The Quick Guide to Playing DOUMBECK: Learn to Play the Doumbek with Todd Roach [English / Spanish / Japanese].

New York, NY Karl Fischer Music, 2004. Video: DVD. One DVD in 'Like New' condition, housed in a protective black plastic clamshell DVD case in Nearly New condition, showing only mild rubbing to the vinyl protective cover. Overall, Near Fine [Close to 'As New']. If there was a printed booklet or insert it is no longer present here. Beginning through Intermediate Skill Levels. Featues Fred Stubbs playing the Ney. Produced and Directed by Ben James. Playing Time: 58 Minutes. Video: DVD. This useful video is quite a departure from the usual format. It starts with Todd playing Doumbek and mixes in " interview " style footage of him chatting about playing. This feels a little strange at first but his comments are thoughtful and useful - he also puts the drum into geographical context. Todd is left handed and so avoids using left and right as terms; for us " righties " the mirror image of his playing is easy to copy. He adopts the sitting style and talks us through holding positions before moving on to the sounds. Todd uses DUN, TA and KA for the sounds and starts with Dun and gives good basic exercises ideal for the complete beginner. Then on to Ta and Ka - both styles are very loose playing styles a bit different from other video teaching styles and introduces useful Ta Ka triplet exercises. Next he talks about "doubling up" the exercises to a steady beat which I was pleased to see as I personally feel this is crucial for learning to play Dumbek clearly at all speeds. Then he introduces BALADI in basic form then with some Ka fills and also vocalizes the rhythm. This is touching on the stuff Intermediate players will need. Todd also adds a melody player to play along with - in this case a Ney player and together they play with the BALADI rhythm and he plays fast and with lots of fills and improvising. The next rhythm is a 6/8 which again is unusual for teaching videos and again there is a good basic approach to counting and feeling 3's and 6's to a beat. The rhythm appears complex at first and he breaks it all down and puts it together again with fills and gives another demonstration with the Ney. On to the SLAP - his technique is unlike any other I have seen - using ring and middle fingers flat on the skin somewhere between Dun and Tac. It sounds OK when he plays it and he is using a clay/fishskin Darabuka to demonstrate and perhaps it works better on these than the metal type but he does use it on these later on. He shows us some exercises for it and how to put it in MAKSOUM. I the next section he is joined by a student of his and they have a little one to one lesson acting as a review of what's happened so far. They play BALADI together - which will be good for beginners to play along to. Next, Todd introduces the MALFUF and a comprehensive study of why it's a 3,3,2 rhythm, which Todd expands with lots of variations and doubling up and playing all this together with his student - a good demonstration on how to turn one pattern into a complex repertoire for two players. Todd then plays a selection of these alone with the Ney player. Finally we have another " interview " section with conclusion advice and reflections and a last demo of various rhythms with the Ney - look out for the first 10 beat rhythm. This is a fine video - well thought-out and presented and very good for the absolute beginner on to Intermediate. At 60 mins it comes as a surprise when it finishes - it feels too short - this is mainly because Todd is meticulous in pacing this with the beginner in mind and his delivery is calm and unhurried. Exercises take up a lot of time which is great as every beginner must start slowly and take small steps if they ever want to sound good and steady. Production and sound are very good and there is an " Internet component offering notation and special tips to enhance your use of the video.