, you could even offer to help pack the kit away!

3. Spares: a thought

Chances are, you have a stick bag with at least a few pairs of drumsticks in them, because your hands don’t sound anywhere near as good as hickory when you snap your last pair of 5As… So similarly, take a look at your set-up and identify any potential gig-stoppers that you can’t live without.

We’re not saying you need to take a Noah’s Ark approach (see the next point) and bring two kits and a fleet of backup hardware, but is a spare snare going to weigh your car down? If you can’t bring additional drums, consider putting some spare heads inside your gig bags, just in case the worst does happen. Similarly, an emergency kit of snare tapes/cords, tension rods, bass drum patches, gaffer tape, cymbal felts and a spare clutch can get you out of a jam, so that the jamming can continue. If you use electronics, it’s worth thinking about spare power supplies and cables too.

4. Take what you need

What do Terry Bozzio, Neil Peart and Mike Portnoy have in common? None of them are squeezing their Mission Control stations into the back room of The Arse & Feather of an evening. You are, and a common problem – particularly on ever-decreasing stage sizes – is too much gear. While it’s great to have that aux snare, tree of splashes and a bank of pads, every piece of gear you add to your kit requires setting up. That means more stands and clamps (even if you’re using a rack), and less space on stage.

Give your set-up an audit before you leave for the gig, if something is only required for one part of one song, can you live without it? If so, you’ll shave considerable time off your setting-up/packing-down, meaning you won’t hold the rest of the band up, and the bassist won’t be muting that fifth crash cymbal for most of the set. If you’re sharing a kit, there’s every chance you’re going to need to adapt to someone else’s sizes, set-up and placement anyway. Try not to let that be a problem – instead, you might discover new tunings, hardware settings and positioning that you might never have otherwise tried!

5. Silence is golden

We get it, you’ve fine-tuned your snare sound to reach sample-level quality: those replacement hoops really made a difference, and you could talk for hours extolling the virtues of the brass snare wires, sweet-spot on the strainer, and how you raided your nan’s jewellery box for that ‘unique’ cluster of dampening materials. But for the love of god, please stop hitting it between every song while the guitarist is trying to tune. The same goes for that Copeland hi-hat lick, Instagram-worthy linear groove, and the round-the-kit quads you haven’t quite perfected yet. Trust us, the band and audience will thank you.

6. Cold Start

One of the biggest pieces of advice pro drummers will give is to hit the stage warmed up. Except there’s a problem: we aren’t playing in an international touring band with a backstage jam room and techs to assemble a kit to limber-up with. Nope, in our world, the only facility for ‘warming up’ is the hand dryer in the venue, which looks like it could have been the origin of COVID-19.

But, that doesn’t mean you have to warm up during the first three songs. Pack a practice pad, find some space (even if it’s in your car), give yourself 10-15 minutes to work on some basic rudiments and you’ll feel the benefit immediately. If it’s really not possible, try doing some ‘silent stretches’ with your sticks to get your arms freed up.

7. Not quite my tempo

There’s only one thing worse than another member of the band starting a song at the wrong tempo, and that’s when you get it wrong yourself. It can happen easily, particularly if you have a large number of songs in the set. Everyone’s perception of what speed is correct can vary too, and of course when you’re playing in front of (hopefully) a large group of people, there’s always the danger of ‘gig tempo’ setting in.

“Yes, but I don’t want to use a click!” That’s fine, a simple way around it is to note down the tempos from recorded versions of the songs beforehand using your metronome’s tap-tempo function. Or, if there aren’t recorded versions, agree the right tempo with your bandmates during a rehearsal and write it down. Then, when it comes to the gig you can mark the tempos on your setlist and remind yourself using a metronome before you start the song. Obviously, this is best done using headphones, but with a few bars of the click in your ears you should be able to start the song at the right speed, and the best bit is that nobody can argue that it’s wrong!

8. Don’t forget the Six ‘P’s

“Proper Preparation Prevents P**s-Poor Performance”. Yes, it sounds like a quote from your Monday morning ‘Battlecry’ meeting, but in essence, it applies perfectly to playing gigs. There are plenty of things you can’t control when it comes to playing live, but get on top of the ones that you can and everything will be a lot easier, of course, and that should start with the music you’re playing.

Hopefully by the time you’re ready to play your finely crafted set to an audience, you’ll be on top of the music, but if not then give yourself the best chance. Make notes on your set list, prepare cheat sheets for any songs that you frequently make mistakes on, know how a song starts and ends, pay attention to the rest of the band and keep the gaps between songs to a minimum and you’ll come across as a much slicker operation.

9. Rug Life

The sight of a smooth, hard stage floor is the gigging drummer’s red flag. Why? Because by the third song your bass drum will be skating forward like an Olympic curling stone. Next, you’ll probably find it starts to turn, and before you know it your bass drum pedal is starting to detach, your foot is at a 45-degree diagonal, the microphone is now pointing at nothing and none of your bandmates can hear your pitiful cries for help.

You can combat this by using the spikes on the feet of your bass drum spurs, pedal and hi-hat stand to anchor everything, but the venue probably won’t thank you for leaving claw marks on their floor. So, invest in a drum rug and you’ll never need to experience bass drum-creep. Better still, you can mark out your kit placement with tape, or buy some markers such as Protection Racket’s Mat Markers, making set-up and perfect placement even easier!

10. Trigger, Happy

Electronics have become a very common part of our live set-ups, but they do add an additional layer of consideration, as well as potential errors if you’re not paying attention. The main thing is to be organised with your sounds, settings and pad/trigger placement. If you’re using tracks, it’s important to make sure that you have your signals routed properly (so that you hear the click, and the audience doesn’t). Likewise, switching off dynamics for triggered phrases/loops/tracks, linking pads to your click track (if necessary), and making sure you have the sample set to play back in the way you intend are all crucial. For a multiple-pad or trigger set-up where you’re assigning playable sounds or samples (percussion, electronic drum sounds, effects etc), you’ll want to keep track of which sound is assigned to the respective pad and playing surface.

Otherwise that trouser-flapping sub-drop could very easily become a staccato cowbell! Think about the physical placement of pads within your kit so that they’re accessible and playable without tying your arms in knots. Be consistent with your workflow, if necessary use a template patch for each application, and give yourself time to check everything before your set starts.

11. Play what you can, not what you can’t

We’ve all seen the ‘Drummer at the wrong gig' video. Now, we’re not saying that you should avoid chops and play every song like it’s AC/DC, but you should try and make it appropriate to the style of music. Likewise, it’s important to play within your abilities – that crossover fill you’ve been working on will be great, but if you don’t have it down yet then it’s going to have the opposite effect to what you’re looking for when the whole band loses the ‘one’ count.

If you’ve never tried recording yourself, a gig presents the perfect opportunity. it doesn’t have to be a pro recording (your phone will do just fine), as long as you can hear everything clearly. This way you can listen back and hear what works, what doesn’t and where you can make tweaks to improve overall as a band.

DRUM WEEK 2025: Prince Rogers Nelson, aka Prince, was, himself an awesome drummer, and played or programmed the beats on much of his considerable recorded output. But live, he always picked the very finest sticksmen and women to back him and play those incredibly funky tunes with pocket, feel and chops.

His loss was incredibly sad for the music world, but his legacy remains. Here's a look back at some of the great drummers who backed his Royal Badness over the years.

Robert Rivkin, aka Bobby Z, was the drummer in Prince's seminal band The Revolution, who backed him on classics including the Purple Rain album.

While Prince himself played many of the instruments on his recordings, Bobby Z's touch brought real human and funky feel, and he adapted to the increasingly electronic drum sounds on Prince's records. He was a crucial part of Prince's live performance.

One of the best known of Prince's drummers, and a great percussionist from a famous percussion family, the Escovedos. Sheila joined Prince as drummer between 1987 to 1989. She also had three solo albums produced by Prince during the ’80s.

Sheila recently spoke to Rhythm about joining Prince's band: “At that time, ’86, I was touring, opening up for Lionel Richie, and I was pretty much exhausted. I was tired of fronting the band. It was a lot of work - believe me, it still is - to get to that level, and I worked my butt off, non-stop. I was out on tour for a year and a half and then I did the movie Krush Groove - it was just back-to-back.

"I got to that point where I was so tired I said, ‘I feel like I have left my first love and now I’m singing so much I don’t feel like I’m playing anymore.’ I thought, I want to get back to music. I was talking to Prince and I was still on tour with Lionel. He said, ‘What do you want to do?’ I said, ‘I don’t think I want to do this anymore. I think I want to go back and play with some other people because I enjoy that.’

"I got to the point where I really felt that something was missing in my life and it was getting away from my drums, my playing. So when I said that to Prince, I think a lightbulb went on in his head and he said, ‘So, what about playing for me?’ I said, ‘Play what?’ He said, ‘Drums.’ I said, ‘Really? That would be so dope.’”

Michael Bland was just 19 when he joined Prince's New Power Generation as drummer in 1989, and stayed with him for seven years and a number of albums, including Diamond And Pearls (1991).

He also later teamed up with Prince again to provide the drumming for the title track of the 2006 album 3121. A big hitter, he also has tons of tasty groove and a deep pocket, as befits any drummer considered worthy by Prince to play in his band.

John Blackwell Jr was best known as a long-time Prince drummer, playing in the Purple One's New Power Generation band for a mighty 12 years. When Rhythm spoke to John in 2007 he was working with Justin Timberlake, and he talked about his trademark pocket groove and impressive showmanship skills.

“Juggling’s great if you have the confidence to do it. But you don’t need it, as long as you’ve got the pocket - that’s the most important thing. If you can’t do anything fancy, play the beat, you still got a job. If you can twirl sticks and stay disciplined it’s even more of a job - you’re adding a visual thing to the show. Which is what Prince liked.

“Showmanship helps, but if I didn’t have the discipline to keep the groove, the pocket, for 10 or 20 minutes, that stuff would do me no good. I learned that from my dad, John Blackwell Sr, and I definitely learned it from [Cameo’s] Larry Blackmon.”

Cora was invited, along with her husband and bass partner Josh Dunham, to join Prince's band, known as the After Party House Band, in 2006, and played on his albums 3121, Planet Earth and LOtUSFlOW3R.

“We came in and sat down and he said, ‘Hey, I just want to try a couple of ideas,’” she told Rhythm of that first meeting. “Most of what we recorded, we learned; there were no charts or anything. It was like, ‘Hey, try this groove.’ He might sing what he’s hearing or sing the bassline to Josh. Then he’ll say, ‘OK, play with that.’ We’ll groove on it; we can groove on it for a good 15 minutes or so. It’s kind of like James Brown. James Brown would sit on the groove until it’s just really right.

“Having a bandleader that plays several instruments has its advantages and disadvantages,” she added. “He’ll get behind the kit and say, ‘OK, you can roll on that snare at the beginning. Then make a clean break or let it linger. When he sits down and plays, he’s really saying, ‘This is the energy that I want; approach it like a big fat man. Smash it like a big, fat dude!’ So you think, ‘OK, big, fat dude on drums’. It’s relentless.”

Hannah Ford is Prince's latest drummer, part of his all-female 3rdEyeGirl backing band. She was just 22 when she caught Prince's eye through her YouTube videos.

Of working with the Purple One, Hannah reveals: “Prince is an incredible bandleader,” says Hannah. “He’s a phenomenal teacher and arranger and performer and he’s really serious about what he does and so are we, so he’s amazing at lifting everybody up and making sure that we’re all on our game. When it comes to live shows, we definitely have to keep our eyes on him, because just with the flick of a wrist or a look, in a second the song can stop, and if you don’t stop when everybody else does, it’s obvious.

“I’ve learned a lot of different styles and studied different genres, I knew the importance of being versatile, but to really dig into funk and to know what it means to have pocket, I was never really taught that,” she says. “Prince really was hands-on teaching me about pocket and funk and being solid and grooving. I’ve always had good time but there is a difference between time and pocket. That difference is felt, so when I learned how to feel pocket, how to get to that point and lock it in, that was so eye-opening. Prince is my favourite drummer right now; he’s incredible, so funky.”

Read the full interview with Prince drummer Hannah Ford in November's Rhythm magazine, available from all good newsagents, online from myfavouritemagazines.com and on iPhone and iPad from Apple Newsstand.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Despite being much maligned, the 80s were an incredibly interesting and vibrant time musically speaking. The dust was beginning to settle on the punk phenomenon, and that can-do spirit was infiltrating new forms of music, in both the US and the UK.

Young musicians were forming bands, but with synthesisers, drum machines and turntables at the heart of their sound. A phenomenon began to emerge, thanks to a new technology which was becoming more affordable with the passing of each year.

The concept of sampling was nothing new. The idea of borrowing sounds to use in your work can be linked back to ‘Musique Concrète; often referred to as ‘found sound’, the concept gained traction with experimental composers in the 1940s, continuing to influence composers as diverse as Karlheinz Stockhausen, and the amazing collective of musicians who worked at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, in the late 50s and early 60s.

The idea was simple - record a sound to tape, chop it up using a razor blade, and turn it into something completely different. Experimental? Definitely, but also incredibly inspirational, giving rise to the machine regarded as the first sampler of its kind.

The Mellotron looked like a traditional music keyboard, but lurking beneath the keyboard was an extraordinary mechanical device for playing pre-recorded analog tape on demand, at the pressing of a key. The ultimate end was a machine with its first inbuilt sample library, which many of us know from its famous early outing providing the haunting flute sound at the beginning of Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles.

With the digitisation of this technology, samplers evolved. It became possible to record short sections of audio, which could then be manipulated digitally. Although earlier devices required a degree of audio dexterity which was akin to keyhole surgery, gone were the days of tape and razor blades! By and large, the more money you had, the better the sampler you could buy, and the more audio you could record.

Initially, sampling devices could only capture a couple of seconds at a time, but by the late 80s, it was possible to capture around 45 seconds extending to minutes, should you decide to limit the sampling quality, or work in mono rather than stereo!

It didn't take long for musicians, and particularly those working in hip-hop, to realise that they could capture a drum loop from an existing recording and repurpose it for their own work.

The idea of stripping a drum track from a full mix was still a pipe dream, so you were reliant upon finding a track - where the drums played a form of solo - without other instrumentation to get in the way. Two notable examples became the go-to breakbeats.

