Customer Reviews

Groove Essentials - The Play-Along 1.0 : A Complete Groove Encyclopedia for the 21st Century Drummer

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I highly recommend the Groove Essentials DVD and the Play Along book/CD. This is intended for all skill levels. The play along is a great concept that many drumming books do not have, which is allowing you to play the drum part of the track. There is over 80 tracks you can play along with and they are all drumless. The CD has several different styles of music from Rock, Funk, R&B, World, Salsa, and more. The tracks are of good quality recordings at 192kbps and are mixed well. You will not be disappointed with this book and CD!

I have been drumming for many years and have been searching for a collection of drum beats that cover as many genres as possible. This book is the not best for a beginner, but excellent for an intermediate to advanced player. Everyone should have this book!!

I hadn't played drums since high school - 40 years ago - and I had never assembled them from scratch. When I ordered myself a set last November I also ordered Tommy's "Getting Started on Drums". I was so impressed by the way he took the mystery out of assembling and tuning the drums as well as the starter lessons on the DVD that I decided to get "Grove Essentals" both the DVD and this book. I was not dissapointed. Once again his teaching style is friendly, animated (not a dry lecture) and easy to follow.

I use the books in my private lesson practice. Kids love the music, get excited, and I use an IPod for playback in the lessons. The five books I ordered in February are gone and ready to buy the next set. Only advice to remember is music is in MP3 fomat. Make sure your CD at house can play MP3s; your next step might be a MP3 player, i.e the Ipod I use. For other drum instructors, remember to jump around in book; books starts in Rock style. Students need to be exposed to other styles of music. Go for it; enjoy,

Kerry K.

This book is full of great beats for all levels. The CD has excellent tracks for developing feel with a band and leaves plenty of room for improv. I highly recommend this book for beginning players all the way to a pro that wants a chart reading challenge.

I've been a drummer since junior high school and actively play in a couple of bands, but my music reading skills and speed and control diminished because I didn't continue sight reading and practicing all of the rudiments. This book and accompanying DVDs are GREAT and have helped me to learn and improve my playing of various styles (rock, swing, Afro/Cuban, etc.), but, more importantly, have helped me relearn to read music, improve my independence, speed, and control. Igoe is a great teacher and this book and DVD package is worth it for just the chart of styles that accompanies it and makes a great practice tool! Recommended!

Great Book and play along CD! Every and any drummer can benefit greatly from Tommy Igoe's extensive knowledge of all things groove! I am primarily a rock drummer, and Groove Essentials is helping me expand my horizons into other musical styles in a concise, easy to follow and understand format. From World, Funk, R&B, Jazz to Rock...it's all covered. The play-along CD also makes it a fun process. (Check out his the Groove Essentials DVD also...that's where it started for me...)

This purchase was my second of this book & CD series, as I wore out the last CD. I also have, and use, the DVD available that accompanies this series. I purchased them somewhere between STICK CONTROL and Joe Porcaro's DRUM SET METHOD, and they're part of my routine now. I've only been playing for a little over 2 years, and nothing could replace the best teacher in Atlanta, JACK DUKES, but Jack was the one who showed me this Tommy Igoe course. It covers a little of everything and a lot of some of it, and it's helped me to progress at an accelerated pace and find the things I like most to play. The grooves, minus the drums, are long-playing, longer than some of the other practice CDs I've used that only have short sections. I was 51 when my husband bought me the drum set, so I have to learn fast.

I would recommend this product but not by itself. You really need the DVD too, because the music is from the lessons but in full length. I'm diggin the variety of grooves and there's something for every drummer whether your just starting out or you think your ready to go on tour!

This book has almost everything any seriously ambitious drummer needs, its helped me alot, building my style, technical playing and my basic rhythm and groove skills. The tracks provided to play along with on the cd are great and the variety and content is also excellent. A Recommendation For Any Serious Drummer.