Drum Instruction DVD & Book Reviews

THE ART OF PLAYING WITH BRUSHES

NAME:
THE ART OF PLAYING WITH BRUSHES - presented by Adam Nussbaum and Steve Smith - featuring: Joe Morello, Charli Persip, Eddie Locke, Billy Hart, and Ben Riley.

STAR RATING:
# # # # # #

WORDED RATING:
A very unique opportunity to learn and practice a variety brush playing styles and techniques. I'm so glad they created this project and captured a lot of wonderful information (much of it passed down from great drummers of the past) that might otherwise be lost to us.

TARGET AUDIENCE:
All Levels

PUBLISHED BY:
Hudson

DESCRIPTION:

Presented and moderated by Adam Nussbaum (apparently, it was his idea originally) and Steve Smith, it's two DVDs featuring Joe Morello, Charli Persip, Eddie Locke, Billy Hart, and Ben Riley. In various segments, you see each person (including Nussbaum and Smith) take a turn at playing swing (4/4 & 3/4) at various tempos, latin (Bossas and Sambas) at various tempos, and Ballads. All of the tunes are included as play-alongs on a CD. Basically, after each performance, either Adam or Steve interviews the drummer in detail about how and why they played what they did. Additionally, Adam and Steve spend time interviewing each drummer about his musical life and the stories and anecdotes are priceless--these guys really are living history!

There are great, great "bonuses" included as well including collection of videos of legendary drummers playing brushes in different contexts, including Big Sid Catlett, Papa Jo, Ed Thigpen, Gene Krupa, Mel Lewis, Steve Smith and Jeff Hamilton's "Salt Peanuts" duet, Steve Gadd, Nussbaum, Maestro Max Roach, and more. Too cool!

Plus, individual brush playing "lessons" from Nussbaum, Thigpen, and Louis Bellson. Louis' segment showing him playing brushes on a snare drum a couple of years ago and the variety of strokes and sounds he demonstrates is incredible--that segment alone is worth the price of admission, but it's just one of many gems in this wonderful project.

Other bonuses are PDFs to supplement whats on the DVDs and a little booklet on the history of brushes (did you know they were originally invented as devices to kill flies?) and a listening guide to recordings of significant brush performances throughout the years.

Bottom line--don't hesitate to pull the trigger on this one. You'll get a big chunk of history along with a unique opportunity to witness and learn from some cats who are a part of a legacy of great brush playing.

spleen
 
NAME
Pat Petrillo--Hands, Grooves and Fills

RATING
######


PUBLISHER
Hal Leonard/Hudson

TARGET LEVEL
Something for everyone and a great resource for teachers


I have gotten so much from this book and I've been playing 35 years. The secret: It's the perfect combination of accessible and challenging so one can teach themselves and not give up (never finishing the book as probably happens to a lot of us when we have the good intentions of picking up some new instructional media and bettering ourselves).
Having the book and mp3 play along in addition to the DVD is genius (the book/mp3 disc is my favorite part). And of course it's much easier to sit down with the book and mp3 disc at one's drums than sitting in front of the TV, but then the DVD is available for clarification.
And all the drumless playalongs and corresponding transcriptions are very hip and useful.
There are some fun rudimental warmups and Pat's own tab method (although for someone who reads music this would be time consuming to learn another notation) and of course the grooves and fills.
The only negative (and this is nitpicking, I suppose) is there are some typos in both the book and the subtitles which should have been fixed in the editing phase.
Suggestions for future editions: Get the flam instruction on the DVD and have the play alongs at a slow learning tempo in addition to the performance tempo.

For me this book is worth it just for the grooves and play alongs.

This is a great, great product! Just buy it!.
 
Agreed!!

If you already have those two, than it sounds like you would dig "Hands, Grooves, & Fills" by Pat Petrillo

Just check out the reviews on it and see for yourself.

Good Luck
 
Okay, so my birthday was on the twenty-first...and except that I was ill I just got....

Name:

THE ERSKINE METHOD - for drumset (Book and DVD)

Rating:

# # # # #

Publisher:

Alfred

Target Level:

Every Drummer - from beginner to advanced

Great book and great DVD!! This book covers some pages with basic techniques, some important rudiments, tips for playing with hands a feet, warming up. This is the minority though.
Since we know that Peter is a versatile drummer who has worked with a lot of musicians and styles over the years the book is more than a "Jazz school". It`s divided into straight and swung. It deals with a lot of straight grooves and even more with the swing, somping excercices, coordination excercices, fill-in ideas, solo ideas, there`s an easy to understand brush part and being dedicated to Elvin Jones there will be some Elvin-ish ideas, too.
There are practice ideas, transcriptions of the play-alongs, not just of the drums, also of the other instruments which I find very nice. It makes the tune clearer and easier to understand this way.
Okay okay, you may think that it`s a drum school like anything else but the truly nice thing about it is the educational value, the tips, experiments and personal philosophies. Peter involves his experience into the book. That`s wonderful!

