5 comments about Drum Tuning:A comprehensive guide to tuning drums.

1. This brief book spells out some basic concepts involved in drum tuning that might be helpful for those who have little to no experience tuning drums. However, as an experienced drummer, I found few insights that were helpful. Most of the tips were common knowledge among the drummers I know, and widely available on internet sites.



2. In my judgement, this is a very poor attempt on the subject. I suggest that one should beware of this waste of time and money. There has to be better professional advice out there. This is certainly no valuable source in regards to drum tuning. I would leave this one out of your collection!

   John Lovett




3. This book is both simple and simply great. Over the past 15 years I've tried many ways to tune my kit for a better balanced sound, but it wasn't until I read Nolly's book that I was able to get results. I first got curious after seeing the endorsements of Appice, Aronoff and Mitch Mitchell and then going back to an old Modern Drummer magazine that had an article by the author on tuning. I took a chance and wasn't disappointed, and I recommended it as a practical reference source for any drummer regardless the level of experience. It works!



4. I think this is the best book on drum tuning you can find. I'm an intermediate drummer and I found this book very helpful. I really like the section on tuning the snare drum. After reading Mr. Nolly's book, I found that I was making a lot of mistakes tuning my snare drum, as well as my whole drum set. I've never been able to get the sound that I wanted out of my drums but now I can.



5. I don't understand the negative reviews (one anonymous). This guide is the best guide I have seen that advises you step by step, and drum by drum how to tune the top head to the shell itself, then tune the bottom head to the shell as well. It advises you once you have self tuned your drums how to tune them to one another. It covers reasons for "buzz". Of course for the professional musicians that have negative comments here (although I have not heard of them professionally live or as studio drummers, everyone has their opinion). I have been playing 18 years. I think I tune drums pretty well.
   Yes I knew much, but I learned a few things that made it worth the $13.
   If you are new to drums and you have a $600 set and you want it to sound like a $1600 set, make sure your drums are in tune. I can get a $600 set to sound like a $1600 set. If you can't, pick up this book. Read it two to 3 times through, it is easy reading and enjoyable. You will be able to tune that set after reading his book.
   
   I have no affiliation to the author, just followed the positive reviews from fellow Amazon reviewers. It is the best book on drum tuning I have seen to date.

3 comments about The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming.

1. In response to the phenomenal resurgence of the drum nationwide, Michael has completely revised and expanded the 1991 edition for all those folks discovering the power of drumming. This useful book reveals profound teachings about shamanic drumming, which is a time-honored method of healing and helping others. Trained as a ceremonial drummer in the Mongolian and Native American shamanic traditions, Michael presents the first practical guide to applying this ancient healing art to our modern lives. Through a series of simple exercises, lessons, and rituals, he teaches you the basic shamanic methods of drumming. The focus is on creating sacred space, invoking the powers of creation, journeying, power practice, initiating change through intent, power animals, windhorse (personal power), geomancy, drum therapy, drum harmonics, drum circle dynamics, archetypal healing rhythms, and the universal rhythmic phenomena that come into play whenever we drum. Whether you are an accomplished percussionist or a total beginner, this user-friendly book will help you harness the power of drumming.

   Reviews

   "The Shamanic Drum expresses things as they are, and it's indeed true that the drum and the proper ceremonies are the way in which we balance and harmonize the energies of the Earth, its creatures, and our relationship with all realms."
   -Dhyani Ywahoo, author of Voices of Our Ancestors

   "A clear and practical work."
   -Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way and The Vein of Gold

   "Apprenticeship would be the ideal way to learn shamanic drumming, however most of us will never be fortunate enough to have this experience. This book is definitely the next best thing."
   -Lisa DiPlacido, review editor for Friend's Review.




2. I thoroughly enjoyed the imagery presented in this book. The journeys of the soul were mesmerizing. The guidance for drumming was most useful. The songs presented were short, easy to remember, and inspiring. I was a little put off at the end when the author seems to imply that the book is more for the use of Native Americans (although I have some Cherokee ancestry) and not for people of other descents.



3. Michael Drake has written a sensible guide to taking a traditional shamanic journey with measured drum beats to a alternate reality where, with practice, one can meet one's spirit/animal guide. He describes with obvious deep knowledge how to use and care for a drum that will act as both a vehicle to journey and as a healing tool.
   
   I got the impression from reading The Shamanic Drum: a Guide to Sacred Drumming that the author genuinely loves his relationship with sacred drumming and wants to share this timeless knowledge. His methods are completely safe. He states what I've found to be true: one always has one foot in this world as he/she journeys to another and can 'return' as soon as one wishes.

1 comments about The Forgotten Power of Rhythm : Taketina.

1. This is a great book, Flatischler focuses on the philosophical and spiritual aspect of rhythm and it's basic principles, he writes about how rhythm affects the body and spirit and how it can heal.

