Both books were written after Peter had studied with North Indian Tabla Drum Master, Mahapurush Misra,[2] who was teaching and playing with Usted Ali Akbar Khan in a summer program of North Indian Classical Music at the University of California, Berkeley campus in 1966.

Both volumes deal with polymeters and polyrhythms, and are presented, in a step-by-step manner, through exercises and etudes that progress from easy to difficult.

Gunther Schuller of the New England Conservatory called Musicians Guide to Polyrhythms "... a very important contribution".

In 1993, Modern Drummer Magazine ranked Polyrhythms The Musician's Guide as #6 in its survey of "the 25 Greatest Drum books".

Polyrhythms For The Drumset endorsers include: Vic Firth, Steve Smith, Cindy Blackman, Peter Erskin, Roy Burns, Jim Chapin, Chad Wackerman, Anthony Cirone, Louie Bellson, William F. Miller (Modern Drummer Magazine) "Peter Magadini's Polyrhythmic Life" Dec. 2017 Modern Drummer Magazine https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/december-2017-peter-magadinis-polyrhythmic-life/ Jazz Drummers Workshop "Polyrhythms" Jan.1978 Modern Drummer Magazine https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/january-1978-jazz-drummers-workshop-polyrhythms/ "Polyrhythms The Musicians Guide" https://www.amazon.com/Polyrhythms-Musicians-Guide-Peter-Magadini/dp/0634032836 "Polyrhythms For The Drumset" https://www.amazon.com/Polyrhythms-Drumset-Book-Peter-Magadini/dp/089724821X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_1/130-3900444-4100417?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G0B2WPEMY1D36V9D980H San Francisco Conservatory of Music Alumni Peter Magadini March 2016 https://sfcm.edu/library/archives/oral-history-project/peter-magadini