Looking for Advanced Rock Book

[Seafroggys]

I'm not sure if there's a topic for this already, so if so, yeah, lock and point me in the right direction 8)

Anyways, I've been playing for over 7 years, I'm pretty decent, I can solidly play, but I've been in a creative and technical rut over the past 6 months or so. I'm not really advancing in my rock playing. I tried taking jazz lessons but that didn't interest me too much.

I've started Stick Control after not using it for 7 years and I've been working with a metronome for the first time (!) but I'm really interested in a great drumset book for rock playing. I've noticed that Carmin Appice has some books but they seem beginner. I'm looking for something probably intermediate/advanced so I have places to progress.

Any ideas?

[Class A Drummer]

If you dont have these already go out and buy them. Buy alot of Led Zep. CD's, then buy the Led Zep. Drumming book and play along with them. Alot of fun. I went through the book when i was like 8.5 until i was about 10. If i was that young, i can guarentee you will be able to do it. After that, try the Rush Drum Book. The playing is on a completley different level, and it will be very difficult, but if you can get through that book, it will increase your skill an enourmous amount.

[Seafroggys]

Well I got Led Zeppelin II on CD, but I don't know if its worth it for me to just buy songbooks. If I was to go that route I'd rather transcribe the songs myself, cause you learn more that way.

I'd also not get Zeppelin and instead go for better bands/drummers, like Deep Purple or Jethro Tull.

[gusty]

I'd also not get Zeppelin and instead go for better bands/drummers, like Deep Purple or Jethro Tull.

Dude...Bonham is like a god.

[Class A Drummer]

Dude...Bonham is like a god.

haha, i was just about to comment on that part.


As gusty said, who better to learn rock from than from Bonham? Although i consider Peart to be the greatest rock drummer of all time, i would rather get a lesson from Bonham.

Not only is he amazing, but his mustache OWNS!

Seriously, it will open up your playing alot using the led zep book.

[Seafroggys]

I don't think I would learn anything new though, because I can pretty much play along to LZII with no problem, and I've been working on that whole "Hi-Tom, Floor Tom, Bass" thing he always uses.

I can see Bonham is very well received around here. I guess each drumming community is different. Over at musician forums I can call Bonham mediocre and only get flames from the ultra-fanboys. :)

Don't worry, to make up with it, I think Ringo is God.

[centralzeke]

I also am not a John Bonham fan. Wow, he hits as hard as he can and his pocket is so loose he's actually lagging!!

[skaman]

A good book for you: The New Breed from Gary Chester.

[Seafroggys]

A good book for you: The New Breed from Gary Chester.

Thanks, I've heard great things about that book, but wasn't sure if it was what I was looking for. I'll check it out.

[nhzoso]

Well I was going to recommend a great book for you but since the Bonham comment you can just sit in your rut for all I care!...LOL

[meandhimcallitus]

Am going to second that that New Breed, Its going to help you in variety styles of music since its written as systems rather than musical patterns(if that makes sense)... plus its hella fun book.

[MyNameIsRyan]

I use "the drummers cookbook", it has a lot of rhythms and ideas for creating your beats

[samthebeat]

Whats with the Bonham slating. If it wern't for bonham they would be no Neil Pert, the guy was an inovator, he practically wrote the book on modern playing. Rock drummers just did'nt aproach the drums in that way before he came allong. Slating Bonham is like slating like Jimmi Hedrix and this kinda thing really pisses me off.

Hedrix was'nt the most technically profient guitarist ever, he was'nt even the most technically profient guiatrist of his day, but he started something, he changed how a guitar can be used and took rock music and the electric guiatar somewhere it had never been before, and thats exactly what Led Zeplin did as a band, and what Bonham did as a drummer. And you guys you dont get it need to learn it.

Rock lesson number one......John Bonham, once you can play his grooves and licks you might be ready for some more taxing stuff. I doubt you will find anything much more taxing than Bonham in the rock genre.

[FloEy]

two words! Daney Carey!!!!!!!!!! Heres another!!! Jimmy Chamberlain!!!!! Herers another too!!! Matt Cameron!!!! Some of the best rock drummers out there!!!! So check out tool, smashing pumpkins, and soundgarden. That wil keep you busy for a while.

[Seafroggys]

Whats with the Bonham slating. If it wern't for bonham they would be no Neil Pert, the guy was an inovator, he practically wrote the book on modern playing. Rock drummers just did'nt aproach the drums in that way before he came allong. Slating Bonham is like slating like Jimmi Hedrix and this kinda thing really pisses me off.

Hedrix was'nt the most technically profient guitarist ever, he was'nt even the most technically profient guiatrist of his day, but he started something, he changed how a guitar can be used and took rock music and the electric guiatar somewhere it had never been before, and thats exactly what Led Zeplin did as a band, and what Bonham did as a drummer. And you guys you dont get it need to learn it.

Rock lesson number one......John Bonham, once you can play his grooves and licks you might be ready for some more taxing stuff. I doubt you will find anything much more taxing than Bonham in the rock genre.

Gosh, why did this have to turn into a Bonham argument.

Your argument is pointless, because all the drummers I like predated Bonham (Moon, MItchell, Paice, Ringo, etc.).

Anyways, thanks for all the suggestions guys!

[samthebeat]

All you have mentioned are quite different to bonham, as I stated he practically wrote the book on modern playing. If you dont know what mean by modern playing you dont get what Im saying.

I cant be arsed to explain becuase I dont think can, im not so good at getting my point across on forums, so I'll just leave it now.

As far books go, New Breed is well worth the effort and will improve your abilties as drummer on the whole, mostly in the department of independence and limp allighnment, in the realms of studying rock, study them all they are all great, Infact Rhythm magazine has been running a eduacational article currently called drum pioneers breaking down their playing, back issues are avaliable, they are all very good and informative, plenty to learn, and realy let you know the differences between the drummers that ruled the roost in the late 60's and early 70's.

[mr_hayward_99]

get the gary chaffe pattens book - jazz and rock ostinato studies (its pink/purple)

this book introduces you to the idea of playing different ostinatos in rock and jazz,funnily enough.

it also brings the ideas of shifing back beat and playing underlying ghost notes.

what is helping me get better at rock rythems is learning to play off beat 8th notes on hi hat to a grove then introducing a different cymbal ostinato eg from straight eights to 3 16 notes then 1 16 note rest while maintaining the origonal rytham.

going through master studies (joe morrello) helps with getting better at accent placments whicj you can used your my ride cymbal patterns to spice things up a bit and help drive a song along with out playing a bass drum note.

hope this helps

tom