Category Archives: Drums & Percussion

Paul McCartney’s Drummer Abe Laboriel Jnr Joins Protection Racket Roster

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Protection Racket is delighted to welcome Paul McCartney’s drummer, Abe Laboriel Jnr as an endorsee.

Abe Laboriel Jnr is one of the most sought after session drummers in the world. He has worked a mind-blowing list of artists from nearly every musical genre including Paul McCartney, Sting, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai, Sheryl Crow and Seal. This has allowed him to showcase his incredible versatility and depth as a musician. He is one of the most respected drummers in the world and known for his big sound, his dynamic stage performances and his ability to play really well known material, put his own spin on it and make it sound fresh and exciting.

Abe was impressed by the Protection Racket’s drum cases’ which though incredibly lightweight, are built to withstand the rigors of the tour, and protect his precious kit. They are easily transportable with practical carry handles and tough zips and fasteners. To find out more about the Protection drum case range and their endorsees visit www.protectionracket.co.uk.

Posted in Cases, Drums & Percussion, News

Drum Channel & Jammit Present Neil Peart Like You Have Never Heard Him Before

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Drum Channel and Jammit announce a special promotion offering exclusive FREE access to the Rush Track ‘YYZ’ available only to Drum Channel members. Jammit allows users to isolate the drums from the rest of the instruments on the legendary ‘YYZ’ track, learn the track and then record your own version. The promotion allows signed up members of Drum Channel to get the song FREE and download a free Neil Peart interview at the same time.

Jammit is the number one App to learn to play your favorite songs. It allows you to isolate the drums (or other instruments) from the original master recording.  Jammit features the most accurate transcriptions available today, with beautifully formatted notations and tablature. It is quick and easy to navigate, has repeat bars with adjustable snap-to-grid looping, and does not change the pitch when the track is slowed down. Once you have learned the track, you can remove the original drums and record your own before sending it to your friends or teacher.

‘YYZ’ is one of Rush’s most iconic instrumental tracks, featured on their album Moving Pictures and a staple for their live shows.  Neil has received numerous awards for his musical performances and is known for his technical proficiency, stamina and drum solos, characterized by complex arrangements and long, intricate passages in odd time signatures.

This members-only opportunity from Drum Channel will enable you to clearly see how Neil Peart performs the Grammy award nominated track ‘YYZ’. If you are already a Drum Channel member, simply log in.   If you are not a member join now. Not only will you get access to this fabulous Jammit offer, you will also have access to over one hundred and fifty hours of drum lessons, over one hundred hours of shows, jams and bands with lots more added on a weekly basis. You will also find live lessons, be able to get feedback from the Pro’s on your playing, and if you subscribe for 12 months with the holiday special you will get two Drum Channel DVDs.

To get jamming to “YYZ’, visit DrumChannel.com.

Posted in Drums & Percussion, Events, News

Institute Unveils 2012 Music Scholarships Worth Over £30,000

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Planet-Musician

The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance is delighted to announce, in conjunction with its leading partners, the launch of over £30,000 worth of scholarships for deserving students to study on the Institute’s renowned one-year Higher Diploma course. The scholarship categories are as follows:

  • GUITAR: Supported by Yamaha Guitar and Total Guitar Magazine
  • BASS: Supported by Musicman Bass and  Bass Guitar Magazine
  • DRUMS: Supported by Mapex/Paiste and Drummer Magazine
  • VOCALS: Supported by Shure

Each category includes one full scholarship (worth over £5,000 to the winner) and one partial scholarship (worth £2,500 each). The Higher Diploma is a specialist one-year full-time course, developed by the Institute to train and develop students of guitar, bass, drums and vocals for a career in the music industry. It was the first full-time course of its kind ever developed in the UK and achieving a place on the course continues to be an aspirational goal for young musicians. The Institute, widely recognised as one of Europe’s leading schools of modern music, counts on an unrivalled teaching and visiting faculty, many of whom regularly work and tour with some of the music industry’s greatest artists.

Previous Institute students can be found throughout today’s music industry, working with high profile artists such as Radiohead, The Noisettes, Kylie Minogue, Eric Clapton and Paolo Nutini.  Previous scholarship winners can be seen performing with successful artists across the world including Estelle, N-Dubz and Lauren Hill.