Clyde Stubblefield was one of the drummers who formed part of James Brown’s band, becoming known as the ‘Funky Drummer’, after the track of the same title.

Recorded in 1969, Funky Drummer was split into two parts due to its length, with a classic drum breakdown at the end of the whole track. Despite the various noises and grunts from James Brown, which pepper this audio, it was possible to extract a single bar of drum loop, complete with its vintage sound, timing and unique feel.

From the mid-80s onward, the Funky Drummer breakbeat became the most prolific sample in history, and is still regarded as one of the most used of all time.

Its usage was also incredibly diverse, with numerous outings from predictable hip-hop and rap outfits, such as Public Enemy, Run-DMC, NWA, Dr Dre, LL Cool J, Beastie Boys and Grandmaster Flash. As the underground infiltrated the mainstream, artists such as George Michael used the loop on more than one occasion, notably on Freedom! ’90. The breakbeat even had an outing on the novelty hit by The Simpsons (feat Jazzy Jeff): Deep, Deep Trouble.

Despite its initial popularity, it’s still very firmly in use with current artists. Emeli Sandé, Ed Sheeran and Aphex Twin have all used the same breakbeat, several years after its initial popularity may have waned.

One of the technical challenges of sampling during the late 80s and early 90s, was that any change in sample speed would effect tempo and pitch simultaneously. Despite being a digital technology, its behaviour mimicked traditional vinyl and tape, with the speed and pitch intrinsically interlinked.

It's this technical deficiency that played an enormous role in a second drum loop and breakbeat, that became wholly omnipresent during this period, particularly in the drum and bass movement of the 90s.

Amen, Brother was a little-known B-side from the American soul band the Winstons. Much like Funky Drummer, a unique 6 second drum break occurs in the song, as all of the band members stop playing, leaving drummer Gregory Coleman to perform his 4-bar drum solo. It was too tempting to be ignored by many of the same artists that we are using the Funky Drummer breakbeat.

Despite its original rap connotations, the loop became synonymous with Drum and Bass, as this style of music tended to move at a faster tempo. What became known as ‘The Amen Break' was radically increased in speed, with the accompanying pitch moving upwards. It would not be uncommon to hear the breakbeat played at speeds in excess of 160BPM.

The effect of this loop, in production terms, would be to increase the frequency of the kick drum in the loop, leaving the perfect slot in the lower frequency band to employ relatively pure and heavily compressed synth bass sounds.

Sine, triangle and square wave patches, containing less harmonic content, provided a bass which would have your car axle shaking in seconds, and it invariably did, along with the rest of the vehicle!

Given that Clyde Stubblefield and George Coleman are two of the most sampled drummers on the planet, you would think that they spent their latter years enjoying the riches of their sampling success.

Unfortunately, from the eighties to the early 90s, sampling law was ineffective at best, and vague in its implementation. It was deemed that an artist could sample ‘an unrecognisable portion of a work’ without the need to declare the sample or indeed pay the original artist. Unrecognisable to who? It was the musical equivalent of digging your head in the sand. What was clearly on the horizon was a whole industry relating to copyright usage of samples and artist remuneration.

Despite the extensive usage of these drum loops, neither of the original drummers got paid for their extraordinary playing, and its enduring popularity and usage.

Clyde Stubblefield's answer to this completely unjust situation, was to release a sampling CD of his own, which contained the very loop which made him so famous. There were many other loops on the CD too, and he would have at least received some financial reward for his great playing.

By the end of the 80s, sampling copyright cases started to emerge, and by 1991, a significant case brought between Grand Upright Music Ltd and Warner Brothers Records, had a significant impact on the shape of sampling law to come.

At the current time, any sample usage now has to be declared, before a track can be released. Of course, this does not prevent some artists from trying to hide the original sample in their mixes to avoid paying the original artist, but the law is clear on this point now, it just came 40 years too late for the Funky Drummer and the original Amen Brother.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: It’s easy to think of using electronics within our acoustic drum kits as something new, but the reality is that it’s been happening for decades. Single-pad drum synths and noise generators have been around since the ‘70s, and the advent of fully-playable electronic drum sets from the likes of Simmons in the ‘80s made the sight of multiple pads and the sound of synthetic drums commonplace.

We’ve come a long way from using wardrobe-sized racks that cost more than a modest car to recreate a handclap sound. In 2020 we’re able to achieve a lot more using a box that can be powered from a couple of batteries and a couple of pads or triggers. But it’s the requirements of drummers that has helped propel this progression.

Here, we take a look at some of the players who went hybrid long before there was a name for it, as well as those who continue to push the boundaries of what we can play from behind the kit…

1. Bill Bruford (King Crimson, Yes, Earthworks)

Between his work with prog heroes King Crimson and his own Earthworks project, Bill Bruford was one of the leading pioneers of electronic drumming in a rock context. Unlike many of the other drummers who incorporated a few pads to augment and simulate acoustic drum sounds though, Bruford’s use was altogether more complex.

An early adopter of Simmons kits, playing SDS 5, SDS 7, SDS 9 and eventually the sampling-equipped SDX, Bruford’s magic with electronics was to not only use them to play rhythmically, but melodically and harmonically too. Bruford’s affiliation with Simmons came to an end shortly after his dual SDX setup (dubbed The Most Expensive Drum Kit In The World and costing around $10,000 each) crashed on stage at Madison Square Garden. His influence on electronic drumming can still be seen today, most notably in Tool’s Danny Carey...

2. Danny Carey (Tool)

As a big fan of Bill Bruford, it makes sense that Carey’s choice of electronics follows Bill’s. Carey formerly used Simmons SDX pads as well as an SDX module, later switching to his famous Mandala pads to create electronic effects and percussive sounds in many of Tool’s sweeping compositions. The pads share a similar aesthetic to vintage Simmons pads, but the technology housed inside is a different story, with current versions featuring a six-zone/128 MIDI layer positional sensor.

Carey triggers his sounds via Native Instruments Battery, with his seven-pad setup switching to different voices throughout Tool’s set. In addition to the Mandala pads, Carey – a synthesizer enthusiast – has also included the original Korg Wave Drum and Roland HandSonic.

3. Neil Peart (Rush)

Not only was Neil Peart one of the most influential drum heroes of all time, he was an electronic drum enthusiast too, implementing many different brands at various points in his career to help bolster the power trio sound of Rush. Like many drummers, The Professor started using Simmons pads in the ‘80s. The album Grace Under Pressure featured a Simmons Clap Trap (handclap synthesizer) and SDS-V module as well as four Simmons pads and Shark trigger pedals.

Neil’s love of electronics reached its peak with his monstrous hybrid Time Machine/Clockwork Angels tour kit. The 360-degree setup was loaded with electronics, from the distinctive DrumKAT Mallet KAT Express (with its piano-like pad layout) to the Dauz ‘target’ pad (a tribute to The Who) to the custom-built DW shells housing the guts of Roland V-Drum pads triggering sounds from a Roland TD-30.

4. Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe, Methods Of Mayhem)

Tommy Lee was using electronics on his kit as far back as his original Mötley Crüe days, with Simmons pads and triggers on each drum (triggering samples housed on chips in a Linn 9000) during the Theater Of Pain tour. Fast forward to the ‘90s, though, and Tommy’s love of hybrid hadn’t wained: his Methods Of Mayhem project leaned heavily on the use of loops and samples on record, with drummers Stephen Perkins, Morgan Rose and Will Hunt playing the electronic parts live.

Tommy told Modern Drummer in 2020: “I use a triggering system in the live format where you’ve got ginormous rooms and you’re competing with mad Marshall stacks and bass cabinets. I enhance the acoustic sounds with triggers on each of the acoustic drums. For instance on a bass drum that you’ve got sounding super-dope, I’ll add some super-low sine wave, 40-60hZ which just doesn’t come out of an acoustic drum. You can fake it with EQ, but when you add [the sample] with the live microphones, you’re giving people bowel movements!”

“Same with the snare drum… and moreso with the toms. Rather than gating the s**t out of the toms because you’ve got open mics everywhere I’ll either mic them internally to cut down on feedback. Or I’ll just go with some really awesome tom samples so that there’s no open mics and I can have it as loud as I need it.”

“It’s been a work in progress because some of the first triggers weren’t really that great. But it certainly takes your drums to a whole other level live.”

5. Rick Allen (Def Leppard)

The Def Leppard drummer was forced to rethink his approach to drumming in 1984 after losing his left arm in a car crash. The result not only allowed Rick to continue playing, but helped widen awareness of what is capable from triggered drum sounds.

Rick’s original setup for his return at Monsters Of Rock featured a series of Simmons SDS9 pads in place of acoustic shells, plus four Shark pedals placed to the left side of the kit. These were set up to offer a snare, effects snare and two tom sounds which Rick could play with his left foot. The entire kit triggered samples on an Akai S900.

Over the years, Rick has used numerous pad setups alongside acoustic shells and cymbals including Hart Dynamics, Pintech (including additional bar triggers), DDrum and Yamaha.

Regardless of the pad setup, Rick’s sounds are generated in software using Native Instruments Battery, while APTrigga handles the trigger conversion.

Rick’s kit continues to evolve, and is testament to what can be achieved using electronic drums in a rock setting.

6. Andy Gangadeen (Session, The Bays)

After starting his career as the drummer for Lisa Stansfield (triggering sounds from an Akai S9000 sampler), Andy Gangadeen went on to drum on Massive Attack’s Mercury Award-winning masterpiece, Mezzanine, before bagging the then-biggest pop gig in the world with The Spice Girls.

In the early ’00s, Andy started his groundbreaking, entirely-improvised electronic outfit, The Bays and later became the drummer for drum ’n’ bass/festival favourites, Chase And Status.

Andy’s significant impact on the acceptance of electronic and hybrid drums has also informed how many UK drummers go about using their hybrid gear.

"Acoustic kits will always have their place, I like drums and cymbals to sound natural but then have the electronics in addition to the acoustic. That’s why I don’t put triggers on my acoustic kit.” Andy told us in 2018. "I approach the two very differently. The technique to play an acoustic kit is totally different to what it is to play electronic. Hybrid is a thing I’ve been bashing on about for years and now kids are getting to understand the relevance of it and how important it is.”

7. The Bays

As mentioned above, Andy Gangadeen has become an influential figure when it comes to implementing electronic gear, mentoring many of the new generation of drummers on using electronics for pop sessions. The manifestation of this is the latest incarnation of The Bays, featuring Andy, Kaz Rodriguez (Josh Groban), Olly Wiseman (Anne-Marie) and Aicha Djidjelli.

A live band playing electronic music? Yes, but with some important differences: all of the sounds are triggered from the mother of all electronic drum setups.

As with previous performances, there are no setlists. Instead, The Bays – armed with a library of sounds and the ability to create live loops – improvise their entire performance, including the melodic and rhythmic elements. Unfortunately, COVID has limited the opportunity to catch The Bays live, but the band did stream an entire gig during the lockdown period.

8. Michael Schack (Solo, Netsky)

If you’ve never experienced a ‘Schack attack’ then you owe it to yourself to watch at least a handful of Michael Schack’s performances immediately. We’re hard pushed to think of a single drummer who has educated and demonstrated the possibilities of electronic and hybrid setups to as many drummers as Michael.

If his mind-blowing chops grab your attention, his energy and enthusiasm for the subject will keep you watching. From simple hybrid basics to full mash-ups using loops, sequences and effects, Michael Schack’s explanations and performances are inspiring to watch, regardless of your technological ability.

9. Joe Clegg (Elie Goulding)

It might be harder to blaze a trail in a time where the electronic elements of our kits are within reach of so many players, but Joe Clegg (drummer and Musical Director for Ellie Goulding) has done just that. Not only has Joe embraced the possibilities that a hybrid setup presents in pop drumming, but he’s mastered the interaction between the tactile nature of hardware along with the power of software in Ableton Live.

So much, in fact, that he’s even produced a course aimed specifically at drummers who wish to incorporate Ableton Live into their setup. The definition of a ‘pop drummer’ in 2020, Joe shows how to use Ableton in a musical way, rather than simply triggering static loops and backing tracks. His course covers everything you need to know to get the best from a hybrid setup including selecting and creating sounds, processing and automation and most importantly, how you can use software creatively.

10. Craig Blundell (Solo, Steve Hackett)

While more recently Craig has been making a major name for himself in the prog field – performing and recording with headline acts including Steven Wilson and Steve Hackett – for many years his other gig has been working with Roland's R&D team. Craig's insight and hands-on experience has helped shape many of Roland's most successful electronic percussion products, notably the SPD-SX sampling pad, and TD-17, TD-25 and TD-50 V-Drums kits.

Providing vital insight into the design and functionality of the gear many of us have in our homes, many of the patches and sounds you'll find on those products were created by Craig, too.

When he's not on the road or in the lab with the Roland designers, Craig can usually be found performing a clinic or shooting videos extolling the virtues of hybrid drumming and the power of electronic drums – a true ambassador for pushing the instrument forward.

11. KJ Sawka (Pendulum)

It’s one thing to see a drummer trigger drum’n’bass loops, but watching KJ Sawka takes the concept of live drum’n’bass to another level. The Pendulum drummer can regularly be seen flanked by a wall of Roland gear including a full kit, additional pads, triggers, an SPD-SX and Octopad as well as his laptop, and it’s not for show.

KJ’s stamina and precision in replicating a frenetic style of programmed electronica is absolutely worth checking out if you haven’t already, and when you do, remind yourself that these parts are being played live.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Electronic drum sets have changed the way drummers learn to play and practice - in many cases, owning an e-kit, regardless of your budget, can be the difference between becoming a drummer or not thanks to their noise-busting and space-saving abilities.

They’ve come a long way, too. It wasn’t that long ago that electronic kits featured carpal tunnel-inducing, rock-hard playing surfaces with unrealistic pad shapes and form factors that felt about as realistic as hitting a tabletop. The sounds matched the playing experience, with early examples limited by technology to produce synthesised, drum machine-style sounds rather than acoustic drum recreation.

But, with incremental improvements happening every year, electronic drums have shifted focus since the ’80s from a near-novelty sound effect, to a much more authentic, acoustic drum kit substitute.

Sampling and memory technology has become exponentially more efficient and effective. We now have tune-able playing surfaces which are not only round, but often similar (or at least approaching) that of our acoustic kits.