The DVD is amazing! Peter is an awesome teacher and player, he really encourages me, motivates, makes me wanna play! He explains things covered in the book, plays with the band in various set-ups (piano trio, Alan Pasqua(p), Dave Carpenter(b)...or sax trio with Bob Sheppard(sax) or quartet). In the bonus section Bob, Dave, Alan and finally Peter talk about things they look for in a drummer. There is an example how NOT to play a ballad...and much more.
PLUS, there are 11 play-alongs, with and without drums. Original tunes, high quality...beautiful.

For everyone who wanna work with Peter, that`s it. =)

Great package.

Karl
 
Nice review Karl,
I'll look into it. Sounds like a winner.

Cheers

Thanks!
Yes, take a look at it. Don`t expect as many comping excercices as in Jack DeJohnette`s book, not as many grooves as in some Funk schools but it`s a damn nice tool you can work with.
As I mentioned, the personal touch makes it so good in my opinion.

PS: And the DVD is simply fun to watch, the play-alongs are a blast to play with!

Karl
 
NAME:
BASS DRUM TECHNIQUES for today's drummer : UNBURYING THE BEATER

STAR RATING:
######
WORDED RATING:
nicely detailed thought out with good production.excellent camera angles, clear instructions. Probably the best bass technique DVd out there.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
All drummers
PUBLISHED BY:
unburying the beater productions & Hal Leonard
DESCRIPTION:
As jojo's new DVD is to hand technique this DVD is to foot technique. Matt has a good way of explaining things and has obviously thoroughly studied his ideas and is really passionate about them. He is brilliant at selling the idea but, unlike some DVDs that spend a lot of time selling and idea and then barely giving it to you he really lays it out well with perfectly constructed exercises, practice advice and even tempo and time advice. To boot he really is a nice guy. i wish more DVDs were this thorough. there is a great troubleshooting section and a frequently asked questions section as well. why can't more instruction DVDs follow this format?
i'm afraid my bass technique is all about burying the beater at the moment.i even using it as a stabiliser between strokes. I know that this DVD plus 6 months of regular work with it will change my drumming totally and push me through the ceiling my current technique has put over my progress. There is even a wordof encouragement for me from matt in the FAQ section.
Matt Ritter may not have the fame of Jojo or Steve smith but his DVD speaks volumes for itself and is as precious in my collection of DVDs now as any big name drummer's. All that's left to say is thanks Matt you deserve any and every success from this DVD.
j
 
Jason,

Thank you so much. You may not know how much your post, and others like it, have meant to me. Making that DVD turned out to be much more expensive, time consuming, and mentally taxing than I ever dreamed when I first began it. I can honestly say that it was the biggest challenge of my entire life so far. Now that it's finished, marketing it and getting the word out is a whole challenge of its own. This DVD has really been quite a journey! When I get feedback like yours, it makes me feel that it has all been worthwhile. Your comments are sincerely appreciated. Thank you.

Matt Ritter
Bass Drum Techniques For Today's Drummer
www.UnBuryingTheBeater.com
 
Has anyone picked up the new Brain DVD from DW. I really enjoyed the first one, and I was thinking of picking up his new one. Any reviews?
 
kenny arnoffs power work out 1 and 2

if there is a book get it instead of the dvd

the dvd is good but the pdf files are better than the dvd as the dvd is just a repetitive list of exercise which need promting with the pdf files.


the dvd is a set of exercise making up 2 workouts each of which would take about 20 mins to complete. the 1 st work out will get your double bass going and the 2nd work out focuses on right left hand independence.

kind of uses exercises comprised of stick control stickings. with off beats filled in with bass drum or double bass drum ostinato underneath. and single double and triplet and polyrytham hand ostinatos over the top.

the exercises look like they will drasticly improve your power and indurance and independence if you say did each workout for 1 month.by the way you will have to be pretty fit to play the workouts! hard work

the dvd is ok but the information contained within is a very good

p.s. if you have not seen kenny arnoff play before he hits unbeliveably hardand if you did the power work outs you might be as powerful as kenny.
 
