The First Book written by Steve Gadd. Steve presents a series of rudimental passages inspired by his experience in drum corps and his love of the rudiments. Each of the exercises are based on classic and contemporary rudiments and on Steve’s variations. After some traditional combinations, he begins taking the phrases and displaces them –starting on different subdivisions of the beat, thereby creating new, challenging patterns from the basic sticking. All of the solos are written in musical phrases that reinforce the player’s understanding of the importance of phrasing as a key element of musicianship.
There are over 80 exercises in the book and each has an accompanying video with Steve demonstrating.
The book has been painstakingly hand-engraved at Steve’s request, to bring a comfortable and classic look to the pages. The layout of each page was also designed specifically by Gadd to create an easy yet musical flow to the reading. These features are reflective of a man who has read thousands of charts in the studio on some of the most important recordings of our time.
Accompanying the book is a full set of videos with Steve demonstrating each etude using the method he used to write the book: Playing with his rubber-tip practice sticks on a piece of wood. Even in this situation, Gadd’s legendary groove and musicality shine through. Drum set, drum corps, and classical drummers will find an instant classic in these pages, with elements that will improve your technical ability, musical phrasing, groove, and your rhythmic vocabulary using the challenging technique of displacement that Steve bases the book upon.
,What an eye-opening, educational, challenging and fun treatment of standard and contemporary rudiments and how he has used them in his own playing, whether it be ‘Crazy Army’ or the beautifully-executed five-stroke rolls in ‘Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover’ or the Afro-Latin grooves in ‘Graceland’ or the amazing solo in Steely Dan’s ‘Aja.’ Steve is THE MASTER! His creative use of flam rudiments, ratamacues, six-stroke rolls and paradiddle-diddles as sextuplets is legendary. Gaddiments is a masterpiece and must be included in every drummer’s library as well as in every high school or college band, drum corps, indoor drumline or individual hobbyist.
Dennis DeLucia (DCI, WGI and PAS Halls of Fame)
Steve Gadd's Gaddiments is an instant classic from my perspective.
Steve has written well-conceived and useful sticking combinations that are challenging, sound good and feel great to play. Because the book was written by Steve Gadd, whose background and approach includes rudimental stickings steeped in many years of musical experience, the examples have symmetry, motivic development, a logical flow and a natural feel. If you take your time with the material, start slow, and play the examples with smooth motions, you can improve your technique, vocabulary and musicianship. Plus, the notation is easy to read, and the "big band chart" look is hip. Steve Smith (Journey, Vital Information)