Electronic drum manufacturers are now able to produce a cohesive solution to allow us to enjoy time at our kits without upsetting those around us, while also developing and applying traditional playing techniques. What was once alien and shunned by drum teachers and purists is now commonplace.

But, we’re not there yet. If you’ve ever glanced at your keyboard or guitar-playing friends through green-hued goggles as they conjure rich, natural-sounding grand pianos or a carbon copy of vintage amps and pedals from their gear, you’ll know that there are yet still improvements to be made to bring electronic drums even closer to our acoustic kits.

We’re nearly a quarter of the way through the century, which seems a good time to take stock of where electronic drums are currently, what we hope will come next, and what we can realistically expect in the years ahead. Join us as we locate our Flux Capacitor, set the metronome to 88 and glimpse into the near future of electronic drums.

1. Blurred lines

Just as we’re seeing an erosion of the divide between ‘electronic’ and ‘acoustic’ drummers, with many players now opting for ‘electronic at home, acoustic kit on the gig’, so we’re seeing a breakdown of who makes what.

Of course, Yamaha has been at the forefront of acoustic and electronic drum kit manufacture for decades.

Similarly, Pearl has had a foot in both camps for decades. In 2022, Roland, one of the leading brands in electronic instruments altogether - whose contribution to electronic drums has been a key driving force in the area’s development - announced that it had acquired DW (Drum Workshop), along with its family of brands (PDP Drums and Percussion, Slingerland and LP Percussion).

This was a hugely significant move, followed quickly by DW’s announcement of DWe. But while you might think that Roland’s buy-out of the DW brand family meant an immediate shift into electronic drums from the Californian acoustic icon, DW was actually working on DWe for several years before the acquisition came (read our initial thoughts in this DWe review).

All of which speaks to the fact that the electronic and hybrid drum market is continuing to grow, and big acoustic brands want in. But it’s not just tub-makers who are aware of this: most recently Zildjian - a company that has passed its 400th anniversary - announced the release of its Alchem-E electronic drum sets. In short, we’re expecting to see more and more acoustic-based drum brands move into the digital market, and frankly, we can’t wait.

2. Cables, guys?

One of the hurdles brands face in getting drummers to take electronic kits out of their spare rooms is the difference in setup when compared to an acoustic kit. There’s an irony that acoustic drums are lighter, often take up a smaller footprint and are completely controllable when it comes to volume levels, all of which should make electronic drums the ideal choice for rehearsing and gigging. However, when we set up our acoustic kits, we transport them in tailored cases, place them on our backbreaking collection of hardware, hit them, and they do their job.

With our electronic kits, we have to transport them, set them up and then plug everything in, often with a bespoke cable snake which isn’t really designed for constant plugging/unplugging.

It takes time, looks messy, and if anything goes wrong with the nest of cables, we’re potentially taking a stroll up Slack Alley. DW’s DWe removed this problem, offering wireless connectivity between the drums and sound source, and it really, really works. What might be considered a small improvement is a massive one, and we hope to see other brands (surely starting with Roland) implement wireless tech within our electronic kits.

3. Mo’ module

To get anywhere close to recreating the nuanced sound of an acoustic drum kit, you need samples. Lots and lots of them. This isn’t really the problem though - as we’ve already noted, memory is pretty cheap in 2024 and what’s more, we’re dealing with quick, solid-state hard drives.

The difficulty comes in playing these sounds back. The module needs to detect a strike from a pad, determine the zone and velocity, then play-back the appropriate sample from its pool of potentials, along with any other microphone positions you might have selected. And it needs to do this in a few milliseconds to avoid latency, requiring some beefy processing power. Indeed, Roland’s digital-sensing pads such as the PD140-DS snare, VH-14 hi-hats and CY-18DR contain additional pre-processors to help take some of the mathematical load away from the module.

All of this is a challenge, but not impossible. Earlier this year, Alesis dropped a bombshell of a module with the Strata Prime. Here, we get a soundset fuelled by the well-established BFD software, complete with multiple microphone positions and multi-layered samples. The Strata Prime isn’t the first to do it - Pearl’s MIMIC is loaded with sounds from Steven Slate Drums, however, Alesis’ take on the concept delivers a fully self-contained kit to go with it.

DWe kits take a slightly different approach, doing away with a module altogether in favour of DW’s Soundworks computer software. Here, the number crunching is taken care of by your computer. However, this does mean that you’re tied to a laptop or desktop, which isn’t a problem for larger touring bands, but could still pose a problem for those of us gigging in grassroots venues such as pubs and clubs.

We think there’s a good chance that modules are going to be increasingly better equipped to deal with intense processing. If brands are intent on taking a computer-based route, we wouldn’t be surprised to see tablet, or possibly even smartphone-based sound generation, given that these devices can now work with external peripherals such as audio interfaces.

4. AI, AI… oh!

Ok, so we’ve all heard about Artificial Intelligence stealing our jobs and faking our identities, with the ultimate goal of wiping out humanity as we know it. But, before that happens we think that AI could prove incredibly useful when it comes to electronic drums.

First up is configuring our kits for us. Electronic drums feature a huge number of variable parameters, and if they’re set incorrectly then our e-kits won’t respond as best as they can. What if we were able to play the kit for a while, and allow the ‘brain’ to figure out our striking style, automatically adjusting velocity curves and volume levels to suit?

Next up is sound generation. We’ve all spent time tweaking the available sounds within our module in order to get them closer to a recording or sound in our head. Generative AI software such as Sony’s DrumGAN, Google’s MusicFX and more can already create sounds from thin air (or rather, learning from millions of samples), and we’d love to see this sort of feature eventually trickle into our e-kits - simply tell the module the sort of sound you’re looking for, or better still, play it a reference and have it generate it for you in seconds!

A big feature on nearly every electronic kit is the ability to jam, whether that’s with the built-in ‘songs’ which tend to vary from a bit cheesy to a downright fondue selection, or (probably more commonly), playing along to your favourite songs. However, AI-powered software such as MOISES has emerged in recent years, and it has the witchcraft ability to deconstruct a stereo recording, allowing us to mute the parts we don’t want and ‘sit-in’ with our favourite bands. We’d love to see this integrated into our drum modules, making learning and practising a whole lot more enjoyable. AI might lead to a dystopian future, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be groove along the way.

5. RE: Surface

Roland’s introduction of mesh heads nearly 30 years ago is one of the biggest game-changers we’ve seen. Finally, a quiet, tensionable playing surface that responds in a very similar way to an acoustic drum head. But all mesh heads are not created equal, and while we’d argue that for snare and tom pads a mesh head is the best option, it isn’t isn’t infallible and still has its detractors.

Yamaha’s silicone-based playing surface, TCS, has found many-a-fan, but comes without the ability to change the tension. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a Mesh 2.0 at some point, perhaps with a more acoustic-feeling surface that diminishes the tennis racket-like bounce that can still be experienced.

In the words mis-attributed to Henry Ford, “If I’d asked the people what they wanted, they’d have said ‘a faster horse’”, and this definitely applies to our understanding of polymers, chemistry and its application to creating a drumhead. But, we don’t think the pursuit of more realistic playing surfaces will end with a development first made in the ’90s.

6. Easily Triggered

Hit your acoustic drum anywhere across the circumference of its head and you’ll achieve different tonalities. However, multi-position (edge vs centre) sensing is a relatively new development in electronic drums. Snare drums are perhaps the most dynamic shell in our arsenal, and electronic snares are usually equipped with head and rim triggers. Additional detection for head pressure means that we can play the centre of the drum, the rim, a rimshot or a cross-stick. Similarly, our electronic toms are often limited to two zones (head and rim), offering us centre/rim and (sometimes) rimshot sounds.

But we can see a future where electronic drums become much more dynamically versatile. To do this requires more zones, and while Roland’s PD-140DS does a great job of offering some fluid transitions between all of the above articulations, as well as edge-centre positioning, and DW’s DWe snare drum includes an electronic throw-off, there’s still more potential.

Evans has partnered with Sensory Percussion to bring its mind-blowing technology to a wider audience, and one of the standout features of the Sensory Percussion ecosystem is its ability to map up to 10 individual zones across a single drum. It does this via a magnetic, side-mounted sensor and some clever software to interpret the strike position on the drum.

However, Sensory Percussion’s system is less about replicating acoustic drums, and more about transforming the playing surfaces into a complete melodic, electronic musical instrument.

Many of the features we just described - edge-to-centre timbre shifts, bass drum beater-burying, snares on/off, pitch changes via pressure on our toms - exist already, but the ‘standard’ configuration of single and dual-zone response is still most common, particularly at the lower end of the market. We think we’ll see more zones and greater articulation become more ubiquitous in the decade to come, bringing our acoustic and electronic kits even closer together.

7. Highway to Shell

Take a look at the electronic drum market, and you’ll notice that brands are leaning heavily towards ‘real shells’ as well as drum pads. As well as offering the familiar diameter of an acoustic drum, an electronically-equipped drum shell also adds authentic depth. What does this mean for the sound of the kit? Not a jot. But, it plays a hugely important role in making us feel like we’re sat at a drum kit, because we are!

The dimensions of ‘real shell’ electronic drum sets governs the placement of each kit part’, and unlike our small, shallow pads, small-diameter cymbals and separate bass drum tower, it forces the kit to be set up very similarly to an acoustic setup. The spacing between each drum is more authentic, which in turn affects how we sit, our reach and thanks to the sizing, even the way the cymbal pads respond, and it’s something that every drummer who transitions regularly between acoustic and electronic setups should experience.

Current ‘real shell’ kits such as Roland’s VAD 504/507 series tend to be based on ‘fusion’ kit sizes - that is, a 20” bass drum, 10”, 12” and 14” toms. We think that the future holds more size options, allowing us to fully replicate our acoustic setups with identical sizes.

It’s a similar story when it comes to cymbals too, with Roland, Alesis, EFnote and more continuing to boost the diameter of our cymbal pads, and the latter offers inverted China-shaped pads, hole-laden FX-style cymbals, and identically-sized, 360-degree playable splash cymbals to help enhance the feeling of replicating an acoustic setup. We’ve all laughed at the idea of having a digital cowbell, or perhaps even questioned why we’d need a set of digital octobans, but the truth is, these all add-up to a more realistic playing experience. Of course, part of the benefit of drum pads is the space-saving nature of having a smaller kit. We don’t think we’ll see an end to compact drum pads, rather, a future where we get the option to choose between either, or both.

8. Cymbal Plan

So far, our predictions and wishlist has focused largely on the drum ‘pads’ and module. But to many drummers, the stumbling block to a full electronic switchover sits firmly with the cymbals. We’re used to potentially complex, harmonically-rich sounds from our prized metal, and while we’re at a point of very good electronic cymbals, replicating this fully is still a challenge that lies in two areas: physical response and sound characteristics.

Unlike our drums, which are mostly short, staccato sounds, every cymbal hit interacts with the previous. There’s attack, sustain and a polyphonic build-up of wash to contend with.

This once again relies on sampling, and the subsequent processing involved in playing these more intelligent samples back.

Next up is the feel of our cymbals. Not only are they not made of rubber, they’re considerably thinner, weighted differently and move more freely than electronic cymbals.

We’ve already mentioned Roland’s digitally-connected VH-14D and CY-18DR hi-hats and ride, which do respond fantastically, but are tied to Roland’s proprietary connection and are currently only compatible with the TD-27 and TD-50/50X modules. Further down the line, Roland is pushing things forward with its latest generation of thinner ‘T’ model cymbals which definitely take some of the resistance out of crashing. Likewise, EFnote and, most recently Alesis with its ARC cymbals are following suit to help make electronic cymbals feel more like the real thing.

However, possibly the most interesting development in the electronic cymbal market is due to come from Zildjian. As with DW, Zildjian has opted for metal cymbals for its forthcoming Alchem-E kits, but unlike the DWe cymbals, it’s taken the ‘practice cymbal’ concept it pioneered with the Gen16 and L80 series, and applied it to electronic cymbals that can be assigned to any sound you desire within the module.

But with metal cymbals comes the enemy of the home drummer: stick noise. We’re not entirely sure exactly how manufacturers can be expected to make a metal cymbal which feels acoustic, with all the benefits of a less intrusive rubber pad. However, we’ve played enough perforated practice cymbals to know that they have a significant effect on volume, while maintaining a natural feel. Let’s face it, if anyone can do it, we’d hope it would be the world’s leading cymbal brand.

9. Closed Shop

For years, it’s been possible to take a pad from here and plug it into a module from there, plug it in with a jack cable and the biggest problem you’re likely to face is a polarity issue. Sorry to spoil the utopian dream of everyone getting along and sharing knowledge for the wider benefit of everyone - this may not be what we’d like to face-up to, but we think proprietary technology is likely to become more prolific.

Why? Well, it’s already happening. If you want to use Roland’s digital pads, you’ll be needing a Roland module. Bought a DWe kit? The wireless connectivity means that if you want to hook up cymbals without resorting to third-party trigger-MIDI workarounds, you’ll need to buy the DWe cymbal pack.

Likewise, Zildjian’s Alchem-E cymbals use a bespoke connector that, while possible for third-parties to reproduce, is going to take time, and make business sense. All of which assumes that patents and intellectual property rights even make it permissible. So, we think (at least in the immediate future), it’ll be a case of picking your side carefully and sticking with it, just as we do with our phones and computers. That is, until the robots take over.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Phil Collins officially retired on 26 March 2022, following a 50-year career of touring and recording both solo and with Genesis. And in October 2022, Phil shared his story to his son Nic Collins, with a full camera crew in attendance.

Last year, the superb documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First was released. A fascinating and highly illuminating take on Collins' life and career, the documentary was put together with Nic Collins and released by Drumeo on their YouTube channel.

Collins Junior proved to be the perfect conduit for Collins senior’s story, being sufficiently trusted and familiar with his dad’s foibles to coax out all the details from a man who – frankly – as rock royalty and who has more than earned his accolades, could just say no.

Instead he – and countless musical contemporaries – tell a great story, packed with highlights and insight.

We learned about Collins’ career as a young actor and his first steps into music.