Re: DRUM INSTRUCTION DVD REVIEWS

NAME:
Steve Gadd: In Session

STAR RATING:
# #

WORDED RATING:
Boring, lame and a waste of $$$$$

TARGET AUDIENCE:
Beginner players may (and I stress MAY) get something from this DVD, but definately NOT for seasoned drummers.

PUBLISHED BY:
Warner Bros

DESCRIPTION:
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ........................................................................................Gadd playing/jamming in the studio with some buddies, and some occasional voice-overs. The dude literally looks like he's totally stoned on some smack or something. Not reccomended. He may be a really great drummer to many, but this DVD suxass!

Oh yeah man... Post a video drumming and jamming like Steve Gadd, I would believe a comment like that from Vinnie colaiuta or Dave Weckl... but Jeez.. no one can drum like Steve Gadd, and he does not do anything basic on that video, I guess is a intermediate-advanced level, post a video of his samba or his bebop, and do the soloing like he does..
 
Re: DRUM INSTRUCTION DVD REVIEWS

Oh yeah man... Post a video drumming and jamming like Steve Gadd, I would believe a comment like that from Vinnie colaiuta or Dave Weckl... but Jeez.. no one can drum like Steve Gadd, and he does not do anything basic on that video, I guess is a intermediate-advanced level, post a video of his samba or his bebop, and do the soloing like he does..

Just cause he's a great drummer doesnt mean he cant make a below average dvd.

This thread is to rate instructional dvds, regardless of the reviewer's skills.
 
DRUM INSTRUCTION BOOK REVIEW

TITLE: African Rhythms and Independence for Drumset (CD included)

AUTHOR: Mokhtar Samba
(has played with Salief Keita, Youssou N'Dour, Carlinos Brown, Richard Bona, Jean-Luc Ponty, Ultramarine...)

PUBLISHER: Music in Motion Films

RATING: # # # #

TARGET AUDIENCE: Anyone who want's to learn something (for most of us) new and very exciting. Especially interesting for those who like African music.

COMMENTS: I have just been working on a few Doudoumba excercises yet but I will do my best:

"African Rhythms" is billingual (English/French). The book is divided into 6 chapters, each covering an African rhythm style (most of them are in 6/8 or 12/8).

GNAWA (north africa)
MAGHREB (north africa)
MANGAMBE (cameroon)
BIKUTSI (cameroon)
DOUDOUMBA (guinea/mali)
SABAR (senegal)

The chapters starts with "movements" and moves on to "patterns". There is information about each rhythm's origin and a few listening tips. The movements are excercises that help you develop the feel and coordination that you need in order to play the patterns, the grooves. Many excercises and grooves are easy to play coordination-wise, the hard part is getting the right (African) feel. Mokhtar has a unique way of playing and phrasing that's very cool but difficult to imitate, just listen to the CD!

The sad part is that even though you work with the book, you probably won't develop an "African pocket" unless you really play with an African band. You can use many grooves in a jazz/fusion situation, but how many of us are likely to do a Bikutsi concert?

Despite its limitations it opens up a world of new ideas, and from a part of the world that I personally think has way more inspiring rhythms than music from Latin/Cuban countries. But that's just me...

Vinnie Colaiuta seems to like it too:
"Wow. The grooves just LEAP off the page! Mokhtar Samba's illustrations of African Rhythms are wonderfully insightful, enriching, and masterfully done. Thank you, Mokhtar for enlightening all of us!"

This book is great and deserves more attention, but since so few drummers in Europe and USA (me included) play this music I'm afraid it won't reach a wide audience.
 
Has anyone had the chance to check out "Indian Rhythms for Drum Set" by Pete Lockett?

Yes. I just bought the book and have started going through it. It is very detailed (135 pages) and icludes a CD. Pete breaks down everything inclding phonetic pronounciation, groupings, time signatures, time shifts etc.. with plenty of transcriptions. The CD includes examples as well as play alongs. I'm not far enough into the book yet to give a proper review but i am enjoying it so far. I have been waiting for something like this for a longtime. In fact, I asked Steve Smith (at his last clinic i attended back in April) about books on Konnakol. He said he didn't know of any out currently. I wonder if he was keeping Pete's book hush hush until the release? LOL

Get the book, it's a big study.
 
yes guys, i have the pete lockett book on indian rythms. its fabulous. the way he has demonstrated and inscripted the south indian styles is truly amazing. lucky for me, he's performing at a city venue next week. the south indian rythms are really very complicating and pete has tried simplifying to give the drum set player a fair chance to play those styles. hats off to him!
 
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