Customer Reviews

The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've worked through just about every other double bass drum book out there and, although the exercises were interesting from a coordination/conditioning standpoint, they did not prepare me to actually play double bass drum patterns in a musical context. I was about to write my own book with exercises I'd developed but then found this book. I thank the authors for saving me the trouble! If you're interested in building double bass drum chops and only want to buy one book...this is it.

Great Price. Very educational. Lots of exercises to work on. Would have been nice if it came with a CD so you could hear how the really complicated ones go. Anyway, Great buy. No problems.

This book is a superb, and very structured approach to double bass. It keeps the hand stuff simple (for the most part), so you can focus on your feet. The progression in difficulty of the exercises is well-suited to any double bass new-comer - up until the last couple sections, where it curves upwards exponentially into odd-groupings and some tight, technical, exchanges between the handsies and feetsies, which might leave you scratching your head with the bead of your drumstick.

A word of warning: Double bass precision and speed can't be developed overnight (Really? Thanks for the heads up). Don't rush through the exercises at the beginning of the book. As simple as they may seem, they provide an excellent opportunity to develop chops and stamina (at least with standard 16th notes. The early exercises don't touch on 16th note triplets, which, of course, are awesome, and about as metal as it gets).

This is an excellent book for drummers willing to develop double bass skills. It focuses on creative use of double bass: all of its excercises are very musical, and they will give you tons of ideas to work on and try someting different from the "never-ending-16th-notes-on-the-feet-plus-snare-drum-on-2-and-4". It is one of those books you feel like playing from the beginning to the end, without skipping parts. That said, I would like to discuss a few aspects of the content:

First, I really like the discography and the double bass time line at the final pages - and to be honest, those are the only "encyclopedic" parts of the book... They helped me discover the great work of some guys I wasn't aware of, especially those pioneers.

Second, for the first sections, the authors propose that you play every 2nd and 4th sixteenths with the left foot, even if the right foot is not also playing - the result is something like dividing a one-bass funk beat between the two feet... I must say I find it a little strange. I believe it could be interesting for someone with two bass drums (and perhaps using different tunings), but for double pedal users - like me - it is not as much the case. Still, it is worth a try.

Also, the cross-rhythm section at the end of the book is quite difficult, but really worth it: work through it patiently and you will notice your coordination going on to the next level.

On the downside, I feel that the authors could have covered some other areas: beats alternating the left foot between hi-hat an double bass - somethig Dennis Chambers does all the time, for instance; the use of different right hand patterns - I miss some jazzy and latin riding patterns, and perhaps some two-hand riding; fills where feet and hands play at the same time, and stuff like that. That's the main reason for giving only four stars to the book. However, I must say that this is a great book to get started and then move on to research those areas - or others of your own interest. Go get it!

Can this book get any better? So many great fills and great beats, that by the time your done with this book, you'll be able to make a bible of double bass beats and fills. I truly recommend you to get this book! This book will teach you triplet feels, eights, sixteens, thirty-seconds, sexlets, and more! THis book is perfect for beginners and intermediate drummers willing to be a GREAT double bass user.

I really like this book. One, because its mostly excercises and less writting (which is what i was looking for), two, because its easy to understand. Which is good because im not the most skilled drummer really ive only been playing a year now. It really gets your legs practicing. To be honest i havent gotten very far in the book but that is because my legs are so weak i cant seem to do any better then 8th notes for a short time. But thanks to this book my legs are getting stronger and more developed. I really recommend this book for anyone whether you are a begginner or advanced player.

My son's private drum instructor recommended that we buy this book. He said he was excited to hear about this book. When he got the book, he was even more excited. It has challenging and fun rhythms.

Amazing book! I was looking for a double bass book that starting out at a beginner's level, yet became advanced as it went on. This is exactly the right book. It starts very simple and would be good for anyone learning. It gives many beats to practice so you can improve your speed and independence. I would recommend it.

This is a phenomenal book. It covers everything one would ever need to know about double bass drumming. Anyone from novice to professional can learn from this book. I started out not knowing anything on double bass, then worked through this book and have become a solid double bass player. Double bass drumming can be used in almost any style especially during fills. BUY THIS BOOK!

Inside this book are the tools to play just about anything you can think of on two bass drums.