A Fresh Approach to the Drum Set
Vic Firth sent me this book recently and it instantly became my new lesson book for drum students. It is everything that I have been looking for. Each lesson contains audio examples so that you can hear how every example should sound. Each lesson is well thought out and practical for today's drummer. My favorite feature is the fact that each lesson concludes with at least one actual song featuring the new concepts learned. So drum students get to apply the new grooves, fills, etc., instantly in a practical setting.
From a teaching standpoint, this book is very well-rounded. It includes all major musical styles (with playalongs), rudiments and stick patterns, practical tips and advice all in a well-laid out easy to follow format. Get this book!
Click the title above to purchase and/or download a free sample including 20 pages and 4 audio tracks. This book is not available in stores. You can purchase it from the website above or save shipping charges and buy it directly from me for $25.
From a teaching standpoint, this book is very well-rounded. It includes all major musical styles (with playalongs), rudiments and stick patterns, practical tips and advice all in a well-laid out easy to follow format. Get this book!
Click the title above to purchase and/or download a free sample including 20 pages and 4 audio tracks. This book is not available in stores. You can purchase it from the website above or save shipping charges and buy it directly from me for $25.
Groove Essentials
This book (and it's sequel Groove Essentials 2) may be the most important book I have in my entire drumming library. Tommy Igoe is an incredible drummer and an even better teacher. He has written and performed the drum set parts for the Lion King on Broadway as well as being an outstanding musician on countless CDs, DVDs, and live shows. If you haven't heard of this guy, check him out. He glides in and out of styles (everything from classic rock to weird latin drum beats you've never heard of) with ease and his books enable students to do the same.
There are 47 grooves in this book. Each one is written in simplistic form followed by two challenging variations. Each groove has a perfectly notated chart to follow. What sets this book apart is what is included with the book. The included mp3 CD gives students an opportunity to play with professional bands in various genres. You will never outgrow this book. The DVD included is Tommy Igoe walking you through each groove and playing a sample from the CD.
It simply doesn't get better than this. This pack contains the lesson book, mp3 cd, DVD, and poster.
Stick Control
This is THE book for stick control and hand technique. It has been around for more than 70 years (before the drum set was even popular!) and has been credited by many influential players as a cornerstone of building their technique. There is nothing complex in this book. Just lots of simple stick exercises. The key is working on them consistently and becoming proficient.
Bass Drum Control
Colin Bailey credits Stick Control as the foundation of his book, Bass Drum Control. His exercises were formulated by replacing certain stickings from Stick Control with the bass drum. This is one of the best books out there for developing foot technique and bass drum control. I use this book as written to work on snare drum and bass drum combinations as well as use it around the kit for fill ideas.
40 Essential Rudiments
You can click above for a free download of Vic Firth's guide to the 40 essential rudiments. Most of my drum students will use these during lessons to gain better control over sticking patterns. Vic Firth's site also has audio/visual clips of each rudiment at different speeds and a video of each rudiment. Feel free to print copies of the Rudiments and keep them in a binder to bring to lessons. We will spend this semester (Spring 2011) focussing on Quadrant A: the first ten rudiments.