You understand what it's about. Too many here think you're a good drummer if you can play 1/256's at 140bpm. On your bass pedals. They're idiots. And certainly no musicians.
I love how he just trusts that playing the Beatles will prove his point, and he’s absolutely right too. Ringo’s clear, open sound is obviously wonderful and requires no explanation; it’s simply perfect.
Have you even listened to The Who? Huge gaps in "My Generation". What Keith did not do was drum solos, he may have an extended bridge but It fit the song. To his fills, they fit the song also.
Just saw one not two days ago. I fucking hate the kid and whoever her teacher is, she played a drum cover of I feel Good song by James Brown on 8th note double pedal. I am very furious that makes me want to punch the damn kid and whoever her teacher is for ruining a good classic song. And when the "so good" lyrics she just did a fill in on triplets totally ruining the song.
Phil Whisenant Uh... "better" is subjective but, yes. It usually means they are in fact "better" if they A) are more coordinated, B) are faster, or C) both. Speed takes skill. And it is entirely aquired through practice. Durp.
Nah dude, i can easily come up with a beat for any song but i dont consider my self a drummer. (im not fishing for compliments; this isnt about me in the first place) True skill is the ability to be one with the beat of the drum, to make every tap and crash and stomp count. True skill is not making a beat thats so good that people will only focus on the drums; true skill is the ability to make everyone go, "My gosh, this is such a good song, but i dont know why." True skill is the ability to get rid of the aspect of skill and welcome in the aspect of mystery; skill is subjective, but true skill is making everyone admit that when it comes to drums, because of you, there will be only one definition of it that everyone can agree on. True skill is the ability to unite people as one, and to unite them anonymously. Mystery is the number 1 fear of everyone in this universe; true skill is turning that fear into an inspiration.
7101998GreenDay hey, im offended by that. I've been playing drums most of my life, they are a big part of me and my greatest passion, so when I play a song, sure I play the song, but I certainly also plays the drums, feel every damn hit
With all that's being said guys, all I'm saying is serve the music to it's genre. If I'm playing a Pop song, I'll lay the 2s and 4s and serve it as it is, if I'm playing a prog metal song, I'll serve it as it is too. I'm not saying fast chops is bad, neither am I saying "just playing the 2s and 4s" is bad. All I'm saying is to serve the music. I hope everyone can focus on the positive side to this video rather than bite each other's head off. Let's all agree on working towards being better musicians in whichever instrument we play, I have personally taken a few steps back to review my own approach to my own playing many times in my career, and each time I point out something in my playing that I don't like and try to better myself, but in the midst of it all, I try to create my own style, identity and voice. Our musical journey lasts a lifetime and never ends. So please continue to work towards being better. :-)
I agree, and I would also say it is the task for every musician in a group to blend together and compliment each other to create one piece of musical art. Every member of my band writes their own parts in a way that the end product is better than any one musician could have created on their own. Ideally the drummer is also part of the songwriting process and a full member of the band. Every band member counts. Keep on rocking.
Hey guys. 6 years on and I’m happy that this video is being shared and judging from the comments, there are many points of views. I appreciate all the comments and opinions. Some agree and some don’t agree, but this is exactly why music is so awesome, everyone’s approach and views are different. Imagine if everyone had agreed, this art form would be boring. Keep me coming guys. Love it!
What are your thoughts on Dave Grohl’s drumming in his Nirvana days? I’d always thought he was another great example of a technically incredible musician (who could do anything at will behind the drum kit), but purposefully played to the level of simplicity that fit their songs.
@@Bharathk Love his drumming. He delivered what was needed. Not only did he support the song. He gave the song an extra boost, especially with his delivery in "tone" Imagine "Breed" without the 16th note intro on the snare! and imagine "Breed" with a snare that sounds like cardboard on that intro. It just wouldn't have made that song so great. The fill-ins on that song may not be planned. But it was definitely played with immense musicality, coming from a great guitarist and a vocalist himself.
brandon - this is one of my favourite videos ever - and just came back to revisit it again. i think about this example all the time and just want to show my appreciation to you for this demonstration. 🙇
This is simply my favorite MUSIC lesson ever. I’m a bass player and this has changed my entire perspective on how to approach making music, and it’s impacted how I listen to music. Scott Plouf’s work with Built to Spill is some of my favorite drumming ever. Power + simplicity.
drummers don't need a drum set to punch the vocalist, stomp on the ground, snap or just simply beatbox. and you try to carry that much. imagine having to carry 8 guitars.(drumset: 4 drums + 3 hats)
Exactly. Like when Brad Wilk played with The Smashing Pumpkins, great drummer for Rage Against The Machine, and both are bands I love, but damn, that was just awkward all around.
You need to be able to keep time, however you'll discover not everything should be "on beat" - i.e. jazz, bebop, fusion or funk (they're most always utilizing syncopation - anticipation or retardation) highly "Off-Beat"... 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a - the beat may be 2 and 4 but the drums playing emphasis syncopated on the "a" of 1 and possibly the "and" of 4. The relevance really is "keep time" so meter and tempo are everything... i.e. 4/4 at 120bpm - maintaining such coming back from fills etc. I will tell you this, and is true as far as I may tell - a "band" is only as good as it's drummer. When a drummer cannot keep time he sticks out like a sore thumb and the band as a whole sounds bad. That is something not necessarily true of the other band members, when they're off a bit - it's far less obvious. Which brings us back to what Mr. Khoo's answer was - you play to the requirement of the song or piece. I'm just really a guitar player... my experience range from jazz standards through shred and metal, I've played with some great drummers and some bad too ... i.e. the most annoying thing is when you have some speed metal drummer who lacks tempo-sense ... he starts out on tempo and increases tempo coming back off every fill - but not in the piece - feels like he's racing to the end.
