Drums For Dummies

March to the beat of your own drum with the ultimate how-to manual for over 62 million amateur musicians!

This book covers the basics for the drumming beginner - from finding the perfect drum set to learning how to care for it properly. You will master music fundamentals with expert tips for how to read music and how to understand basic techniques - with or without the sticks! It discusses the power of rhythm and percussion in world music, from Ashiko and Conga to Samba and Bosa Nova, with examples of each rhythm on the companion audio CD. Includes coverage of today's music styles from jazz and rock to country and R&B. Features ideas for keeping the beat alive - from finding print and internet resources to taking lessons or starting your own band. The added value CD-ROM allows readers to listen and play along to the exercises and pieces you'll find in the book.

Jeff Strong has been a drummer for over 30 years with professional experience in a variety of musical styles from jazz to country and R&B. He is an expert on both music and sound healing, appearing on numerous radio programs and in two documentaries.

Jeff Strong graduated from the Percussion Institute of Technology at the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles in 1983, where he studied with Joe Porcaro, Ralph Humphrey, Efrain Toro, and Alex Acuna. A drummer for more than 35 years, Jeff began his professional career at the age of 14. His professional experience ranges from live performance to studio drumming to music research. Jeff has performed or recorded with artists as diverse as ’60’s crooner Gene Pitney, R&B singer Cynthia Johnson (Lipps, Inc.), the countryrock Daisy Dillman Band, and the reggae band Macumba, to name a few. He has released a dozen solo CDs, including Calming Rhythms 3 — a therapeutic tool currently used by thousands of institutions and schools worldwide.
Jeff is currently President of the REI Institute, a Music Medicine research organization and therapy provider. His pioneering work using drumming for children with autism has been featured in many publications, including many scientific journals and several books. Jeff has spoken at dozens of professional conferences and has been called upon as an expert on music and sound healing, appearing on numerous radio programs and in two documentaries. The REI Institute’s therapy program for people with neurological disorders, of which Jeff is the creator, is available through hundreds of Authorized REI Providers located around the world.
Jeff is a sought-after drum clinician focusing on world rhythm techniques and is the author of eight books. You can find out more about Jeff at www.jeffstrong.com and www.reiinstitute.com.