Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer - Co-ordinating Independence As Applied to Jazz and Be-Bop by Jim Chapin (Book and Two CDs)

If you have read my review on Zorro's book you probably couldn't get a more different book to that than Jim Chapin's Techniques for Advanced Drumming

Jim's book is the granddaddy of all instruction books. It first came into print in 1930 and became a classic drum instruction book. It has been reprinted many many times the latest in 1998.

The book is the study of the independence of hands and feet. The book is full of exercises to develop the ability to play a swing pulse whilst the other hand and feet do different things against that swing pulse.

In this way the information presented in the book is also a lesson in discipline that in having the discipline and patience to work through the examples over time. Jim gives some general commentary on how to use the book at the start but after that you are generally left to yourself. I probably haven't got the best out of the book probably because I haven't quite got the discipline to work through all the examples yet.

The exercises can leave you feeling a little dry. I would suggest you use some "without drums play along Jazz CD" in another book that you have and apply that track to a particular example in Jim book. (Unless of course you buy the version with the play along CD's that now comes with the book). That way you can remove the dryness factor otherwise the book can feel like a study in rudiments!!

Also, Jim rightly acknowledges that the examples are co-ordination exercises in many cases are not examples of good musicianship. However, this book is hailed as a classic by many greater drummers than me so that's why I have included it in my essentials category.

The book sells for £18.99 from Musicroom.com (approx $25.00) Overall, an excellent book on independence studies and known as one of the first great instruction books for drummers.