Timing is vital, as is knowing what is required from the song (setting the mood..). One aspect very often overlooked is how hard someone is banging on the drum. I've been fortunate enough to see some great ones live like Buddy Rich, Neil Peart & Lenny White. All time machines who knew (& know) their music intimately & could (can) play very soft or with authority when called for. All together that is what makes a great drummer.. The best drummers have all the preceding qualities, but never play a song the same way twice. Why..? Because they can.. ;D
Brandon Khoo I liked how you turned the question around. I bet many in this audience did not have high regard for Ringo, thinking he only play like the song "In My Life", but they could never duplicate his playing in "A Day in the Life".
Oh yeah, what exactly did he say, other then the music should take precedence? Every music teacher I've come across gives that same advice. It's just common sense. What really makes a great musician is a good ear and a whole lot of practice. Even then there is no guarantee.
"All she does is keep the beat" Yeah, that's what a drummer has to do first and foremost. I remember Copeland saying something along the lines of "and now I'll show you something only a select few contemporary drummers can actually pull off anymore". And he played down a very simple but VERY precise 3 minute drum bit. And that's the sad truth: A lot of drummers today simply can't hold down a beat without a metronome plugged into their ears.
0x777 Like who? I think we're just giving "famous" drummers too much credit. Ringo his praised because he was in a famous band. Take him out of the beatles and he's just an average drummer.
lonewolf604 He always played precisely what the song needed, never show-boated...whether he is 'technically' the best is irrelevant, as a musician he has a brilliant ear, and that is key.
samostig And you could have said that about anybody who joined the beatles. And we're talking about a drummer in the 60's, technical drumming didn't really exist back then anyway.....He didn't NOT showboat because of necessity, he didn't showboat because he couldn't
+lonewolf604 Technical drummimg didn't exsist back then? The 30s,40s, and 50s were the golden era of great drummers! Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Warren Dobbs, Sonny Greer, Louie Bellson, Joe Morello, Hal Blaine, and the list goes on. Ringo is an excellent drummer for his genre. He played what he needed to play, and played it very well. He's not Neal Peart, he's Ringo.
lonewolf604 Sorry I have to disagree with this statement. How do u know what any drummer was or wasn't capable of in the 60s? As Brandon rightly states in the video 'he served the song!' (And still does!:) ) IMO 'technical' doesn't have to mean fast tempos or complicated fills; in fact it should include having a good 'ear' as Ringo clearly does.
I disagree with you on one point. I completely agree with Carter Bruford of the Dave Mathews Band. When asked about how he felt about being the timekeeper for the group he replied: "They're all professionals. They can keep their own damn time." True musicians should not rely on another instrument to keep time for them. That's lazy.
John Jones it's not lazy... it's the drummers job to keep the band together. I saw one Muse live video on CZcams. He played new born, started way too fast so when the hi hat came in dom slowed him down to around the right time.
Joshua Burger "Showing off" is pretty subjective. Was Neil Peart a show off? What about Billy Cobham? Complex drumming can complement music depending on what's trying to be portrayed. Brann Dailor from Mastodon went ape shit on their debut record, but it made the album that much heavier.
+John Jones In an orchestra you have someone right in the middle which keeps the whole people together. All of the members of an orchestra are all professionals. They know how to keep time. But it's harder to keep a harmonized group. Even if it's 3 or 4 or if its 40. You should not rely on other instruments ONLY. You should train your ear to have the notion and keep time. Put it like this. Imagine an army that goes in battle. If no one is leading they would not be battling as a whole army. They all know what to do, how do it, and what's the best strategy. But if someone leads and commands the troops, their attack will be much more effective and less prone to flaws
Thank you! There are 1001 ways of explaining this to a certain degree. also depends on what level they are playing at, also what genre and how they see music.
Ringo is the Tim Duncan of drumming. The casual fan doesnt think much of Duncan but those who appreciate basketball know that his greatness in simplicity puts him as an all time great.
I can't play a drum solo for shit, can't do rudiments if my life depended on it, my drum rolls are uneven and Brandon Khoo is a thousand times better than I will ever be.......but I always seem to find the right groove for my bands songs. " It's better to be a good drummer in a band than a great drummer in your basement "........My eighth grade music teacher, Mr. Morton.
You may not be good at your rudiments and still are good in a band, but you should probably practise them anyway. I found when I began my drum journey I was alright, but when I started going to lessons and studying my rudiments properly I found my music flowed so much better than before I had practised my rudiments. You should know your rudiments and practise rolls and such, because they add to the ingredients that you use to do your drumming. You wouldn't make a cake without a recipe right? What your eigth grade teacher said is subjective advice, and I certainly wouldn't have taken it but it's probably because our styles differ, as unlike many I specialise not in rock or metal (I like jazz music haha). It doesn't make one any less of a drummer whether they've played in bands or can do their rudiments amazingly because both are important. You should be a great drummer in your basement and a great drummer in a band, not one or the other, because playing live is just as important as sitting alone and working on your technical skills.
Yeah, there are some excellent drummers that have zero radio play (Gene Hoglan, Paul Bostaph, Dave Lombardo), & several suck ass drummers that are allllllll over the radio (AC/DC, Metallica). It's not just about the skill of one over another, but obviously the connections you have.
+Flacid House "AC/DC & Metallica have much better drummers"...........than who?? A fucking toddler with a wooden spoon & a pan?? You've obviously never heard the drummers I mentioned. They fucking crush those douchebags in ac/dc & Metallica.
Damn, I wish the world had more musicians like you, *to play what the music requires*, specially in heavy metal, I'm so tired of the "I play as fast as I hold in bed", and I feel I'm alone in this, everyone around me love it...
I like the typical modern metal fan do like blast beats. However it is sometimes disappointing when it is over used. The kick drum is the most abused in this case I think. One of my favorite bands switched drummers, and their next album was a continuous kick blast beat. To be fair the new drummer wanted to be a guitarist but the band only needed a drummer, so I don't think he was particularly inspired to take it easy on the kick.
