Are Drumset Method Books NECESSARY?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 พ.ย. 2017
- Are drum set method books absolutely necessary? Well…that depends. And because this isn’t a simple question to answer, I made a video. Today we talk about book-learning and all that entails. I talk about three of my favorite method books that I’ve worked through during my “learning career,” and we talk about the uses and benefits associated with these methods. Starting with “Stick Control” by George Lawrence Stone, we then work our way through “Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer” by Jim Chapin. We wrap up with “Progressive Steps to Syncopation” by Ted Reed. By giving you an overview of these well known method books and by showing you a few playing demonstrations, I hope to provide a clear picture of what these books are all about. From there we can talk about whether or not they are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to you as a drummer. So stay tuned, then tell me what you think in the comments below!
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I've got the stick control book, am getting Carmine Appice's book on Realistic Rock Beats for Christmas, and I'm seriously thinking about the Syncopation book. You seem to be very practical. Wish someone like you was around 50+ years ago when I first picked sticks and a pad. (Then quit for 50 years and am taking it up again as a retirement thing).
Roland Bennett all great books
Appice's book is great for having a lot of exercises that work as grooves and fills, I'd prefer syncopation tho tbh, you're learning more fundamental stuff, if you're doing Syncopation and Stick Control the stuff in Realistic Rock should be reasonably easy to play. (btw the 3 books in this vid are generally considered the 3 best)
Awesome! I start almost all of my students off on Realistic Rock. That's a great book for learning how to read (and play) basic grooves...which quickly become pretty challenging as the book goes on. Stick Control and Realistic Rock make for a great combo. From there you can get into the more advanced books as you move along. Good luck with your practicing! That's exciting.
I thought you meant at first Carmine Appice had a book on appropriate rock beats for the Christmas season XD
Stephen this is probably the most pragmatic drum advice I have ever watched, heard or otherwise. I agree with your book choices of course. The “technical ceiling” concept makes sense. I REALLY appreciate your contributions. Thanks.
Stephan I’m an older person (64) and I’ve been through many drumming learning curves. You’re videos are exceptionally worthwhile. I very much appreciate your presentation style, and your knowledge and logic are both practical and amazing. Keep up the good work. I wonder if your followers know your true value? As an “old sage” I’m asking you to keep up the good work, please! Billy P from So Cal.
I absolutely loved reading this Bill and that's also super inspirational. Keep playing and enjoy every note!
Billy P, thank you so much!! I'll definitely keep the videos coming. Hoping to help out as many people as possible.
Whelan Drums
Thanks for your positive comments! I will! Bp
Stephen Clark
Thanks for the reply, Stephan! Yes, please keep them coming although I have some catching up to do! Bp
I too am in my 60s and echo your comments. Thank you again Stephan!😊
Hi Stephen, it would be great to see a video on diving into Stick Control. It can be pretty intimidating past those first few pages! Thanks for all the great videos
Excellent explanation! Regarding Stick Control and its randomness aspects and syncopated coordination on drumset, this was enlightening and a strong argument to study it! Regarding technical ceiling, also a great explanation.
Congratulations from Brazil for you channel and knowledge shared!
The technical ceiling analogy is an excellent way of illustrating the need to push yourself to improve regardless of the style of music or your current level. I played for roughly 20 years and was the basic rock guy banging his head on the ceiling. I took about a 10 year layoff and just started back about 2 years ago. When I came back I wanted to adopt a different strategy and grow as a musician. I travel 15 days a month for work and all I have those days is a practice pad. I use stick control religiously to try and improve my hands... I have syncopation but don't really know how to use that book. I can honestly say my playing has vastly improved since I have been doing this. My ceiling is still pretty low but I am chipping away at it a day at a time, a week at a time, a month at a time. This was a great video about an important topic. I subscribed and I look forward to more great videos... cheers
Thanks man this was the answer to the question I had
Great job. Excellent demonstrations. Finally decided to subscribe after watching this one. I've got two of the three books you mentioned. My vote: Yes, I would like to see you work through a few of the exercises in future videos.
Thanks! And thanks for the sub! 👍 I'll have to incorporate some of these exercises in future lesson videos.
