Customer Reviews

The Drummer's Bible: How to Play Every Drum Style from Afro-Cuban to Zydeco

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Since I started playing the drumset I've been waiting for someone to complete the monumental task of compiling every known style of set playing in one book. But Mick Berry and Jason Gianni have gone far beyond simply transcribing over 160 styles (about 400 including variations):

They have included historical perspectives, background information, recorded examples (with and without click tracks), and put together a listening list with suggested albums and artists for every style.

There is a very helpful chapter on types of fills and appropriate use of them in each style, including references to famous recordings. There is even a section explaining appropriate tuning and muffling for a drummer playing in a given style.

I really can't stress enough how much detail is contained in this book. I'm a junior high and high school percussion teacher and this is a great reference tool for understanding and explaining different grooves, and I'll be sure to keep it handy when gigging.

Highest recommendation!

This book is INCREDIBLE! Jason Gianni and Mick Berry have painstakingly researched and compiled a very thorough and complete work on all of the popular styles of drumming imaginable!!! I've been drumming for 30 years and I have yet to find a compilation of drumming styles so detailed and well explained. This is a teaching and learning tool that I now cherish. Each style is not only musically and rhythmically written for music readers, but it's also accompanied by expert insight and teaching from Jason and Mick on how to play each style appropriately. The icing on the cake is the accompanying CD with recorded demonstrations of each style so you get to HEAR what it's SUPPOSED to saound like!!! I love this book!!!

Mike White
San Diego, CA

Wow! I've been playing for 25 years, and although I've covered most styles - through playing on cruise ships, in rock bands, jazz combos, latin groups, big bands, theatrical productions, etc - I never realised there was so much more to learn! [...], whether you're a beginner or even as advanced and well-respected as Simon Phillips (who wrote the introduction to the book), you'll certainly be amazed at the amount of content within this virtual encyclopedia. I searched the web for a book covering Latin Rhythms, and although there are many that offer a limited range of styles, I was extremely pleased to discover this one. There are 35 pages alone covering Afro-Cuban grooves! [...] The amount of detail in relation to the history of all the grooves, plus the notated rhythms, combined with 2 professionally produced CDs, is what really sold it for me. Every style you can think of, including Blast Metal and Wedding Waltzes, is covered! They even include the tuning set-ups for each style, and a huge 'recommended listening' discography. I emailed the authors when I found this book, to express my gratitude on compiling such an excellent collection of essential drumming advice, and they both immediately returned my emails. Great writers, and friendly too! Anyway, enough said. It's a Bible, so just buy the book, and all your troubles will be over!

This book is pretty good at introducing the student to a variety of drumming styles and techniques. Where it falls short though is that it doesn't really go into much detail on any particular style, and the accompanying CD includes certain examples that are played so fast (and with less than fantastic production), that it's hard to follow along. It would have been better if they played the examples at a variety of tempos to allow the student to more accurately discern the voices and nuances of the rhythm.

That being said, the book is probably what it is meant to be - a brief overview and taste of many different styles - not intended to provide in depth analysis of any particular style.

"Was this review helpful to you?" I can answer that question. "No."

This is an excellent and useful book. It is thorough, easy to understand, and has a very comprehensive and complete list of styles that it demonstrates very clearly. The 2 cd's that come with the book are also excellent resources for the drummer who is interested in learning more about playing different types of rhythms. Whether you prefer to play from the written examples of the part or to play them from the audio examples, there's a great deal of information contained in these products. Definitely recommendable. Go for it.

This is a truly outstanding book, of interest not only to drummers but, potentially, to any musician. Far more than a cheat-sheet collection of grooves, it is a lucidly written, encyclopedic treatment of popular music as viewed (or heard) through its rhythmic foundations.

The focus is on drumset playing, not drumming generally, but drumset orchestrations of non-drumset styles (e.g. samba) are included. The articles do seem to cover every imaginable popular style, not just A-Z but Metal to Wedding. The articles on more complicated styles (e.g., Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian) are correspondingly more detailed than for simpler styles (e.g. Punk) or ones where the drumset may be less relevant (Techno, anyone?) In a compact form, a LOT of information is provided -- histories of each style, including cultural and social context and key performers and compositions, and notations of basic grooves with detailed technical instructions and variations where appropriate. Key elements of given styles are highlighted, e.g. unusual damping patterns, specific sticking, or particular rhythmic emphases.

There are also chapters covering fills for every style, tunings, and lists of key recordings. In case you don't already have them, the rudiments are set out as well.

The 2 CD's give examples in every style, using tunings appropriate to that style, so they work well as auditory models. Each groove is played both with and without a click track.

The book is well organized and also well indexed, making it easy to locate any groove in a matter of moments, just in case you need to back a Klezmer band RIGHT NOW.

The great thing about this book is the ease in which to read and understand. The format for each entry is as follows:

*Title(s) of beat
*a brief yet informative history and uses
*the beat itself on a staff (very easy to read)
*any variations of the beat and it's respective genre(s)

There are also 2 Cd's that come with the book demonstrating the beats. However, if you know how to read just basic music rhythms you won't have much need to hear them played by others. The examples are so small it can be read rather fast.

I HIGHLY recommend this one for the serious percussionist.

I think this book is absolutely great.Its easy to use and follow, plus the examples on the cd are great. Whether you are a beginner or a full time pro, you have to buy this book. Eventhough you might not learn every style its always a good reference to look at when you come across something that you've never heard of.

This book has been well written and executed. For each rhythm that is explained, a corresponding track is found on one of the CD's for you to hear what the rhythm should sound like. I don't play a drum kit, but program drum machines, and this book is still perfect. Also, a lot of depth is added with the descriptions of each rhythm, their history, etc.
Great reference, but also a good read start to finish.

This book/2 CD set covers about every beat you might ever wish to know, and plays them on the CD's as well. An amazing volume of research and work.

I put off buying this for the longest time just because of the price and now I thing it is one of the better bargains in drum books you will ever find!