“My dad particularly was very proud of me being in the West End in Oliver, which was a huge show, and I was the Artful Dodger,” he explains. “So he had bragging rights on that. And suddenly I was going to join a pop band. I decided that's what I wanted to do, and I became a ‘professional auditioner’. I just answered the back page of Melody Maker and when I went for auditions, the auditions were good, but I never seemed to get anything.

“Peter Gabriel said, as soon as he saw me sit down on a drum stool, he knew that I was the drummer, and I got a call to say I got the job. But all went slowly downhill from there,” he joked.

We learned the secrets of his kick drumming as Nic set up an old kit and had trouble even understanding its kick pedal. “I used to play two bass drums. But then I just use the Speed King pedal as well. They were pretty basic,” Collins explains.

“I remember I got a new DW 9000 double pedal and I was so excited about it,” says Nic. “I brought it to my dad, and he was like ‘Well, it's not a Speed King is it?’ It was my Dad, [John] Bonham. All those guys swear by it. “And you can tell if it’s an old one or a new one, because it gets played in, you know,” Collins explains. “And I love them.”

But what about the distinctive sound of Collins' concert toms? There are more secrets to be learned…

“My dad hated changing heads,” Nic explains. “That's part of the sound – when they were played in you get that sound. When it's a new head, you gotta break it in. [He hits a tom with a worn head] Yeah, that sounds like they're supposed to. Brad Marsh, the drum tech. would sit there before he would show up for sound check, and be stepping on them and hitting them for two hours to make sure they were played in for him.”

Likewise Collins revealed an aversion for tuning drums: “That's the In The Air sound. The top two concert toms were Pearl. I remember that the rest were Premiere.” “You didn't have to tune them. You just hit him harder?” asks Nic. “Yeah, I beat them into submission,” confesses Collins.

Solo superstardom

But before solo success there was the small matter of taking the step from behind the kit to the front of the stage – a journey Collins didn’t plan on making. But when Peter Gabriel unexpectedly quit Genesis they were forced to make big changes.

“We were halfway through a tour of America, [Gabriel] told our manager, and I think Tony Banks got wind of it. From then on, we knew that Pete could leave at any time, but we had a 150-show tour to do.”

And that – incredibly – could have meant continuing without a vocalist: “I was the one that said, when Peter left, ‘Right, let's do it instrumentally,” says Collins. “And everybody jeered and told me to shut up and get back in my box. But, you know, I can see they were right.

“It was not in my mind to become the singer. But nobody else wanted the job. We had a long search for a singer that didn't amount to much. I used to sing all the songs at the auditions, to the guys that were coming to audition. And I started to, in general, sound a bit better than they did…”

“From the first show, the fans loved him because he was part of the band already. It wasn't like a new guy had to come in and had to win over the crowd,” explains Nic.

“Yeah, my excuse was my voice has always been there in the background, whether it's backing vocals or the odd lead vocal here and there,” admits Collins.

“The first gig I did as a singer was in London, Ontario, and I went on, and I didn't let go of the mic stand. That became my drum kit. It's kind of very eerie. I always missed being behind the drums, you know? I thought I was better at that than I was singing, so I missed it.”

Collins was soon writing and demoing his own songs with his lead vocals at the forefront, but still needed one more confidence boost. “I remember very distinctly that Ahmet Ertegun [co-founder and president of Atlantic Records] was in London, and he and I always got along great,” Collins explains.

“So I went up to his house and we had a couple of drinks, and I said, ‘I got a cassette here, if you want to hear it.’ He said, ‘I'd love to hear it’. So I put it on, and they were just my demos, you know. And he said, ‘Whatever you do with this, I want to be involved’, which gave me the kind of confidence I needed. So I went home quite full of myself.”

But what about the origin of Collin’s unique drum sound and – gulp – that drum fill?

“We were at the Townhouse which had this live room. I'd done three or four tracks with Peter [Gabriel] and realized that if you put the microphones in the corners and compressed them, it sounded fantastic. And he said, ‘What is that?’ I said, ‘Nothing. I'm just playing with the sound’. And he said, ‘Give me that for 10 minutes’. So I played that, no deviations, no fills, and that became The Intruder. And I said to him, ‘Can I have a copy of that drum loop?’ He wasn't too happy. But I just wanted to remember the sound.

“So by the time me and [producer] Hugh Padgham had gone in to do my tracks, In The Air, came up on the list and there was no drum fill,” Collins explains. “The fallacy about the In The Air fill is that it was all carefully thought out. But that's just the fill that I did on that particular take on that particular day.

“I mean, I must have done four or five different fills while Hugh did his finesseing. And that was that. I went in to listen to it. We all agreed we didn't have to do it again. Yeah, it changed my life.”

In The Air Tonight was to become Collins’ signature song and a key component of his live performances, always given a special presentation.

One such elaborate tour trick involved a solo Collins on stage beginning the song alone, emoting to an audience whose attention is piqued by the complete absence of a kit on stage. Then, with that fill looming large, a drum kit would magically rise up out of the stage and Phil would batter the hell out of them with seconds to spare. “And the place would go insane.”

However things didn’t always go to plan. “It was the ‘96, ‘97 Dance Into The Light tour,” Collins says. “I used to walk around the stage, but I was walking around, and didn't see the usual lights coming up. And I thought that's weird… And there was no drum kit…

“It was on a lift, but it was still on the floor inside this hole in the middle of the stage, and I didn't know what to do… So I jumped into the hole and I played the fill, and sang… And none of the audience could see me!

“At the end, I came out of the hole, and explained to the audience what had happened.”

Collins today is, of course, in retirement and it’s apparent that ill health has drawn his musical career to a close prematurely.

“It’s still kind of sinking in a bit,” he admits. “You know, I'm 71. I've spent all my life playing drums, to suddenly not be able to do that is a shock. The drumming has taken its toll on my hands, legs.

“If I can't do what I did as well as I did it, I'd rather relax and not do anything. If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks then I will have a crack at it. But just, you know, I just feel like I've used up my air miles.”

Perhaps, bassist and regular band member Leland Sklar sums up the end to this story best: “If you were walking down the street and met Phil, and he had no idea who he is, and you got into a conversation and you said to him, so what do you do? He would say, ‘I'm a drummer’ before anything else.

“Man, he is a happy camper sitting back there. And that's also one of the real heartbreaks, the fact that he lost that.”

Phil Collins: Drummer First is available to watch on YouTube now.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Drum kit instrument plugins are a wonderful thing, providing a vast array of realistic kit sounds and behaviours that you can use both with MIDI drum kit controllers or simply by programming in your DAW. They usually incorporate a MIDI pattern library, providing a great source of instant beats and fills.

However, if you want something a bit more specific, there’s no reason why you can’t program realistic parts from scratch. So whether you’re an okay drummer (like me) who wants to create more tricky parts they’d struggle to play, or a producer looking to create more realistic drum tracks, then read on as we take a look at some tips to get things moving.

Think like a drummer

1: This may sound pretty obvious, but we only have 4 limbs. So, as a drummer this means the most drum elements we can play at any one time is 4. Not only that, but 2 of those limbs can only play kick and hi hat foot pedal sounds, adding further limits to the kit pieces you can use simultaneously. So, when programming parts take into account these physical limitations and behaviours.

2: To give this some context, here we have a basic drum beat and you’ll see that for most of the pattern the kit pieces play individually or 2 at a time. Throw in a fill at bar 4 and briefly we’re playing 3 kit pieces simultaneously. There’s clearly not loads of drums playing together at any point.

3: This concept follows through into other aspects and a good example is crashes. Most drummers hitting a crash on the downbeat will use their hi hat hand and then move to the hi hats for the next hit. Here you can see this in the piano roll editor as the hi hat doesn’t play the downbeat.

Understanding your kit instrument

4: One reason drum kit instruments are so much better than bare samples is that they’re designed to include all the aspects of a multimiked kit, including close and distant mics, bleed between kit pieces and some variation (humanisation) in hits. However, they also often allow you to change these settings in ways that wouldn’t match a real kit.

5. For realistic parts it's important to retain some of this, or at least if you do change things have a valid reason. Here in Addictive Drums 2 for example, you can adjust the bleed level of individual kit pieces into the room and overheads. This can really help finesse the balance in these components. Here we’ve substantially reduced the hi hat level in the overheads.

6: The humanisation aspects of a drum kit instrument are also worth considering. For the most part these work well, but can sometimes be a bit too random or include obviously repetitive round robin implementation for example. Here we have activated the ‘No Alternating Samples’ option for the snare and used velocity to periodically change the timbre of strategic hits.

Focus on the hats

7: Drums are quite a physical instrument to play, and hitting things means you really feel the pulse of the music. This inevitably feeds through into the way you hit things and in particular hi hats and rides, creating natural accenting and dynamics.

8: One fast track route to making your kit parts more realistic is to build this concept into your programming. In this example the beat is very straight and we’re using higher velocity on the hi hat part to accent the kick and snare hits, just as a drummer would.

9: For patterns where the kick and snare don’t fall consistently on beats, we can use the hi hats to continue to mark the pulse of the music or divisions of that pulse. Here rather than accent each quarter note we’re accenting just beats 1 and 3.

Timing

10: Finally, real drumming is not quantized or even swing quantized, and although we may record to a click and even push the performance towards a quantize grid, we still want movement in the playing. To create realistic parts it’s important to factor this in, and even if you opt to quantize some of the quarter notes, building some feel elsewhere is vital.

11: The kick drum is responsible for much of the feel in a drum part, particularly if it’s playing grace notes. Playing with the timing of these 16ths and the immediate quarter note that follows can create a beat that either pushes or pulls. Here we’ve pushed both the 16th grace note and downbeat slightly earlier.

12: For snares even if the backbeat is tightly quantized we can add feel using ghost notes. Here our beat has 8th note hi hats, but adding in a 16th note snare ghost note on the second 16th of each bar creates more feel. We’ve used a very low velocity to make this hit super quiet. Try adding more ghost notes to taste.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Here is a detailed, point-by-point checklist for approaching a standard drum kit recording session. First published a few years ago, it has been republished for MusicRadar's Drum Week

1. Skins, sticks and beaters 

It’s much easier to get volume, clarity and brightness from a new set of drumheads. If possible, get them on, tuned and ‘played in’ a day or two before the session.

Different types of head give different types of sound: single-ply heads are bright with less sustain (jazz/pop); two-ply heads are deeper and more controlled (rock/metal); coated heads are warmer in tone (disco/'70s). Your choice of sticks or hotrods and felt or wood kick drum beaters will also have a big effect on the sound of the kit. Get close to the sound you want before you think about microphones!

2. Tune up 

This should be the drummer’s responsibility, yet it’s more often than not the engineer or producer who realises that the drums sound wrong and knows what to do about it.

Here are a few tuning tips and things to check if you’re having problems.
Check that the head diameter is exactly right (fractionally larger than the drum) and that it’s mounted perfectly centrally. Always make tension adjustments in opposite pairs to avoid forcing the head off-centre. Seat the head by applying gentle pressure with your palm to the centre, then tune out any new wrinkles that appear.

3. Bottom heads on toms 

Wherever there are two heads, there are three possibilities. If you tune the bottom (resonator) head of a tom to the same pitch as the top (batter) head, you’ll get a purer tone with more sustain – perfect for jazz and its derivatives. If you tune the resonator lower, you get a slight pitch drop-off and less decay – great for rock.

Tuning the resonator higher shortens the decay further, which can be great for close miking. A good starting interval for the difference in pitch between heads is a minor third - ie, three semitones either way.

4. Front head on the kick or not? 

The front (resonator) skin on the kick drum is important for creating a good, meaty tone. Jazzers love it, and most rock/poppers have a hole cut in it to allow microphones and dampening material (a small blanket, say) to be placed inside.

For metal styles, where you’re mainly looking for click and thud, you may as well just remove the front head so that you can get a mic right in on the beater point.

5. Tighten the kick drum 

It’s possible to create a little kick drum chamber using, blankets, duvets or even a coat. These are draped over the kick drum, and any microphones are placed in and in front of it. Use a couple of small mic stands to hold the blankets up.

The chamber prevents spill from the cymbals and snare getting into the kick drum mics, making it easier to boost the high frequencies at the mix stage and thus enhance the ‘clickiness’ without adding harshness from the cymbals.

6. Playing to a click 

If you’re tracking to an existing recording, your drummer will need to be able to play to a click track. The best drummers are able to sit exactly on the click, but tend to flow around it in order to create a better feel.

Recording to a click makes it much easier to edit between drum takes at a later stage. If the whole band is tracking together, it’s best if only the drummer gets the click. Using a little beatbox or percussion groove usually makes a better ‘click’ than an actual click, and will also spill over into the microphones less.

7. Prepare the click for gaps 

Prepare for stops and gaps in the song by automating the level of the click in the drummer’s headphones. During the stops, lower the volume so that there’s no click spill into the drum mics from the headphones. If you’re recording the whole band, it’s also a good idea to send a click to the other players at that point, so the drummer doesn’t have to count everyone back in. This will save lots of painful editing and remedial work later on.

8. Get a crappy mic 

Tape recorders used to come with built-in condenser or electret microphones. Put one of these old machines into record/pause mode and take the output into your DAW for an exciting, super-crunchy sound.

Sometimes, rubbishy old battery-powered mics can sound good too. Put these types of mic in a place where they can hear the whole kit. The corners of the room can offer interesting results – experiment!

9. Record without cymbals 

Recording a kit in a difficult space without ideal equipment can be a fruitful and rewarding experience, but you might still feel that your results sound amateurish.

One of the classic drum sound problems is too much cymbal spill. This happens in the best of studios, and when it does, the pros just record the crashes afterwards. That way you can bring up all the exciting roominess of the drums themselves in the mix, then blend in perfectly recorded cymbals afterwards. As long as they share the same bus compressor no one will ever know (although your drummer will hate playing without cymbals).

10. Essential gubbins for a trouble-free drum session 

Moon Gel, for damping; 3-in-1 oil, for squeaky pedals; a drum key, because the drummer will forget theirs; an adjustable spanner, for rattly stands; gaffer tape, for holding stuff; masking tape, for attaching damping materials and the like; empty cigarette packets and J-Cloths, for that '70s sound; blankets; stage weight or sandbag; and Japanese cooking chopsticks - great for tom parts!

