Customer Reviews

Tommy Igoe - Groove Essentials 2.0: BK/CD/DVD

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This is a logical extension of Igoes first volume, Groove Essentials. Both are great for sure. As with GE, the use of the DVD in conjunction with the book and play-a-long MP3 is as close as you can get to taking private lessons with the author, short of actually doing that.

I studied privately with Tommy Igoe for over five years. Had a lesson every two weeks. He is the real deal! He teaches the same way he plays: Clear, concise, funny at times, positive, supportive, demanding (in a good way), deeply knowledgeable, extremely experienced. Oh, and he can play his a** off!

One VERY key element to you having a good time (FUN!) and solid results (gigs!) with this Groove Essentials 2.0 is that you have taken the time and attention to detail (recording yourself and listening back) on Groove Essentials 1.0 - The first volume of this. Other-wise you will be very frustrated. Pardon the pun but this is ESSENTIAL!

ABOUT IGOE'S METHODS:
1) My goal in selecting a teacher was to find one that is currently working on a top professional level: CHECK. Igoe is on major records and has steady gigs for a major show and artists in New York City every week. If you live in the NYC area you can go see/hear him play....um, in the real world, with top NYC musicians every week.

2) I wanted a teacher who could really demonstrate to me how to groove in all current and past styles of drumming at a truly top notch professional level. Whether it be Pop, Jazz, Funk, R&R, Latin, Odd Meter, Sight reading, Chart road maps, rudiments, and even Orchestral! CHECK.

3) I wanted a teacher who is super positive, encouraging - yet honest and is reasonably demanding because that teacher knows what the expected level of musicianship and what the competition is like out there in the real world. CHECK - AGAIN!

4) I wanted a teacher who could keep me thinking is a realistic way so I could find work and avoid getting all tangled up in the typical drummers "chops are god" mind set. In other words, he keeps you aware of the MUSICAL needs in the MUSIC rather than the groove killer drummer drumming for drumming only stuff that we all get caught up in at times. CHECK.

Don't get me wrong though, Igoe can smoke on all the drumnastics playing too. It's just that he knows when that stuff is appropriate and when it is not and he'll help you see the differences.

Along those lines: One thing he said about drumming in todays world was something like: "Tony Williams is of course absolutely amazing! He is a once in a few hundred years kind of drummer. I love his playing and it has its place. But if you go to your local wedding or bar gig and play standards like Tony did you might get fired. So listen to the band and keep your role as a good musician - not just a drummer - in perspective on all your gigs. Save the Tony stuff for when it is musically appropriate"

To remind you - Groove Essentials 2.0 is a challenging, fun and very informative, very practical volume. You gotta do GE 1.0 FIRST!

If you are itching to buy it - go ahead. But do not do any playing at first! Just watch the DVD and really listen to the MP3 as you follow along the charts with your eyes (NOT PLAYING) so you can "Pre-learn" the grooves and concepts..,

...BUT please do yourself a big favor and be able to play the ENTIRETY of Groove Essentials 1.0 very clean and groovy BEFORE you work on this one. Read ALL the text and do the variations in GE 1.0 BEFORE doing GE 2.0. You'll be a better drummer and a better musician if you follow this advice. Oh, and you will be playing great grooves and having a blast! Ain't that the whole idea?

Keep it Groovy.

Tommy Igoe did a fantastic job with this compilation of grooves. There is a lot of material here to keep any drummer busy for quite a while. As an advanced drummer, I was a little hesitant to purchase this since I thought I would be bored with most of it but it was a pleasant surprise. Not only is it informative, but it is a lot of fun. Tommy has a nice way of explaining his approach to drumming. He throws in a lot of little details which can enhance anyone's playing. The play-along tracks included are excellent also. There are slow versions and fast versions which are very useful. This is not "The Tommy Igoe Show" like other drumming DVDs where the drummer just blows you away with insane chops and advanced polyrhythmic independance exercises which 90% of young students can't do anyway. There is a lot of great, useful stuff here. Whether you are looking to enhance your own playing, teach, or just have some fun, this is a must have. For the price of one lesson, this package is really a lot of bang for the buck.

I would definitely recommend Groove Essentials 2.0 to any drummer. Whether you are a total beginner, have reached an intermediate level, or have reached a highly advanced level with your playing. GE 2.0 will help you to improve your playing and technique. Tommy Igoe is a fantastic teacher and he really knows how to explain the different ways to play the grooves. As a drum teacher, I am able to teach some of these ideas to my students while improving my own playing. Both Groove Essentials 1.0 and 2.0 are a great addition to any drummer's library.

i just bought groove essentials2 and in 3 weeks time i have seen noticeable improvement in my hands...tommy says think of soft hands and i have been watching my hands how tight they are sometimes when i play ..So i have changed my thinking to the words by tommy of "soft hands" also i changed my fulcrum to my first finger and it is working so much better then using my second finger....Also have acquired his bounce down technique, which is helping my improvement... this cd/dvd and book have helped me in a short time...With the way tommy shows and explains his thinking about how too approach these grooves, it give 's you alot of new ideas of how to tackle grooves i am already playing in my working band..In closing this has been money well spent for my education and opening up new ideas for my drumming....

I purchased this package after watching a few clips on various websites and I'm glad I bought it. Groove Essentials 2.0 is straight to the point and very informative. Every groove demonstrated is very useful in live settings, unlike other instructional videos I've watched over the years. I highly recommend Groove Essentials 2.0 for the intermediate to advanced drummer.

Tommy breaks it down. He explains things in "real life" and makes you feel comfortable from the start. A Great teacher with a great way of presenting things. This DVD is well worth having in anyone's drumming Library.

I liked the book, it is funny and inspiring. Try doing some of the exercises in this book consistently for about 10 minutes non stop, you will be surprised of how quickly one can make mistakes on simple patterns and beats.
I still need to work on these! I recommend getting the first part of this series as well.

I play drum for long times and this book help me to develop my playing.
I have lot of fun to play different style of music and can apply to a song that i played
I love this book.

After viewing the original Groove Essentials, I had to get the sequel. Groove Essentials is the best instructional and inspirational drum material I have seen.

Aside from Tommy Igoe's exceptional talent on the drums, he has quite a gift for teaching. With the combination of DVD, book, and the play-along mp3s, the package is a fun and meaningful way to practice and learn.

There is something for all levels of drummers - beginers through advanced. I believe the Groove Essensials series is a must have for all drummers.