Drumcraft: A Beginner's Guide to the Drumkit

While very elementary for some, if studied you will learn to count your music better than you ever dreamed possible. Due to a mild dyslexia, I have always been slow at reading music. As such I tended to play "by ear". As I learned quickly when I began drum studies, that is simply not good enough when you are the time keeper for the band and you want to play a large variety of music. And before anyone gets upset and says Buddy Rich couldn't read, I can only say that geniuses like Buddy are the exception that proves the rule. I only wish I had this book from the start. It has a very structured and logical approach to learning. ( You just have to look over the sections that are focused to elementary level kids, but for some of us they don't hurt!) If you use this book you will avoid acquiring a lot of bad habits and perhaps avoid damage to your hands. People who have had music theory classes or music education since infancy might not need this, but for those of us with sketchy music educations, this is the perfect book. I immediately was able to employ the counting skills he teaches to help me in learning and playing jazz comping rhythms and shuffles. Happiness is a well played groove.

It's become increasingly popular for people to browse YouTube videos and other online materials to learn how to play the drums. However, you only begin to scratch the surface by learning that way, because they only offer a handful of examples to choose from. If you really want to learn how to play the drums completely, and don't have access to a personal instructor, then Andy Ziker has the solution for you with his book, "Drumcraft: A beginner's Guide to the Drumkit."As a professional drum teacher myself, I sometimes get asked how beginners can learn to play at home. It's difficult to recommend something outside of my lesson room, but I now have complete confidence that there is an answer. Ziker has managed to succeed with the difficult task of providing you with personal instruction in your own playing environment. The reader is taken through a logical step-by-step process, ranging from how to grip the sticks, up to performing fairly complex songs and beats from around the World."Drumcraft..." gets you going first with rhythms and reading drum music, which is surprisingly in depth. So, you are learning about the basics of how fills and patterns work straight away. Next, Ziker takes you through the fundamentals of playing drum beats, and then lets it progress from there. The student is taken on an extensive journey of learning how to negotiate the drum kit, and leaves no (rolling) stone unturned. And if you thought that wasn't enough, the book also comes with two CD's, so you can hear how everything should sound when played correctly. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a friendly and effective walk through the art of drumming!In summary:*Detailed examples on sticking and foot techniques.*Clear explanations of how to read and interpret rhythms and drum music.*Learn how to play patterns using simple math!*Progressive beats and fills that start simple and then get trickier.*Important body techniques, such as the Moeller, are explained and demonstrated.*Look at important rudiments and how to incorporate into playing.*An extensive session on dynamics.*Some World Beats and other styles of playing are studied.

I bought this as a gift for my 12-year-old nephew who just received his first drummer. He was very excited and really liked that the book includes audio CDs to help him learn.

Great book!!!

Thanks Andy! We actually have lessons with Andy and he is a wonderful teacher.

Being a 56 year old woman I was in need of some fun aerobic activity and some much needed brain activity. I had heard that playing drums is great for your body and mind. So, despite the fear of being made fun of, I broke down and bought a drum set for Christmas. I knew nothing whatsoever about drums so was desperate for some good instructions. This guide starts with the very basics, from the names of the drums, how to set them up, how to sit, hold & use the sticks, using your feet, reading notes and playing rhythms, and that's just as far as I've got so far. This sort of thing could be boring, but Andy keeps it moving, uses some humor, and lets his personality comes out in the writing. Even the names of the practice "songs" reflect his life in Arizona. The cd's that come with the book are set up in tracks that you can play along with and repeat as much as needed until you master a certain rhythm. So far, I am really enjoying learning to play the drums with this method and hope to continue getting better. It has been really good for my brain and I believe that as I start to get better and learn to play, the aerobic activity will be good for me. Highly recommended for beginners of just about any age.