Immorpher stuff like infant annhilator and all that 'grindcore' (?) crap where it's just constant blast beats is just damn annoying imo. They don't even have to be used sparingly, a great drummer could incorporate many blast beats into a song and not make it sound dull. If you've heard 'i' by Meshuggah then you'll know what i mean. Their drummer makes good use of blast beats throughout the whole 21mins. And by 'kick blast beat' I assume you mean just constant 32nd note kicks? Sometimes it gets so ridiculous it just sounds like a fart lol.
Yes indeed, I am talking about those 32nd note kicks. I don't completely hate them as I will use something like that in a new song. But some albums I have heard don't have breaks in them, so it is hard to appreciate when they are there. Just listened to the Meshuggah album and the drummer mixes up the kicks quite nicely!
That's not how all metal is, though. Jimmy Bower from Down is a great drummer who doesn't do that. Tommy Buckley from Soilent Green is fast, but he does something totally different. Igor Cavalera sounds good to me. I don't like Bring Me the Horizon, but they have a good drummer.
I totally agree. Namely come together. Iconic. But fun fact; in an interview Paul McCartney was asked if ringo was the best drummer in the work. He replied; ringo isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles. Lol!
Meg White's seemingly telepathic connection to Jack White was incredible to witness live. Simple as the beats were, Jack is not a simple person to play with. Pretty incredible stuff.
This guy knows what he's talking about. Good music is in the air. It's in the atmosphere. It stays there until a great musician hears it and plays it. Great musicians don't create music; They simply filter it out of the air that surrounds them.
***** Couldnt agree more. I find more inspiration for music just starting my day than i do trying just sit down and force things. Ive written more songs in my head before even touching guitars than i have any other way.
The drumming Ringo came up with on that song fit that song and complimented the whole of it-it was "simple" but creative by leaving holes in spots-IE he accented it with spaces and gaps instead of fills-as most drummers do.
I just ran across this video quite by accident. I must say I could not agree with this guy more. Whether you like the Beatles or you don't; whether you like Ringo Starr or you don't, I've always professed that there is not a better drummer who could play Beatles music better than Ringo Starr did on every single song on every one of their albums. He was a master at coming up the with most stylistic drum parts for every one of their songs. No one could have done it better. Many people know he was not the most well-schooled drummer around and left a lot to be desired in the chops department. But every single measure he played was perfect for the song he was playing on at the time. He was one of the most creative participants and underrated musicians of the time even as he was playing with the other three virtuosos who comprised the Beatles. I don't know Brandon Khoo and I've never heard of him, but he hit the nail on the head squarely by making this analogy. I would imagine he is a superior educator who knows more about drumming than most of the big powerhouses who we all think so highly of. When he started to answer this question by mentioning the Beatles, I hoped he was going to make an example of how Ringo should be rightfully mentioned as one of the great drummers ever, solely for his work with the Beatles. To be clear, I'm not a huge fan of Ringo, but I'm a fan of all the great drumming he left for the world in conjunction with the Beatles. Hats off to Brandon Khoo, a master educator who knew exactly how to answer this question and did so while quietly exalting a master drummer of his time, Ringo Starr!!
Following the music is definitely the first priority. That's something every musician needs to know. That's why when i learn or write a new song I start out with simple beats. doesn't mean you can't play the complicated stuff. It can add value to the song, but only if you know when and where to place it. Don't overdo it.
ive played drums for over 11 years now ,and the one thing i say to EVERYONE who wants to start playing drums is Its not hard to play fast (blast beats,double pedal etc) its hard to play slow,with alot of feelings and precise. you have to go through the same thing when learning how to drive a car.. its REALLY easy to just press down the gas and steer the car on the freeway, but when you have to go from stopping to 50kmh constantly ..its actually alot harder. remember this,
I play the guitar and its the same thing. All that tapping and shredding looks good, and afcourse it sounds good. But try playing that soulfull slow blues. That`s when shit gets hard. With fast playing you hit a bunch of notes that sounds good when played together. But when you play the slow soulfull notes every note can stand by itself.
I've been playing for about 10 years now, and I can tell you, it's very, very difficult to play fast yet precise. If anyone comes to me saying it's easy maintaining a 200 bpm blast beat for 10 minutes I'd say you know very little about playing drums indeed. Sure, it's not complicated, but I've never seen a non-metal drummer maintain this speed for more than a few seconds.
youd be surprised how many of the top metal drummers play wrong, which is just another evidence that playing fast isnt hard, even if you play sloppy you can get away with it. anyone can learn to play fast alot easier than playing the perfectly slow rythm songs. Ive never really practiced playing fast and i do it well. it just comes to you naturally with experience. so all the shit about jordison being a good drummer for example? i think he's average. most of his beats are intermediate at most ,but what makes him a good drummer is his music theory knowledge.
tac0 That's why I specifically said playing very fast, yet precise is very difficult. I wasn't saying anything about what you could or couldn't get away with. Any style can be played sloppily. I don't like Jordison's playing one bit and that has nothing to do with what I said either. I say this just because Jordison's not the type of player I have in mind at all. If you're interested you can listen to "Invictus" by George Kollias. If what he's doing isn't difficult to replicate then I'm at a loss as to why no one seems to be able to do it. And it also doesn't matter how complicated or simple any particular beat is, it's about speed, precision, power, and stamina. Pretty much everybody can play a blast beat; that's not the point at all. I know from experience that trying to maintain blast beats at 200 bpm and higher absolutely wrecks your limbs. Sure, most players can do this for a few seconds, but the point is maintaining speed, precision and power consistently throughout an hour-long gig. If you don't practice playing this regularly, you will tire after 10-30 seconds and start falling behind.
A lot of drummers can play blast beats and double bass at 250+ bpm. Very few drummers can hold a steady beat at 12 bpm, as Derek Roddy demonstrated in his 12 bpm challenge.
