Modern Drummer vs. Drum! Magazines

I'm getting back into drumming and getting re-educated. Is one of these two magazines generally regarded as better than the other?

I picked up MD over the last three months, and it seems quite good, from my perspective as a runner reading Runners World and Running Times (the former of which is quite horrible, repetitive, and lacking substance). Of course, I can read both, but I was wondering if one is more helpful, better written, etc. than the other or otherwise distinguishable.

Are you 13-24 and really like metal? If so, then DRUM! would be the choice for you. Every dang month is seems to be the about this metal drummer or that metal drummer or this guy that can play super fast. Zzzz.... I have a subscription to it, but I'm getting REALLY frustrated with their current focus.

Modern Drummer tends to be a bit more diverse in their musical focus, although they can be guilty of focusing on technique oriented drummers as well. I also like their gear reviews a bit more simply because I think the writing is better.

That was what led me to buy DW over D! to begin with. It seemed like D! has as you described, but I wanted to confirm. I'm more interested in rock and jazz drummers (vs. hard-core metal) and good gear reviews. In fact, I'm turning 40 this year (so definitely not in the 13-24 set), and contemplating buying a set to replace (or as an alternative to) my 1967 Ludwig set (which includes a 14x18 bass, which is a little small for the rock that I'm playing). I repeatedly pour over the photos in MD as my daughter studies the pages of the American Girl catalog (now I definitely dated myself, and probably put myself squarely out of Drum! target audience). Thanks for you help.

Yeah, I don't like DRUM! magazine 'cause I subscribed to them for 12 months (via a discount using Google shopping, or whatever) and NEVER RECEIVED any ISSUES. It was an issue that I didn't receive any issues, get it straight, k? I called them twice and they said "blah blah blah it should be on the way in a couple weeks" both times. I spent money on a magazine that never came to my door; horrible customer service.

In response to Chunkaway's comment about DRUM! magazines content, I'm kinda glad that I didn't receive their crap issues.

I'll subscribe to MD as soon as the fix their flippen link.

HONESTLY, they BOTH SUCK!

You HAVE to play like {censored}! AND LOOK like

Tommy Lee, in order to get INTO DRUM magazine!

Modern Drummer in the Late 70`s when they started SUCKED!

ALL they covered was Buddy, Gene, and a couple of other

jazz drummers, in the 80`s they got ALOT better,

in the 90`s they got worse and ONLY covered the

Seattle GRUDGE {censored}!

In Dec. 1999 I was SO PISSED at M.D. that

I haven`t bought ANY since then,

Other than a Mike Portnoy issue or Neil Peart issue!

SO, Honestly, don`t BUY either, save a tree or 2,

and look at their web-sites, for info.

YOU`LL SAVE more money for sticks, heads, drums, cd`s, dvd`s!

YOU`LL LEARN ALOT MORE from instructional DVD`S ANYWAY!

I get both every month, and I am fine with them.

You are right though, Drum! does to more with modern rock than anything else. That's why they introduced that new magazine "Traps" for the "Older crowd" I guess...

I think I like DRUM! more, but that's just because they have featured me in more articles than MD has...lol

That's probably why I have been in it so often over the last few years... lol

HONESTLY, they BOTH SUCK! You HAVE to play like {censored}! AND LOOK like Tommy Lee, in order to get INTO DRUM magazine! Modern Drummer in the Late 70`s when they started SUCKED! ALL they covered was Buddy, Gene, and a couple of other jazz drummers, in the 80`s they got ALOT better, in the 90`s they got worse and ONLY covered the Seattle GRUDGE {censored}! In Dec. 1999 I was SO PISSED at M.D. that I haven`t bought ANY since then, Other than a Mike Portnoy issue or Neil Peart issue! SO, Honestly, don`t BUY either, save a tree or 2, and look at their web-sites, for info. YOU`LL SAVE more money for sticks, heads, drums, cd`s, dvd`s! YOU`LL LEARN ALOT MORE from instructional DVD`S ANYWAY!

Whoa, I don't understand the hate being directed at MD. I think for the most part they try to walk a fine line between covering who/what is popular and trying to find the session studs and maybe the occasional up and comer. Not to please everyone, but they do a decent job of appealing to a large number of drummers.

While I agree you could save your money and buy more sticks, I personally don't read MD just to get better as a drummer. I enjoy reading about other drummers, seeing pictures of them and their gear, picking up tips about the business of music, etc... Sure MD frustrates me at times, but to me they are the best drum magazine in town. (p.s. You can NOT get all of their articles, pictures, etc... from their website. You have to buy their magazine if you want it all.)

I'm more partial to MD than DRUM!, but that's because I find it more educational and, well professional.

DRUM!: Fun, exciting, fast-paced, youthful

MD: Reverent, educated, emphatic, powerful

My two cents! Buy `em both and support the drumming market.

MD: still not in my mailbox, can't manage to find me in their database by email address (only postal address - no customer numbers or order numbers). But I got the t-shirt..! So I have yet to form an opinion...

D!: glanced and ruled it out. :shrug:

Lets not forget that Classic Drummer is *awesome* for people and gear that have been around, not just the latest fads. "Traps" first issue was pretty good as well.

DRUM! is kind of one-track, often redundant and the reviews seem to stay really short.

EVERYONE is entitled to their OPINION!

This person was asking for an opinion, and that`s how I

responded!

DON`T get me wrong,

I LOVED M.D. in the 80`s.

issue number 16 was Neil Peart 1980,

issue 54 was Neil Peart 1984, Issue 12 and 13

were Billy Cobham And Gene Krupa, ect.

So you see I DID love M.D. BUT when they ONLY

covered GRUNGE {censored} in the MID 90`s, like

Candlebox, and NOT cover Mikkey Dee of Motorhead,

or the drummer from Helloween, etc. YOU can see WHY

I would lose interest!

Modern Drummer WAS great, BUT I feel that

instead of following the trends, they should be setting them.

I've subscribed to MD for 17 years and I've read DRUM once, so I'm kinda biased. I always look forward to sitting down and reading through MD. I often find tidbits of information and insight in the interviews that I often try to use to help me become a better player. (EX. Gene Hogland mentioned using leg weights to develop his double bass playing. Jeff Hamilton mentioned keeping your left hand flat or horizontal to the drum for a smoother sounding brush stroke.) The educational section is helpful also and sometimes beyond my reach or comprehension and it will occasionally bring on frustration because I begin working on something and then a new MD will come in the mail!

I agree that MD did fall into that fad club for a while. I have MD's that date back to issue #1.

The other sin: MD for a while liked to kiss sponsors asses and you'd never read a negative word. I mean ZBT? come on!

I like MD. I've never bought a Drum! magazine. I've looked them at Barnes & Noble, but it just didn't look that cool. I never made the connection, but maybe it was because of the drummers they feature.

Speaking of picking up things from reading it, I was once reading an article about Jimmy Chamberlain. I don't know if I've ever heard him in my life or not. But he made the comment that he likes to hit rim shots on his floor tom. I tried it, and WOW. Cool. It give the floor tom a new sound. You can really get a lot of sound out of floor tom. I would have never thought of that. Rim shots on the snare, yea. Floor tom? Try it.

A good thing about MD for new drummers is that they pay homage to those who came before us. They have short article about Sid Catlett and Shadow Wilson and guys like that.

One other ineresting note about MD. Have you ever noticed that Billy Cobham is mentioned in every issue? It's not he MD writers who mention him, but usually at least one of the interviwees or guest writers. BC is my favorite drummer of all times.