2 comments about SWING FAVORITES BIG BAND PLAY-ALONG VOL. 1 DRUMS BK/CD (Big Band Play-Along).

1. Classic tunes but all tracks include drums. It is NOT a true Drum Play-along. It should have two tracks for each tune; one with drums and one with out. This only has the one track with drums.
   
   It is not as advertised.



2. True, the CD only has full band versions of the songs and the CD is not enhanced so you can't slow down the songs but the arrangements are professional and the charts are also professional. I guess that would be my one complaint is that the charts are for those who already read charts. I have a degree in music but I could still use a nice key for all the different symbols on the chart. But there is no key and the notation isn't self explanatory. IF you are experienced then this won't be a problem, but for beginners then this is too advanced.
   Still, it's got the grooves and with some practice you can play them.
   
   Just an addition to my review: I'm used to transcribed score arrangements where every note is transcribed and I now realize this book uses a shorthand method. In places, the drum is notated not on the staff, but by using "B.D" for Bass drum and regular quarter notes in the staff. In traditional drum notation, the bass drum has a designated spot on the bottom space of the staff. And whenever the bass drum is played then it gets a note. This goes one step further in the short hand method. That keeps all songs to one page or 2 with no page turns so it's useful.
   
   This book provides a piece of the actual drum part and then indicates any embellishments like rim shots or loose high hat, but you are left to devise your own swing pattern. The whole song is notated, but if you want a transcribed score then this isn't the book to get. Swing and Jazz really aren't the genres to try for a note for note recreation. If you can play good fundamental jazz grooves and only want the embellishments and where to play them as well as the phrase markings and rehearsal marks then this book will work.
   EX: On the CD the drummer plays an extended ending tag improvisation on the Toms and the notation is "Toms" with one note.

4 comments about The Unreel Drum Book.

1. Mr. Atkinson has truly done an amazing job transcribing Vinnies solos. The CDs break it down and make it easier to work on. I highly recommend this book for the serious drummer. Thanks Marc.



2. This book is a must for all serious drummers. Mr. Atkinson did a great job of breaking down Vinnie's solos so that they're easier to understand and practice. The CD's are so helpful, they alone are worth the price of the book.



3. Buy this book!

   If you have a sincere desire to really "get inside" the drumming of Vinnie Colaiuta, you must invest in this book!

   The transcriptions are flawless! Each page is well laid out, and to properly prepare you to tackle the rest of the book;
   Marc has written a unique set of exercises designed to help you for what is to come in the rest of the book.

   One of the most appealing aspects of this great learning device is the fact it contains two CD's! The first CD is the "Unreel" CD by the amazing Randy Waldman, featuring Vinnie, throughout the CD. The second CD is the icing on the cake!

   In the second CD, you will find everything that Marc has transcribed, sequenced and slowed down to a very approachable speed. The second CD is unlike any other drum-related CD you have ever worked with. It is pure gold!

   In addition to the mystery of Vinnies' soloing techniques being revealed, the CD also includes an incredible amount of great information for you to play along with, to help you develope your own "Vinnie-istic" approach.

   Marc has worked very hard to bring this book to fruition. He has been transcribing Vinnie's work for a number of years, and this book gives you the very best insights into learning the language of "Vinnie."

   As a matter of fact, I have seen over 350 transcriptions of Vinnies' drumming that Marc has successfully completed. No one has accurately transcribed and documented Vinnie, like Marc! If you will pardon the pun, his whole body of work on the topic of Vinnie Colauita is quite "remarkable!"

   As much as the Unreel Drumbook will inspire your imagination, drumset performance, and love for Vinnie's drumming; wait 'till you see what Marc comes out with next!

   Until that happens, you will just have to settle for what is quite possibly, one of the best drumbooks ever written!

   Go ahead: Make the investment and buy the Unreel Drumbook now!

   With the greatest respect,

   Dan Bodanis www.thedanbodanisband.com.




4. Mark Atkinson has done an incredible job in putting this book together. I'm almost as amazed at his ability to transcribe Vinnie's solos as I am in the solos themselves. With two CDs; one with the solos slowed down and various exercises, and the second with the Randy Waldman's recording of these songs you can both see and hear what Vinnie is playing. To digest all this this book will take many many hours (how many hours in a year?) but what I have found so far is while you learn the solos you will find one or two measure phrases that you may internalize and use immediately. So even if your unable to learn an entire solo you can still get ideas which you can incorporate as your own. You'll find stickings that you've never played before and get a real insight into what makes Vinnie's playing and phrasing of odd time signatures so unique. Highly recommended for the experienced drummer.

2 comments about Hand Drums for Beginners (Book & CD).

1. A great book written by a gifted drummer and teacher. The West African, Latin, Brazilian, and Middle Eastern rhythms are lots of fun. The accompanying CD is a big help, as the audio tracks play every rhythm in the book. This was my first drumming book and I still refer back to it.



2. Having just been introduced to the djembe drum by John Marshal I could not resist they wonderful traning opportunity! John Marshal is a gifted drummer and teacher ~ this easy method of study will be an excellent guide on your hand drumming journey! Enjoy your musical journey! Plena!!

5 comments about Beginning Steel Drum.

1. This is a wonderful book for learning how to play steel drums. Since there is not alot of infromation out in the world about this beautiful instrament, it is a pleasure to see such a work. I whole-heartedly recomend this book to anyone wishing to learn the art of steel drum, and I hope everyone finds what they are looking for in this this book. I know I have!



2. Unless you already know how to play a musical instrument (or at least know how to read music) this book will be of little value to you. Actually, it's not so much a book as it is a pamphlet. The only thing it accomplishes is that it shows you where the notes are on the pan.

