Book Description

If you have ever played in a big band, you’ll know how confusing the notation is. With rhythms written above the stave, strange diagonal slashes and notated drum parts that don’t make sense, it can be very difficult to know where to start. Furthermore, for those taking on the style for the first time the genre lacks materials appropriate for beginners. This frustration is where The Beginner’s Guide to Big Band Drumming arose from. Written by Melbourne drummer Anthony Stanislavski, the book addresses the challenges of reading, short and long note orchestrations, saxophone, trumpet, or trombone section figures, ensemble figures and how to tackle rests and fills, turning them into playable phrases that fit stylistically within a piece with well thought out exercises presented in a logical format. The book contains over 100 exercises and two big band charts written specifically for the book, which also include fully notated drum interpretations. Each exercise and chart come with play-along backing tracks, minus drums, from slow to fast tempos and there are also video and audio demonstrations of all the material covered in the book. By the time a player has finished with this book, they'll have the tools to play as a solid member of a big band as well as the ability to generate and weave in their own style over the solid foundation Anthony has helped them build. This is the perfect resource for both teachers and students alike. Teachers will love the frame and direction and students will love the clarity and ideas that the book provides.