steve smith dvd

**Derek DeFields** · November 21st, 2002, 02:47 AM

well, I got it yesterday after a long wait. (seemed like anyway)

I have NOT watched the whole thing so take this for what it's worth. (not much)

video/audio quality is very nice, though the audio is very soft.

I've watched thru "How to Practice." This is the 3rd section I believe.

I thought the hands part was very detailed and well done. I don't personally subscribe to the Gruber methods but I thought he explained his approach to hand technique very well. Much better than others I've seen. If you don't like his technique, you won't like this part no matter how well he explains it. ;-)

Foot technique was not quite as detailed, but still much moreso than other videos. I thought he did the best job on the heel toe method so if you're interested in learning that, I think you'd get a lot out of this section.

The practicing section was all philosophy. I really liked this section. A lot of good advice that you probably have figured out or heard elsewhere before, but not put together in one package.

That's it for now. I'll post more as I watch more. I'm not the biggest Steve Smith fan, I'll admit, but I have HUGE respect for him and I do think he has a lot of insight. Most of the drummers who've been around as long as Steve have a lot to say that we can learn from, even apart from their playing.

Respect your elders kids.

On John Blackwell; OK, the stick twirling is not my thing, but he does it well at least. I bet the parts where he's grooving with the band will be great. I don't have any idea how the "instruction" part will be because I don't know what he's done other than Prince, but that gig can't be easy to get so....

**Nikk** · November 21st, 2002, 03:59 AM

Derek,

Whaddya mean you don't subscribe to the Gruber philosphy, dude? You mean you don't subscribe to the idea of the sticks rebounding as opposed to you doing all the work? Why? Just wondering. It's also funny to me that this sort of drum conception is now associated with Gruber as opposed to Morello or Billy Gladstone, or anyone else who lived before him.
Steve Smith's playing DOES appear more rigid than Weckl's (to whomever said this,) but his sound seems to be just as big and full. Admittedly, I've never seen him live so maybe I'm wrong. I've come to the realization in the last few months that (despite our young desire for this,) the way someone looks playing drums has very little to do with how much work they get. Doesn't that piss you off for all the hours we spend in the mirror?

**Derek DeFields** · November 21st, 2002, 12:27 PM

I'm not saying Gruber's stuff doesn't work, I'm just saying it's not my own preference. (it's not wrong)

Moeller is not the same thing as Fred's exactly. Freddie has added a lot of his own things to that technique.

The main thing I don't like is moving the fulcrum back to the middle finger. I just don't prefer it and I like to use my wrists a bit more anyway. I also prefer to aim for the same spot on the head/cymbal when I play it unless I'm intentionally doing otherwise. It's all preference.

It doesn't bother me at all how Smith looks when he plays. Sure, it could look a little more fluid, but nobody's perfect. :-)

**Bryan Valeriani** · November 21st, 2002, 07:30 PM

I can't understand how anyone could possibly say that Steve Smith's playing is overrated!! I just saw him for the 4th time at the Montreal Drumfest and he was brilliant... a true master of the instrument. Every time that I have seen him he just gets better and better. I am also a huge Weckl fan and feel that they are both masters to learn from... any video/teaching product that these guys put out will always have some important information that we can all benefit from.

**Derek DeFields** · November 21st, 2002, 11:38 PM

LOL! Steve, I hope you bought this shit. he breaks down the "bluzdah" lick! I just about fell off of my chair laughing. I told you he was the master abuser of that lick. (GB is a close 2nd)

**Steve Holmes** · November 23rd, 2002, 12:51 AM

Let me preface this by saying that I've been a fan of Smith's since Journey. His early DCI videos went beyond inspiring, they helped shape me as a drummer. I have seen him live several times and have most of his CD's.

I got the DVD and have watched about 90% of both discs. There's a TON of info on here that I think this upcoming generation really needs. His tour of the History of US music and drumming is priceless and he should be commended for his dedication to the craft as well as his desire to share the knowledge. Reminds me of Wynton Maralsis.

About his playing let me say this. There is something about it that bugs me and it hit me as I was watching: In the opening segment of him talking from the console room I noticed that he was obviously reading from a script he had written. It seemed very un-emotional and impersonal to me. He was just reciting basically.

He appears to play that way as well to me.

His drum solos are constructed and recited and seem to lack emotional expression. Watching the alternate takes of some of the stuff shows nothing "alternate" about them. Why? Because a lot of the stuff is pre-planned and played in the same order in the same manner. Almost like classical music. It seems he has gone SO over the top with technical analysis and relaxation that there's nothing left, literally. No emotion, no CHANCE TAKING, no ba...well you get the idea. It almost seems the REASON to play is to focus on the HOW I'm playing, not the WHAT I'm playing.
He has perfect spelling and grammar but is not telling compelling stories in my opinion.

Overall it's an amazing offering of knowledge. And yes, he does explain the BLUSH-DA (those that know, know.) I am currently trying to win the crown of "Blush-da abuse." I believe T-bo and Derek may have opinions on this.

**jonthibault** · November 23rd, 2002, 03:32 AM

Steve, when it comes to abusing the blushda, you're without equal! I saw Smith in clinic, and his blushda paled in comparison to yours. (I'd like to see him do the inverted double-blushda with as much fire and passion as my bro Steve-Dog.)

**PocketPlayer** · November 23rd, 2002, 07:34 PM

I have yet to see the DVD, but Steve's take on Smith seems to refelct & resemble his personality. Every time I see him (Smith) at NAMM, he just half smiles, signs the autograph, and moves on. Almost void of true expression or emotion.
A guy, maybe in his mid-40's gave him three 8x10 glossy's of shots he took and carefully crafted of Smith playing and of a shot he took with his son years earlier. An honor by my account. Steve signed each photo, didn't say a word, half baked smile, and moved on to the next fan. He is always like this, year-after-year. By contrast, Kenny Arnoff was right next to him being, well..Kenny!
Dave was known to be a bit...robotic earlier on. He seems to have loosened up.
In another drum forum (ave age maybe 24)the guys are into more popular rock music drummers and one thread was on Weckl and Smith over the new Smith DVD. They get really off at times, but several joked saying that to achieve such a degree of excellence one would have to have lived in a closet for years. Many said that being excellent is one thing, but to sacrafice many of life's other benefits was not worth it. I just dismissed this as a way to rationalize a lack of disipline and commitment. I do agree most simply cannot stick to a task over a long period of time. But, there might be some truth to their ranting...

How much is personality and how much is a shift from emotional expression to a more classical approach emphasizing the 'how' over the 'what'?