This book is by far one of the best all-in-one methods for drum set on the market. You can use this book to take someone with 0 music experience and get them playing and reading music at a high level. I say this because I teach several kids and adult drum classes during the week and IT WORKS. Kudos to Mark and Stanton for putting the curriculum together in a logical, progressive format.
This is a fun book with great play-alongs. Kids love to learn the songs. It covers many styles very well.
The only reason I'm smearing the rating of this BOOK and not giving it more stars is because it has words in it. Come on, it's a drum book! There's no use for words in a drum book anymore! My kid's drum teacher actually wants him to read words while he practices! I mean, seriously???
The only reason this gets a 3 is because it comes with a CD or practice songs. No one uses CD's anymore, they are even making most laptops without the drive at all. My son's teacher wants him to listen to this CD while he practices, and we have to jump through hoops to try and make it happen. Very frustrating when one is not tech saavy.
Excellent book to learn drums. I love it....
The bonus cd to play along to helps tremendouslyyyyyy. It's easy to feel like you're playing the right way when simply reading the book, but playing along to the music lets you know if you truly are. Wonderful.
I am a teacher at the National Conservatory of Music in Lima, Peru (South America). I've been using this book with students that are really beginning their journey into the drums world (all of them come to the special courses offered by the Conservatory to any member of the community). It really works, and it's really fun for the students, which makes them to want to practice.
I have been teaching drumset for 15 years, and have always used a mish-mash of books with my students (such as the first page of Stick Control for technique, Alfred's Drumset method for basic rock beats and fills, Igoe's Groove Essentials for grooves and play-alongs, New Breed and Syncopation for coordinated independence, and various others for rhythm reading and chart reading). This book includes all of those concepts in a logical, well paced sequence. They play-along charts are well-notated and FUN so students WANT to practice. In my opinion, this is one-stop shopping for your drumset curriculum. Student who finish this book will be well rounded stylistically, good readers, and have an excellent understanding how to apply technique to the drumset in musical ways.
Very few things get five in my book. :) This product is great. I'm not a percussionist (a guitarist and saxaphonist). I was shopping for my son who is 11. This book compliments his weekly lessons well. The instructor also liked it. The tracks sound good and are not cheaply made by a single musician using a Casio from walmart. Before each song track, there are smaller techniques the student should learn. So it progressively helps the student. Each song track has two versions: with and without drums. Big plus! I put tracks on my sons PSP and he loves it.
