Posts by Kevin Zahner

Finding the best snare drum microphone is not always the easiest decision to make, especially considering how affordable good mics can be. But choosing between what I consider the best mics for snare...

The African bell pattern is by far the most influential rhythmic cycle for my development as a drummer and musician. It has much deeper meaning for poplar and religious music around the world and...

Jeff Porcaro is one of the most important professional drummers. The tracks he’s played on are so numerous and hip that it’s astounding to think about his contribution to music. Jeff is high up...

The dreaded words on my junior high jazz chart used to haunt me. It would say “Latin” or “calypso.” I had no idea what that meant, no books to reference Latin grooves, no teacher...

The beat on the song “Bo Diddley” (by Bo Diddley) is a 3-2 son clave rhythm. Or, is it straight from the West African bell pattern brought to the Americas via the slave trade?  Bo says it...

Mounting a splash cymbal should be easy, but I struggle with finding the right hardware to mount different splashes around my kit. Certain setups have worked over the years, so I wondered if...