Recommended drumming method books

[le_plastique]

I've decided that in order to really improve my rhythm guitar playing I should really try to get a more thourough understanding of some drumming concepts and techniques. Are their any drummers/guitar players that would know of a good start?

[harryjmic]

Get the Gary Chaffee book called "rhythmic and melodic patterns" (or something like it) Unbelievable, very difficult stuff way over my head.

[Dajbro]

Peter Erskine has several very good books that I have. Bob Moses' book Drum Wisdom is essential in my opinion. I'll have to look at the library at home to remember the names of the Erskine books and a couple of others that I like. I'll add to this post later.

David

[DonW]

Kind of an aside but still in the way of improving your guitar through rhythm.
Fareed Haque explains how shakers improve chops via rhythmic application.
http://www.fareed.com/lessons.html

[gennation]

I used a snare drum book when I was taking lessons...the Buddy Rich Snare Drum book or something like that.

My teacher back then...the early 70's, his name was Rupert Kettle...was fairly famous for publishing full drum set lesson books. I learned from them. Not sure if they are still around but they were great. These dealt with the whole drum kit.

See if you can find them.

[le_plastique]

Hey, thanks for the replies. I've already got some Chaffee stuff wishlisted on Amazon. Couldn't find the Moses books... out of print maybe? And I skimmed the Fareed sight, will check it out later when I have more time. He's gotta be awesome though, he has a White Falcon!

[gennation]

http://www.music.sc.edu/ea/Jazz/Examples.html

Scroll down to the Rhythm Exercises.

This is the great Bert Ligon's site. There's a number of other great things here too.

[Dajbro]

Found this list:

The 25 Best Drum Books (from Modern Drummer Magazine -- August '93)


1 Stick Control George L. Stone Stone & Son Publishing
2 Syncopation Ted Reed Publications
3 Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer J. Chapin Jim Chapin Publications
4 Accents and Rebounds George L. Stone Stone & Son Publishing
5 Master Studies Joe Morello Modern Drummer
6 Musicians Guide to Polyrhythms (Vol 1 & 2) Peter Magadini Hal Leonard Publications
7 The New Breed Gary Chester Modern Drummer
8 Portraits in Rhythm Anthony J. Cirone Belwin/Mills
9 Studio & Big Band Drumming Steve Houghton C.L. Barnhouse
10 Future Sounds David Garibaldi Alfred Publishing
11 Realistic Rock Carmine Appice Almo Publications
12 Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset Malabe and Weiner Manhattan Music Publications
13 Drum Concepts and Techniques Peter Erskine Hal Leonard
14 Modern School for Snare Drum Morris Goldenberg Hal Leonard
15 Double Bass Drumming Joe Franco CPP Belwin, Inc.
16 The Sound of Brushes Ed Thigpen CPP Belwin, Inc.
17 Bass Drum Control Colin Bailey Drum Workshop Publications
18 Modern Rudimental Swing Solos Charles Wilcoxon
19 Patterns (Vol 1,2,3,4) Gary Chaffee
20 Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments Buddy Rich & Henry Adler Embassy Music
21 Advanced Funk Studies Rich Latham Latham
22 Modern Reading Text in 4/4 Bellson and Breines CPP Belwin, Inc.
23 Drum Wisdom Bob Moses Modern Drummer Publications
24 Even In The Odds Ralph Humphrey C.L. Barnhouse
25 The Drumset with Afro-Caribbean Rhythms (Parts 1 & 2) Chuck Silverman CPP Belwin, Inc.

Supplemental List:

Elementary Drum Method by Roy Burns
Odd Time Reading Text by Bellson and Breines
Contemporary Studies for the Advanced Snare Drummer by Fred Albright
Rhythmic Analysis by Fred Albright
Progressive Studies for the Snare Drum (Books 2, 3, and 4) by Carl Gardner
Rick's Lick's by Rick Gratton
Funkifying the Clave-Afro Cuban Grooves for Bass and Drums by Goines and Ameen
The All-American Drummer by Charles Wilcoxon
Drum Loops for Live Drums by Frank Derrick
Championship Concepts for Marching Percussion by Thom Hannum and Bob Morrison
Drummers Rudimental Reference Book by John Wooton
A Fresh Approach to the Snare Drum by Mark Wessels
Initium I, II, III, IV and Methode De Caisse-Claire by Jacques Delacluse
Snare Drum Method by Vic Firth
Modern Method for Timpani by Saul Goodman
Solo Timpanist by Vic Firth
Mallet Technique by Vic Firth
Modern School for Snare Drum by Morris Goldenberg

David

[le_plastique]

Sweet. That is getting copied and pasted.

[gez]

One thing I would recommend is to get into drum programming. Not only will you learn how drummers think, but it'll improve your timing/rhythmic sense no end: hearing a pattern and working out where the accents are enables you to decide how to lock in...eventually it becomes second nature and the thought process disappears.

Whenever you're around drummers, ask them questions. Go through transcriptions. Learn how to notate drums and transcribe yourself. Buy a pair of sticks. Even if you don't have the discipline to learn exercises, just having them in your hands gives you an idea of whether something is physically possible or not (you can 'think' through the moves in slow motion).

I'm a guitarist, but I've been messing around with drum machines and sampled drums since the mid 80s...love it (almost like a second instrument). Can't play a kit though!