Closing date for entries is 24th February 2012 and there is always a great demand. The scholarships are open to anyone from the UK or internationally and the application form is available to download from www.icmp.co.uk.

Posted in Bass, Drums & Percussion, Education, Guitar, News, Vocals

iDrum Issue Five features Steve Smith, Gregg Bissonette, Chris Frazier and more

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Planet-Musician

The latest issue of the free digital magazine iDrum is brimming with electrifying video interviews, pages of new gear, album and drum DVD reviews, and masses of practical know how in the form of top teacher tech sessions and filmed lessons.

Steve Smith, best known for his work with Journey, has played with literally hundreds of different artists during his extensive touring and recording career. Renowned for his explosive drum solo’s and intricate time keeping, he has been voted Number One All Round Drummer by the readers Modern Drummer five years in a row. iDrum 5 brings you an excusive three part video interview with Steve Smith where he talks about why he is still learning and still refining his drumming.

This issue features an interview with Gregg Bissonette and asks the question: ‘What’s it like to play with one of the Beatles?’ The interview includes footage from the recent Ringo Star All Star Band and highlights from Ringo’s press conference.

Other interviews include Ilan Rubin talking about his new band The New Regime, Luke Flowers – drumming with Corinne Baily Ray and the Cinematic Orchestra, and Chris Frazier known for his drumming with Whitesnake, Carol King and Tom Hanks!

There are 25 pages of in depth video reviews of all the very latest gear including drum kits from 2 Box, Sonor, Natal and Traps as well as Zildjian’s new Gen-16 e-cymbal system, Meinl and Ufip and heads from Aquarian. These video reviews let you see and hear the gear being put through its paces, plus gives you a full guide to construction and features. Combine this with the 12 pages of album and drum DVD reviews; you will have all the information you need to compile your Christmas wish list.

The magazine’s tech sessions section features iDrum’s resident leading tutors including Jamie Borden, Jungle Drummer and Pete Lockett. The video lesson included in this issue cover Simple Independence, Amen Breaks, Indian Rhythms, Odd Time Signatures and Cajon Techniques.

Immerse yourself in a totally interactive experience and subscribe now at http://www.idrummag.com/issue5 to get all the FREE interviews, features, reviews and tuition drummers in the know have come to expect.

Posted in Drums & Percussion, News

Protection Racket Welcome Anthrax’s Charlie Benante To The Family Plus Eight Other Endorsees

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Protection Racket is proud to welcome nine more endorsees to their drum case family.

Covering a whole diverse rang of music genres, the new endorsees include bands from the Heavy Metal, Rock, Soul, Hip Hop and Electro scenes.

Newest endorsee is Charlie Benante, the double kick demon from Anthrax. He is joined by Stuart Wilkinson currently playing with Lissie, Mat Hector who works with Thomas Dolby and Josh Morgan of the Subways. Other new endorsees include Blake Davies from Turbowolf, Jamie Nicholls, the new member of My Passion and Samson Jatto known for his work with Maverick Saber. Then there is Simon Tellier busy with Tynchy Stryder and independent drummer Dave Elitch who has recently been playing with Mars Volta and at the London Drum Show.

The new endorsees join their roster of world-class drummers including Ian Paice (Deep Purple), Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Ronnie Vannucci (The Killers) and many more.

Protection Racket’s road tested drum cases are uncompromising in their ability to safeguard your precious kit, yet are lightweight and easy to transport. To find out more about the Protection range of maximum protection and their endorsees visit

http://www.protectionracket.co.uk/index.asp.

Posted in Cases, Drums & Percussion, News

Drum Channel New Feedback Section Includes Jim Keltner, Thomas Lang and Josh Freese

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Drum Channel is pleased to introduce the all new DC Feedback section to its website where you can submit a video of yourself playing the drums and get it reviewed with feedback and suggestions on how to improve you playing. Better still the Drum Channel Team has some of the best instructors, teaching staff or faculty members in the business on hand to reply to your submissions.

Commenting on your playing could be the multi award winning, astonishingly relentless Thomas Lang, whose aspiration, is to play the unplayed. The studio great Jim Keltner (Beatles solo albums, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell and Pink Floyd) has already provided feedback on submitted videos. Drum Channel have even managed to get one of the most in demand drummers in rock, the Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Weezer, Sting ), to provide video feedback on the DC website. You can check all three drummers’ feedback submissions at http://www.drumchannel.com/articles/dcfeedback4u where you can trial it free for three days.

