Steve SmithSteve Smith-Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat 2 DVD Set

I have to start off by saying, I was truly humbled by the ability of Steve Smith to not only deliver the "what" in his drum playing, but most importantly to those of us who are students of the drum set, the "how". I sat and watched what I feel is the very best drummer I have ever seen. Not to take anything away from the likes of Neal Pert or the other giants. Steve Smith does something in this set that I did not think was possible. He never misses a beat!! I challenge anyone who knows anything about drums. And I'm saying beginner to stage concert drummer, watch this carefully and see if you see any flaws. Its the most incredible thing I've ever watched.Now, as for the instruction. The first thing I picked up was, and yes I will admit it, I have been holding my sticks wrong all of these years and couldnt figure out why I couldnt develop hand speed. And it is such a simple exercise. Then came the feet. Did anyone know about that double toe to heel move? Steve can make a single base almost sound like a double. Truly amazing stuff, and again, what a simple exercise. Are we picking up on the common denominator here? He truly makes his instruction easy to understand and practice. I am currently trying to reinvent myself as a drummer having given it up during a marriage where someone in my life saw no value in beating on drums.Now for those of you who are wondering if it is worth the cost. Well lets just break that down. What is it worth to you to be able to truly improve your expressive talents. Really folks that what drumming is, you dont want to sound like the other guy, you want to sound like you. Get this DVD set it it absolutely worth the money. And prepare to be humbled by the true master of the drumset. Happy drumming and thanks for reading.

I got this DVD about a month ago, and have only recently finished watching it. It's very long - 2 DVDs, over 4.5 hours - but it certainly doesn't get any weaker as it progresses. Steve has a great enthusiasm about him, like he really wants to teach, and teach he does. He gives good descriptions of the techniques he uses, and performs a range of detailed demonstrations, often including songs. These include playing with traditional grip, a range of foot techniques (including heel-toe), practice and exercises, licks and phrases, independece/co-ordination, and an extensive coverage of 'implied metric modulation', similar yet different to polyrhythms.Some people may not care for his style of playing (jazz fusion), but even they can't dispute the thoroughness of his lessons.His second DVD 'History of the US Beat' sees Steve evolving his kit to resemble those of the time he describes. He covers 'eras' like early New Orleans jazz, big band, rhythm and blues, rock'n'roll, funk, and more, always giving a short(ish) performance to demonstrate. At the end of this second DVD, Steve and his band (Vital Information) play seven complete tunes featuring applications of the techniques explained on disc 1.It's fairly pricey, but for two DVDs jam-packed with quality instruction from one of the world's great drummers, it's very much worth it. It's suitable for beginners and intermediate drummers alike, and with a multitude of extras, definately deserves the big 5 stars.

I purchased Steve Smith's first instructional video over 15 years ago and at that time, was blown away by his fluidity and mastery of the instrument. What this DVD shows is not only a representation of how Smith has developed into an even more masterful player, but also shows his unmatched study of the history of the instrument and how others have developed stylistic approaches over the past century and a half. Smith covers two lifetimes worth of study in two separate DVDs...Technique and History of the US Beat. This DVD set is not necessarily for the beginner, but is a great study for all levels for both performance and for integral learning. Smith covers so much ground with this set that it can shave off years worth of self-study for any level player. Everything about this set is positive with the only exception being Smith's sort of dry demeanor. You can know that Smith loves performing and speaking about the instrument, but it all seems a little too calculated. Even in his performances, he can appear very "robotic". Nonetheless, he simply rules his domain. Don't let his detour with Journey fool you into thinking he is a one-dimensional player. Quite the contrary...he is one of the best on the planet. Buy this set for you and for your student.--Stephen.

awesome movie, arrived on time

Not for beginner drummers. Advanced drummers who want to improve their technique, this is for you.This dvd is fantastic, very well executed. This dvd explains technical essentials starting from the traditional grip right through to fusion grooves, the dvd moves very fast, as it has a lot to cover and explains the techniques quite throughly.i feel that more fills could have been included in the dvd along with general grooves and variations of grooves, however i suppose the purpose of this dvd is technique and execution.It is advised to watch a little bit at a time as even ten minutes can overwhelm you as the content is huge. However the content is quite difficult and it took me over an hour to be able to perform the first traditional grip exercise.A detailed guide through the history and transitions from beat to beat is cleverly and thoughtfully performed and explained. The backing band are very good and play effortlessly and i very much recommend this dvd.

so informative

Steve Smith explains, from the ground up, how to play the drums. He doesn't waste time though, so it's a steep curve for any beginner/average drummer. If you want to know how to hold your sticks, use the bass drum/hi-hat, get some independance and start sounding like you've got a groove, this is definitely an amazing tool to get you started (and finished).I thoroughly recommend it to anyone. This DVD, together with Tommy Igoe's Groove Essentials DVD is enough to keep me learning for the next few months (at least). To cap it off, he seems a really nice guy who's not at all up himself and who has a nice, clear way of explaining things.

Good video