Now, before I start in, I should explain that I don’t have a doumbek, or any other type of drum, anywhere in the house.  So why would Zaina and Carmine ask me to review these DVD’s?  Well, because I’m not a drummer.  And Baby Beginner is geared for the novice…..you know that person who didn’t own a drum/doumbek/tabla/darbuki until today.
 
Shot at three different workshops, this DVD goes over hand position for the three basic sounds on a drum; doum, tek and ka.  It does just what the label says, “captures Carmine’s enthusiasm for teaching and his ability to make drumming accessible…”  What the label doesn’t mention is the humor and light heartedness.  The ease of his transitions from hand position explanation to exercise or that the participants for most of the classes are not hard on the eyes either. ;->  The audio is good with only one or two places where there is lightness to Carmine’s voice, so hearing his instructions throughout is clear and easy.
 
Each location looks to have been shot with a three camera set-up.  What this means is that what you see is really Carmine teaching a class with the participants, not a studio setting where you are shooting something 3 or 4 times and choosing the best one for, or editing it down for, the best shot for one scene.  The editing was either done on location with a video switcher or post shooting, where there is more time to choose when to show Carmine and when to show the class participants.  I suspect the former since some of the switches are a little rough.  There are a couple of subtle things that may have been planned out when shooting.  In section one, where he shows us Doum and Tek, there is a plain color background.  Section 2, where he shows Ka and starts the ‘add in’ exercises, is a two color background behind him.  By section 3, where he gives us complicated fill in rhythms, the background behind him is multi-colored.  Subtle background changes like this not only make it easier to find your place in the video, but also cue the viewer that there will be something different here.
 
The extras include two sections of jam sessions which include call and response between Carmine and his students for the day.  What a call and response, for those who may not know, is where a leader puts forth a beat/movement, and the students/crowd returns that same rhythm back.  They are fun to watch and show how much joy drumming can be.  There is also a drum solo with a dancer.  I enjoyed viewing a normal sized woman for a drum solo, but found that the camera work left me wanting.
 
Now I’m going to spend a bit of wording on complimenting the cover design for this DVD.  Why?  Well for one, it is not a bulky plastic thing.  It is only partly plastic and takes up half the space of a regular case.  That is important in a house like mine where DVD storage is always cramped.  The cover is clear, clean and uncluttered.  The other feature that I want to expound on is that you open the front flap and there they are….the rhythms Carmine goes over during the classes written out.  Excellent work Carmine and Blanca.
 
So, by now, if you are wondering if I suggest this DVD, the answer is an unreserved YES!!!  This is definitely a DVD any dancer or drummer should have.  Knowing the tools of your trade are important and this DVD makes knowing the drum and the 6 basic rhythms he teaches, smooth and easy.

You can purchase at carmine.com