Great video. Along with all the aforementioned books for fundamentals ... I might suggest any of Charley Wilcoxon's books ie: The All American Drummer, Modern Rudimental Swing Solos, etc. to get your hands and reading together. Also, George Lawrence Stone's other snare book "Accents and Rebounds" or Joe Morello's "Master Studies" are two others. Any of the two Tommy Igoe's "Groove Essentials" are also "must have" for styles and play-along.
Super helpful!! Thank you!!
Don Famularo recommends playing a page of Stick Control daily, first time hands only, second time feet only, playing each line for one minute, then starting a new page every week. I'd love to hear your thoughts on applying these books to a daily practice schedule and how you recommend structuring practices, e.g. 3 hour practice is 1 hour on technique, 30 minutes on book 1, 15 minutes on book 2, 15 minutes play with an album. Of course I know that will change with what an individual goal's are, but just curious what you recommend to your students and what you do yourself. Thanks for the great videos and for talking about some great books!
Great video as always.
Yo man you got some good videos! Keep it up!
That bebop swing pattern was awesome. Alot of control you demonstrated. I'll have to look into that book thank u
Thanks! Yeah that particular bebop pattern was one of the "solos" at the end of the book. That book is very cool because it has you work through different subdivisions underneath that ride pattern, including 16ths (I think I mentioned that in the video). Anyways, it starts out simple and gradually builds its way into the bebop kind of exercises.
Ted Reed - Syncopation is my Bible. Of course Stick Control is Iconic. It's Your Move: Emotions and Motion by Dom Farmularo is another great book that I highly recommend!!!. Definitely need to dive into Advanced Techniques. The progressive nature of all these books makes it so easy to isolate weaknesses in your playing.
Stick Control Was the first book I "read" as a drummer 5 years in. I used the exercises for my hands and feet, and it really took my playing to the next level.
I have studied with legendary teacher Dom Famularo for many many years! Syncopation, stick control and Advanced Technique’s for the modern drummer are at the core of his teaching! So, yes these books are extremely valuable and essential tools in any drummers library!! I use these and many others with my students.
Stick Control is probably the most important drum book ever written, but for someone considering the book who isn't familiar with it, I suggest that you give some tips on how to use it. The book is written entirely in notation for the snare with sticking patterns but these can be played anywhere on the kit, R on the ride, L on a tom, add the HH on 2 and 4, add four on the floor or just 1 and 3; the patterns can be played with the HH and bass.
My favorite is John Riley's The Art of Bop Drumming. This is where I learned most about limb independence.
Another really good video! I have tons of books I have never been through! “Stick Control” is one of the greatest books of all time you could spend a lifetime working through that with various ideas. I have learnt through experience you don’t need loads of books two or three really good drum books is more than enough!
Some drummer’s get way too obsessed about going through loads of drum books and completely forget about making music there has to be balance.
Good points there! I've never been a huge "book guy"...always just sticking with my favorites and applying them as widely as I can. Yeah that's so true about Stick Control... Those exercises (even in their basic form) can take years to perfect. I practice those all the time. Just these 3 books are very deep. They'll definitely hold you over for a while!
Very helpful video thanks!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks.
You should take at look at Rick Latham’s books if you get a chance. Advanced Funk Studies is great and contemporary drum set techniques is brilliant as well. I found his books because I loved the dimensions of his signature sticks. I started looking into the guy and really got a lot out of his books!
Cool! I'll check those out. I've heard about Rick Latham's books, but I've never owned them.
Stephen great video. It helped me buy my first drum 🥁 books!
Thanks! Glad to hear that! 👍
Thank you!
Great advice. For some beginners Stick Control, and the others may bore, or frustrate you (well it did me) My first book was Rockin' Bass. Once I got my basic rock independence going, the book was fun, great rock grooves, and ya can get through it fast. After that, Stick Control etc...Endless ways to play em.
Awesome job as always, Stephen! Keep 'em coming! (Side Bar: Umm....Don't forget Meredith every once in a while :) !!)
Thanks, Jason. Haha we'll work on bringing Meredith into some future videos :)
Great content. Thanks
👍
Great video as always, could you go through learning techniques with the stick control book that would be really awesome
Thanks! I'll keep these things in mind for future, more "lesson-oriented" videos!
when i 1st started playing drums , my older brother told me that if you dont study rudiments and know how to apply them. then you will always be a barnyard drummer. i did not listen and his predictions was true. so i m older and he has now passed on. so to not be a barnyard drummer i have now taken up drumming again as a retired hobby. with practice pad and rudiments i play. then i take to the kit and it is fun and challenging at the same time. i miss you troy.
