Tried and Like in 2024

This is a topic that used to appear annually in my bicycle blog bikelovejones. After I left the bicycle industry (and even more so after Covid and Long Covid greatly reduced my riding), I stopped writing it.

At the end of a year in which I tried lots of different drum things and ideas, it seemed like a good year to apply this thinking here at my drumlove blog. So in no particular order, here’s a short list of things I tried and liked this year.

1. Suitcase kick from Side Show Drums. I tried making my own kick drum from an old suitcase a few years ago and it was such a ham-handed effort I gave it away. When I got the hankering to try again, I sucked it up and bought one made far more professionally by Max Wheeler and sold on Reverb. Here is one that’s very close to what I bought (mine’s blue).

2. MadPads snare pad. Thanks to Michael Beauclerc, I had an opportunity to test-ride and review a MadPad. Sustainably made in Canada from gum rubber and an MDF nearly free of formaldehyde, the pad delivers a feel that falls nicely between the old tan RealFeel pad and the Cardinal rubber pad. I tend to favor tunable pads with Mylar heads for my daily practice, but this rubber pad was a very nice surprise. I’ve enjoyed adding it to my rotation ever since.

3. Rohema RM2 marching sticks. I had an opportunity to buy a couple sets of these through the Third Floor Bazaar on Facebook. They are quite similar to the Jeff Queen solo sticks from Vic Firth, but a touch longer and with a nice, longer taper that shifts the balance just slightly rearward. They also tend to be in stock more regularly than the Queens. I like them and may order a couple more pairs. (Rohema sticks have multiple distributors worldwide and can often be found online at Reverb.)

4. Chopping on modern drum licks posted online. My Rudimental drum library tends toward the days of lower tension and Mylar heads. And I’ve read through most of it a few times. To avoid getting stale, I started grabbing short little licks from Facebook and Instagram and learning those. My favorites so far have been the licks shared frequently by Carlos Botello, who offers material for nearly all levels of drumming that’s interesting, challenging and fun. If you like the locks, check out his library of Left Hand Path instructional books.

What have you tried and liked in 2024?

Cheers and happy drumming!