DRUMS WEEK 2025: A few years back we compiled a collection of our favourite drummer-angled documentaries, that list is reproduced here for MusicRadar's Drum Week. We've checked and most are all still available on the listed platforms, others may require a bit of searching to locate. So, if you want to enrich your drumming knowledge, set some time aside to check these out…

All of these are available to watch via Netflix, Amazon Prime or Sky/Now TV in the UK and are included in your plan, so there’s no extra rental/purchase charges. Check your territory for availability.

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The Beatles: Get Back - Disney+

Peter Jackson’s Beatles docu-series covers the creation of Let It Be, offering a more balanced view than the film. Thanks to groundbreaking restoration and audio editing techniques, we get to experience a behind-the-scenes look at the Fab Four’s rehearsal, recording and performance, alongside the ups and downs of the band’s final era. It’s worth a month’s subscription to the Disney+ service alone.

Where: Disney+

Count Me In - Netflix

An all-star cast of drummers unpick exactly what it is that makes drummers tick.

Join Chad Smith, Cindy Blackman-Santana, Taylor Hawkins, Stewart Copeland, Nicko McBrain, Samantha Maloney Ian Paice and many more as they explore their passion for drumming and life behind the kit.

Where: Netflix

The Sound Of Metal - Amazon Prime

Riz Ahmed portrays a rock drummer, Rueben experiencing every musician’s worst nightmare: hearing loss.

The film deals with Rueben coming to terms with his deteriorating hearing, while his girlfriend and bandmate Lou (Olivia Cooke) intervenes in order to prevent the former addict from spiralling out of control.

A stark reminder to wear those earplugs you got in your stocking.

Where: Amazon Prime

Fred Armisen: Standup For Drummers - Netflix

Comedian and drummer Fred Armisen (Saturday Night live, Portlandia) leads us through his muso observations and impressions of life behind the kit.

While the material does break from drums and music, you’ll probably want to watch this alone/with other drummers unless your nan is likely to appreciate the subtle frustrations of un-fastening a cymbal stand wingnut.

Where: Netflix

Art of Drumming - Sky Arts

Join UK drumming institution as he charts the progression of drumming’s role in popular music in this four-part documentary series. Steve is joined by a list of drumming royalty to help with his exploration, it’s a must-watch for drummers and non-drumming music fans alike.

Where: Sky

Sample This - Netflix

Sample This tells the story of The Incredible Bongo Band’s version of Apache - the drum groove from which went on to become one of the most sampled breakbeats in history.

As well as some masterful input and drumming demonstrations from Questlove, Sample This takes in the Manson family, and the tragic downfall of session drummer Jim Gordon.

Where: Netflix

Whiplash - Amazon Prime

Follow the journey of hopeful jazz drummer, Andrew as he enrols in the Shaffer Conservatory Studio Band, only to be met by ruthless, aggressive and sometimes even violent band leader, Terence Fletcher. Pushed to his limits, Andrew strives to become ‘one of the greats’. There’s blood, tears, and a whole lot of Caravan.

Where: Amazon Prime

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story - Netflix

How does a band recover when your frontman is one of the greatest rock has ever seen? Find out as Brian May, Roger Taylor and a cast of A-list rock talking-heads tell the story of Queen’s triumphant revival with vocalist Adam Lambert.

Where: Netflix

Classic Albums - Amazon Prime

If you fancy nerding-out on some of the biggest albums ever recorded then the Classic Albums series is for you. Unfortunately, not every episode is available to stream for free with a Prime account, but you can watch Black Sabbath (Paranoid), Queen (A Night At The Opera), Pink Floyd (Dark Side Of The Moon). Expect isolated stems and input from the musicians and producers who made them.

Where: Amazon Prime

Metallica - Some Kind of Monster - Netflix

Metallica’s legendary fly-on-the-wall rock-doc shows the difficulty of creating 2003’s St. Anger. There’s too many brilliant lars Ulrich (and his dad) moments to list as the band navigate recording the album, replacing Jason Newstead, addiction, and the bizarre presence of band therapist, Dr Phil Towel.

Where: Netflix

Song Exploder - Netflix

An extension of the fascinating podcast series by the same name, Song Exploder takes the ‘Classic Album’ format and zooms in, focussing on a single song each episode. It’s not drum-centric, but it does give some great insight into the creation and production process, including drum parts. The two currently available volumes include Killers (When We Were Young), Nine Inch Nails (Hurt), R.E.M (Losing My Religion) and more.

Where: Netflix

DRUMS WEEK 2025: They say it’s the secret to great comedy, but timing is also a fundamental skill for drummers - and all musicians - that requires development. But this isn’t a set-and-forget, box-checking ability. Your inner sense of timing is like muscle memory, and you’ll need to maintain it whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro.

But what if you’re starting from a point of fluctuation? First, you need to iron out your playing, and this can stem from the way you’re perceiving tempos in your mind to individual limbs physically out of sync with each other.

Sadly, there is no real shortcut for this, it’s something that will come over time through plenty of practice with a metronome and repetition, but that doesn’t need to mean that you’re going to spend forever playing single-stroke rolls tethered to a fatiguing quarter-note pulse (although a bit of that won’t hurt).

Let’s look at some ways to put some fun and thought back into developing one of the most important areas of your playing.

1. Listen to your playing, honestly

If you’re already thinking about needing to work on your timing, chances are you have experienced an issue that brought you here. Whether it’s something you’ve noticed, or the result of a comment from other musicians, try not to let it get you down. You’re looking to improve, which by its very definition means there’s something you need to change.

So, the first step is to record yourself playing to a metronome at various tempos. You don’t need any fancy gear to do this - your phone’s video or voice recorder will do just fine, as long as it’s capturing a clear recording without massively overloading the microphone. If you’re using an electronic kit this is made even easier by the built-in metronome and recording functionality.

The important part is in the listening. Whether your recording captures the click or not, you should be able to identify tempos where your playing starts to rush or drag. This commonly occurs when transitioning between grooves and fills, but it can also be present during general ‘time’ playing.

Listen to the individual parts of the kit - are your limbs hitting in sync? Are your hi-hat/ride sub-divisions consistent? Are your left and right hands playing evenly when it comes to moving around the kit? These are the types of things we need to get right.

2. Set your goals, and stick to them

This is obvious, but once you’ve identified the areas you need to focus on, it’s time to create yourself a plan. The first thing to identify is your end goal. It’s important to remember that good timing takes time, so even if you’re trying to build up hand-to-hand speed, you need to start slowly.

Sixteenth-note fills at faster tempos will become a lot easier if you’ve put the work in to play consistently and evenly at lower tempos. Practice at set tempos for a decent amount of time, and gradually increase the speed by a few BPM each day. Over the course of a month you’ll cover a lot of ground, but you won’t notice the jump.

The same applies if you’re looking to improve your note spacing within a groove. Start slowly, pay attention to the note spacing and move up in small 3-5 BPM increments each day.

Most importantly, keep motivated! Just as with working out, you won’t notice improvements immediately, but with a disciplined approach you will start to see a difference. If it helps, record your progress to listen back to - you’ll be amazed how much better you’re getting over time.

3. Double down? Double up!

Playing at faster tempos may seem like the greater physical challenge, but it’s actually (when it comes to timing) often more difficult to play with a consistently even feel at slower tempos.

This is because the gap between crotchets at say, 60BPM are a lot long than they are at 190BPM. With a metronome set to quarter-notes at slow tempos, the slower you get, the greater the room for error becomes. So to overcome this we need to reduce the space between pulses.

You can do this by choosing a slow tempo (let’s stick with 60BPM), then doubling the speed you set the metronome (120BPM). Now, you’ll have an eighth-note pulse at 60BPM, halving the gap and giving you twice as many increments to lock to.

Of course, if your metronome has a subdivision control, you can use that to create the same outcome. Choose eighth-note or sixteenth-note modes to give yourself a greater resolution from your metronome, and unlike many timing-based exercises, you should notice a fairly immediate difference!

4. Mind the gap!

The ability to lock-in with a metronome is a valuable skill for any musician, but what if you’re trying to develop your clock for those times where you won’t have the safety net of a click? That’s where using a ‘gap click’ can really help you to train your brain and muscle memory.

The idea is straight forward - start off with a metronome at the tempo you require. You play in-time with the click, and then it drops out for a bar. If your inner clock is ticking properly, you’ll continue to play in time and then the click will restart on your first beat.

Don’t have a metronome with this function? Don’t worry, most don’t. If you have a DAW, you could program your own, with progressively longer click dropouts.

But if that sounds tedious, drummer extraordinaire Benny Greb developed his own Gap Click app to provide us all with exactly that. It costs £2.99/$2.99 and is available for iOS via the Apple App Store, or Android via Google Play.

5. Play to recorded music

Ok, so the thought of The Beatles, James Brown or The Rolling Stones being gridded to a click is enough to make die-hard music fans burn their records. However, consider that since the age of digital recording, the vast majority of commercial music has been created to a metronome.

This not only creates a consistent tempo, but it means that incorporating MIDI devices and samples, as well as automated effects and production decisions is much simpler. The benefit for us as drummers is that if playing to a click gets old, fast, we can still work on our timing in a more musical way by simply playing along with recordings.

Make a ‘timing playlist’ incorporating music you like at different tempos - it can be any style - and play along. You don’t have to parrot the drum beat, but do try and regiment what you’re playing.

If you’re working on your timing within grooves, play grooves and keep the fills sparse. If you want to develop your fills, you could try playing single-strokes, double-strokes and paradiddles around the kit, if it’s transitions between both, mix it up.

6. Don’t forget the feel  

One of the biggest criticisms of metronomic timing is that it feels rigid and sterile. This can sometimes be because when we play to a metronome, we're so focussed on keeping time, we overlook important things such as dynamics. So it's worth paying attention and making sure you're still playing musically, with accents where they should be etc.

But accurate, consistent timing and 'feel' aren’t really the same thing - being able to keep a solid pulse is one skill, injecting ‘feel’ is another. Feel comes from myriad ingredients - our inner clocks, how we hear the pulse, its subdivisions and the way we execute our playing in relation to the rest of the band.

It incorporates dynamics, orchestration and creativity as well as timing. John Bonham’s ‘behind-the-beat’ playing injects a laid-back pulse to his grooves, but it’s still consistent within its own scale. So, to develop feel, we first need a strong sense of timing (achieved by internalising a range of tempos through practicing with a metronome), but that doesn’t mean that we should ignore the ‘feel’ drummers.

Just as with your timing playlist, consider creating one incorporating music that definitely wasn’t recorded to a click. This is where you should try and recreate the beats as closely as possible, that way you can begin to understand the more detailed timing elements that make Bernard Purdie different to Keith Moon.

7. "Not quite my tempo"

This tip is less about your actual development, and more about when it comes to putting it into real life scenarios. We’ve likely all experienced other band members insisting on counting-in songs at what we perceive to be the wrong tempo, which can lead to a very jarring feel as each instrument jostles to find its natural pulse.

Similarly, we’ve probably all got to the end of a song we’ve counted-in to be told ‘That was too fast/slow’. Who’s right and who’s wrong isn’t important, and as with most things, the reality probably lies somewhere in the middle as the adrenaline of performing with others - particularly in a live environment - can mess with our clocks.

But, if you want to avoid tempo-based arguments, make a note of the speed you’re playing songs in practice - if it’s a cover or you have your band’s original recording, start there - then use it as a reference when you start the song.

Plenty of metronomes have a tap-tempo function which can be used to quickly determine the speed of a song. If not, websites such as TapBPM will have you sorted quickly.

If your timing is being questioned for fluctuating, apps such as liveBPM can be a useful adjudicator. You load it onto your phone and play while it monitors the tempo, which is displayed on the screen for all to see, removing (or hopefully not confirming) any doubt!

7. Don’t just play it straight

So far, we’ve focussed on simple, ‘straight’, timing. But that’s only part of the story. Shuffles and swung music are going to rely heavily on a triplet feel, but you should also apply triplet subdivisions against straight pulses to iron-out the transitions between different note values.

You can do this in a similar way to the first tip by utilising the subdivision function on your metronome. If it allows, you could also stick with the odd numbers by trying subdivisions in fives, sevens and nines to really help yourself become comfortable with these more uncommon - but still useful - divisions.

9. Move the accent

Most metronomes are pre-programmed to provide an accented pulse in the most logical place in the bar - on the downbeats. But if you’re working on syncopation (accents that don’t fall on a downbeat), you might find it useful to have the accent elsewhere in the bar.

The quick way of doing this (if your metronome doesn’t allow you to select where accents are placed) involves tricking your brain slightly by setting the metronome, then ignoring that the accent is a downbeat.

Count from a different spot so that the accent now arrives on your chosen subdivision in the bar (the ‘e’ or ‘&’). Once again you might find it easier to program a click track in a DAW in order to place the accents where you want them. Using this method can really help enforce your sense of where the offbeats need to fall in relation to the down and backbeats.

10. Go electric!

If you’re lucky enough to own an electronic drum set, you already own some powerful time-building tools at your disposal. That’s because kits from the likes of Roland and Yamaha come with coaching/training modes built in.

You may have overlooked these modes as beginner lessons, or perhaps you’ve just forgotten about them. But with functions such as a timed gradual increase/decrease in tempo, a ranked score of how well you’re striking in time with the click, gap-style click functionality and even silencing of your hits when you fail to play on the beat, these tools are worth another look.

It’ll take the monotony out of playing to a metronome, and you’ll be able to see your progress (and what you need to work on) right there in front of you.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Nothing exists in isolation or appears out of thin air and this is true of the British drummers who changed rock to hard rock, leading eventually to heavy metal.

Bill Ward, John Bonham and Ian Paice, with their bands Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple gave birth to perhaps the most widespread, consistently popular and ever-evolving musical phenomenon, now passing its half century with no sign of a slow-down.

These three were preceded by three more bands and their equally influential drummers who laid the foundations: The Who with Keith Moon, Cream with Ginger Baker and the Jimi Hendrix Experience with Mitch Mitchell.

By 1968 these three were already well established, although having only been famous for a few years. Things moved rapidly in the ’60s. These drummers were undoubtedly among the most original drummers the UK has ever produced.

On their heels, UK drumming took off and spread out to all manner of sub-sets - prog-rock, classical-rock, folk-rock, jazz-rock - becoming ever more sophisticated until coming a cropper a decade later when punk temporarily took the wind from their sails. So how come these guys were so inspired and what lay behind their ascent?

