​Here is Dave's story of how Drum Stuff came to be...
 

Drum Stuff the book, is the result of years of playing and studying, and a conversation that occurred one day between Nicanor Snow and myself.  Nicanor, who is also a drummer and Tai-Chi Chuan instructor, told me about his practice with Tai-Chi Chuan. (Tai-Chi Chuan is a slow moving, meditative martial art.) He said, “ I know if I do this, this and this, then I will be able to do this,” speaking about his efforts and results in this martial art. “Is there something that can do that with drumming?” he then asked.

   

I had studied out of one book, off and on, since I was fourteen years old and when I starting teaching from this book myself, I found I needed clearer examples of what I had learned.  I took the ideas I had and combined them with what I had learned from Mike Mangini’s approach to “all the permutations, groupings of four” and Drum Stuff was born! It is a systematic break down of notes, beats and rhythms, which can and has been used to have students playing what I call a “Basic Beat” after just one lesson. Results can be seen instantly with almost everyone, and as the player progresses and learns more notes, their knowledge and ability increases.

 

- Dave Rody