This opportunity is free to Drum Channel subscribers and anyone can become a member from as little as $4.99 a month at https://www.drumchannel.com/joinnow/signupform. All you have to do is upload a video of you playing the drums to the DC Feedback section and one of the most appropriate DC Team will give their video response to what they can see and hear. You can also send in written questions to the DC Forum.

The new Feedback section is a golden opportunity to help improve your playing, with the chance of having not only some of the most experienced drum tutors commenting on your drumming technique, but also some of the world’s greatest drummers as well.

Go to www.drumchannel.com to find out more.

Posted in Drums & Percussion, Education, Web Sites

Mars Volta Drummer Holds Masterclass at the Institute

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Planet-Musician

The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance was thrilled recently to play host to Mars Volta drummer David Elitch, who held an exclusive drum masterclass for Institute students.

David has been teaching for 10 years and is one of the most in-demand private teachers in the Los Angeles area. In addition to teaching privately he also conducts drum clinics at San Jose State University and The Drummers Collective in Manhattan, NYC.

Having just finished the Virgin/Capitol band Kill Korps record with producer Logan Mader  (Soulfly, Machine Head, Devil Driver), it is a wonder he has any time to conduct masterclasses at all! Throughout his career David has also worked with Garth Richardson, (Rage Against The Machine, Mudvayne) Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God), Jason Suecof (Trivium, Bury Your Dead) and Sean Beavan (NIN, Marilyn Manson).

Recently, David was asked to go on tour with Grammy award winning band The Mars Volta, touring throughout Europe, Australia and New Zealand playing for as many as 55,000 people while supporting Muse on the Big Day Out tour.

The masterclass was naturally a sell-out and immensely enjoyed by all who were lucky enough to attend. You can check the Institute website for videos and idents from David!

For more information on this event or courses at the Institute, contact us directly:

Posted in Drums & Percussion, Education, Events, News

The BC Gigster by Porter & Davies: The No Frills, Plenty Of Thrills version of the BC2 silent bass drum monitoring system

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Porter & Davies can now announce the launch of the new ‘BC Gigster’ with a specification which has been designed to achieve a launch retail price of only £599 Inc VAT. The new product still retains the same astounding performance and build quality as the flagship BC2!

The BC Gigster is a silent bass drum monitoring system which allows you to feel and experience your bass drum like you never felt it before. It consists of the finest Tactile Generator available, built into a throne top, and uses bone conduction to deliver powerful, precise and nuanced reproduction without sound.

The new BC Gigster is made from the same superior components as the BC2 and although it has slightly fewer features, the new specification still gives the same level of performance where it matters, giving you great connectivity to your drum kit whilst playing and recording, allowing you to feel and experience your bass drum through your drum throne. It is so easy to use, its rapid set-up is literally designed to plug in and play and can be used with both acoustic & electronic drums.

The BC Gigster specification includes:

  • Line / Mic, Low Contour & Master volume Controls
  • Speakon NL4 connection between Gigster engine & throne (Lead included)
  • Choose Mic or Line input (combined XLR and 1/4 “ jack) (more complex mixes can be obtained through an external mixer via the line input)
  • XLR Output for PA etc
  • Balanced and unbalanced line inputs accepted
  • Can accommodate external phantom power from PA or monitor desk
  • Encased in steel box with rubber ‘bumper’ end cheeks
  • Optional extras are available including the Porter & Davies extra low throne base plus other accessories.

The BC2 remains the Top Pro choice with airline specification flight case, phantom power selector, voltage switch and the facility to allow both line or mic input to be mixed together simultaneously with independent control.

The Gigster has already been used by top artists and they have said the following; Steve White” The Gigster isn’t now just an affordable luxury: For any drummer that takes their playing seriously it should be their next purchase.” Gavin Harrison “With the same performance and power as it’s bigger brother (the BC2) the Gigster is the ideal portable tactile monitor. It’s just smaller and lighter.” Joe Crabtree “the Gigster is now my weapon of choice.  Plus, it fits in my suitcase for the odd over-seas festival gig!”

Porter & Davies have used their expertise to maintain product integrity without compromising on quality. Keen to bring a value product to the market at a smart price, they have simplified the packaging, stripped away the non essential features and bought to the market the ultimate gigging form of the BC2.

