Jabo Starks, one of the funkiest drummers to ever sit behind a kit, has passed away today age 79. A pioneer in the funk drumming world and a huge influence to countless drummers, Starks died in his home in Mobile, Alabama after fighting leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. The new has been confirmed by Starks’ manager Kathie Williams. 

John Henry “Jabo” Starks was a key drummer for James Brown, playing on many of Brown’s biggest hits and bestselling albums. Jabo Starks was often joined on stage and in the studio by the equally funky Clyde Stubblefield, in a two-drummer groove team that formed the foundation of James Brown’s music.

Alongside bandmate Clyde Stubblefield, Jabo Starks can be heard playing on many of James Brown’s classics including Sex Machine, The Payback, Super Bad, I Got the Feelin’, Cold Sweat, and Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud.

Check out this great interview with Jabo Starks to see him in action:

https://youtu.be/3hSdvuqqiT8

Royal Society Open Science has a super interesting new publication showing how the Amazonian Bora people use drums to communicate across long distances.

This is more than just a morse code style of communication: The drum patterns closely match their language. Small variations in the beat placement match how their words are vocalized, to create sentences that travel much farther than the human voice. Compared to shouting, the sound of their drums can travel up to 10 times the distance.

Check out the video below to see it in action. Read the RSOS paper here, or check out a more digestible article from Science Mag here.

Evans have announced that in-demand marching drumming duo BYOS (Bring Your Own Style) are heading to Guitar Centers in the US for a short clinician tour.

These guys are hard-working, super entertaining, and they have insane technical ability. They’ve got some really great youtube videos which have been hits across the internet (check them out here).

Both members of BYOS have been honing their skills on drumlines in the USA since they were young. They’re multiple-award winners, and they’ve both toured the world performing, teaching, and composing exciting drum pieces.

If you’re near any of the Guitar Center stores listed below, get along and check them out:

• Sunday May 14: Northeast Expy ATLANTA, GA 30329  2PM
• Monday May 15: Eastern Blvd. MONTGOMERY, AL 36117  6PM
• Thursday May 18: N. Kendall Drive MIAMI, FL 33156  6PM
• Friday May 19: Nordhoff Street NORTHRIDGE, CA 91234  6PM
• Saturday May 20: 7425 Sunset Blvd. HOLLYWOOD, CA 90046  2PM

More dates will be added soon.

Want the best music gifts for musicians in 2018? This is the ultimate guide! We’ve got the best music gifts for music lovers, regardless of your budget.

Following on from our best drum gifts article, a few people have reached out to ask about gifts for other musicians. So, we thought we’d put together a huge guide covering all of the best gear.

This is the ultimate list of music gifts for music lovers in 2018. Importantly, this is a list made by musicians, for musicians, with a strict *no junk* policy. There’s ideas for musicians birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, anniversaries, graduation, gifts for music teachers & more. We’ve included ideas for every age & budget, all categorized by price. If you feel like there’s something missing, let us know!

Check out the huge gift guide here, to find the best music gifts for musicians and music lovers of all ages.

Theobald Ludwig, co-founder of Ludwig drum company, was born on this day in 1889.

Born April 9th, 1889, Theobald Ludwig was a co-founder of what would become one of the biggest drum manufacturers in the world. Ludwig & Ludwig Drum Company was founded by Theobald and his broth William F. Ludwig in Chicago in 1909. Twelve years earlier, the Ludwig family had emigrated from Germany to the United States, moving to Chicago to start a new life.

Theobald Ludwig sadly died from influenza at the age of 29, after meeting with a sick government official. Theobald had traveled to Philadelphia to meet this official, who was in charge of government musical instrument purchases. The Ludwig family was trying to secure a deal to supply instruments to the government, but unfortunately, the Gretsch drum company had beaten Ludwig to the deal. Theobald was in Philadelphia to find out why. You can read the actual letters describing the situation, written from Theobald to his brother William (head to VintageDrumGuide.com).