A Time Before Rock

It’s hard to imagine, but there was a time when rock did not exist! The first drummers involved in rock’n’roll had thus to devise a new language. From the 1930s there had been hints as to what was coming, in the form of rhythm and blues or ‘race’ (ie: black) music, jump-jive and boogie-woogie, western swing, gospel, country and folk, even big band swing. America is a vast melting pot of multiple races all bringing their musical traditions to the party.

Numerous threads wove together as radio, records and eventually television hastened the evolution of a national musical movement to captivate the world. Drummers increasingly emphasised the two and four off-beat as the music got louder, and with the advent of electric bass guitar started to create new syncopated patterns for the bass drum.

By the 1940s/1950s the drummers of New Orleans, such as Earl Palmer and Charles Connor; Chicago blues drummers like Elgin Evans, Odie Payne and Sam Lay; boogie-woogie shuffle masters like Chris Columbus; pop drummers like Elvis’s D J Fontana and Buddy Holly’s Jerry Allison, had planted the seeds of a new drumming vocabulary.

These are the drummers that the UK’s first rockers grew up listening to. They may not have known the names back then, but they devoured the records of Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and many, many more. By the mid- to late-1960s you could add Motown’s Benny Benjamin and Stax’s Al Jackson Jr, and eventually James Brown’s funky drummers into the stew.

Hold on, it’s coming

The first wave of UK rock drummers included some surprisingly bombastic players who never achieved international fame, but nonetheless opened the eyes of those who immediately followed. Bobby Woodman (aka Bobbie Clarke) with Vince Taylor’s Playboys played double bass drums back in the late 1950s.

Pre-Beatles, Carlo Little (Screaming Lord Sutch) and Frank Farley (the Pirates) had reputations as ferociously hard hitters at a time when pop and beat music were still mostly tame. It’s a cruel business and there were others around who never made it big. So a shout out to Viv Prince and Skip Alan - both of The Pretty Things - who were as flamboyant as Keith Moon.

Combine those two and you see where Moon and Mitch Mitchell were coming from.

Moon took a lesson or two from Carlo Little and it was Moon who completely shook up steady, comfortable beat drumming when he appeared on national TV with The Who in 1965.

Jazz in the UK

At the same time that British drummers were trying to cop the latest American rock beats, they were intrigued by what seemed the more technical aspects of jazz. Much of this was not of directly obvious use in rock’n’roll - indeed it had to be played down.

The early rock session drummers like Clem Cattini (Johnny Kidd, ‘Shakin’ All Over’, 1960) and Bobby Graham (the Kinks’ ‘You Really Got Me’, 1964) began to replace the big band session guys like Ronnie Verrell and Andy White by virtue of their youthful ability to keep it simple and revel in the beauty of rock.

They didn’t feel they were ‘slumming it’ like some of the jazzers who saw rock as a passing fad to be endured until sanity resumed. Nonetheless, many old-school players were admired. Jazz drummer Eric Delaney, following the lead of Louie Bellson in the USA, was the UK’s first double kick player (and directly influenced pupil Bobby Woodman).

He was the UK’s most famous show drummer, appearing on three Royal Command Performances fronting his own act.

Eric occupied a unique spot, a highly trained multi-percussionist with a wonderfully rebellious, rock’n’roll attitude.

The class of 1968 were aware of Eric and every drummer growing up in the 1960s would also catch ATV’s Sunday Night At The London Palladium just to get an earful of the expert pit drummers, including Kenny Clare and Ronnie Stephenson. In 1966 Clare and Stephenson jointly released Drum Spectacular, an album of unashamedly brash big band drumming fireworks.

It remains an inspirational resource today. And its release coincided with Buddy Rich’s first album by his brand new orchestra (Swingin’ New Big Band, 1966), soon followed up by his first tour of the UK, which was truly mind-blowing.

Buddy obviously set a standard of virtuosity still to be matched. In the small group jazz world the American Joe Morello was massively successful via the Dave Brubeck Quartet, universally adored for his unrivalled finesse and gorgeous fat sound. Too sophisticated to be an easy cop, most drummers still followed in the decades-old tradition of Gene Krupa, particularly when it came to the nightly drum solo feature.

Leaning heavily on Krupa’s most famous outing on ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’, this original crowd-pleasing tom fest could be adapted to thrill in a rock’n’roll context. Sandy Nelson made a career out of it with a string of world-wide drum solo hits, notably ‘Teen Beat’ (1959) and ‘Let There Be Drums’ (1961).

Simultaneously, our own two Shadows drummers, Tony Meehan and Brian Bennett wowed every UK drummer with their solos (‘See You In My Drums’, 1961; and ‘Little B’, 1962), precisely executed, musical and clever.

Blues and psychedelic rock  

So the stage was nicely set when to everyone’s utter disbelief the UK became the centre of the pop music world. Once the Beatles and the Stones broke the beat-group mould after 1963/4 the UK music scene exploded. The Who came in 1964, Cream in 1966 and Jimi Hendrix immediately after.

These three bands took the new album-rock to dramatic heights with sensational levels of invention and power.

But in passing, it should be remembered that the mid-’60s was a uniquely fertile time when many other bands extended pop and beat by exploring heavier ground: groups like the Kinks with Mick Avory, the Small Faces with Kenney Jones and The Move with Bev Bevan.

Meanwhile, the British Blues Boom was already underway with the Yardbirds and Jim McCarty (from 1963) and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (from 1965), featuring several increasingly fluent and powerful UK drummers: Colin Allen, Keef Hartley, Aynsley Dunbar and Jon Hiseman.

More UK jazz

Just as the early 1960s saw fledgling rockers gain greater access to US pop records, so UK jazz was also benefiting from increased access to the US giants of small group jazz drumming.

The Ronnie Scott generation was now proving itself able (in the face of grudging prejudice) to live with the acknowledged American masters. Out of this scene emerged Peter ‘Ginger’ Baker, the enfant terrible of the modern jazz pack. Baker found himself slap in the middle of a triumvirate of superstar UK drummers, flanked by Keith Moon and Mitch Mitchell. Keith was and remains the most unorthodox rock drummer ever.

And like no other band, The Who was from the start a performance-art riot, an event, with Townshend’s left-field lyrical and musical themes demanding special attention. But Keith, despite his charisma and explosive talent, was obviously cuckoo. There had to be a more technically solid figurehead for drummers.

Thus it fell to Ginger Baker to raise the standard, to show what was possible. Baker was as wild in the public’s mind as Moon - confirming the facile view of drummers as the mad one in the band. Yet there was never any doubt he was a serious musician. So although Moon made more headlines, forever the champion for mad-cap drummers, Baker was the technical role model.

Cream improvised as a jazz group - they just happened to be fronted by a brilliant electric guitarist playing blues-rock through Marshall stacks. Thus Cream initiated a golden era when ‘serious’ music of substance became hugely popular. John Bonham heard Ginger’s power, consistency and great time but developed his own style.

A big factor in Baker’s solo, ‘Toad’, was the amazing increase in power achieved by incorporating linear kick, tom and snare combinations. He created rolling barrages of tribal intensity. Bonham built on this with his outsized toms and that unsurpassed right foot. “Like a rabbit,” remarked a bemused Jimi Hendrix.

To this day Bonham is the single drummer whose name comes up in Rhythm interviews more often than all others put together. As a result, Bill Ward - who admits to being in awe of Bonham when playing the emerging Birmingham scene in the 1960s - gets somewhat overlooked. Sabbath of course have had other drummers since Bill’s original tenure, which partly obscures his legacy. But Ward’s early playing was every bit as powerful and significant as Bonham’s.

Although Ward, Bonham, Mitchell and Paice are forever associated with hard rock, they all possess an inherent subtle swing. Ward and Paice are big band devotees, Buddy Rich fans.

Paice employed a top kit jazzy penchant for lightning fast snare rolls. Mitch Mitchell was placed in a sink-or-swim situation with Hendrix, a setting where he was much freer to improvise and play as though in a small jazz trio - lighter and more musically and rhythmically mercurial than Cream’s unstoppable steamroller vibe, as a direct consequence of Hendrix’s more fractured, free-form and psychedelic explorations. Mitch has been lauded for his Elvin Jones-inspired circular excursions.

And there is plenty of evidence that Bonham also appreciated the great jazz drummers. He adapted hand-drumming licks from Joe Morello and even quoted Max Roach figures. It’s significant that Bonham, Ward, Paice and Mitchell all adopted the big band set-up of Buddy Rich also: one-up, two-down, with a large bass drum and relatively high tuning. In fact Bill Ward even bought a Slingerland Buddy Rich outfit.

Baker (no Buddy Rich fan), having seen what Duke Ellington’s Sam Woodyard did with his double-kick outfit went a different route. Bill Ward’s more brutal approach was necessitated by the band he was in. Despite growing up with a jazz feel, he was somehow able to develop an insanely energetic and fantastically loud style while remaining clean and in control - truly the blueprint for HM drummers.

Post script

Hard Rock was just one path that the UK’s ever more adept drummers pursued. For a decade after 1968 Carl Palmer, Brian Davison, Jon Hiseman, Mike Giles, Bill Bruford, Phil Collins, Cozy Powell, Clive Bunker and numerous others brought power and invention to infinite variations on rock.

Thereafter, punk called a halt as a new generation shunned the fancy drumming that had wandered so far from the direct excitement of early rock. Hard Rock and HM, though, never lost its power, it simply motored on throughout, spending decades in the critical wilderness but loved by kids throughout the world.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Drum recording is one of the most discussed topics amongst engineers and producers, and for good reason. There are multiple ways to approach it and the correct option can be influenced by a whole host of factors including the type of sound you’re after, the complexity of the drum part, the playing of the drummer and the acoustics of the space you’re recording in.

Over time these factors have led to a number of innovative methods that are now established options for anyone recording drums. Here we’re going to take a look at some of the significant techniques and the key people involved.

Close Miking

It’s impossible to tell who first chose to close mic drums in a studio context, however engineers were looking at ways to get more definition and punch from the kit and it no doubt seemed like a reasonable solution. It’s well documented that the early Beatles engineer Norman Smith used a 2 mic set up combining an overhead and a closer mic in front of the kick.

Geoff Emerick then developed this to include a side snare mic and then later added more mics around the kit, getting bolder and closer with the mic positioning.

Nevertheless, closer miking of the drums likely started in the 1950s. Characters such as Joe Meek were renowned for their innovative approaches, and blues recordings for Chess Records in the 1950s seem to indicate use of a separate closer kick drum mic. It’s been suggested that the drum recording for Buddy Holly’s Peggy Sue uses 3 mics, although this is hard to corroborate and would be a move away from producer Norman Petty’s regular single mic technique.

One of the key concerns at the time was the use of expensive and delicate ribbon or capacitor mics in close proximity to loud sources. EMI Studios for example had strict rules about mic usage. Even so, as dynamic mics became better and more types became available, these concerns lessened and close miking techniques became more common.

Then, recording track counts grew and desk sizes increased. This provided the opportunity to place close mics wherever you felt they were needed and record them to individual tracks.

The Glyn Johns Method

Getting a drum recording technique named after you is unusual, but that’s exactly what Glyn Johns achieved, and like many things in recording, it was all a bit of an accident.

He recounts the circumstances in his autobiography Sound Man. While recording the first Led Zeppelin album at Olympic Studios Johns had set up his typical 4 mic drum kit arrangement - overhead, floor tom, kick and snare. At some point he’d moved one of the drum mics to do a guitar overdub and then moved it back to continue recording drums.

However, he hadn’t reassigned it or centred the hard left panning, so when he then turned it up alongside the overhead he got a lopsided but impressive sounding stereo image.

By tweaking just these two mics - one behind the floor tom and one overhead - so they were both equidistant from and pointing at the snare, then by using halfway left right panning rather than hard panning, he got an impressive and big sound. The mics in question were a pair of Neumann U67s (large capsule valve cardioids), and Johns acknowledges that the room and drummer (John Bonham) were both vital to the outcome.

Even so, it’s a technique he continued to use. So, if you have a balanced sounding kit in a decent space, then using minimal mics in a Glyn Johns style configuration can work very well.

Johns continues to espouse his philosophy, telling the Tape Op Podcast that, “No musical instrument was invented to be heard from six-inches to two-inches away. The minute you put a microphone right up against the skin of a drum, or a microphone right up against the hole of an acoustic guitar, you've got a problem because it doesn't sound like it's supposed to.”

Recording Drums and Cymbals Separately

This particular technique was more than likely first used in the 1970s, however in recent times it’s become popular with hard rock and metal producers such as Eric Valentine and Nick Raskulinecz.

In essence you set up the kit with some kind of dummy cymbals. You could simply put towels over the regular cymbals, although if you use electronic pads you can give the drummer a proper headphone mix including sampled cymbals.

You then do a second pass just to capture the cymbals, and in this case the drums are covered and dampened in some way. Although well documented as a technique it can be quite tricky to pull off.

One option is to set up two kits in close proximity, and each will have opposite configurations - drums or cymbals. It also helps if the drummer is capable of playing virtually identical takes back to back.

Drum Dampening

By their nature, drum kits are designed for big or open spaces. Put them somewhere small and they can sound overpowering and clattery. Modifying the drum resonance and sustain can improve things and this is particularly important for anyone trying to record a drum kit as the close sound is more critical.

Drum manufacturers have developed many options to try and help, including internal felt dampers, multiple ply and oil filled heads, gel pads, both internal and external ring mufflers and the latest snare weight devices.

However, in the past people had to be a bit more creative, and in addition to adding gaffa tape, popular techniques include a pillow in the kick, wallet on the snare drum and a tea towel on snare or toms.

The tea towel is an absolute classic technique that was particularly popular for disco style snares. It works well because a tea towel is thin enough so you still get some stick attack, but thick enough to deaden the drum.

Obviously, it limits the playability of the drum, making double strokes tricky. But for solid backbeat sounds it’s great. Who first did this is anyone’s guess but you can see one on Ringo’s snare and floor tom in the Beatles Savile Row rooftop gig in either the Get Back documentary or the Let it Be film.