Any time someone tells me Ringo sucks, I ask two questions. 1. Do you like the Beatles? 2. What could you have done on drums to make their music better?
I never touched a clarinet in my life, and I know Squidward sucks. So, the second question is bullshit. First is debatable, but also, probably, bullshit.
You absolutely missed the point. He didn't say a word about how much Ringo makes - he was referring to his worth with regards to how he added value to the songs through artistic playing.
There are so many genres in the world. but very few drummers can pull off 90% of the genres, but there is one drummer, whom I think may have done it all, from Pop, to Rock, to Jazz, to Metal. His name is Vinnie Colaiuta.
+Jessi Krishka simple repetive beats?? his beats are mad! the main rhythms might sound simple, but you get lost at the first fill trying to follow him, meanwhile he still goes. And, to everybody: enough with this story! insulting Lars Ulrich is just another thing to be cool on the internet...
This is a brilliant demonstration. It has the same enlightening effect that Victor Wootens video on "wrong notes" had on me. It's insane how obvious the advice sounds and yet many of us never thought about it that way.
Thank you! many things are actually obvious to us. but we tend to not notice it because we are too near the element in itself. it took me many years to realise this... and im sure I've got much more to learn as well.. but Its the journey of discovery we should enjoy...
Restraint is not crashing every bar. LOL I still sometimes forget and do it from time to time, and then when i listen back to the performance, i kick myself. LOL
I suppose its about finding that middle ground - that sweet spot between serving the music and tastefully inserting your own character into the music :)
Yeah, I mean, I know a drummer who is very capable but is so overly fixated on "serving the music" and the whole "less is more" thing that his playing is very tasteless and energetically flat because he's too scared to let his hair down, so to speak haha. Don't be like that guy but don't flood the music either :)
@ Jeremy Pl: There are actually more than a few clowns out there who will tell you with a straight face that Dave Grohl sucks. Yeah- sure he does, pal. And I suppose next you're going to tell me you're not a dipshit...
This was a lesson I started to learn as a guitar player. I found that the best guitarists knew how to serve the song. They could be technically proficient but could also do it in a way that serves the song as well as knowing when to back off. From what I learned, you have to find that balance to know when to play simple and when to play complex.
He has perfectly fitting drum lines, as in, perfectly fitting the beats and tempo, not the song. He's drowning the whole song like that and it feels like a drum solo with background music. I thought his point was clear enough.
Also for those saying ringo or Meg white aren't "good," you're out of your mind and I'm thinking you're not getting a lot of session gigs. Take nick mason of pink Floyd. He admits himself that he's not the most technically proficient drummer. But can you imagine anyone else playing on dark side of the moon? He plays for the song.
Nick Mason is easily the best drummer of all time; Echoes Live at Pompeii is the best drumming I've ever heard. Buddy Rich couldn't even achieve the sound Mason has. To even mention Meg White in the same comment is appalling.
If you really think about it, it takes a lot of finesse to play that beetles song on the drums, and I am not being sarcastic. there is a reason as to why Ringo is so successful! Have a look at my drumming idol Steve Gadd, same thing. He does the same thing over and over again, but dammit it work and it's really all you need!
I think that in his entire career with the Beatles, Ringo took one drum solo and that was on the last side of the last album they ever made - Abbey Road. Technically, Ringo seemed like a fish out of water, a lefty playing a right-handed kit, but he was, without a doubt, the best (and perfect) drummer the Beatles could have ever asked for. Paul McCartney has said that from the first time he sat in on drums for them, they knew he was the perfect fit. His focus was always making the song better, period. Cheers....
I like Ringo as a drummer. He may not have the best abilities in the world to play crazy fast stuff but he has always a steady beat and knows how to play good fills. The example with "In My Life" showed his inventiveness, a nice drumsample that doesn't sound boring and serves excellently the song.
+Mediantor Don't forget Strawberry Fields Forever too. Love the drumming in that. Also, if you listen to the Anthology version, you get to hear a pretty awesome drum solo as John says "cranberry sauce" lol
+Mediantor I agree, been playing drums off and on for 45 years and I have borrowed more riffs from Ringo than anyone else. I've even made my 3 rules of Ringo drumming;1 keep the beat, 2 cue the chord changes, 3 do the fills. Follow that and musicians will be all over you
When I first started I use to think to be a good drummer was all about the speed and complexity, with age & wisdom now I come to realize that it is yeah mainly what the guy said; appropriateness Is key. not to be a show off but having the capability to know that you can and add that flare into the song with.. appropriateness
Its not about the slow beat approach or the faster lane, its about what music you are playing. A slow up beat will not work well in hardcore metal genre and vice versa, and you have to choose your music before you even approach on your techniques. To me like this man in the video says its to serve the music you are playing and add your signature if you ever find one where its appropriate.
So true and an excellent example of drumming that fits the song. Ringo did well at playing what his songs required. Music is sometimes best when it is simple.
I suppose one's opinion of simple vs complicated drumming depends on one's level of experience. Keep trying and maybe you'll be able to play this remedial drum part without training wheels.
Bold statement "The singer will try and make you think that they are the most important part"... they are important because they have the lyrics, but they are are one part of the whole picture. Very well said.
Nothing against singers. I love them but in a band, everyone plays and "Equal" and important role, if one member doesn't, the song falls apart, than that defeats the purpose of being in a band. Thank you for your kind words.
Pocket awareness (along with other attributes) is what I love about cats like (in no particular order) Billy Cobham , Rod Morgenstein, Will Kennedy, Omar Hakim, Dave DiCenso, Harvey Mason, Mark Walker, Larry Finn, Tom Brecthlein, Kim Wakefield and Steve Michaud, to name a few...
John Bonham, not the most technical player in the world, but one of the best. He can really feel a beat and play in the pocket. One of the best rock drummers in history.
