A Look at Drum Gear Then…and Now of Innovation 40 Years D


rums are as old as history, and possibly older—there’s probably a cave drawing


somewhere depicting a guy happily jamming away. Cymbals, too, are so ancient that they fi gure prominently in the Old Testament. The drumset, on the other hand, was born just a


little over a century ago. Its creation was made possible by the development of the fi rst commer- cially practical pedal. Introduced by Ludwig & Ludwig in 1909, the pedal allowed a single drummer to replace individual bass drummers, snare drummers, and cymbal players in bands and


orchestras. And thus the evolution of drum gear was initiated. Not surprisingly, much of that evolution has


been a response to changes in musical trends. As demands on drummers have increased, so too has the variety and sophistication of drum gear. Today, we have more choices than ever before. As Modern Drummer celebrates its fortieth


anniversary, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of the important milestones in the history of drum gear—especially those that came on the scene during the MD years. Enjoy!


by Rick Van Horn


Billy Cobham, who set standards of fusion-drumming greatness with Mahavishnu Orchestra, has always enjoyed using a mammoth setup, including this one that incorporated uniquely shaped North toms.


Terry Bozzio has been a driving force in gear experimentation for decades.


With new wave band Missing Persons, he designed electronic kits and employed RotoToms to great eff ect.


January 2016 Modern Drummer 47


THIS END OF AD TO BE PLACED IN GUTTER OF PUBLICATION


Tom Copi


Tom Copi


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