Ultimate Realistic Rock Drum Method

&

35th Anniversary Special Edition

Book & CD

Realistic Rock, written by Carmine Appice in 1972, has sold over 350,000 copies during the last 35 years making it the best selling rock drum method in the world. Many of today's greatest drummers have cut their rock chops on the text.

Over the years the book has gone through a number of updates but now, to celebrate its 35th Anniversary, Alfred Publishing has released a special edition. In this review, I compare the special edition with the latest revision of the book.

Contents
Realistic Rock Drum Method 35th Anniversary Special Edition contains the material as it was printed in 1972, including original cover art and photos. Added is an audio CD, enhanced for use on your Mac or PC, containing instruction by Carmine himself along with a rockumentary covering Carmine's career and playing with Cactus in a 2006 reunion performance.

Realistic Rock Drum Method 35th Anniversary Special Edition contains:

Quarter and Eighth note Rock Patterns.

Accented Off-Beat Bass Patterns.

Sixteenth Note Rhythms

Sixteenth Note Triplets for snare and bass

Syncopation

Hi Hat Rhythms - Open and Closed in Eighth and Sixteenth Note Patterns

Shuffle Rhythms using dotted eighth and sixteenths and triplet ruffs

Rock Fills - One and Two Bar Breaks

Double Bass Rock Rhythms

The 35th Anniversary Special Edition also includes one audio CD enhanced for your PC/Mac and iPod compatible.

The updated version of the book, Ultimate Realistic Rock Drum Method, contains all of the above chapters plus these additional chapters:

Linear Rudiments

Odd Time Rock - 7/8 and 9/8 including transitions to 4/4

Combinations using hands and feet for fills

Rave/Dance Patterns

In addition, The Ultimate Realistic Rock Drum Method includes two audio CDs, which include CD Play-Along Songs that contain a click track that you can use to play along to three of Appice's songs that are included without drums.

Bottom Line: Which Version For You?
The bottom line is that Carmine Appice's Realistic Rock Drum Method is a compendium of practical  rock patterns and fills that every drummer should own, regardless of musical style. But with two different versions now available, which one should you buy?

If you're a true Appice fan, you'll probably want Realistic Rock Drum Method 35th Anniversary Special Edition, which is published on high quality glossy paper with contents designed for the collector. It contains all of the exercises that were in the original 1972 version with some added extras and retails for $39.95.

If you're just looking to add some practical realistic rock grooves and fills to your bag of tricks, you'll find that Ultimate Realistic Rock Drum Method contains more information to sink your chops into and, at a retail price of $29.95, costs less than the Special Edition.

Die hard fans will most likely want both.