JoshLikeCrazy Heavy Metal may indeed be the exception to the rule, for many. I used to like Metal too but broadened my tastes as age crept up on me. I think it was Count Bassie who said there are only two types of music, good and bad. I have never seen a good dance band with a lame drummer or a hot Latin act with lousy percussionists but I have seen great blue grass, country and folk acts with no drummer at all. Now I am just confused, thanks Josh. Cheers!
Spot on explanation. I'm a professional trumpet player and you have given excellent advice and definition of what a "good" musician is to be. It's not about us.
Thank you Brandon, this is the most important thing I've learned from watching so many videos. Many drummers try to constantly impress everyone with what they can play, instead of playing to enhance the song.
When I was a young drummer (10-25 or so) I used to emulate Neil Peart. And I couldn't get a gig. Now - I do my best to keep it simple, lock in with the bassist and play groove and feel... I now have my pick pf gigs in NYC. don't be a hero.... just play a tasty part that fits the music and you'll always get a job as a drummer
It is great to be able to play like Neil Peart. The more sticks in your bag, the better. But as a wise person once said - knowing what notes to play is important but it is just as important to know what notes NOT to play.
Well, yeh. But, I think the point of this was that most people's perception of good and bad is skewed. She's not good, but she's not good for a different reason than what the person in the audience stated.
Yeah but she can rock a show, that's gotta count for something. Plus she's fun to watch, although I'll admit that may just be because she has big juggs that bounce while she plays.
I'd say that her off beat playing helps make the white stripes sound the way they do. The sound they always went for was really raw, 'childish' sounding. And the out of time playing adds to that sound in my opinion.
The best drummers are the ones that can get the most possible amount of extra beats, strikes, fills and cymbal crashes in the shortest period of time. Here are some other helpful tips: Play as loud as you can. Especially in real small, echoey rooms. Be sure to play extremely fast whenever possible. Speed always adds energy to a song. Constantly change your beats. Add that variety, because the same beat gets boring after a while. Be sure to drink a lot, or get plenty of drugs in your system before playing. The old saying "I play better drunk or high" is true. Never take any criticism from you band mates or the audience. You are the drummer, and you know best. Try to play as many different fills and chops as you can. You want to show everybody possible how good you are. Never practice or prepare before playing a song or a gig. Half the fun is figuring out spontaneously what to play. Try to come up with a different drumbeat or style sometimes just before you play a song live. You will impress your band mates and the audience with your creativity. Never be consistent. Speed up, slow down, play loud, then quiet, skip a beat or go out of time, even during the same song. Variation is what makes you sound better. Make sure you have an attitude about your playing. Never take any crap from anybody. You are the professional drummer, and pros know what they are doing. Nobody is as qualified as you are in what your are doing... If you follow these steps, you will be inundated with more bands and gigs than you can handle... Maybe not...
Is this a joke? Or were you actually being serious? Well, your last sentence did say "or maybe not", so I suppose this means I should take it as a joke? ????
I personally think Ringo is one of the most underrated drummers in history. Listen to the drummers of the 50's, then listen to Ringo's drumming on the early 60's Beatles stuff such as "Please Please Me", "She Loves You", "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" etc. IMHO He's the real father of solid rock drumming. Keith Moon was soon to follow, but he was on the complete opposite end of the field than Ringo.....Moon was much more wild, and showey, and sometimes IMHO overplayed. Then about 5 years later came John Bonham, and he revolutionized, not so much solid rock drumming, but technical power rock drumming. Then about 5 years after Bonham came AVH with "Hot For Teacher", and that began the whole double bass, speed playing style drumming, then after that started coming the double bass thrash metal drumming, along with a resurrection of the Bonham style power drumming with the Seattle Alternative/Grunge music.....I know there were countless other amazing drummers during that timeline, but I'm mentioning the ones that really left a mark in the different generations of music. Neil Peart is definitely a mention, but I don't see where he created a certain style, he was just so fucking quick and right on the money with his fills and beats. I haven't yet really seen a drummer who plays like Peart.....Peart is one of a kind. Same with Steward Copeland.....he was amazing at his off meter reggae style drumming. Both Peart and Copeland are absolutely amazing, but they're on their own because I've not really seen anyone else copy their style too much.......Then Meg White came out, and everyone puked lol
That was Brandon Koo's point, that Ringo played economically and tastefully according to the Beatles song at the time, in this case, 'In My Life', George Harrison was the same when he played guitar....I might have misread his (Brandon Koo's) audience, but when he played drums wildly to 'In My Life' some in the audience seemed to think this was better, when in fact it was drowning the song .
I can't fault your analysis on Ringo or Peart, but Alex Van Halen did not pioneer double-bass drumming in any context, he was a follower not a leader. Double bass drumming was used in a rock context since the days of Ginger Baker and Ian Paice in the 60s and early 70s, and achieved (relatively) mainstream popularity with Phil Taylor's warp-speed performance on Motorhead's Overkill album in 1979. From then onwards, it was employed by many metal drummers, even before Metallica, Slayer and other thrash bands hit the scene. Plenty of British speed metal bands of the early 80s had fleet-footed drummers, and it was these bands which inspired thrash, leading to Metallica's debut in 1983.
+2TUFSS But I'm referring to drummers who did something that was put on the map. AVH's "Hot for teacher" intro is more well known to the world than any double bass from Ginger Baker I personally don't recall any Cream song that was all double bass like hot for teacher. I don't recall too many songs from the early 80's and prior that were. Not saying there wasn't, but I can't recall them.
Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) did it with "Fireball" way back in 1971, Phil Taylor (Motorhead) did it with "Overkill" in 1979, Les Binks (Judas Priest) did it with "Exciter" in 1978. They all enjoyed huge popularity at the time and arguably did more to popularise the technique than anyone else. Countless legions of metal bands, some well known now, others not so well known, adopted the technique after hearing Les playing that double-bass intro on Exciter. It truly was a landmark moment. Van Halen was a great hard rock band, but in terms of drumming technique, they were playing catch-up. Eddie, as the musician who revolutionised rock guitar, was the innovator in that band.