Thanks bro ... 🤘🏼
nice video man! very clearly explenation
Thanks, man!
I've always enjoyed going through the books. Love Syncopation and Stick Control. Also love the Monster Rock book and the John Riley BeBop book. Just some more food for thought, I would also practice everything at a very slow tempo. It can be very difficult to play some patterns slow and it will even be beneficial for those coffee shop/bar shows. Putting accents on some of the SC and Synco patterns is another great way to freshen up what you already know in the books and to give you a challenge.
But to go off one of your last points about the technical ceiling, I love the way Benny Greb explained it (I can't remember what video it was though, maybe a YT Drumeo lesson). He calls our brains like a CPU, because like a computer our brains is what controls everything and per say gives the power to everything. We should be playing at a level where were hardly using any "CPU" power to play the groove. If we're using too much, then we can't focus on the song, the rest of the band, etc. and the song may just fall apart or sound bland. It's just another analogy to that idea.
Great thoughts here! Yeah that Benny Greb analogy is great. That's exactly what we're talking about...freeing up more brain space. Practicing slowly is definitely a must as well. It's so true across the board that we get excited about playing things as fast as we can...but forget to really nail it when we play it slow. PLUS...playing slowly is general the more useful, practical practice technique anyways since there tons of slow songs out there. That helps with improving control.
Matthew Parsons thats actually gavin harrison's analogy from his drumeo lesson....great thought whatsoever
Prithvi Raj Agrawal You’re right! Now I remember. For some reason thought it was Greb.
Good vid.
I certainly feel that you don't need many. Gary Chaffee's time functioning book would definitely be the first one I'd buy.
Your channel Is great :) I subbed a couple months ago :)
Thanks, Marco, and thanks for the sub!
By the way awsome job as usual.
Thanks, James 👍
My favorite is Syncopation.
Three great books. I studied with Alan Dawson for several years. We used Stick Control in around 6 ways, and Syncopation in over 40 ways.
I have Alan's book of complete vocabulary and absolutely love it! must have been incredible to study with THE MAN himself
I don’t like working on rudiments but I know I have to if I expect to improve. I feel that Stick Control is a necessity, especially if you were to choose only one book. I am just now delving into it and I like it so far.
haskell har book 1 and book 2, i also have stick control. i would tell any novice drummer, do not reinvent the wheel. study the rudiments on the drum pad and then move them to the kit. practice anything you learn very slow with a metronome and gradually increase your speed. good drumming is about good timing and the study of the drum rudiments. then the next step is linear drumming.
I have all 3 of those books....my copies are from around 1969....complete with teachers very generous intialed sign offs!
For rock drummer who really doesnt want to do jazz I really recommend you the books the new breed by Gary Chester and future sound by David Garibaldi both of these book will help you to develop a nice rock/funk groove for your playing. I also recommend modern rudimental swing solos for the advanced drummer by Charley Wilcoxon to develop the hand technique. For those who would like to play jazz the books that are really good is the art of bop drumming by John Riley and also for those who will buy syncopation I recommend you the 2 pages of smitty's exercise syncopation that you can find on google image and work on pages like p.38 of the book but that shit is crazy hard
Those three books alone allow any drummer to open creative doors. At 65 years old,I went through those books a long time ago. I now play with a band at least 1 day a week,and I'm ready to play more than that. I've play in many different musical settings through the years,and I owe that ability to the great foundation those three books allowed me to develop. Thanks for keeping it going.
i m 66 years old and it is good to hear im not alone in playing music at my age.
I have tons of books, my favorite being Future Sounds by David Garibaldi.
Haze Anderson I was just about to mention that one!
The more you play you the various permutation and groove studies against the regular time pattern, the more you get sucked into the pocket. xD
Nice. That's a good one that I don't have, but that I hear a lot of great things about.
Technical ceiling. Bullseye. I'm starting with Stick control in order to not crashing my head every time I try to learn a new song.
Definitely getting these books after this video
Imhotep Williams I don’t think that’s a good idea
Banana Brain Studio is there a reason why it's not?