   He explains all the basic principles of pulse and rhythm and how this can be found in rhythms all over the world. This is one of the best books to start with if you want to study rhythm but I also highly recomend it to all musicians (I had been playing the piano for many years when I read it and it tought me a lot).

   You should also check out Flatischlers great drum band "Megadrum", it includes one of the greatest percussionist on this planet, excellent stuff.

   Three other recomended rhythm books "The healing drum" "The drummers path" and "A Rhythmic vocabulary".

2 comments about Haskell W. Harr Drum Method - Book One: For Band and Orchestra.

1. I was in a music store the other day looking for a drum instruction book for my nephew, who's adding yet another instrument to his skill set, and was surprised to find this book- because I learned from it forty years ago, and it was old then.
   
   But then, there's a reason it's still around; it's still an excellent first primer. Sure, the information on stick holding is dated- this was before match grip displaced traditional grip- but the exercises are still good ones.
   
   It's not a good book for self study; you still need an instructor who can help you with your initial grip and strokes. But once you're at the point where you can do a decent rebound stroke, this book and Haskell's volume II would be all you needed to develop some good rudimental skills.



2. There is a reason this book has been around for a long time. I've used it myself for over 30 years ! Harr breaks thing down well. Rudimentaly sound with each page a new challenge. Most pages at the start have eight lines each with a different set of notes and then has a ninth line that mixes the other eight lines together. I have found that students learn quite well with this approach. This book is a must for beginers!!

1 comments about Mel Bay Latin Elements for the Drum Set (Quick Guide).

1. Frank has done it again. A concise and inexpensive guide (with cd no less!)which serves as an excellent tool for accents moved systematically within an approachable 16th note structure. It certainly is not limited to latin styles only, but suits a samba nicely. You can't beat this at less than $10.00. Many of my students as well as my own self have benefited from this slender volume. Highly recommended.

2 comments about FASTFORWARD: ROCK SOLID DRUM PATTERNS (Fast Forward (Music Sales)).

1. This book gives you a good chance at learning the drums and basic beats. It shows you right from the beginning where to start and builds you up. It's a great way to learn. One problem, If you ave never played the drums in your life, it doesn't really start way in the beginning. Great book overall!



2. It's a nice book for your first drumming excercises.
   The CD with examples, one with, the next one without the drums, is an excellent way to practice.

1 comments about Mel Bay Beyond Stick Control: For the Snare and Drum Set Player.

1. Too many books on drumset technique emphasize stick technique without integrating the bass drum as a natural part of that technique. At worst the bass drum is used to keep time. Only slightly better is the idea of throwing in various bass drum rythms as an afterthought after one has mastered the sticking excercises.
   
   Glenn W. Meyer has consistantly given the bass drum its due in all his publications and especially in this latest book Beyond Stick Control. He divides the excercises, which are various drumming rudiments, mixed doubles,singles, paradiddles, etc into four parts. Part A deals with hand technique. Part B integrates the hand technique with randomly interspersed bass drum beats filling in for some of the hand rythms. Doing these excercises over time will make your bass drum come alive, increasing the fluidity and natural sound of your kick in relation to the other parts of the drum set.
   
   The third section, section C deals with the same rudiments played over various ostinato or repeating bass drum rythms. This section will sharpen your drum set independence.
   
   It helps that every excercise in every section is written in 8 bar solos. That means that you get plenty of reading practice. Start with one or two bars and practice them over and over. Then practice 4 bars, then eight. This will greatly increase your technique, flexibility, and ability to read drum music. By the way, Meyer has a simple uncluttered style of drumset notation that is mostly just snare and bass, that makes practice and reading a snap. Then he tosses a few hints about practicing accent variations on the toms that will get you to utilize the full drumset. There's a lot more of this in one of his previous books called: Creative Drum Systems.
   
   The fourth section, section D, Meyer calls "Linear Jazz Style" Practicing this section will bring out the musicality of the drumset in ways that make playing the excercises a lot of fun. This section appears to take off from the ideas of Ted Reed, in his famous book syncopation, but integrates the bass drum in a natural way that Reed was never able to convey. It also is amazingly effective in teaching progressive type broken ride rythms, another subject missing from Ted Reed's book. This section alone, is worth the price of the book, but it might not make sense without first doing the section A and B versions of each excercise first.
   
   All of the excercises are challenging and require a lot of time and repetition to get right. If you put in the time and effort you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
   
   Beyond stick control is ideal for the intermediate to advanced drummer. It would be a fantastic book for a beginner,if he or she had a good drum teacher who could guide them through the entire book.

No comments about Accent on Achievement, Book 2 (Accent on Achievement).

No comments about Hal Leonard Snare Drum Method: The Musical Approach to Snare Drum for Band and Orchestra.

No comments about Mel Bay Complete Snare Drum Book.