Cover Story Feature

Create Your Own Electronic Percussion Duo

For more than 12 years, CrossTalk, the Electronic Percussion Group at the University Of Arizona, has been creating music that is performed entirely on electronic percussion controllers. The group doesn’t try to emulate traditional percussion ensemble music. Nor does it play “world music” styles using electronic instruments. Instead, it performs new music in new ways that expand the experiences of the students and the audiences that hear them. Perhaps it’s now time for the general drumming community — outside the hallowed walls of educational institutions — to take the plunge and create their own groups for fun, profit, and creative expression.

Feature

Tracy Broussard: Mic Tips From The Road

When Tracy Broussard moved to Nashville from his native Louisiana 13 years ago to pursue his musical dreams, he had no prospect of a steady gig. Now, his career is going full-bore with a steady gig as drummer for country star Blake Shelton and a very successful web site devoted to country drumming called Road Dawg Online.

In 2009, this Sennheiser drummer/endorser went from playing in small Nashville clubs to being on the road with Blake Shelton with a drum kit full of Sennheiser evolution microphones.

Cover Story Feature

Bosphorus Cymbals Goes Digital: The Interview

In 2009 Bosphorus Cymbals hooked up with FXpansion to release the Stanton Moore Signature Series BFD Expansion Pack in its popular BFD2 Format. The entire line of hand-made cymbals was recorded and produced by John Emrich, capturing them in high-definition audio. Effectively this gives the full power of the Stanton Moore cymbal line to any producer or composer anywhere.

Gear

Getting The Details: Alesis DM-10 Pro

Last year we interviewed Alesis engineer Jim Norman, at a time when he was hard at work on the DM-10 Pro Kit and other new models they have since introduced. One of the great features of this kit is the ability to download new sounds to the module, direct from your computer. Alesis has produced one of the best product demos, we've seen lately, so we thought we'd share it with you here. (By the way, that's Alesis VP Gregg Stein behind the kit--still playing great.).

Cover Story Feature

Proven Tips For Triggering Kicks

Drummers can be fickle about the things they hit. Take triggers, for instance. Way back in the roaring ’80s, drummers embraced the ability to trigger electronic sounds from acoustic drums as their only line of defense against the marauding invasion of drum machines that had suddenly captivated both producers and the public. Then, when the comparatively retro sound of hair metal sublimated synthesizer-drenched new wave in the late ’80s, drummers happily unplugged their electronic gear to return to the purity of sticks on skin.

Feature

Studio Secrets

What really happens inside mastering rooms is a murky mystery to most. Ask around, and responses will vary from blank guitarist-lost-in-sheet-music stares to vague open-ended definitions. More imaginative types may fathom darkened dungeons with cloaked engineers chanting in coded tongues and conjuring the spirit of Apollo to impregnate albums with inaudible mystic spells of listener enchantment. The disenchanted opposition, however, simply believes it to be an outright sham.

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Cover Story

How To Podcast

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of some hard economic times. There’s really no way to know how long this current economic slump is going to continue or how deep it will ultimately get before the choppy waters begin to recede. But one thing’s for sure: it’s not a bad idea to revisit what you do and how you do it in order to better serve your own profession now and in the future.

Cover Story

The Best iPhone Music Apps

Everyone knows iPhone users are annoying. Look at them with their shiny black status symbols, absent-mindedly ignoring the world around them (pay attention to us normals!). As they smugly text a witty line that only those of privileged pedigree would enjoy, one begins to wonder if the user is in fact the biggest flaw of the iPhone. So, momentarily suspend any anti-iPhone hang-ups (pun intended) and check out the practicality of the vast array of iPhone music applications before Apple trademarks the letter “i” and takes over the world.

Cover Story Gear

The TD-20SX Interview: Steve Fisher

Roland electronic drums product manager Steve Fisher has been helping design and market their award-winning electronic drums for more than a decade. His background in drumming includes holding down the drum chair in the jazz band at North Texas State (where he followed a guy named Gregg Bissonette) and recording with artists such as [jazz trumpeter]. Today, he works out of Roland's LA office, but is often on the road, teaching clinics and spreading the gospel of Roland drums. We wanted to find out more about the development of their new TD-20SX series. The interview was conducted by email.

Cover Story

B.T.’s Drumming, Mixing, And Editing Tips

When it comes to manipulating drum tracks, nobody does it better than BT (a.k.a Brian Transeau), the Guinness World Record holder for the most edits in a recorded piece of music (6,178 to be precise). His audio-production and editing skills are legendary, but don’t let that scare you: BT’s methods, insanely complex as they are at times, can be applied to a wide variety of styles and recording situations. Here he provides three drum-related mixing tips and tricks to make your track come alive.... MORE »

Cover Story

Create Loops That Sound Organic

Much of today's popular music uses drum loops, and "content creation" has become a way for working drummers to earn a living. Even though it’s not that complicated to create a loop, there are proven shortcuts and tips that can help optimize the process. In this article our resident MIDI guru, Mike Snyder, will walk you through some of his personal secrets for creating the perfect loop ... perfect loop ... perfect loop. ... MORE »

Cover Story Gear

Roland BA-330 Portable Digital PA

Roland Corporation is making portable musicmaking easier than ever with its BA-330 Portable Digital PA System. Using Roland’s improved battery technology, the BA-330 is an all-in-one portable PA solution for music venues, worship events, conferences, seminars, business meetings, and much more.

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