I'd disagree, these three books are fantastic, even if you don't learn them fully they'll open up your understanding a lot.
Do it! Or even if you don't get all three at once, start with stick control. From there you could work your way into Syncopation or Advanced Techniques.
A Funky Primer is also another great coordination book and it also gives you a lot of funky beats that lead to your own beats ideas.
Cool. I don't have that one, but I'll have to check it out! Sort of along those lines... My teacher in college would have me listen to this guy, Billy Martin, who played funky grooves and recorded albums of just his drumming. My assignment was always to transcribe and learn them, which was always a great challenge. Funk stuff is a lot of fun!
Stephen Clark Ive gotten into drumming since last year, I'm a softmore in high school and trying to learn all kinds of styles of drumming, I've found your channel pretty useful. Keep making videos, they help.
Alan Dawson's complete vocabulary is my personal favorite
I bet that's a good one. I hear drummers all the time talk about how incredible of a teacher Alan Dawson was.
Hi do I need to know how to read music before reading these books might be a silly question but just starting 😁
Play what you enjoy. Nothing else. As long as you feel satisfied by what you're experiencing, leaning and being. That's all that really matters.
I would agree on all this! What’s the 2nd variation of syncopation you play with the ghosting snare? Not familiar with that one...
Ah good question. I'm not sure that it has a name, but I saw the drummer Ralph Peterson use that variation in a video one time. Basically it's a paradiddle-diddle between hands (RH on ride and LH on snare), but it's shifted over (so that the jazz ride pattern happens on the beat). You maintain that snare ghosting the whole time, then add to the the short notes on the page (according to the jazz split method). Here's a link to that video. He plays it right around 2:56, after going through the more basic variations as well.
www.drummerworld.com/Videos/ralphpetersoncomping.html
Stephen Clark very cool. Thanks for the link & the reply. I’ve never done that variation. Similar to where you play all written figures on the bass & triplet partials are all filled in by the snare in between the figures. Great video there, he swings really hard!
I do not read music. I'm 57. I've played drums for a long time but very often experiencing frustration as my technical ceiling is very low. I am wondering at this point in my life, do I try to start over and learn this amazing basic stuff or do I just keep going. Time, age, habits... this is a lot to look at and reconsider. I guess.. how badly do I want to enjoy my playing vs being stressed.
I don't follow books completely. That being said, I started playing 16 years ago, and only within the last 3 years, have I started learning things I missed, but I'm using them to expand on the niche that I have happily settled into. I like being a simple pocket drummer, but I want to be the best one I can be. So, I'm going to learn a few gospel chops, and learning traditional grip and Jazz chops, so I will never be caught off guard. These books have helped tremendously.
Awesome. Yeah another benefit to working through these methods (even if you're primarily playing pocket grooves) is that your "touch" and dynamics will improve. You'll be able to hold down the pocket while maintaining great dynamic control AND accurate placement of grace notes or accents if you decided to throw them in. You've probably noticed a lot of these things as you've been working! The across-the-board benefits that these books can provide are very cool and practical.
I’ve seen many people (including me) who have the syncopation book. Is it some kind of trend? Is it like really a good helper? I think it’s cool cause you can really implement anything with the things in them. I use the Bossa Nova foot pattern with all the patterns in the book.
If it's a trend, I'd say it's a trend that's been going on for decades. I don't know the full history of Ted Reed's book, but I imagine it was the first of its kind...the first book to offer such versatility. And because it's that "flagship book," it's always remained one of the most popular. You're absolutely right - you can come up with any-style-version of the exercises. They're all extremely practical. Honestly I think you answered your own question. :)
I can't believe Stephen only has 14,000 subscribers; he's always so on point with his posts, ,he's a great learning resource as is Adam Neely, Rick Beato, Jeff Schrieber and the wonderful Aimee Nolte.
He has more subscribers than Steve Smith.
Thanks, Robert! Hoping to keep things growing! Hey Adam Neely's channel is great. I found his a few months ago, and I really dig his nerdy music-theory-related topics. His recent vid about the piece played with metronomes was fascinating.