You’ll never want to play live again without it. For further details, worldwide pricing and to buy direct on-line from the manufacturer, please visit their website at www.porteranddavies.co.uk.

Posted in Drums & Percussion, Monitoring

Drum Channel $1000 Drum Solo Competition

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Drum Channel has launched a global competition to find the best drum soloist on the plant, with a cool $1000 first prize!

For those not already in the know, Drum Channel invites drummers of any age, anywhere in the world to submit original videos of their drum solos. The winner will receive a $500 credit for myCymbal.com plus a $500 complete Drum Channel DVD collection. In addition nine runners up will receive a copy of the brilliant JR Robinson DVD ‘The Time Machine’.

This incredible Drum Channel competition calls on you to submit a three minute video of your best drum solo  by the 15th November 2011 and have it judged on its feel, groove, technique, style, showmanship and overall performance. The Drum Channel community will pick five semifinalists from the all the entries and a panel of five professional drummers will chose a further five wild card semifinalists. All ten semifinalists will be announced on a Drum Channel live show on the 22nd November 2011, at which time the five professional drummers will pick five finalists.

The Grand Prize winner will be chosen by the judges and announced on a Drum Channel Live show on the 29th November 2011. Entrants should be sure to watch the Drum Channel shows to see if they are chosen as semifinalists or the Grand Prize winner.

So what are you waiting for? Here is your chance to show the world your best drum solo. Decide what you are going to do, get practicing, and then video yourself and follow the directions on the Drum Channel website to upload your video. Enter now, the Grand Prize winner could be you!

To find out more about this amazing competition go to Drum Channel $1000 Drum Solo Competition.

Posted in Drums & Percussion, Events

Drum Channel Released Alex Acuña, Richie Garcia and JR Robinson DVDs

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Drum Channel has just released three new drum and percussion tuition DVDs. Explore the concepts of time, feel, groove and style with the Time Machine himself John JR Robinson. Delve into the secrets of the Cajon with multi percussionist Richie Gajate-Garcia and indulge in a captivating concert and interview from the

Acuña-Hoff-Mathisen-Trio as Alex Acuña says “I have not felt this way since I played with Weather Report.”

The John JR Robinson: The Time Machine DVD (US $24.95). JR is one of the most recorded drummers in history having played on records that have sold in excess of one hundred million copies. In this new DVD he takes a detailed look at the elements he considers the most important part of a drummer’s career; Time, Tuning, Miking, Click Tracks and Technique. With over three hours of content this DVD set also features guest appearances by the great Quincy Jones, David Foster, Abe Laboriel Sr, Luis Conte and John’s band – Native Son comprising of Michael Thompson, Bobby Watson, Morris Pleasure and Greg Mathieson. There are also 4 bonus tracks and a behind the scenes session with Quincy Jones.

Play Cajon Now – Richie Gajate-Garcia DVD (US $24.95) Richie Gajate-Garcia is a drummer, percussionist, clinician and educator, voted one of the top rock percussionists in Drum! Magazine this year he also is the percussionist of choice for Disney studios. Richie is a master and innovator on the Cajon and uses this tuition DVD to show you how to make your Cajon sound like a drum set as you master contemporary rock and Latin beats. With over an hour of amazing performances you will see his hybrid kit – a unique drum-percussion set up which revolves around the Cajon – and hear how he can make it sound like three drummers while Richie gives detailed explanations of how he approached his percussion parts in the demonstration tracks, including the instruments used and his setup.

Acuña-Hoff-Mathisen Trio In Concert DVD (US $24.95). Voted the best Latin/Brazilian Percussionist for five consecutive years in Modern Drummer’s Readers Poll, Alex Acuña has a vast knowledge and expertise of percussion rhythms. His South American and Caribbean roots, combined with his understanding of contemporary and classical music make him a complete and skilled master musician, one of the most sought after of our time. Best known for his work with artists such as Elvis Presley, Diana Ross and the band Weather Report he is a player that exhibits innovation, energy and pure heart. Flanked by two Norwegian geniuses, keyboardist Jan Gunner Hoff and guitarist Per Mathisen, Alex has assembled a world class performing trio that will captivate you with the high quality sounds, colours and textures they orchestrate. This DVD comes with a bonus CD. Available November 1, 2011.

Available through Drum Channel or your favourite drum retailer. Go to www.drumchannel.com to find out more.

Posted in Drums & Percussion, DVD, Education