Customer Reviews

Beginning Steel Drum

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(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".

Having bought a steel drum, I was all ready to learn how to play it and was excited to have found this book. But I have to agree with the other reviewer that it is pretty disappointing - I know how to read music and know a little about chords, etc., but this book was still not helpful to me. It had some info about playing chords that would be found in any music book, and the info on techniques was very slim - 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 at that. The author, who really is a great steel drum player, should've given us at least an example of the amazing things that 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. You would be better off watching some of the youtube clips that are on the internet now.

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.

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!

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