Drum Replacement

Steely Dan are well known for their meticulous productions, but despite having access to the pick of session drummers their engineer Roger Nichols wasn’t averse to a little bit of studio trickery to create the perfect drum track.

Initially this involved looping 8 bar sections of 24 track tape (Show Biz Kids). However, during the production of their 1980 album Gaucho he introduced them to a project he had been working on for a couple of years. Wendel was a sampling computer that allowed them to sample their own drum takes and create a repetitive drum part that still sounded like a drummer.

By all accounts it was a laborious process, and using a click trigger from the tape meant they had to print kick, snare, hi-hats and so on back to tape one track at a time. Nevertheless, it suited the production style they were aiming for and you can hear the outcome on Steely Dan’s Hey Nineteen and various tracks on Donald Fagan’s The Nightfly album.

Although drum machines were already a thing in the 1970s, Nichols' use of sampling technology in a drum replacement role was clearly pioneering and the shape of things to come, and ultimately led to Wendel’s induction into the NAMM TECnology Hall Of Fame.

One Drum at a Time

Getting separation when recording drums has led to various techniques, and elsewhere we talk about the process of tracking drums and cymbals separately.

However, another technique is to record individual drums separately. It may sound slightly crazy, but before the widespread availability of drum machines and after the arrival of 8 track or 16 track recording, this technique gained some popularity.

What’s more, you were still recording your own kit sounds, so the sounds were individual to your production. Probably the most famous example is Martin Hannett’s recordings for Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures album.

But plenty of other producers around this time would use this technique, if warranted. Meanwhile a variation on this theme is to overdub additional drum kit parts on top of the basic beat such as drum fills or cymbals.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Electronic drum sets offer the best in space-saving convenience, quiet practice and a diverse set of sounds right at our fingertips. But as a famous East Coast rapper probably once concurred, with mo’ features comes the potential for mo’ problems.

If you’ve got a head-scratcher of an issue that’s spoiling your enjoyment of your e-kit, check out our breakdown below where we detail some of the most common causes – and hopefully solutions – to your electronic drum kit problems.

Issue 1: “When I hit a pad, I hear other sounds coming from the module”

This is one of the most common issues with electronic drums, but thankfully it’s very easy to solve. ‘Crosstalk’ occurs when the sensors inside your pads pick up vibrations coming from striking another pad. The fix can be one of a few things. The first thing to check is that all of the pads are physically isolated. The chances are you’ll be able to hear which unwanted sound is triggering by mistake, but take a look around the kit and make sure none of your pads are touching each other. Likewise, vibrations can travel through your rack and mounts and cause other pads to trigger. Double-check that everything is mounted securely and all of the mounting hardware is sound.

If the problem is still occurring, it’s time to get under the hood with some module settings. Many modules have built-in crosstalk elimination controls, which will help the module to determine between an intentional strike and unwanted vibrations. Experiment with different degrees of crosstalk filtering and you should find that the problem goes away. However, depending on your sensitivity settings (see below) for each pad, you might find that one or more of your pads is set to register a strike at very low velocities.

Issue 2: “I have to hit the pads really hard to get a full sound, everything sounds like ghost-notes!”

When playing acoustic drums, we govern how loud a drum or cymbal sounds simply by hitting it harder or softer. The same is true for electronic drums, but our strikes are converted into an electronic scale rather than air pressure. Because of this, an electronic kit is likely to respond differently to any two players. Sometimes that could be subtle, or more extreme, but to combat this effect many modules are equipped with controls to help tailor the response to your playing. The sensitivity control is a great place to start, and can be adjusted to make the pad more or less sensitive to your stick striking the playing surface. You’ll need to dial it in to maintain dynamic response (so that you still get a variation between hard and soft sounds).

As well as the sensitivity setting, many modules are equipped with multiple velocity curve controls for each pad. This setting determines the power required from the player to transition between the softest soft and hardest hits, and can have a big impact on how your kit responds. Common velocity curves include: linear, logarithmic and exponential.

A Linear curve gives an even scale from the lightest to hardest strike, and is a typical ‘universal’ starting point. Logarithmic velocity curves tend to lend themselves to softer hits, requiring less effort to create a higher velocity strike. Conversely, an exponential velocity curve sees the jump from soft to harder strikes jump steeply. The result of this is that soft and medium-level hits are easily achievable, while the maximum-volume sounds will require more effort. An exponential curve is great if you’re a hard hitter and find yourself constantly triggering your pads at maximum velocity.

Issue 3: “Everything keeps moving!”

There’s nothing more frustrating than hitting a pad and watching it rotate with every strike. To fix this, give all of the fastened parts of your electronic drum kit a good check. Be careful not to overtighten things - you don’t want to break any of the mounting hardware, but it should be firmly secured. Some rack clamps include a finger-fastened bolt, as well as fixings that will require tightening with a drum key. If you’re setting up your kit for the first time, it’s worth spending a few minutes making sure that the frame is securely fastened. This includes checking that all of the supporting legs and crossbars are flat, even and level, and that the clamps are fixed in place with enough grip that they won’t rotate or slip when you’re ready to start hitting the pads.

The same applies if your kit has recently been moved, or has simply been left set up for a while without being checked. Get the frame solid at this point, and it’ll make your playing experience much more enjoyable.

Issue 4: “I’m not getting any sound from one of my pads!”

The first thing to check are your connections - your drum pad will most likely only have one socket for connecting to your module, so first, make sure that the cable is plugged into the pad properly. Still not working? Try swapping the jack from a pad that is to test it (be aware, the pad that you’re testing will now create the sound from the pad you’ve borrowed the cable from). If you hear sound, then you probably have a broken cable.

Some kits use individual jack cables to connect the pads to the kit. In this case, you can buy a new trigger cable and your pad will be back up and running. If your kit uses a cable loom or ‘snake’, the good news is that it’s replaceable, but the bad news is that you’ll have to replace the whole cable loom (these are available as replacement parts).

Alternatively, if you’re handy with a soldering iron, it’s possible to locate the break-point, cut the cable and attach a new one. We’d only suggest the latter if you (or someone you know) are confident in basic soldering, otherwise you risk damaging the other cables in the loom.

If testing the pad with a known-working cable doesn’t help, then unfortunately the pad itself might have developed a fault which requires repair, or worse, complete replacement. In this instance, it’s best to contact your kit’s manufacturer.

Issue 5: “My pedals are slipping around on the floor”

This is a common problem with electronic and acoustic drums, but when it comes to e-kits, the solution will depend on the type of hi-hat controller and bass drum pad you’re using. With an acoustic-style hi-hat stand, you should have rubber feet which are designed to grip the floor surface. While a hi-hat controller pedal will most likely be equipped with some short spikes to help it stay put. The same goes for your bass drum tower or shell. If you’re playing the kit on a hard floor, we’d advise placing your kit (or at least the pedals) on a rug, this way you won’t ruin your flooring. You can extend the spikes by turning the thumbscrew if you require a little more grip, just be careful not to go through the rug into your hard flooring, and remember that the spikes are there if you need to move the pedals. They’re unlikely to do major damage, but are often sharp enough to hurt and possibly draw blood if you grip them with your hand!

Issue 6: “My housemates complain about the noise, even though I’m wearing headphones!”

Noise is perhaps the drummer’s worst enemy, and while this might come as a surprise, hitting things with sticks and stomping on pedals is inevitably going to result in making noise.

Electronic drums go a long way to improve this, particularly if your kit is equipped with mesh-headed pads, but even then, you run the risk of annoying those around you by hitting pads hundreds of times just to play along with a song.

All is not lost, though. The first thing to work out is exactly what the problem is. If it’s simply that you’re playing at a time of day that causes irritation to your friends, family or even neighbours, a simple, cost-free solution could be to work out a better schedule.

If that’s not possible, though, there are a number of solutions. With the actual drum sounds confined to your headphones, it’s unlikely that it’s the sound you’re listening to is the problem. Rather, the airborne sound of your sticks hitting the pad, or the vibrations being transferred from your bass drum and hi-hat pedals and the kit’s rack are the culprit.

Airborne pad sounds tend not to travel too far, but can be reduced by using rubber stick tips, or possibly even dowel-style sticks to reduce the noise.

Vibration transfer is a slightly larger problem, particularly if you’re playing in an upstairs room. A popular DIY solution to killing the thud from your pads is to place your kit on a ‘tennis ball platform’. This requires building two platforms from wood, with tennis balls sandwiched between them to stop the vibrations reaching the floor.

If you’d prefer a pre-made solution, products such as Roland’s Noise Eater range are designed to absorb the vibrations from your stand and pedals, while its KDB-200 and KDB Quiet beaters can be fitted to any bass drum pedal, providing a reduction in impact noise.

Issue 7: “My pad has two zones, but I want different types of sounds on each, how do I do it?”

With a dual-zone pad, you’ll have a head and rim zone. These are completely separate, but share the same output, using a TRS (stereo) connection. Just because the pad is one physical unit, though, doesn’t mean you have to treat it as one.

Now, in the context of an acoustic-style drum kit preset, these zones are usually assigned within the module to give appropriate corresponding sounds. So, if it’s your snare drum pad, you’ll get a centre hit of the snare drum on the head zone, with a rimshot assigned to the rim zone. But, you might want (for example), a snare drum on the head zone and a hand clap on the rim. This is easily done, and it’s a case of telling the module which sound to play on each zone. Hit the zone you want to assign, then scroll through your module’s instrument list until you find the correct one. On Roland kits, you might need to unlink the Head and Rim - this feature is designed to pair different articulations of the same instrument to all zones on a pad, but in this case we want them to be treated like two individual single-zone triggers.

Issue 8: “How do I connect my electronic drum kit to a computer?”

First, it’s important to understand that there are two types of ‘recording’ when it comes to hooking your electronic drums up to a computer: Audio and MIDI. Audio is the recording of the sound that you play and hear in your headphones, while MIDI is captured as data which can be used to play back sounds from other equipment or software.

Depending on your kit’s module, you’ll either have a built-in interface (in the form of a USB connection) that can transmit and receive audio signals as well as MIDI, MIDI-only (over USB), or MIDI sent and received via traditional five-pin DIN sockets.

The first example means that you can take the correct USB cable, plug it into your module and connect the other end to your computer. From here, your kit will be recognised by DAW software such as GarageBand, Logic, Cubase, Ableton Live etc. as an audio and MIDI device. You’ll be able to send the sound of your kit into the software for recording, while also hearing any other tracks recorded in the software in your headphones while you play.

A MIDI interface built into your module will allow the transmission and receiving of MIDI data, so, you can play your kit, and the software will recognise the notes you’re playing along with controller data (for example, from your hi-hat pedal). MIDI is not sound, it’s a stream of instructions for MIDI-equipped musical instruments. So, instead of recording your playing as an audio sample, the software will use the MIDI information to play a plugin instrument, or back to your kit’s module. From here, the instrument receiving the MIDI data will interpret it, and trigger the corresponding sounds, which you will then hear in your headphones. This is how drummers are able to play impressive sampled sound libraries such as Toontrack Superior Drummer and BFD from affordable electronic drum sets.

If your kit is a bit older, it may not have a USB connection, and instead, MIDI will be provided via MIDI in/output sockets. In this case, you can still connect your kit to a computer, but you’ll need a little help from a third-party Audio/MIDI interface (we’d suggest looking for one that does both). This will allow you to record your sound straight out of your module’s audio outputs, while also giving you the facility for capturing MIDI if you want to play and record your performance as data for use with software sound libraries.

Issue 9: “How do I add more pads to my kit?”

Expanding your electronic kit is easier than you might think - in some cases, such as many Alesis electronic drum sets, the kit is shipped with a cable snake, which provides connections for all the included pads. But, a quick look at the back of the module will reveal additional sockets for adding extra pads. In these instances, it’s as simple as looking at your module, and hunting down the corresponding pad to connect. Alesis makes an all-in-one solution for its Nitro Max, which includes an additional tom and cymbal pad as well as the cables and mounting hardware you’ll need to add it into the kit.

A key point when it comes to adding pads to your kit (regardless of the brand) is the number of additional trigger inputs your module has, and how many zones they offer. It’s also a good idea to check the manual for your module (these are usually available on the manufacturer’s website) to confirm which pads are compatible with your module. In the case of digital pad-equipped Roland modules, it’s important to realise that any digital trigger you have connected to the module overrides the corresponding analogue trigger input. So, if you have Roland’s fantastic PD-140DS digital snare pad, you won’t be able to add another pad connected to the analogue connection labelled ‘snare’.

Issue 10: “How can I jam to music from Spotify with my electronic drum set?”

We should point out that this tip isn’t just for Spotify - it will work with any sound that your playback device is capable of generating. If your module has Bluetooth, you can hook it up wirelessly to a phone, tablet, computer or any other Bluetooth audio player. The method for this will be different depending on your module, but usually you can begin pairing the module to your device via a Bluetooth button, or if not, switching Bluetooth on in the module’s setting.

Next, you’ll need to go into your playback device’s Bluetooth menu and allow the connection. Once it’s setup, you should hear the music in your headphones which are connected to the drum module.

If you don’t have Bluetooth, there’s every chance that your module has an auxiliary input. These normally use a 3.5mm mini-jack connection, so you’ll need to buy a cable.

Look for a stereo connection. Assuming you’re plugging it into a phone, tablet or headphone output from your laptop then you’ll want a stereo mini-jack cable. Remember that little adapter that came with your phone? You’ll need that, as most phones don’t have a dedicated headphone output, and instead can send audio through the charging port. For hifi’s or CD players, check your output options - it might be that you need an RCA (phono) to mini-jack cable.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: It’s not just the time spent on stage that makes gigs so memorable, it’s the characters you’ll inevitably meet along the way and the situations ranging from triumphant, to desperate, to downright surreal that help make playing live gigs so much fun.

Here, in this classic feature, we’re examining just 10 of the most commonly-spotted personalities that you’re likely to come across on any given weekend.

Some of them welcome, some of them less-so, but regardless, without them it’d be way less fun!

1. The Stand Up

First, this is a complete misnomer, as The Stand Up is exclusively sat on a bar stool apart from when they walk to the bog. They’ve got you covered with well-rehearsed gags, though, kicking-off with “What’ve you got in there, a body?” upon watching you struggle up the steps to the stage with your hardware bag.

