The Steve Smith Store
Education
Pathways of Motion (2016)
Based around Steve’s current use and analysis of matched-grip drumset technique, this book presents a wealth of information based around hand technique that also covers rudiments, musical phrasing, and much more. Video, text, and notation come together in this package to clearly explain and demonstrate four distinct grips that Steve has identified and developed in his own playing. Each grip is thoroughly explored in its basic motions on the snare drum, and then translated to drumset applications and phrases.
Going beyond hand technique, the book includes dozens of challenging and fun rudimental phrases that are used to apply the grips, but that also build phrasing ideas, vocabulary, and chops. Ergonomic drum setup, Moeller motions, and other topics are also covered, accompanied by plenty of exciting solo playing from Steve. The book is packed with insights and practical ideas of how a drummer can develop the building blocks of a usable and hip- sounding vocabulary that has nearly limitless applications.
The accompanying DVD contains matching videos for all the lessons included in the text. Each lesson is clearly numbered and titled, making it easy to work with text, notation and video together as you study these concepts. A code is also included to download the video files from www.halleonard.com to your computer.
“In 2012 I decided to start developing my left-hand-matched grip in order to give my left-hand- traditional grip a rest now and then,” said Smith. “I noticed that I have refined my right hand technique; much of that comes from playing a repetitive ride cymbal rhythm which has helped my right hand develop very smooth ‘pathways of motion.’ I want my left hand matched grip to have the same sophistication of movement, motion, technique and pathways of motion as my right hand. In the process of getting serious about refining my matched grip technique, I made some discoveries that I’ll be sharing with you in this tutorial.”
Play Along Tunes
Steve has partnered with Play Along Tunes to offer several of his music projects minus drums so that you can play along! This includes Vital Information albums Heart of the City, Viewpoint, and Vitalization, plus Groove: Blue and many more!
Click here to browse what is available!
Drum Legacy: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants (Hudson Music 2008)
Over five hours long - includes the CD of Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy - Live on Tour (Vol.1)!
Critical Acclaim for Drum Legacy
Hi Steve,
I wanted to write and tell you that I watched "Standing On the Shoulders of Giants" last week, and was just blown away. No exaggeration -- the playing, and the musicality of your approach, both humbled and inspired me. (And that's the correct prescription!)
The entire production is surely one of the very best drumming videos ever made, and I especially loved the group pieces -- which isn't always the case. The detailed explications are certainly profound and enlightening, but the musical pieces are equally entrancing.
I was also utterly flabbergasted by the figures you played with alternating hand and foot "stickings" -- so impressive, and so musical.
Congratulations on a well-earned masterpiece.
- Neil Peart
Thanks to the Drum Legacy DVD and the booklet of transcriptions I can learn every interesting figure of Tony's and Max's and Philly Joe's and Elvin's that Steve plays and the fact that the DVD has one of the most insightful and great analysts of modern drumming in John Riley taking things apart on camera with Steve is almost like getting two (genius minds) for the price of one! You guys have done it again.
- John Ramsay
Chairman
Percussion Department
Berklee College of Music
Author of Art Blakey's Jazz Messages
Drummer's Complete Vocabulary as Taught by Alan Dawson
Studying the drum giants who came before is one of the keys to developing an understanding of music and finding your own voice on the drums. This highly educational video set presents a musical analysis and discussion of some of the most important jazz drumming greats in history.
On Drum Legacy you will find the complete one-hour performance by Steve Smith’s group Jazz Legacy from the 2006 Modern Drummer Festival, including two previously unreleased songs. The group’s music is inspired by jazz drumming giants Art Blakey (Night in Tunisia), Elvin Jones (Three Card Molly), Philly Joe Jones (Two Bass Hit), Buddy Rich (Moments Notice), Joe Dukes (Soulful Drums), and Tony Williams (Sister Cheryl). Each tune is dedicated to one of these drum legends.Also included are two brilliant drum solos by Steve in tribute to Max Roach (Drums Unlimited and For Big Sid), plus two new original solos.
John Riley master jazz drummer, educator, and author, joins Steve for an insightful discussion of the work of these jazz greats that is unprecedented in its scope and detail. Steve and John present a wealth of information for drummers from a historical/artistic analysis of each jazz giant’s conceptual approach, right down to the nuts and bolts of the licks they played.
Bonus features incLude: live performance footage of Steve in NYC and at a master class in Australia; a 40-page printed booklet; a complete eBook containing exercises and text from Steve, as well as complete bios from respected author Mark Griffith to round out your understanding of these drum legends.The eBook is in PDF format so it can be printed and used in the practice room with or without the video.
Also included in this package is the new Jazz Legacy CD Live on Tour, featuring Steve Smith (drums), Walt Weiskopf (tenor sax), Andy Fusco (alto sax), Mark Soskin (piano) and Baron Browne (bass).
Click here to open a PDF with more information about this CD!
The Art of Playing with Brushes (Hudson Music 2007)
Contains over 7 hours of video plus 17 play-along songs to practice the examples.
