Im trying to get better at improvising, so....

Some of the players here will most likely say 'yes'.

I say 'no'. I think you only get it after you've listened to the masters and study what they have done, and then went out and tried it yourself. I see it as phases: first you simply regurgitate what you've heard others do, then you begin to alter some of what's regurgitated, and after a while you jettison the regurgitations and make up your own stuff.

But you must have what has been said before to begin with. I don't think there is any book that can short-cut your way out of actually listening to what's already out there.

Good luck. It's a lifelong process.
 
I have to agree (at least partially) with Bo here. The best thing is to do it! But if you need somewhere to start, I think these little lessons by Benny Greb are nice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XI2aHSBTnU

I am starting no arguments here. There are many different ways to get where you want and I would never suggest that my way is the only way. What I've gotten out of watching DVD's and books are ideas to try. It's learning how to wedge them into your particular musical situation at that time that's the trick.

I think I read long ago, take a simple melody, and then slowly embellish. So if you sang in your head, Mary had a little lamb, first by playing time around it, and then slowly embellish around that melody, that would be an improvisation exercise, wouldn't it?

Pretty soon you'd have the coolest version of Mary had a little lamb ever!
 
broken record here, the more styles/genres/artists you listen to the better, also, mess around with rudiments all over the kit, you would be surprised the patterns you can get outta them, even just a double stroke roll above 1/4 note feet...
 
....are there any good books/dvds/exercises that can help me with my improvising skills?

Hiya, I'm just growing confidence with improvising now and it's coming mainly from learning rudiments and fills. Repetition, repetition, repetition, building those little fiddly hand and fingers skills, understanding the phrasing of the music... until it starts to flow naturally. This is what is helping me. :)
 
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