But it’s soundcheck where this joker really comes alive. “There’s somebody at the door!”, they’ll yell as you follow the engineer’s instructions to hit the bass drum, before hilariously clapping immediately after every hit and shouting "Ouch!" as you get the level for the snare.

Just be thankful you’re not the vocalist, as the closing line of The Stand Up’s bit relies on a perfectly-timed “3…4, 5, 6!”. Silence them with a rimshot that could shatter glass.

2. The Have-a-go Hero

Look out! A stag-do has just arrived and soon-to-be Best Man, Johno thinks it would be ‘mad bants’ if you’d be so kind as to allow the man of the hour and all-round Absolute Lad, Gaz, a go on your Collectors Series during the break.

"He's “S**t hot” you're told, and - confusing his brief stint in a covers band with the career trajectory of a Premier League footballer - “nearly turned pro once”. Think fast, mumble something about public liability and noise limiters, and hope that the bar runs out of Jäegerbombs before the end of your first 45 minutes.

3. The Record Collector

This punter doesn’t play, but is a student of music listening, and they’d like you to know.

From the ’78 Queen tour t-shirt that used to fit, to the story about the time they met Jools Holland in their mate’s pub, this cat has decided that them having been born at the right time to see all your favourite bands for £2.50 before they were famous means you’re an idiot.

Despite there being 30 songs in your set, they’ve homed-in with laser focus on the fact that Bonham “Didn’t play it like that on the BBC Sessions version”.

4. The Borrower

When you took this gig, you were over the moon at being confirmed headliners. The best slot, the longest set, guaranteed adoration. But you’re also now responsible for providing the kit for the night.

The promoter promises you that they contacted every band on the bill informing them to bring a nondescript selection of ‘breakables’, but clearly the empty handed drummer walking this way with their eyes fixed on your cymbal bag didn’t get the memo.

Give them a chance to explain how they’ve come straight from work/couldn’t get into the practice place/dog ate their Iron Cobra, then wait for the inevitable request to use not only your shells, but snare, cymbals, pedal and stool too. Count to 10 and refrain from sarcastically asking “Do you need my sticks too?”, because you already know that the answer is ‘Yes’.

5. The Enthusiast

Seemingly basing themselves on The League Of Gentlemen’s Les McQueen, you’ll be able to spot this one early. That’s because they’ve heard there’s a band on tonight, dug-out their Premier bomber jacket, and got to the venue early so as not to miss an opportunity to talk shop.

From the moment the cases leave your car, to the point of soundcheck, your new best friend will be on hand to make the time setting-up those cymbal stands fly by, with questions about your tuning, pointers on kit placement and facts about why they prefer their cymbal brand to yours.

Get ready to hear some tales of the road that don’t go anywhere, and prepare a safe word with your bandmates before your break.

6. The Local Legend

A distant relative of The Enthusiast, this active-yet-slightly-insecure musician projects themselves as ‘the guy’ around your town thanks to their band once achieving a support slot with Toploader, and has graced you with their presence during a rare night off from gigging.

By playing on their turf, you’ve entered the arena, and now the gauntlet has been thrown down, at least that’s how they see it. You can spot them, arms folded watching your technique as you play, waiting to see if you play the hi-hat on Superstition with one hand or two, and air-drumming along to let everyone around them know that they also play.

Stick with it, because at the end of the night they’ll present you with their evaluation. What's the verdict? You couldn’t care less, because you have 30 minutes to pack up, leave and get to the garage while they still have a Ginsters.

7. The Quiet One

Let’s face it, drums are loud. But if there’s one environment where being loud is allowed, it’s at a gig. Wrong! So says The Quiet One, who helpfully interrupts between songs to tell the rest of your band that the drums are too loud.

Even though you’ve done everything you can with tuning, muffling, resorting to playing with rods, this punter refuses to accept that your light feathering of the bass drum is anything other than ‘Boom, boom, boom!” And that they “Can’t hear the words!”.

Fear not, as during the break this human noise-limiter will treat you to the revelation that a band played last week with a drum machine and a cajon, and they "Could barely hear the difference”.

8. The Requester

You’ve worked hard, spent countless hours in the practice room perfecting the nuances of the Herta, getting your head around polyrhythms and nailing double-time ride patterns in 5/4.

But even though the poster clearly states that you’ll be presenting an evening of jazz-fusion, one audience member has decided they want to hear not but Bloke-oke. With a Spotify account quite literally littered with landfill indie, the only Weather Report they're interested in hearing is Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

To ignore them is to encourage them, as now they've found an audience of their own, waiting in anticipation for the shout of “Coldplay!” between every song. You’d laugh, but this clown is getting more applause than the band, and more fool you for not insisting on that modal version of Seven Nation Army.

9. The Surly Engineer

Let's be clear, the engineer is a friend to the band in the live battleground, you need to keep the engineer on-side. After all, they’re ultimately responsible for whether or not you sound good, and if you really upset them they have the power to beam feedback directly into your in-ears.

Except tonight, the engineer isn’t happy. Someone brought a glass of water on stage, your floor tom is growling like a dog and they're the only person in the world you haven’t told about that hybrid setup you spent six hundred quid on, while simultaneously overlooking the need for jack leads.

To make matters worse the guitarist has just asked if there’s any way of recording the set, and the engineer's face has turned redder than your Evans Hydraulics. But be nice. They'll get their revenge later by refusing to let you leave until you demonstrate the correct way to coil an XLR cable in front of your bandmates.

10. The One-Man Moshpit

This crowd member is a loveable ally, and will remain lurking tentatively until the convergence of two key factors: 1. exactly the right amount of booze and, 2. Mr Brightside.

Watch them run to the dancefloor shouting “F**k yeah!” upon hearing the opening notes, bellow their way through the wrong lyrics of the verses, before raising one finger in the air for the chorus.

The One-Man Moshpit won’t normally dance for love nor money, but now, he will take control of the room for you and ensure that the dance floor is full, gathering his clan with locked arms to jump up and down with him.

From here on out, he’ll get your attention between songs by pointing and shouting ‘Drummer!’ at random, while instructing you to get funky like he’s James Brown after 100 bench presses and 8 pints. Just don’t expect to leave without playing at least three more songs than you intended now that the beast has been awoken.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Following his departure from Sepultura last year, and subsequent appointment with Slipknot (following the departure of Jay Weinberg), man-in-the-hotseat Eloy Casagrande has been dishing some backstory regarding his move and the advice he gave to his next-in-line.

Speaking to Modern Drummer last year, Casagrande was pressed for his take on how his replacement in Sepultura, Greyson Nekrutman was shaping up.

"When I see him playing, I can remember myself in the same spot,” says Casagrande. “When I joined Sepultura, I was his age… He's a very good drummer. I used to watch him playing [in] videos he posted on social media when he was playing more jazz and drum solos.

"He's a brilliant player and I wish him and the rest of the band all the best. I have a lot of respect for him. I wish I could talk to him more one day. Maybe we could bring all the Sepultura drummers together”

And it appears that the pair have already got up close and personal.

"Greyson came to my studio in São Paulo when he joined the band to do some rehearsals, and we had a very good talk," Casagrande reveals. "He had just two or three weeks to learn all the songs, so I gave him some advice like, 'We used to play that song faster. Be careful with this song because we used to play it slower.'

"I wasn't teaching him how to play the songs because he can play anything he wants to play. He's an incredible drummer."

Casagrande also revealed the backstory as to how he jumped ship, moving on from Sepultura after an incredible 13 years, to one of the most hotly contested, and potentially troublesome seats in rock.

"Everything happened at the end of 2023 when I got a call from Slipknot’s manager asking me if I was interested in doing an audition. That year, Seputura decided to stop playing, so it was a very natural decision for me to keep playing with someone else instead of just retiring.

“I took my drums to a studio in São Paulo and did a proper sound and video recording," Casagrande reveals. "I played six songs, and I sent it to the guys. Then they asked me to play three specific songs. They were Eyeless, Purity and Gematria. My flight was booked to go to the audition, so at the end of January [2024], I flew to Palm Springs, California, and spent ten days with them there.

“The first five days, the whole band was rehearsing like it was a live show. Every day, the guys came with a different setlist, and we just played those songs."

And all the while Casagrande was instructed to keep his induction strictly under wraps.

“The audition was a big secret. Nobody could know about it,” he explains. “Sepultura didn't even know, it was just something between me and the guys from Slipknot. It was my decision to do the audition. I said, 'Okay, I'm interested in doing an audition because Sepultura is going to stop. I have one and a half years left of working with them and I'm going to be done.'

We Are Not Your Kind…

"Through the years, I have played many times with Slipknot," he says. "We shared stages when I was playing [with] Sepultura, and that was the place that I always wanted to be. I grew up listening to their music, so I wanted to have the experience playing live with Slipknot with a mask on my face. In my first show with the band I was thinking, 'Oh, this is really happening. Oh my god. I can't believe it.'

The move hasn’t been without its controversies. Casagrande stepped into his Slipknot role following the unexpected departure of Jay Weinberg from the position.

“​​No one can ever replace Joey Jordison's original sound, style or energy, but Jay honoured Joey's parts and contributed to the last three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, Slipknot is intent on evolving. The band has decided to part ways with Jay. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds,” the band wrote at the time.

In reply Weinberg commented: “I was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call… This is not the ending to the journey I’d dreamt of, and committed myself to seeing through – not by a long shot.”

Meanwhile, with the Slipknot seat beckoning, Casagrande left Sepultura prior to their final, 40th anniversary tour, leading to some friction between the various members and the hasty appointment of Nekrutman to fill the gap.

However, with both drummers now sharing notes and praise it appears that it’s water under the bridge for both bands, and Casagrande’s latest ‘drumcam’ video below certainly shows how well he’s settling into his new role.

DRUMS WEEK 2025: Back in 1982, the band Toto released their fourth album - the imaginatively titled Toto IV - but despite the deceptively uninspired sequential branding, drummers and other musicians alike were immediately entranced by the opening (and subsequent playing out) of the track Rosanna.

Drummer Jeff Porcaro was the rhythmic powerhouse behind the band. While Toto could be regarded as a classic American rock band, their influence stretched far, including many traits from genres outside of rock, particularly RnB, funk and jazz.

The band was also incredibly proficient musically; the young Porcaro family included Mike (also the bass player in Toto) and Steve (also keyboard player and composer with Toto) who went on to work with A-list artists, such as Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson.

One of the unique points about the track Rosanna, is that the song begins with 2 bars of solo drums, which is not only unusual, but allows us to reflect on the joy of this groove in isolation. In essence, the groove offers a half-time shuffle groove/feel.

But what does this mean, and which components are employed to make it work?

When we describe a groove as ‘half time’, it means that the backbeat (normally supplied by the snare) falls on beat 3 of the 4 beats-in-a-bar, instead of the more usual 2 & 4. This means that we might count the pulse fairly briskly, which in the case of Rosanna would be circa 176BPM.

However, it’s also possible to count the groove in a more usual manner, and at a tempo of half-time (88BPM), resulting in the snare falling conventionally on beats 2 & 4.

At this lower tempo, we would tend to describe the groove as a ‘half-time feel’, rather then literally ‘half-time’.

Ultimately, how you choose to count or interpret the speed of the tempo is your decision, but in our view, it's easier to work on the premise of the slower tempo of 88BPM.

Porcaro was always very open about his inspiration for this groove; he mentions the inspirational playing of Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie (himself known for his own ‘Purdie Shuffle’) which can be heard on Steely Dan’s Home at Last and Babylon Sisters, alongside the Led Zeppelin track Fool in the Rain, as played by John Bonham. All three of these tracks have very clear association with Porcaro’s choice of direction.

It’s relatively easy to break the groove down into three constituent components. These relate to the kick drum, snare and hi-hats.

Let’s start by considering what the hi-hat part does. In line with many shuffles, the hi-hat part is based around a consistent 16th-note groove, which shuffles; this means that the second note of each pairing of 16th-notes is played later, as though it were a 12/8 or triplet feel. Technically, it's a challenging rhythm to play, particularly when an accent is applied to each 8th note beat in the bar.

If we switch to the kick drum part, this draws inspiration from a completely different source. The kick’s syncopated rhythm cuts across the main beats of the bar, often referred to as the ‘Bo Diddley pattern’ which also draws inspiration from early jazz and New Orleans.

Finally, the snare drum is incredibly prominent on beats 2 & 4 of each bar, providing a very heavy backbeat. Where the snare applies another layer of complexity, is with the application of subtle ghost notes.

These are much quieter, rhythmic stick strokes, which are applied outside of the main backbeat, to add further groove and timbral colour. In the case of the Porcaro Shuffle, a ghost note is applied to the 2nd of each 16th note, on each beat of the bar, coinciding with an unaccented note on the hi-hat.

As anyone who plays in a band will tell you, feel is often a factor which is un-quantisable, laced with the magic that can only occur with practice and familiarity.

While the groove itself is complex, it's the ability to make it sound and feel natural that presents one of the biggest challenges, not to mention the extreme dynamic range, which completes the picture across the three main kit elements. Moving seamlessly from a subtle ghost note to a rip-roaring backbeat, is difficult to achieve, and in playing.

Porcaro makes the whole process look effortless and easy. We can bet that this didn't happen by accident, or overnight!

With such a glittering groove, particularly as a solo at the beginning of the track, it would be easy to think that somehow Porcaro treated this as his moment in the limelight.

As you listen through, this concept can be quickly dispelled, due to the large amounts of space that are left throughout the song, particularly in the pre-chorus bridge, where extensive reduction in dynamic range allows other instrumentation to come through. There are also many other areas of exceptional playing on this track, from the extensive keyboard work, to the extravagant horn section playing which highlights the introduction to the chorus, and of course the legendary guitar solo from Steve Lukather.

As a whole, it's a masterpiece in playing, production and song composition, immortalised in rock 'n' roll history.

As a unique and in-demand drummer, Jeff Porcaro’s discography is extensive, having worked with Steely Dan, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney.

Regrettably, Jeff Porcaro died in 1992, at just 38 years old, in a situation which was described at the time as ‘a bizarre gardening accident’ (oddly echoing This Is Spinal Tap, something that Porcaro would surely have been amused by). However, it was later reported that underlying health issues had been partly to blame.

His legacy as one of the most dynamically inventive drummers continues to impact on aspiring players.