Print Discography
Essential tips and exercises to improve a drummer's most important techniques, The Drum Set SMART (Style-Mechanics-Applications-Routines-Tips) is a text with easy to understand terminology.
Steve explains the mechanics and musical aspects of drumming as if he were teaching a lesson one on one. Whether you are just beginning your studies, or are an experienced player, this SMART book to drum set can be used as a resource for instant solutions at your finger tips. Includes access to online audio.
Set Up and Play! demonstrates how to set up your new drum kit, from unpacking the boxes to adjusting for play - all the way through tuning each drum.
Steve demonstrates fundamental drumming exercises that are an invaluable part of any drummer's daily routine as well as putting it all together in the studio during an actual recording session.
Jazz Drum Set Independence can help develop coordination, reading and the ability to swing in odd time signatures. If practiced thoroughly, you will gain the facility and the confidence to express yourself musically.
Inside the Big Band Drum Chart is a first of its kind drum method that uses traditional and contemporary arrangements performed by a 17 piece jazz ensemble as the vehicle to study beats, musical form, ensemble phrasing, articulation, and interpretation. For each arrangement, there is 'talk through' information explaining how the composition is played as well as transcriptions of key beats and melodic information that connects the 'written drum part' to the music.
The 248 page book includes online access to a 2.5 hour audio recording and an hour long video demonstrating every exercise in the text. Also included are anecdotes and interviews with legendary big band drummers and arrangers such as Louie Bellson, Jake Hanna, Phil Wilson, Mark Taylor and Bob Curnow. Modern Drummer Magazine Finalist for Best Method Book
Modern Drum Method Grade 1 takes the student measure by measure from the start with the most fundamental drumming concepts presented and demonstrated in a clear manner. The exercises in Grade One focus significantly on reading note and rest values, coordination of the hands and feet, simple quarter note beats with variations, and ideas on positioning and setting up your drum set ergonomically. If you are a new drum student who has just purchased your first kit, or an experienced player looking for ways to improve your fundamentals and sound production, this book and companion downloadable online audio and video will help clarify the mechanical and conceptual drumming skills for you.
Modern Drum Method DVD by Steve Fidyk illustrates the most fundamental and musical drumming techniques from holding the sticks to performing with a band! It is intended as an accompaniment resource that covers many concepts first introduced in the Modern Drum Method Books Volumes 1-3.
*Fundamental techniques for the hands and feet to include accenting approaches such as The Level System and The Moeller Method
* In depth explanation of musical notation with note and rest value exercises to help promote reading ability
* Ideas for using a metronome to improve time keeping skills
* Views on tuning and selecting drum heads and cymbals
* Wire brush technique with demonstrations of (8) different brush diagrams
* Thoughts on drum set improvisation including (4) extended drum solos
* Two in studio performances with a jazz trio and 17 piece big band
Modern Drum Method Grade 2 picks up where Grade 1 leaves off continuing his sequential teaching method and guiding the intermediate student through the most fundamental drumming concepts.
The exercises in Grade 2 focus significantly on reading dotted note and rest values, rock, funk and swing beat variations, techniques for tuning the drum set, and a section featuring 2, 3 and 4 beat drum fill examples. The accompanying online audio features every exercise covered in the text.
If you are a new drum student who has just purchased your first kit, or an experienced player looking for ways to improve your fundamentals and sound production, this book series can help clarify many of the mechanical and conceptual drumming skills for you.
Big Band Drumming at First Sight offers a comprehensive approach to improve sight-reading skills in a big band setting. With advice on how to accompany different musical forms and playing styles, Fidyk gives detailed information that will strengthen your ability to recognize band figures and beat patterns quickly and easily. The companion play-along recording features 10 arrangements of varying styles with beat and figure examples extracted from each score that are looped or repeated several times for thorough study. Big Band Drumming at First Sight will be an invaluable tool in helping you to become a better sight-reader!
"It was love at first sight when I first encountered this book. Here is a great resource that is focused on sight-reading big band charts correctly the first time."
-Percussive Notes
"Rather than offering exercises in speedy note reading, the volume covers the fine art of chart interpretation with useful advice and clear illustrations."
-Jeff Potter, Modern Drummer
Winner of the Drummies! 2014 Best Drumming Book Award, Big Band Drumming Fill-osophy, offers a comprehensive approach to playing and interpreting fills in a big band setting. With advice on how to interpret section and ensemble figures, Steve Fidyk and Dave Black give detailed information that will strengthen the drummer's ability to recognize one-, two-, and four-bar section/ensemble figures quickly and easily. The companion MP3 CD contains over 75 reference and play-along examples extracted from real drum charts. They have been looped or repeated for thorough study. Big Band Drumming Fill-osophy will prove to be an invaluable tool in helping to interpret and play big band drum fills.