What Kind of Gear Reviews Does Modern Drummer Publish?

Modern Drummer publishes drum and percussion gear reviews as one of the core sections of its site, alongside artist interviews, lessons, and news. The reviews are aimed at players researching equipment before they buy, and they sit in the same editorial environment as rig rundowns and artist features, so you can often read a product review next to a working drummer's account of the same gear. Access to the full range of content is tied to a subscription, which the site promotes with an annual plan offer and a discount code; the site does not state that reviews are free to read without an account.

What the Gear Reviews Section Covers

The site's navigation lists Gear Reviews as a standing section, separate from Magazine, Videos, Drum Lessons, and Artist Interviews. That placement tells you the reviews are treated as ongoing editorial coverage rather than one-off posts. The site description confirms the scope: "The latest news, podcasts, lessons and gear reviews from the best online and print drumming magazine."

Because the site organizes content by instrument and format, gear coverage is not limited to one product type. The navigation includes Metal Sticks and Rig Rundowns as distinct entries, which suggests reviews and gear-adjacent content extend to sticks, setups, and full artist rigs rather than drums and cymbals alone.

Reviews Alongside Rig Rundowns

Rig Rundowns are a useful complement to standard reviews. A review tells you what a piece of gear is and how it performs; a rig rundown shows what a specific drummer actually uses on stage. Reading the two together gives you a product assessment plus a real-world configuration. For example, if you are researching a snare or a pedal, a rig rundown of a drummer whose sound you like can show the surrounding choices—heads, hardware, cymbals—that make that sound work.

Reviews in the Context of Artist Features

Artist features on the site frequently discuss equipment as part of the story. The Sully Erna feature on Godsmack's "Battle of the Drums" describes a second drumset rolling onstage mid-show, which is exactly the kind of detail that puts gear in context. The Mike Mangini feature covers his move to a new kit situation, and the Cindy Blackman-Santana piece on Coherence involves a record with a large cast of guest musicians. These are not reviews, but they are where players often first encounter a piece of gear before searching for a formal assessment.

How to Use the Reviews When Researching Equipment

1. Start with the Gear Reviews section to see what has been covered recently. The section is listed in the main navigation, so it is reachable from any page.
2. Check Rig Rundowns for the same or related gear. If a review covers a drum or pedal, a rig rundown may show it in a working setup.
3. Cross-reference artist features. Search the artist's name if you want to know why a particular piece of gear is associated with a sound.
4. Confirm access. The site promotes subscriptions with an annual plan that includes two free months and a discount code for a percentage off plus an artist pack. If you need full access, check the subscribe page for current terms rather than assuming content is open.

What the Reviews Are Good For—and What They Are Not

The main limitation is that the site presents reviews as part of a subscription magazine. The pricing signals show subscription links and a promotional code, but no per-article pricing, so treat the reviews as subscriber-oriented content and verify access on the subscribe page before planning around them.

A Practical Example

Suppose you are considering a new snare and want more than a spec sheet. You open the Gear Reviews section to see whether the model has been covered. If it has, read the review for the assessment. Then check Rig Rundowns for a drummer whose snare sound you admire—the rundown shows the drum in a full setup, including heads and tuning context that a review may not cover. Finally, search artist features for that drummer to understand the musical situation the gear serves. That three-step path—review, rig, artist context—is the most efficient way to use the site for equipment research, and it matches how the site itself organizes its content.