The Art of Playing with Brushes – Presented by Adam Nussbaum and Steve Smith – brilliantly conceived and meticulously documented, The Art of Playing with Brushes is the most comprehensive, definitive and unprecedented volume on the topic ever produced.Living legends Billy Hart, Eddie Locke, Joe Morello, Charli Persip and Ben Riley along with modern brush masters Adam Nussbaum and Steve Smith demonstrate and discuss their distinctive drumming styles then all perform the same set of medium to up-tempo swing, ballads and Latin tunes to compare and contrast their unique approaches and interpretations. This deluxe addition to every drummer’s library offers a thorough and graphic exploration of the art from a variety of historical, technical and musical perspectives and includes:
Over seven hours of footage
17-Track Play-Along CD minus drums
Bonus lessons from Adam Nussbaum, Ed Thigpen and Louis Bellson
36-page Bonus Booklet and printable PDFs by Mark Griffith that includes History Of The Brushes, a Listening/Reference Guide, Bios of all the featured artists and more.
Classic video clips and a Photo Gallery
Classic Rock Drum Solos (Hudson Music 2007)
Hosted by rock drumming legend and historian, Carmine Appice, Classic Rock Drum Solos is the first and only video collection of rock drum solos; tracing the development of the phenomenon with vintage footage of pioneers from the 1940s and 50s, rare film from the golden age of the 60s and awe-inspiring video of the pyrotechnic players of the 70s and 80s.
“I was totally influenced by Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich”, says Vanilla Fudges Carmine Appice, who was also inspired by the drum solos of Louie Bellson, Max Roach, Joe Morello, Sonny Payne, Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, Jack DeJohnette and Tony Williams. I got speed, showmanship, the concept of melodic playing and a lot of other great ideas from the jazz masters. Wipeout, In A Gadda Da Vida, Toad, Soul Sacrifice, I’m A Man – these recordings became the cornerstones of rock drumming and, thanks to Hudson Music, they are among the many legendary performances contained on the DVD release “Classic Rock Drum Solos”.
Danny Seraphines (Chicago) performance of Im A Man on the DVD is from a German TV show in 1970. However, he explains,Im A Man didnt have a drum solo when we were first playing it in bars around Chicago. It became a drum feature when we were recording our first album in 1969, back when we were still known as the Chicago Transit Authority. We were finishing up the CTA album and decided to make it a double record set. We needed more music and we needed it fast, so we decided to pull out Im a Man and add a drum solo,which was put together on the spot. Soloing against the percussion instruments was a lot of fun and helped keep the groove going. I remember I tried to keep the solo short and to the point.
Steve Smith Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat (Hudson Music)
With over four and a half hours of footage, this two-DVD set is a virtual encyclopedia of drumset techniques, styles and concepts! This is the definitive Steve Smith educational DVD. If you only buy one Steve Smith DVD, this is the one.
Drumset Technique (Disc One) - Steve explains hand and foot technique in unprecedented detail and gets to the core of what drummers need to know in order to improve their feel and technical skills. Segments include: hand technique, foot technique, the art of practice, exercises, licks and phrases, independence/interdependence, implied metric modulations, plus four extended solo drum pieces.
History of the U.S. Beat (Disc Two) - With the help of an all-star band, Steve explains the evolution of the drumset in U.S. Music - how the drumset was first used in all the major styles and how closely related all the styles are. Segments include: early New Orleans jazz, big band, bebop, rhythm and blues, country, blues, gospel, rock, funk, and jazz/rock.
In addition, Steve's group Vital Information plays seven complete tunes that feature applications of the techniques and complex rhythms explained in Disc One. Special Features: Extensive bonus footage including alternate-take drum solos, a brilliant hi-hat solo and hi-hat tutorial, alternate band performances, a camera-switching option, optional running commentary by Steve, a listening list, a reading list, and more!
Total Running Time (for both discs): 4 hours, 38 minutes.
Modern Drummer 2006 with Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy
The Modern Drummer Festival 2006 weekend returned to the incredible New Jersey Performing Arts Center on September 16 and 17, 2006 for its most ambitious festival ever. Sixteen drummers and percussionists performed with more than twenty musicians making for one of the most exciting festival weekends in its eighteen-year history.
For fans of Steve Smith: Steve performs with his group Steve Smith’s Jazz Legacy featuring Walt Weiskopf (tenor sax), Andy Fusco (alto sax), Baron Browne (bass), and Mark Soskin (piano). They perform music honoring great drummers of jazz: "Insubordination" (Walt Weiskopf up-tempo original), "Sister Cheryl" (Tony Williams), "Three Card Molly" (Elvin Jones), "Soulful Drums" (honoring Joe Dukes), and "Two Bass Hit" (honoring Philly Joe Jones).
And, while these incredible performances were taking place, Hudson Music was taping interviews with each performer. Each artist was interviewed in front of a practice kit and each interview features playing and demonstration, as well as in-depth discussion on technique, warming up, and much more.
For the first time ever, drummers interviewed drummers! Steve Smith interviewed Thomas Lang, Thomas interviewed Steve, Aaron Spears interviewed Gerald Heyward, Gerald interviewed Marvin McQuitty, etc., making for some truly historic moments. The Thomas Lang interview of Steve Smith is very detailed and insightful, as is Steve's interview of Thomas.
