Product Description

Learn to play the most legendary drum beats and solos ever recorded! This book is your essential guide to the biggest & best drummers to ever grace the instrument, the music they played, the gear they used, and the drummers that influenced them. Pick up your copy today! Includes: Authentic transcriptions and easy-to-follow lessons for 85 of the most legendary beats and solos ever recorded. Insight into the history and development of Funk, Alternative/Punk Rock, Metal, Progressive Rock, Classic Rock, Jam Band, Fusion, Jazz, and Reggae plus a listing of essential recordings for each genre . An audio CD containing all the beats and solos presented in the book. Dozens of amazing photos. Over 250 pages!

Drummers include:
* Travis Barker
* Carlton Barrett
* Carter Beauford
* Jason Bittner
* John Bonham
* Danny Carey
* Billy Cobham
* Tre Cool
* Stewart Copeland
* Lowell "Sly" Dunbar
* Jon Fishman
* Mickey Hart
* Topper Headon
* Bill Kreutzmann
* Gene Krupa
* Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste
* Keith Moon
* Vinnie Paul
* Neil Peart
* Mike Portnoy
* Buddy Rich
* Max Roach
* Chad Smith
* John "Jabo" Starks
* Ringo Starr
* Clyde Stubblefield
* Lars Ulrich
* Dave Weckl
* Tony Williams
...and more!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28668 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 250 pages

Review
"On The Beaten Path may be the most interesting book of the year. It's great entertainment, a great read, and great instruction." --Phil Hood: Publisher, DRUM! Magazine

"On The Beaten Path may be the most interesting book of the year. It's great entertainment, a great read, and great instruction." --Phil Hood: Publisher, DRUM! Magazine

"Every so often a new bench mark is set for an innovative approach to music education. In this issue of Drumscene, we're proud to announce that On The Beaten Path: The Drummer's Guide to Musical Styles and the Legends Who Defined Them, by Rich Lackowski, has achieved this new status in music education. This new 243 page publication will become the future groove and reference bible for a huge part of the modern drum set." --Drumscene Magazine

"Four Stars! It reads like part drum lesson, part drum history lesson. Any drummer would be wise to pick up On The Beaten Path." --Modern Drummer Magazine

"Every so often a new bench mark is set for an innovative approach to music education. In this issue of Drumscene, we're proud to announce that On The Beaten Path: The Drummer's Guide to Musical Styles and the Legends Who Defined Them, by Rich Lackowski, has achieved this new status in music education. This new 243 page publication will become the future groove and reference bible for a huge part of the modern drum set." --Drumscene Magazine

About the Author
Rich Lackowski is the author of the award-winning series of On the Beaten Path music instruction books. The first book in the series, On the Beaten Path: The Drummer's Guide to Musical Styles and the Legends Who Defined Them (2007) is highly acclaimed by teachers, students, and drumming enthusiasts alike, and has earned Lackowski accolades from around the world. The book was voted No. 1 Educational Book in Modern Drummer's 2008 Reader's Poll, and voted No. 1 Book in DRUM! magazine's 2008 Reader's Poll. Drumscene magazine (Australia) called it "the future groove and reference bible for a huge part of the modern drum set." Drummerworld.com (Switzerland) called it "the best book I've seen a masterpiece." MikeDolbear.com (UK) called it "a must for any serious drummer." Drumheads!! Schlagzeugmagazin (Germany) called it "An extraordinary book." Percussioni magazine (Italy) called it "A great method for students who want to teach themselves, and for teachers looking for materials to help them expose students to a variety of drumming styles." Bob Gatzen (USA), a highly respected teacher, author and inventor, called it "A major breakthrough for drum set method books" and went on to say "No doubt, you're re-inventing the standard."

The success of the book prompted Lackowski to author his next two books, On the Beaten Path: Progressive Rock (2008) and On the Beaten Path: Metal (2009), expanding his best-selling book into a series that further addressed drummers interests. Both books have been well received by the drumming community and have received praise similar to that of the pioneer book. In fact, On the Beaten Path: Progressive Rock was voted as one of the Top 2 Educational Books in Modern Drummer's 2009 Reader's Poll.

In addition to authoring these three successful music instruction books, Lackowski has written articles and features for TRAPS magazine and How to Play Drums magazine, and has performed in various locations around the United States since 1985.

Lackowski was born and raised in Chicago, IL, lived in West Lafayette, IN and Detroit, MI until he moved to Los Angeles, CA where he has resided since 2001. He's played the drums since age 10.

Customer Reviews

Great book for ALL drummers, not just beginners
I am a beginning, self-taught drummer who just does it for fun in my spare time. This is the only drumming book I've ever bought, though I've bought many guitar tab books in the past.

This book focuses on some of the most famous drummers of various genres, and beautifully deconstructs their styles, and even has drum kit layouts. Those blew me away! I don't know if such a thing is a standard for all drum instruction books, but if not, it should be.

Where a typical drum instruction book might be, "Here are some exercises. Do them. Now, do these slightly harder exercises." etc., this book is like, "Here is a famous drummer(Photos, bio, technical drum info). Here are three songs by them. Learn these songs by reading this sheet music and listening along to the CD."

As I read through the book, I realized that my view of drumming was a very narrow perspective: I was initially only interested in the guys I'd heard of: Neil Peart, Buddy Rich, etc. But as I read through the book, the author pulled me into the fascinating stories behind many other awesome drummers, which I would've never given proper homage to, and probably would've missed out on everything they have to offer. For instance, Carter Beauford, of the Dave Matthews band. I was never a DMB fan, but after reading about him in the "Progressive Rock" section, (Or was it the "Jam band" section?) I was intrigued, and found some videos that made me realize there was ONE reason to listen to DMB! The drummer!

I feel that with this book, I've got a very broad perspective on drumming, many choices of new techniques to learn, and it will be a long time before I outgrow this book.

However, if I did, I would like to see more from this author talking about more drummers, and more songs from the drummers presented within.

The CD which comes with this book has tracks which are the drum techniques highlighted from each artist, which you can set on repeat as you practice each of them.

The perfect gift for drummers new and old!
I myself am a bass player, but I purchased this book as a birthday gift for my drummer bandmate, and he LOVED it. I wound up flipping through the book myself, and I was totally enthralled. This book truly makes you appreciate the various styles of drumming that have developed over the generations (punk, reggae, metal, funk, etc...), as well as the great drummers who have defined the craft.

I think this is a great gift for longtime drummers, new drummers, or anyone interested in drumming. It works as both an instructional tome and a coffee table book. Check it out.

Now we just need the author to write a book about bass-playing!

Awesome book!!!
Great book, with a very professionally done CD. The author covers a wide variety of musical styles, showing in detail how to play them, and his enthusiasm really shines through. A must-have for any drummer!!