"Serve the song, serve the music." I love this! As a (VERY) amateur drummer myself, this is exactly how I've always felt about it. "Good" drumming is neat every now and then for a solo, but not when it's overkill. I also consider Ringo one of the greatest around - and not because of his flash. Ringo served the song. And so many of The Beatles' songs would not be the same without him.
Brandon adeptly explains one of the most important lessons not only in drumming, but in music, in this short video. I keep coming back wand watching this, even though I have been playing for over 40 years. His demonstration of how most drummers would attempt to play that Beatles song is spot-on, like it or not. Words of wisdom here, folks.
Having done the band thing, I can 100% emphatically agree with this. Drummers, in my experience, have a tendency to serve their ego rather than the songs. I've gotten bored playing dropped D rhythm power chords, but it was what the song required. Every drummer I've played with always had to play the damn songs like they were expecting Danny Carrey to be listening for a critique post-performance.
Brandon Khoo I like those Black Panther snares. My favorite snare in the world however is the one I heard in Scorpion's Still Loving You, that snare sounds friggin powerful and clean.
There is no best. Could you imagine Nicko playing on a record for an artist like Jill Scott or John Legend? Never. I would say there is probably a "most versatile" drummer and that would be Vinnie Colaiuta hands down. He can play anything from traditional jazz to death metal and do all styles flawlessly.
Ringo could do whatever you asked him on the Beatles. And he could do it perfectly. He easily could have been a lead drummer on another highly successful band and be the vocal point of the music, that’s how good he was. But the Beatles asked him to be the anchor for their music, and he obliged and is a key reason they are so amazing all time
I was very demotivated when I started drumming that I quitted at some point, because I always kept it simple. Omg I feel so much better now. Thank you!
Aww man, I was curious what your answer was going to be to the Meg White question. (Although I'm pretty sure it was going to be the same answer you gave for Ringo). I'm not a huge White Stripes fan by any means, and I can understand why people might consider her a "bad" drummer if they only focus on her technique and simplicity. But I think she is fantastic and I admire her approach. She plays with a unique, child-like, primal, almost reckless energy that I think serves their music beautifully.
Meg is a shit drummer. She can't keep basic time, she has no groove, and at best she has the technical skills of an average junior high school drummer. Jack is the great equalizer because he can make even a shitty drummer almost sound on point because he is so awesome.
honestly, I think meg DOES have skills - if you listen to White Stripes songs, the drumming, while simple, goes well with the vocals and bass and guitar, and thats what matters. She played drums in a way that worked for the songs, ergo she is a good drummer. Complex? no. Do I think that she could do more complex drumming? I dont know. But I know it was not neccesary for the White Stripes, and that her contribution was just fine. I cannot stand people who focus on technique and complexity rather than the actual functionality. If its simple, but it works, why change it?
globalmonkey007 A bad drummer is either one that can't keep time or plays stuff that is wrong for the music. Meg White is not a shit drummer because she can keep time. She's not a great drummer because that's all she seems capable of doing.
exactly... she is not playing for megadeth for instance... you dont need to play like you are in a thrash band if you are not in a thrash band (lars may vary). also ac dc's drums are simple noone is giving them a hard time. (yeah i know they are more complex than seven nation army he refers to in the video, i am not deaf.
Best answer ever - I can totally relate to this, always trying to play something complex so my friends will be impressed with me rather than playing something that perfectly fits the song. But I've gotten a ton better at jamming after having this realization on my own. This was great to watch and very endearing.
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The best drummers are the ones that listen.
You understand what it's about. Too many here think you're a good drummer if you can play 1/256's at 140bpm. On your bass pedals. They're idiots. And certainly no musicians.
They're athletes! :)
same with any musician
+Mark Walters Yes.
Not really. Never broke a sweat playing flute....
Bad drummers don't call their mom on Mother's Day.
Aww man... who fucked up?
Moose Philotus................LOL! nice one.
We're talking about bad drummers, not Satan
bad drummers use their mothers as drums :)
Zachary Goddard Or really how insightful Buzzy McBuzkill
He's right. Don't overplay.
Marc Lois
No there's that point towards the end of the song where you have to break the monotony and go off and pound the shit out of it
Ringo didnt "over play" cuz he didnt want to ...he didnt over play cuz he doesnt have any chops ...Give me a fuggin break
dom anant which band are you in?
A better one than anything you have EVER played in, Junior
dom anant which one?
I love how he just trusts that playing the Beatles will prove his point, and he’s absolutely right too. Ringo’s clear, open sound is obviously wonderful and requires no explanation; it’s simply perfect.
The best drummers are the ones with cowbell
You said it
ahhahahaha
I'm complete.
I have a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!
I gotta have more cowbell!
"Forget all that fancy shit. Play like Ringo." John Lennon to Andy Newmark while recording Double Fantasy.
+Rush Ron Agree
Unless you are keith moon
Have you even listened to The Who? Huge gaps in "My Generation". What Keith did not do was drum solos, he may have an extended bridge but It fit the song. To his fills, they fit the song also.
Moon was good, but sometimes he overplayed IMO, and at times he was pretty sloppy.
the good drummer (what he thinks) wreaked a good song,
Well said!
I hate when amateurs think that playing everything fast and complicated makes them better musicians.
WildVideos I agree 100% but Ringo blows.
Just saw one not two days ago. I fucking hate the kid and whoever her teacher is, she played a drum cover of I feel Good song by James Brown on 8th note double pedal. I am very furious that makes me want to punch the damn kid and whoever her teacher is for ruining a good classic song. And when the "so good" lyrics she just did a fill in on triplets totally ruining the song.