Drummers Collective 25th Anniversary Celebration & Bass Day 2002 (Hudson Music)
You've seen the clips on YouTube, now own the whole thing!
On Sunday, November 24, 2002, Drummers Collective, the world's premier drum school, celebrated its 25th anniversary with an incredible evening of music.
Steve plays a "brushes" snare drum solo and then an extended drumset solo on this Sonor Jungle Kit. This solo includes sections in 3/4 and 5/4 with some polyrhythmic demonstrations.
Steve then plays a definitive version of the hi-hat solo "Mr. Hi Hat." His portion of the show ends with an extensive duet with bass master Victor Wooten (Victor also plays some incredible solo bass at the concert).
This extraordinary two-DVD set features fantastic footage of this historic night of music, with performances by some of the most creative and influential drummers and bass players in the world: Steve Gadd & the Gadd Gang, Dave Weckl & the Dave Weckl Band, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, John Patitucci, Victor Wooten, Felix Pastorius, Steve Smith, and the Collective Faculty Ensembles.
Special features include: alternate edits with the FootCam feature; rehearsal and sound check footage; artist interviews; 5.1 Surround Sound mixes - one performance per artist; a photo gallery; web links; and much more!
Total running time: 5 hours and 23 minutes!
Modern Drummer 2003 with Steve Smith and Vital Information (Hudson Music)
Modern Drummer Festival 2003 featured an almost unprecedented cross section of great drummers and percussionists - and it's all captured on this 2-DVD Set from Hudson Music.
Sunday: Includes performances by Nick D'Virgilio, Antonio Sanchez, Airto Moreira and Shawn Pelton & House of Diablo. Special DVD Features (on Disc Two) include: Mike Portnoy rehearsal footage, stick tricks with Steve Smith and the Drumbassadors, and a photo gallery.
For fans of Steve Smith: Steve starts his program with a snare drum technique demonstration, exploring the many sounds available on the snare drum. He also plays an extended drumset solo on his Sonor Designer kit.
Steve is then joined by Vital Information with Frank Gambale, Tom Coster, Baron Browne, and special guest Bill Evans, the outstanding saxophone player. The band is in top form as they play the Bill Evans burner "Rattletrap," Frank Gambale's up-tempo blues "A Little Something," and a scorching rendition of "Over and Out!"
Total Running Time: Over 5 Hours!
Steve Smith Part One (Alfred Music)
This award winning tutorial (American Video Conference - Best Instructional Music Video of 1987) features Steve describing and demonstrating his basic approach to rock and jazz, methods for developing time and meter, practice ideas, several outstanding solos, and full band performances with Vital Information featuring Dave Wilczewski (sax), Tim Landers (bass), Dean Brown (guitar), Tom Coster (keys), and Steve Smith (drums). Vital Information songs performed include "Johnny Cat," "What Lies Beyond," "Questionable Arrivals," "Blues to Bappe" and "Island Holiday."
Contains more than one hour of bonus footage taken from the 1980s: Journey Drum Solo (1980), an excerpt from Zildjian Day Chicago (1983), rare Vital Information live on tour footage from their 1st tour in 1983 featuring Tim Landers (bass), Dean Brown (guitar), Eef Albers (guitar) and Dave Wilczewski (sax), and Steve Smith (drums). It also includes footage from a 1989 Vital Information tour featuring Kai Eckhardt (bass), Mike Miller (guitar), Tom Coster (keys), Dave Wilczewski (sax), and Steve Smith (drums).
Plus: "Moments Notice" from the Burning for Buddy session, a photo gallery, and PDFs of the of the booklet from the original video.
UNAVAILABLE
Steve Smith Part 2 (Alfred Music)
Part Two continues with double bass drumming concepts and practice ideas, developing creativity and creating a drum part (using "Don't Stop Believing" as an example). There are more outstanding drum solos, plus additional performances by Vital Information featuring Dave Wilczewski (sax), Tim Landers (bass), Dean Brown (guitar), Tom Coster (keys), and Steve Smith (drums).
Vital Information songs performed include "The Perfect Date," "Blade," and "Looks Bad, Feels Good." Also included is rare in-concert footage of Steps Ahead playing "Oops," featuring Mike Mainieri (vibes), Michael Brecker (sax), Darryl Jones (bass), and Mike Stern (guitar).
Contains more than one hour of bonus footage taken from the mid-late '80s, including Zildjian Day Boston 1983. Also includes more rare Vital Information live on tour footage from their 1st tour in 1983 (with different tunes than Steve Smith Part One) featuring Tim Landers (bass), Dean Brown (guitar), Eef Albers (guitar), and Dave Wilczewski (sax).
Very rare Vital Information trio performance with Tom Coster (keys), Jeff Andrews (bass), and Steve Smith (drums). Also includes various drum solos including "For Big Sid" from Hot Drummer Video Magazine and an MP3 and PDF of the Steve Smith/Gary Chaffee duet "Seventh Heaven," plus PDFs of the of the booklet from the original video.