I’m going to keep this review short and to the point, just like Ringo’s new masterclass on Masterclass.com.
One word: FUN!
If you’re looking for some in-depth, highly technical treaties on playing drums or the drum parts that Ringo created for all of those iconic Beatles tunes, you’re not going to get it here in this video series. From a technical standpoint, the material in this new masterclass featuring Ringo Starr is “an inch deep”. This isn’t a Hudson Music or even Hal Leonard drum instructional video.
This new masterclass is a virtual version of what you’d get if you got to hang out with Ringo for an hour or two in person. He talks about his history with music (including his time in the Beatles), why he loves playing drums, and how to joyfully collaborates with other musicians. Anyone who is a hardcore Ringo fan probably won’t get anything new out of this new video series, but I don’t think that’s the point.
This new Ringo Starr video series on Masterclass.com is really just about getting the “glittering generalities” from a musical icon and escaping from your own real world for a little while. I came away with a smile on my face and, for a brief moment, returned to that feeling of child-like love for my instrument that I often forget about in the course of my day-to-day life.
Is it worth buying a Masterclass.com subscription just to watch Ringo talk about drums? Maybe, maybe not. If you LOVE Ringo, definitely. And if, like me, you already have a yearly All-Access Pass, then this is worth sitting with for a little over an hour. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
As someone who is a fan of Ringo, Gregg Bissonette, AND Jim Keltner, it was worth my time just to see the three of those guys all play drums together! It made me wish they’d set up a fourth drum set and called me to come over and hang out with them, too! 😉
All that being said, I have three 2-week All Access passes that I can give away for Masterclass.com. To enter the drawing that I’ll do on November 25th, just leave a comment below with your favorite Ringo drum track below in the comments section. I’ll pick three of them at random and send three lucky people that 2-week Masterclass.com Guest Pass absolutely FREE!!