Tommy Igoe’s Great hands for a Lifetime
Hudson Music and Hal Leonard
This DVD would be a very dry affair if it wasn’t for Tommy Igoe’s infectious positivity and genuine zeal for sharing his knowledge and experience. But as Igoe himself asks, why do we need yet another technique DVD? Well, I suggest you watch Great Hands… to find your answer.
After introducing some basic strokes with emphasis on a healthy fulcrum and a relaxed grip (matched and traditional), Igoe methodically takes us through the five groups of rudiments – ruffs, rolls, paradiddles, drags, flams – with adaptations, hybrids and combinations of each. The staggeringly high tempos to which he takes those exercises can be daunting, but do demonstrate their potential well. After each section, Tommy and his students sit together and play the exercises at varying tempos.
Igoe doesn’t spend too much time on the ‘baby steps’ as he calls them, rather assuming a degree of knowledge of the rudiments. What all this leads to is the three-tier ‘Lifetime Warm-up,’ originally conceived by Tommy’s father, Sonny Igoe.
The warm-up revolves around a poster (included) or ‘treasure map of rudiments’ containing all the exercises Tommy has dissected throughout the DVD, and can be played at basic, intermediate or advanced levels as a practice regime or challenging task to enhance your vocabulary and accuracy on the drum kit – a kind of ‘Rudimental Ritual’ for the modern drummer. The DVD also includes MP3s to guide you through each version of the warm-up. This DVD could prove to be an invaluable tool for beginners and serious drummers alike. SP
5 Stars