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This latest installment from Hudson music sees Jason Bittner demonstrating how to play faster, tighter and more fluently. The award winning drummer for Shadows Fall demonstrates his insights into the world of metal drumming and the methods of self development key to improving in the viewer’s everyday performance.

Some of the topics covered in this DVD include; double-bass techniques, blast beats, a variety of fills, rudimental applications (for warming up to using them for every day situations), soloing techniques, metric modulation and much more. What Drives The Beat (run time 3 hours) comes packed full of bonus material, including; PDF music charts for the play along tracks provided (as well as the exercises provided), a bonus live drum solo filmed in Kawasari, Japan, stretching routines, a photo gallery, and in-concert performances.

The DVD starts off with Jason presenting some of his warm-up techniques and the importance of warming up. One of the interesting warm techniques he uses was using brushes to help with stick grip and increasing speed and fluency. Another interesting concept Jason points out for warming up with the feet is using ankle weights whilst playing constant double bass on practice pedals, as he finds it helps with speed and endurance during a performance.

Jason shows how he can lead effortlessly and efficiently with either his right or left hand, as well as leading with either his right or left foot. The different subjects covered through the DVD, are well thought out and explained in a fashion which enables the viewer to take in everything being shown and incorporate it into their own self-development. He explains towards the end of the DVD the importance of being able to play a variety of styles, as this helps you to be versatile in how you write and play. Jason himself shows the versatility of his playing and how metal music is not just how fast you can play, it’s about substance and being able to manufacture fills, beats and solos that are tasteful as well as having your own feel to whatever your doing.

Jason plays through all of the exercises provided in the bonus material throughout the course of the DVD, raising the issue of how important it is to always play with a metronome, and always start off playing any exercise or rudiment at a slow tempo and building the speed up at a slow and comfortable rate. This DVD basically presents a very original yet educational way to approach the world of metal drumming.

Daniel Kerr

mikedolbear.com

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