After a long and succesfull career, drum legend Jim Chapin has died on July 4 at the age of 89. Throughout his life Chapin became the ambassador of the \'Moeller method\' after learning it as a youngster from inventor Sanford A. Moeller himself. Chapin wrote several methods that each became standards in studying drums and can be found on every school in the world. He inspired en taught many icons into their personal greatness like Cesar Zuiderwijk, Thomas Lang, Dom Famularo and Steve Smith, who, at the age of 12, already studied \'Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer, Vol.I\', often called \"the definitive study on coordinated independence\".\"With the Moeller System you are able to \'move\' the best. I have taught the best drummers of the world. They didn\'t become who they are because of me, but the Moeller system brought them where they are now. Without it you can not play accents. You can do everything without Moeller, except for playing accents.\"
\"I have never been a great drummer. You know, I am not half as good as I could be. There are so many guys that don\'t have my techniques, but they are much better musicians. Max Roach, Steve Gadd, the list goes on. Mel Lewis wasn\'t that good of a drummer, but one of the best musicians. But honestly, I like the monsters, drummers that have the technical skills and are musicians as well. Like Will Calhoun, Simon Phillips, Sonny Emory, Vinnie Colaiuta and Dennis Chambers. They are my kind of players!\"
\"At one time, Max Roach told me my book showed him possibilities: \"We couldn\'t play a thing\", he said. Philly Joe Jones and Fredy Gruber, they got high together and practiced all day.\"
His dvd, \'Jim Chapin: Speed, Power, Control, Endurance\', is a standard in studying technique as well. The booklet that comes with it is a free download on his website. You can download it here as well and study his timeless material. Below you find some video\'s from YouTube to see the master at work. At the bottom of this I.M. you find a listing of all his personal releases.
You can order most of Mr. Chapin\'s work on Dom Famularo\'s website: www.domfamularo.com/ordering
