Product Description Alan Schechner reveals many of his amazing drum techniques that have changed the way many musicians approach playing the drums! Alan displays exciting techniques for drummers, in any style of music to break free from their conventional playing methods. Review "I really dig Alan's DVD. His 'Transformations' concept is killer......and the best things about this 4-way independence concept is that he uses basic beats as the foundation." --Bobby Jarzombek (Halford, Sebastian Bach, Iced Earth)There are few amazing drummers out there who can teach at the same high level as their drumming ability. Alan Schechner is one of those rare people who can do that. What I love about Coordination and Groove is how Alan breaks down some very difficult patterns so even a bonehead like myself can figure them out. When I was working on learning Steve Vai's material, Alan would help me by breaking it down and writing it out in a way that I could understand. What he does on Coordination and Groove is just that, as well as visually being able to see how he does it. If you are serious about drumming, you need to have this DVD!!! --Jeremy Colson (Steve Vai, Marty Friedman, Micheal Schenker, etc.)
O**?
ChicagoGrooves is right on if not too easy on this DVD
I received this DVD with the anticipation that I would be breaking through a plateau in my drumming. I was hopeful I would find tips on coordination. I was hopeful I would garner strength and stamina to maintain my grooves and modulate in odd time signatures or even polyrhythms.What I got was a DVD that looks like it was shot on Hi-8 in someone's garage while mom and dad were out. I got a guy who seems to think that adding a cowbell to every groove "unlocks" it into some intermediate or advanced technique. I got a drummer who, on many occaisons, is sadly out of any groove pocket. For goodness sake, man, do another take!I would only recommend this DVD if you are still at a very early beginning stage and need ideas to break out of your rut. I'm still in mine.Other DVD's that would likely be more helpful for intermediate/advanced instruction include:John Blackwell's Technique, Grooving and Showmanship (play the DVD at 1.5 or 2x normal....he talks REEEEAAAAALLLLLLYYYYYY SLLLLOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLLYYYYYY...)Accelerate Your Drumming by Larry Finn (lots of rudiments but plenty of tips...)Steve Smith Drumset Technique and History (not as flashy but full of tips to make your drumming more efficient and coordinated)
C**S
Many missing elements
He has good some points, and his system is well thought out, but as a drummer of 10 years I found the following missing:- an introduction to who he his or what his music sounds like when played with band- any lesson or part thereof above 90 bpm- any treatment of swing, or a good treatment of dynamicsHe's not really much worse than much of the drum-instruction establishment which acts as if notes on paper add up to good set playing.Better drum instructional videos for what I think drummers should sound/teach like: Carter Beauford, Under the Table and Drumming, Akira Jimbo Metamorphoses, Zoro Commandments of R&B. I have a feeling Weckl would be pretty good too, but I got taken in by the reviews on this one..
N**O
Can't recommend this one
This just isn't in the league of the really good instructional DVDs. The production quality is about what you'd get from "the guy next door in his basement". Audio is only so so, and the audio and video are not tightly synchronized, especially the foot camera.Honestly I wasn't even that impressed with Alan's abilities. Truthfully, that's not essential to teach, but with his more complex rhythms, it's dragging badly. Even some of the basic rhythms aren't tight. The ostinatos are (to me) boring and not at all musical.In summary, there are just way too many really good DVDs out there to recommend this one. If someone gives it to you, by all means watch it for whatever you can get from it. But is it worth paying for? In my view (respectfully) no.
D**R
Disappointing unless you have a foot-operated cow bell
A talented drummer, but I was amazed how just about everything he did revolved around this foot-operated cowbell. It was kinda like the old Monte Python skit that gave us our redefined word, "spam". Everything *needed* this cowbell! On the other hand, if you need a really complex and predominant cowbell in your beat, this is the book for you.I also bought the Tommy Igoe DVD. It is much, much better..
G**A
...it could use a little more cowbell.
I just got the dvd and it has to be the worst. The film quality is low, and the guy has a fever for more cowbell. Beware before you buy, definitely not for rock nor metal.
M**.
The road to creativity
Great stuff. I think this DVD explains very clearly the road to creativity with a very inspiring and easy to understand transformation system. After applying the system to my drumset new ideas started coming out all over. I realized that I can choose the difficulty level I want to start from, and go on for ever, building ideas, boosting coordination, improving motion and pivoting techniques around the drumset. But most important is that the whole thing started right away from my favourite grooves. There are also some good practicing tips and the drum solos are just mind blowing! This is definitely a high quality educational DVD
H**N
Five Stars
excellent
J**S
Good cd.
Good cd.
M**L
Not bad
Nice playing and some great concepts but not enough detailed instructions.