😂
Amen
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Can anyone tell why the snare "a's" in the triplets don't line up with the "a's" in the hi hat in advanced techniques for the modern drummer
Yes they are. Alan Dawson’s method book, wrist twisters, 4 way coordination, John Riley bop drumming, and ted reeds syncopation. These books are necessary to get a good fluid motion. Wrist twisters is that best method book out there
Cool I'll check that one out. I don't own it, but it looks like a very solid book. I think you're right...you really can't go wrong with anything John Riley or Alan Dawson.
Stephen Clark cool! Love your channel btw
Great !!! For being perfect you probably need some hardcopies.
Dom Formularo once said if you want to play like John Bonham from Led Zeppelin listen to Buddy Rich and Joe Morello. He could be right.
Drummers Cook Book is great for syncopation as well if you’re looking for something new!
Yep! I hear great things about that one as well. 👍
Stick control is brilliant. But the greatest of all, in my humble opinion, is Bob Moses "drum wisdom"
Super b
Oh that fucking stick control book. Only got a 1/3 through when I “wanted to play real drums” and just played along to Rush CDs. That was, in hind sight, not the way to go.
If U like to learn new things, they are.
How about metal drummer give some idea?..
But these 3 book are work for evey genre..
Well metal is more about synchronization than independence, but if for you want to play Meshugga stuff for instance, then you better get your limps free..
Actually the problem with drumming books is that they are always written by somebody who thinks of pop and rock music as something below their level. Like the perspective of the book is never to become an excellent rock drummer but rather "somebody able to play jazz even though they play rock". It feels like you sit there, listen to Nirvana, and somebody who never had a torn tshirt with Kurt on it wants to teach how to play Nirvana. :D And honestly, many people play drums just for fun with bands, they dont intent anymore to be best drummers there are, they just want to play some rocks stuff with guys and get drunk, but every book is like you need to be the best in this. Like why.. :D
are you playing on a raft? I've never seen a drum kit move so much on light drumming lol
Tennis Ball Riser. Look up: Tennis Ball Riser. He records in his apartment.
Haha Jason Smith knows what's going on. Yeah check out the recent video about building a portable tennis riser without tools. It's a unique DIY project that helps isolate the kit from the floor, keeping noise transmission to neighbors below and above to a minimum. The reason it wobbles a bit is because it's assembled in separate 2'x2' squares. However, it's not really that bad and it doesn't bother me. About the same level of wobble I encounter on most drum risers. Here's a link to the vid...
th-cam.com/video/z0Kxoa5K1vg/w-d-xo.html
The answer is obvious since drumset method books did not exist before the drumset. The pioneers got to make it up as they went along, and so can we. It is important to note, however, that the pioneers got to wing it with other musicians, so if you don't have access to other musicians, you need to at least play along to music.
Fundamentals are "Real Drumming"
Master Studies replaces Ted Reed/Stone for me.
Stick control is the bible....all do I'm still working on the first couple pages....lol
I think the first 3 pages are really the "core" of the book. I don't regularly practice random stuff throughout the book. I'm always coming back to those first 3 pages :) Those may be the most versatile part of the book as well...most applicable to drumset.
When low key stick control is a snare book not drum set
Banana Brain Studio but you can easily turn it into a drum set book.
It is a snare drum book...and even if that's all you use it for it still has tremendous benefits on drum set. It never hurts to improve your hand technique :) And like Lehmann Peters says below, this book is super versatile. That's why I like it so much!
Lol I think books are essential. Without books or online courses it's impossible to get past beginner level drumming!
Music is a subjective art, not an objective science.
No books needed.
Nobody needs to watch this video. I didn't. The blatantly obvious answer is yes. How is this even a topic?
Maybe YOU didn't need to watch it...but I wouldn't throw aside those who may need to understand the benefits of using these books. Whether it's someone on the fence about working through them...or maybe they feel like they lack the motivation...or they're worried it will make them "too technical a drummer" or something crazy like that... Someone out there needs the extra push and needs a bit of info on what these books are about (especially if they are going the self-taught route).
If you are naturally a good chess or checker player you can go far, but without the theory books you will never become world champion, although there are always exceptions to that rule!!.
Drum books are absolutely NOT necessary, as a matter of fact they're a complete waste of time.
Damn bro what's wrong with your drum set every time you play it it looks like there is an earthquake happening it's shaking all over the place