People screw songs up because they really don't know how the song goes to begin with
Phil Whisenant Uh... "better" is subjective but, yes. It usually means they are in fact "better" if they A) are more coordinated, B) are faster, or C) both. Speed takes skill. And it is entirely aquired through practice. Durp.
There is a difference between a MUSICIAN, and an instrument player ;)
True skill is the ability to be creative and come up with something that complements the music well.
Nah dude, i can easily come up with a beat for any song but i dont consider my self a drummer. (im not fishing for compliments; this isnt about me in the first place)
True skill is the ability to be one with the beat of the drum, to make every tap and crash and stomp count. True skill is not making a beat thats so good that people will only focus on the drums; true skill is the ability to make everyone go, "My gosh, this is such a good song, but i dont know why." True skill is the ability to get rid of the aspect of skill and welcome in the aspect of mystery; skill is subjective, but true skill is making everyone admit that when it comes to drums, because of you, there will be only one definition of it that everyone can agree on. True skill is the ability to unite people as one, and to unite them anonymously. Mystery is the number 1 fear of everyone in this universe; true skill is turning that fear into an inspiration.
That sounds like an interesting point of view what have you created bro?
What if you're a dep player? You just need to play the material you're given. You can still be a good drummer without needing to write.
An immature drummer plays drums. A good drummer plays the song. Loved this video!
7101998GreenDay hey, im offended by that. I've been playing drums most of my life, they are a big part of me and my greatest passion, so when I play a song, sure I play the song, but I certainly also plays the drums, feel every damn hit
baconfromhell666 Grow up.
baconfromhell666 you didn't get it
***** That's why a time slot for a drum solo exists.
7101998GreenDay A-MEN!
With all that's being said guys, all I'm saying is serve the music to it's genre. If I'm playing a Pop song, I'll lay the 2s and 4s and serve it as it is, if I'm playing a prog metal song, I'll serve it as it is too. I'm not saying fast chops is bad, neither am I saying "just playing the 2s and 4s" is bad. All I'm saying is to serve the music. I hope everyone can focus on the positive side to this video rather than bite each other's head off.
Let's all agree on working towards being better musicians in whichever instrument we play, I have personally taken a few steps back to review my own approach to my own playing many times in my career, and each time I point out something in my playing that I don't like and try to better myself, but in the midst of it all, I try to create my own style, identity and voice.
Our musical journey lasts a lifetime and never ends. So please continue to work towards being better. :-)
I agree, and I would also say it is the task for every musician in a group to blend together and compliment each other to create one piece of musical art. Every member of my band writes their own parts in a way that the end product is better than any one musician could have created on their own. Ideally the drummer is also part of the songwriting process and a full member of the band. Every band member counts. Keep on rocking.
***** I agree man!
absolutely, dude! keep on, keeping the peace!
exactly
I just learned something today. Thank you.
Hey guys. 6 years on and I’m happy that this video is being shared and judging from the comments, there are many points of views. I appreciate all the comments and opinions. Some agree and some don’t agree, but this is exactly why music is so awesome, everyone’s approach and views are different. Imagine if everyone had agreed, this art form would be boring. Keep me coming guys. Love it!
What are your thoughts on Dave Grohl’s drumming in his Nirvana days? I’d always thought he was another great example of a technically incredible musician (who could do anything at will behind the drum kit), but purposefully played to the level of simplicity that fit their songs.
@@Bharathk Love his drumming. He delivered what was needed. Not only did he support the song. He gave the song an extra boost, especially with his delivery in "tone"
Imagine "Breed" without the 16th note intro on the snare! and imagine "Breed" with a snare that sounds like cardboard on that intro. It just wouldn't have made that song so great.
The fill-ins on that song may not be planned. But it was definitely played with immense musicality, coming from a great guitarist and a vocalist himself.
brandon - this is one of my favourite videos ever - and just came back to revisit it again. i think about this example all the time and just want to show my appreciation to you for this demonstration. 🙇
This is simply my favorite MUSIC lesson ever. I’m a bass player and this has changed my entire perspective on how to approach making music, and it’s impacted how I listen to music. Scott Plouf’s work with Built to Spill is some of my favorite drumming ever. Power + simplicity.
@@modmother Thank you for watching. I hope the message is clear. =-)
A good drummer is one that carries his own gear without fucking moaning about it!
Mr Muck lol
drummers don't need a drum set to punch the vocalist, stomp on the ground, snap or just simply beatbox. and you try to carry that much. imagine having to carry 8 guitars.(drumset: 4 drums + 3 hats)
Damn those drummers are princesses.
tell that to my ampeg svt810. I let you carry that Ill carry that little drum
I'm a drummer but I drive a Bike.. can't move my gear on that.
Anybody who is capable of keeping a good beat is a good drummer.
Ya also gotta know who youre playing with, the style youre playing with
thatll effect your dynamic contrast and what sound youre taking from the set
Exactly. Like when Brad Wilk played with The Smashing Pumpkins, great drummer for Rage Against The Machine, and both are bands I love, but damn, that was just awkward all around.
Not exactly but I would say that somebody able to keep a good beat has the potential to be a good drummer :)
You need to be able to keep time, however you'll discover not everything should be "on beat" - i.e. jazz, bebop, fusion or funk (they're most always utilizing syncopation - anticipation or retardation) highly "Off-Beat"... 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a - the beat may be 2 and 4 but the drums playing emphasis syncopated on the "a" of 1 and possibly the "and" of 4. The relevance really is "keep time" so meter and tempo are everything... i.e. 4/4 at 120bpm - maintaining such coming back from fills etc. I will tell you this, and is true as far as I may tell - a "band" is only as good as it's drummer. When a drummer cannot keep time he sticks out like a sore thumb and the band as a whole sounds bad. That is something not necessarily true of the other band members, when they're off a bit - it's far less obvious. Which brings us back to what Mr. Khoo's answer was - you play to the requirement of the song or piece. I'm just really a guitar player... my experience range from jazz standards through shred and metal, I've played with some great drummers and some bad too ... i.e. the most annoying thing is when you have some speed metal drummer who lacks tempo-sense ... he starts out on tempo and increases tempo coming back off every fill - but not in the piece - feels like he's racing to the end.