Theobald wasn’t around to see it, but Ludwig would eventually become one of the biggest names in drumming across the 20th century. While the company was relatively successful across the mid 1900s, things really took off after Ringo Starr used a Ludwig drum kit on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Ringo was so proud to have a drum kit from the USA, he had asked for the Ludwig logo to be painted on the front of the bass drum head. With the success of The Beatles, the world took notice of the Ludwig brand and sales skyrocketed. Since then, Ludwig has been used by some of the biggest names in drumming, including John Bonham, Ginger Baker, Vinnie Colaiuta, Mick Fleetwood, Nick Mason, Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon, Joe Morello, Ian Paice, Charlie Watts, and too many others to list here. Ludwig is still one of the most recognizable brands in the industry, and has come a very long way since Theobald and William F. Ludwig began their small drum store back in 1909.

Following on from the guide to buying used drums, we now have everything you need to know about buying used cymbals.

You can find some amazing bargains with used cymbals, as long as you know what to look for. Make sure you see the red flags to avoid getting ripped off!

Check out the huge guide to buying used cymbals, covering all of the important stuff, the not-so-important stuff, and some extra tips for getting the most out of your cymbals.

It’s been more than a decade since their last release, but it looks like a new album from Tool is slowly getting closer in 2018.

Pictured is Danny Carey’s drum kit, set up in the studio for recording the new 2018 Tool album. In the background is drum tech Joe Paul:

Danny Carey’s official website posted the above photo showing his kit set up, with the caption:

“READY TO BEGIN TRACKING FOR TOOL. It appears that long time tech JOE PAUL has the drums and electronics arranged in the studio for Danny to start tracking.”

Joe Barresi (who worked on Tool’s 10,000 Days) is handling engineering. Danny is tracking drums first, followed by the other instruments, and finally vocals.

The photo shows Danny’s huge drum kit, with his signature Sonor 14×8″ bronze snare drum in the center. Some of the stand-out features are the purple Paiste Monad 22″ Dry Heavy Ride, the Roland Octapad and Handsonic, and the huge amount of electronic pads spread around the kit.  He’s also using a Roc-N-Soc drum throne.

Danny Carey has been using Evans drumheads since 1998. He also plays Paiste cymbals, Hammerax Percussion, and Roland and Korg electronics.

Specifically, Danny Carey uses an Evans Power Center snare drumhead, Evans G1 Clear tom batter heads, and Evans EQ3 Clear bass drum batter heads.

Looking for a used drum kit, but want to avoid getting a dud!?

Check out our used drums buying guide, with everything you need to know!

There is so much great used drum gear out there, you just need to know what to avoid… We go into detail on the important stuff, the not-so-important stuff, and how to breathe new life into a used drum kit.

Learn exactly what to look for when buying used drums, and get the most value for your money. The right used drum sets can sound great, so use these essential tips to make sure you get a top set of used drums.

Check out the in-depth guide to buying used drum sets now!

For those of you who are more visual, here’s a ton of useful information for you, all in the one image! Keep these things in mind the next time you’re shopping for drumheads.

Click on the image to open the full-size version.

The 7th annual Hit Like A Girl global drumming competition is coming up.

Hit Like A Girl is a worldwide contest for female percussionists, aiming to put the spotlight on girls drumming, and to encourage musicianship among females of all age levels. Some great companies are sponsoring this event, and there will be some great prizes available.

The competition is open to female drummers of all skill levels, so don’t hold back if you’re wondering whether you’re good enough!

To enter, you must:

• Be female (this one is hopefully obvious!).
• Be an amateur drummer (if you make more that $50k/year and have an endorsement, you’re not eligible).
• Send in a 3-minute drumming video. This can include solos, covers, or live gigs. Showcase your skills somehow!
• Include a short bio, outlining your drumming story, and a recent photo of you behind the drum kit.

There is an under 18, and an 18+ age category.

Drummers are evaluated on their performance (their groove, sound, technique, musicality, and interpretation), as well as their presentation and their personal story.

For some inspiration, check out Hit Like A Girl’s Hall of Fame, which includes some great videos from past winners and runners up.

There are three ways to make it to the finals:

• Between March 1st and April 11, 2018, there will be weekly contests where judges will choose a weekly winner. Each weekly winner will become a finalist.
• Between April 12 and April 25, 2018, the public can vote on their favourite drummer. The two drummers in the under 18 and 18+ categories with the most votes will become finalists.
• Wildcards will be chosen as finalists based on their drumming skills and presentation.

You only need to send in one application, and you’ll have a chance to become a finalist across every week of the competition.

Judging will take place between May 3 and May 16, 2018, with a winner to be announced on May 24th.

For more information and to enter, go to Hit Like A Girl’s website. Good luck!