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Customer Reviews
MD does excellent product reviews. They are always interesting to read and give a good idea of how a product sounds (always tricky) or works. Whenever MD focuses on equipment, be it the reviews or news of new equipment, the magazine excels. They do a very good job of keeping up with manufacturers all over the world. And this is no mean feat considering that the number of types of instruments and equipment that fall under the category of drums and percussion is probably as vast as all other instruments combined.
Also one of the better aspects of the magazine are the "filler" (nondepartmental) articles that vary from month to month. The editors do a respectable job of filling the mag with articles that will interest all aspects of the drumming community. Community also plays a big part. Drummers, unlike guitarists, tend to love each other rather than despise others with talent. Little things like updates on older drummers, world drummer features, new drummers featured every month, birthdays, and even obituaries foster this sense. The latter is one of the best aspects of the magazine, as the editors really hold the community feel in mind when doing obits, often featuring drummers and music folks that would never get press anywhere else. Having some history of drumming presented in this manner helps to appreciate those that went on before us.
MD also tries to help instructionally, publishing charts and transcriptions of famous drum performances. The editors consistently try to educate on several fronts, including technique, buying tips, how to make a living as a drummer, and so on. All these features are invaluable.
There are some flaws, though, with the biggest being the main interviews. Featured drummers have traditionally been big names, but those names anymore are from bands I have either never heard of or are lopsidedly in the metal/grunge/industrial arena. Most of these guys are here today and gone tomorrow. Plus, they usually have little to say about the craft. And their final critique: I get tired of all the multi-tattooed, "I'm Cool", metal coverboys staring out from the magazine rack in my living room. Nothing says style like have some guy with piercings all over his face brooding at friends, neighbors, and in-laws. Some of these guys on the covers even scare children.
Sadly, technique and craft are often not discussed in great detail in the main interviews. One recent edition had interviews with two veterans, Stewart Copeland and Vic Firth. And while this was one of the better copies of the mag, little of technique was discussed with these two drumming giants. If you have heard either play, and you are a drummer, you'd love to know how they do it and from where they pull their style. Considering that interviews comprise a large portion of the magazine, this can be disconcerting.
The magazine also features reviews of recordings, but seems to pull its punches, possibly for fear of losing advertisers. The lowest rating you almost ever see for recordings is a "6" out of "10", with most being an "8". Hey, I listen to a lot of music and the sub-6 category consists of about 90% of what is out there.
The last con is the look of the magazine. For a music magazine, it's not very hip-looking. The design of the magazine seems to always be stale, even when it is updated from time to time.
Still, despite its lacks, MD holds up. There are few other options for magazines for drummers, so you don't have a lot of choices anyway. Considering this, MD gets an extra star in the review simply for being there for those of us who like to hit the skins.
If you're a drummer, do yourself a favor and get a subscription today. You will value this magazine for the rest of your life.
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