I opened up the package and found not only the VHS tape but TYPED OUT PAGES describing each of the practice techniques included in the video and each work-out/practice drawn out! Very nice, now you won’t have to memorize the video to know what to play!
Derek Roddy/Drumming Endurance And Strength Builder
I was looking through the Hate Eternal website about a month or so ago (Hungry for anything connected to both Hate Eternal and/or their upcoming tour) and noticed that Hate Eternal’s drummer, newcomer Derek Roddy, was preparing to make and sell some VHS tapes directed at helping drummers with their Death Metal drumming. That description alone immediately sold me. This would be one of the few (if not ONLY) drum tapes out there with the sole subject of Death Metal playing and practicing. Plus he said he would add in some cool shit like solos, but I was already looking for the cash to mail him. So, fast forward a few weeks and Derek emails me to tell me he’s finished the tape, fast forward another week and I received my copy yesterday.
I opened up the package and found not only the VHS tape but TYPED OUT PAGES describing each of the practice techniques included in the video and each work-out/practice drawn out! Very nice, now you won’t have to memorize the video to know what to play!
Derek starts off the 45+ min. video with an amazing drum solo (the video contains THREE!) and then goes straight into the warm-ups and practices. He describes and shows how to play each of the 2 min. exercises (for both hands and feet), adding up to a daily 30 min. workout for you, plus a 10 min. coordination exercise. Derek isn’t teaching anything groundbreaking here, but that’s not what he was setting out to do. He says he used these same techniques to prepare for the tour/album and “guarantees” the work-outs described on the video will show improvement in 2-4 months. I totally agree with him. Add in some groups of basic rudiments to his practice guide and you will have a ROCK SOLID workout which would definately give you improvements. My favorite parts of the video (besides the solos): While Derek is playing, in the background you can see a pet snake moving up and around the glass in his tank(nice touch), and then when Derek shows you how to practice while driving home from work!
The video and sound quality of the tape is excellent, no problems here. I wish more videos were like this one. But don’t go in to this expecting EVERYTHING to be as professional; my tape began with a 1 second clip of a commercial, which was taped over with a 3 second clip of a daily soap-opera, which was then taped over with the drum video. METAL.
Hopefully, if this tape sells well(which it most expectantly will), Derek will be putting out more videos, the next one dealing with Death Metal drum tunings and practical ways of setting-up and arranging the drumset to ease. Excellent. At $30 for a 45+ min. VHS or VCD, detailing a daily 30 min. workout, with all practices and work-outs written out, AND THREE DRUM SOLOS, this video is definately worth it if you are a newcomer to playing Death Metal. If you have no idea whatsoever on what to practice, you should have already bought this. Great shit here, and I can’t wait for his next videos.