Customer Reviews

Drums For Dummies

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I would have given my eye teeth for a book like this when I was starting out. A student of mine brought it in during a lesson and my god was I impressed! This book and CD spell it all out-Jazz, Rock, R&B, Latin and Carribean, you name it. The author, Jeff Strong, can play and he can also teach it well.

The book covers set as well as hand/stick drums-which is where the eye teeth come in. Nearly every drum a drummer would want to play is covered in this book. He's got every little Brazilian thing from the Surdo to the Pandeiro, and goes on to Latin with the Clave (which confuses so many people), the Congas, and on and on-you name it it's all here.

It's easy to read, the instructions are clear, and the CD is a big help. It's gonna turn a lot of drummers out there into very good drummers. And for those drummers who want to explore beyond the set, this book's like a candy store of sweet, sweet options.

It's not reasonable to expect to learn a musical instrument from a book, much less a single book. This is a useful book for anyone just starting out or thinking of starting out, to help explain the lingo, to show the variety of drums one can choose from, to provide some advice on how to choose drums, and how to tap out a few basic rhythms. It would also be useful for music directors, band teachers, or composers who are not drummers but want some basic understanding of what drums can (and can't) do. Beyond that, to be a drummer one needs a teacher and many hours of practice -- there are no shortcuts.

This book, unlike the "Idiots" competition, devotes a lot of space to all sorts of drums, not simply rock kits. It also covers basic drumming patterns for a number of different styles. A demo CD is included. If you can't read music, you should plan on supplementing this book with enough study to be able to.

This book is great! Not only does it cover the drumset it also has instructions on how to play a bunch of other drums including congas and bongos and quite few that I'd never heard of before. It also has rhythms and techniques for playing cowbells and shakers and other percussion instruments.

I like that this book gives me so much great information on how to play more than just basic beats. I learned about song structure and how to use fills and licks and there's even a section on playing solos! The CD that comes with this book makes it really easy to learn the drum beats.

This is the best drumming book that I have.

Jeff Strong has put together a wonderful book on drumming. "Drums for Dummies" is packed with good information, suggestions, and techniques to help you become the best drummer you can be. I initially got it for my son, who is moving from middle school band level to more advanced drumset skills. But listening to the accompanying CD inspired me to brush the dust off my hand drum and learn some new rhythms. I highly recommend this book for kids and adults alike.

Drums for Dummies




If any of you are drummers that want to learn how to play the drum set or just wont to master your training. I thank this book is good book for you. Its called Drums for Dummies. It doesn't just try to teach you the drum set; it tries to teach you how to play other percussion interments as well. It comes with a CDROM to let you hear it so you know if you are doing it right. It adds on just little at a time. I will admit it is a little confusing, but I am twelve years old and I cane understand it. It taught me how to play now let it teach you.

PROS:
Jeff Strong provides this extremely organized book that will benefit everyone from the beginner to the expert. He covers the majority of percussion instruments with details down to their history, tuning, and maintenance so that you don't have to only be a kit drummer. I like his personal suggestions on practicing techniques which usually can only be found in expensive drum lessons. These practice tips are essential for not developing bad habits that will hold you back from getting as good as you can get in the shortest amount of time.

CONS:
Could use more practice technique detail like what he meant about, "Singing the rhythm before playing it". He also decided not to cover the rudiments of the Tablas because they can be daunting but instead listed his website for more info. The CD covers numerous rhythms that are written out in the book but only two measures of each so you can't practice along with them. The rudiments cheat sheet is not organized very well, lists only the 26 American rudiments, and has small print making it hard to practice from a music stand.

This book was exactly what we expected. It is very informative and my husbands drum instructor is using it for lessons. Good Buy !!

I own several Dummies books. As usual the Dummies series has managed to turn out a book for... Dummies. Even though I have no drumset I still managed to learn the basics. However the author is quite "talkative" but I think that kept me from falling asleep on the book. Good buy!

This is an extremely indispensable book. I am a band instructor now, but it was from this book that I began learning drums! I thank the author for writing such a valuable book, especially because I am a dummy. Recommended.

This book is great! Not only does it cover the drumset it also has instructions on how to play a bunch of other drums including congas and bongos and quite few that I'd never heard of before. It also has rhythms and techniques for playing cowbells and shakers and stuff.

I want to play in a rock band and I like that this book gives me so much great information on how to play more than just basic beats. I learned about song structure and how to use fills and licks and there's even a section on playing solos! The CD that comes with this book makes it really easy to learn the drum beats.

This is the best drumming book that I have.