Wow! Jim has really done it! He's combining grooves, fills and styles. Starting with simple 8ths on quarter & eight grooves for a few pages, these can make you take stock of your sight reading. By progressing to 16th between Bass & Snare, this really lays it out for all drummers, on how to line up the notes in a groove. Any note can be accented, so you're not locked into just 2 & 4. I thought that limiting the hi hat or cymbal patterns to something steady and not linear was a good idea, since we normally play steady patterns. I believe Jim's filled a need here with cool counterpoint between hands & feet.
Reading fills is something we just can't seem to get enough of. Usually, material can start off too hard and we can become discouraged too soon. Not here though. Starting with 2 beat fills and leading to 4 beat fills is challenging and rewarding, no matter what part of the book you use. Even progressing to 32nd note fills, which allows the grooves to be played slower for the sake of the fill.
As we move through the book, we discover; Hi Hat openings, 16th HH groves, Jazz & Shuffles, all with related fills. I might add, not all the groves have fills. They are mixed in along the way. Plus, it's all wrapped up in the eternal, 4 bar phrase. This certainly leads to a sense of form and practicality which is perfect for all of us.
The book is larger in size with the exercises big enough to be seen more clearly by most. No squinting here. It's durable enough to be handled a lot and with it's spiral binding, can be folded in half for real concentration.
I have been a private teacher in Springfield, MO. for over 10 years, and this is the best book of it's kind I've found. My students love it and they are all getting great results because of it. I recommend this book to anyone who can read at any level and wants to improve their overall technique and reading ability. If you purpose in your heart to work on this book a regular amount of time everyday, spending the time to figure out what you can't do right away, YOU WILL IMPROVE!!!!
Dennis A. Winkle, Private Music Educator for: Drums, Mallets & Music Theory., Drumguy Productions, Springfield, MO.,
I have been teaching almost 20 years now, with emphasis on drum set and Snare drum reading, covering all modern styles of drumming. Jim Ryan's book RHYTHMIC AEROBICS is a great and very useful book. Before this book came out, I had been considering writing my own drum set book. Now I don't have to! This is it! Clearly written, easy to see and comprehend. Extremely practical for learning modern grooves of today, with lots of variety. Just a great drumbook. A new "standard" drum set book.
Lance Burpee, Drummer/Instructor - Maine,
I starting teaching drums in 1993. I have used a ton of instructional materials. Unfortunately, this usually translated into using a section of this book or part of that book. There was a real need for a set of comprehensive drum instruction books for the modern drummer of today. Jim Ryan excels in filling this need in all contemporary styles and performance levels. I use his books from cover to cover. When is the next one coming out Jim Ryan?
Anthony Crowell, Educator, St. Louis, MO,
I have been teaching drums for 15 years. I have used various resources for teaching rhythm and drumming. Up until this point it has been difficult to find a great book that has it all! The Rhythmic Aerobics books 1 and 2 contain some of the coolest drum set beats and fills I have had the opportunity to use with my students. Most music books are bound by glue and are hard to keep open. These books were designed with the musician in mind. I appreciate how the book is wire bound for ease of use on a music stand.
The book opens to any page and stays open. Another great thing is the LARGE PRINT SIZE of the book. When I am seated at the drumset I can easily see the book from my music stand.
My students love the exercises and cool drum fills in this book. I look forward to future publications by Jim Ryan. This is an instant must have for all drummers looking to improve upon their drumming skills. Thank You Jim.
Harris R. Kessler, N.Y. State Certified Music Teacher,