Guitar Center Announces Launch of 2013 Drum-Off Competition

Guitar Center has started accepting entrants into its 2013 Drum-Off competition. This marks the 25th anniversary of Guitar Center’s drum competition, which attracts some of America’s top drumming talent every year and has become a popular event.

The winner of the contest will take home a huge trove of prizes, including $25,000 cash, a Roland electronic drum kit, and a custom drum kit from a top drum company including cymbals. The prize package also includes some great perks, too, such as a write-up in 'Modern Drummer Magazine,' the cover feature in Guitar Center’s 'Drum Buyers’ Guide,' a VIP experience at NAMM 2014, and endorsement deals with drum stick, cymbal and drum head companies.

Drummers can enter at any Guitar Center, each of which will have 30 spots open. The preliminary rounds will take place over three weeks in September. Store finals happen Oct. 1, district finals happen Oct. 22, and regional finals happen Nov. 12. The grand finals, which determine the winner, are scheduled for Jan. 18.

Guitar Center will provide the kit, but contestants are allowed to use their own snare, drum pedal and drum throne if they would like. Guitar Center will also have a Roland SPD-30 drummers can incorporate into their set if they’d like. Contestants get three minutes to show off their talents in each round up until the semi-finals, and those who make it that far get five minutes.

Some of rock’s most legendary drummers have either competed in or supported Guitar Center’s Drum-Off, including Terry Bozzio of Missing Persons and Frank Zappa fame, Travis Barker from Blink-182, John Tempesta of The Cult, Josh Freese of Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle and Dave Lombardo of Slayer. All the details of the contest, including rules and dates, can be found at Guitar Center’s Drum-Off website. To see a video of Drum-Off 2012 winner Juan Carlos Mendoza, check last year’s Drum-Off website.