   After a few introductory words, here is the 6th sentence in the "book":

   "The tuning consists of a circle of 5ths or 4ths, there are two circles of a complete octave and one circle of five notes. The range of the drum is from middle C up two octaves and a major third to E."

   If that quote doesn't mean anything to you, don't expect to really understand it after reading the pamphlet. Admittedly, the words are, in fact, followed by two diagrams that show what "up a 4th" and "down a 5th" mean. But add that to all the following discussion about scales, and you still have no idea why any of it matters.

   The section entitled "Technique" consists of a picture of a hand holding a drum stick and the words: "The stick has to be able to bounce off the notes. There is a slightly tighter grip employed when sticking the higher notes..." Add to that the handy note to play the left side of the drum with the left hand and the right side with the right hand and...well...I guess you're ready to start practicing sticking, because there's not much more info on the subject.

   Finally, the CD consists of 30-second clips, not complete songs. Oh yeh, unless you know how to read music, there's no clue as to where even the first note is in any of the "songs".




3. Having bought a steel drum, I was all ready to learn how to play it. I have to agree with the other reviewer that it's very disappointing - I know how to read music and know a little about chords, etc., but this book was still just about worthless. It had some info about playing chords that would be found in any music book, and the info on techniques was next to worthless - just a sentence or two, as the other reviewer said. The clips are songs you probably wouldn't want to play and just short little parts of them. The author, who really is a great steel drum player, should've given us at least a tiny example of what really can be done with a steel drum. Also the other types of drums - double seconds, basses, etc. are not even mentioned. There is no info on sources of supplies, music, drums, etc., which really is needed for such a relatively rare instrument. Save yourself the money and try to find an instructor!!



4. This is a great book for learning the Steel Drums. Was recommended to my by others. Although this book contains different Steel Drum layouts, your steel drum may have a different configuration



5. I bought this book to accompany the Calypso steel drum. The notes and location of the notes on the drum do not match those described in the book.

No comments about Rock Band Classic Rock Edition - Drum Play-Along Volume 20 (Book/Cd) (Drum Play-Along).

No comments about West African Drum & Dance (A Yankadi-Macrou Celebration) Student Enrichment Book.

5 comments about Drum Tuning: The Ultimate Guide.

1. I have been away from drumming for 18 years. I recently bought a used kit (Pearl Masters BRX) and thought it would be a good idea to replace the heads. Obviously I hadn't tuned a drum in years so I needed some help. This book is very informative and covers every detail relating to drum heads and tuning. I do think the audio CD falls a little short. A DVD would be better, but the book is so good I'd recommend it even if the cd weren't included!



2. I was most keen on learning how to tune drums and purchased this book because I wanted a complete guide in one package. The included audio CD is a good supplement, but as another reviewer said, a DVD would have been better. It's hard for me to have to use the left/right panning of some of the examples to guess which lug on the particular tom the guy is talking about when he hits the head of the tom tom hes describing.
   
   However, I have learnt a few technical issues with drums that I never came across anywhere else! So I'm happy with that. If you've never learnt proper tuning before, this book is a good place to start, but I wish I could find a book that had a greater in-depth resource to finer points of tuning and some video examples too to make each point better explained.



3. I found the instruction in this book and dvd to be very useful for tuning my drumset. I used to tune them from the advice of friends who've played longer than me, but I found that by doing it the proper way, it's much easier to get the tone and the sound I wanted. Great intruction!



4. This is a good book overall, but relatively brief when it comes to certain topics. He covers replacement of heads and basic tuning principles fairly well, but doesn't write extensively on maintenance of drum heads.
   
   For those of us who can't afford to put new heads on a set every month or two, we need a book that covers the fine art of periodic re-tuning more extensively. I'd shop around a bit more before purchasing this book.



5. After a long hiatus, I returned to drumming about a year ago. Although the basics of tuning came back quickly, I never REALLY learned to tune well when I was younger. In reading a variety of drum-related books I have come across many approaches to tuning. Most of these methods were too simple to produce the results I sought. As I continued my search I did come across an excellent web site "Prof Sound's Drum Tuning Bible v3" (http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/) which I suggest to anyone serious about tuning. This web site contains even more information than Schroedl's book but it provides no audio reference files (not critical but very helpful) and the approach to tuning is really more than I am willing to undertake regularly. The information on this site did, however, allow me to achieve the sound I sought.
   
   Searching for a simpler approach, I ordered Schroedl's book. This book presents a simple, straightforward approach that gets the job of tuning done effectively and efficiently! The audio files are helpful (some more than others) and serve to clearly demonstrate what is written. I can now get my drums sounding just the way I want and do it quickly. Thanks to this book, I spend more time playing and less time fiddling with my drums. I highly recommend the book.

2 comments about Sound Advice on Recording and Mixing Drums (Instantpro Book & CD).

1. This was a quick read and probably could be even more condensed but still good tips! It really helped remind me of some of the more basic techniques of recording than just the "perfect" sound for drums. Great diagrams. If you want more advanced book, this is not it.



2. If you are not experienced in the recording field BUY this book.
   It comes with audio samples of EVERY SINGLE TOPIC !!
   The writing is clear and simple. It will give you a very clear idea of what you have to do.
   This is a most if you are starting to record drums or even if you have done it in the past but have no real knowledge.
   This book is really good and will make you get good results in no time !!!!

No comments about LEARN TO PLAY DRUMS WITH METALLICA BY GREG BEYER BK/CD (Cherry Lane).

No comments about The Drum Book and Updated Edition.