Timing is vital, as is knowing what is required from the song (setting the mood..). One aspect very often overlooked is how hard someone is banging on the drum. I've been fortunate enough to see some great ones live like Buddy Rich, Neil Peart & Lenny White. All time machines who knew (& know) their music intimately & could (can) play very soft or with authority when called for. All together that is what makes a great drummer.. The best drummers have all the preceding qualities, but never play a song the same way twice. Why..? Because they can.. ;D
this man has something to say. awesome
***** Thank you Andres! I try my best to keep it simple and explain it the best I can! Thank you so much once again!
Brandon Khoo I liked how you turned the question around. I bet many in this audience did not have high regard for Ringo, thinking he only play like the song "In My Life", but they could never duplicate his playing in "A Day in the Life".
Brandon Khoo
+Robbob9933
Or in ''long, long, long'' ... the little Harisong jem, where Ringo's drums ''sing'' their own percussive melody...
Oh yeah, what exactly did he say, other then the music should take precedence? Every music teacher I've come across gives that same advice. It's just common sense. What really makes a great musician is a good ear and a whole lot of practice. Even then there is no guarantee.
This is a $1000 lesson. For free. Thanks, Brandon.
You are welcome. I'm glad to be able to have shed some light. =-) I wish someone had told me this when i was in my teens. LOL
Ringo kept it so simple in some songs he just held an umbrella.
And in some he just rode an exercise bike.
"All she does is keep the beat"
Yeah, that's what a drummer has to do first and foremost. I remember Copeland saying something along the lines of "and now I'll show you something only a select few contemporary drummers can actually pull off anymore". And he played down a very simple but VERY precise 3 minute drum bit.
And that's the sad truth: A lot of drummers today simply can't hold down a beat without a metronome plugged into their ears.
0x777 Like who? I think we're just giving "famous" drummers too much credit. Ringo his praised because he was in a famous band. Take him out of the beatles and he's just an average drummer.
lonewolf604 He always played precisely what the song needed, never show-boated...whether he is 'technically' the best is irrelevant, as a musician he has a brilliant ear, and that is key.
samostig And you could have said that about anybody who joined the beatles. And we're talking about a drummer in the 60's, technical drumming didn't really exist back then anyway.....He didn't NOT showboat because of necessity, he didn't showboat because he couldn't
+lonewolf604 Technical drummimg didn't exsist back then? The 30s,40s, and 50s were the golden era of great drummers! Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Warren Dobbs, Sonny Greer, Louie Bellson, Joe Morello, Hal Blaine, and the list goes on. Ringo is an excellent drummer for his genre. He played what he needed to play, and played it very well. He's not Neal Peart, he's Ringo.
lonewolf604 Sorry I have to disagree with this statement. How do u know what any drummer was or wasn't capable of in the 60s? As Brandon rightly states in the video 'he served the song!' (And still does!:) ) IMO 'technical' doesn't have to mean fast tempos or complicated fills; in fact it should include having a good 'ear' as Ringo clearly does.
Where are the "not quite my tempo" comments?!?
Did you rush to that comment or drag?
Dragging, duh. Don't kick me out of the comment section, "Fletcher".
dragging just a hair
In 2015
Whiplash is the best movie I have ever seen
a good drummer keeps the entire bands beat with the ability to know when to be simple and when to go nuts. Nobody likes a show off
I disagree with you on one point. I completely agree with Carter Bruford of the Dave Mathews Band. When asked about how he felt about being the timekeeper for the group he replied: "They're all professionals. They can keep their own damn time." True musicians should not rely on another instrument to keep time for them. That's lazy.
John Jones it's not lazy... it's the drummers job to keep the band together. I saw one Muse live video on CZcams. He played new born, started way too fast so when the hi hat came in dom slowed him down to around the right time.
Well, it's Muse, so..................................
Joshua Burger "Showing off" is pretty subjective. Was Neil Peart a show off? What about Billy Cobham? Complex drumming can complement music depending on what's trying to be portrayed. Brann Dailor from Mastodon went ape shit on their debut record, but it made the album that much heavier.
+John Jones In an orchestra you have someone right in the middle which keeps the whole people together. All of the members of an orchestra are all professionals. They know how to keep time. But it's harder to keep a harmonized group. Even if it's 3 or 4 or if its 40. You should not rely on other instruments ONLY. You should train your ear to have the notion and keep time. Put it like this. Imagine an army that goes in battle. If no one is leading they would not be battling as a whole army. They all know what to do, how do it, and what's the best strategy. But if someone leads and commands the troops, their attack will be much more effective and less prone to flaws
Excellent way of explaining drummers.
Thank you! There are 1001 ways of explaining this to a certain degree. also depends on what level they are playing at, also what genre and how they see music.
Phil Collins is my favourite drummer, those 70s Genesis albums and brand x are just WOW. Gavin Harrison currently has the chops as well.
I don't know anything about drums I'm just here
o hi there
Yep, me too
Same. Twenty one pilots?
LMAO, the drummer from 21 Pilots is really trash.
+Dewey76207 we all are |-/
The best drummer is the one that gets the most snatch.
yeah, not you
ha! ha! you guys crack me up! ;-)
Lmaooo yes
answering the real questions here.
LOL
Ringo is the Tim Duncan of drumming. The casual fan doesnt think much of Duncan but those who appreciate basketball know that his greatness in simplicity puts him as an all time great.
I can't play a drum solo for shit, can't do rudiments if my life depended on it, my drum rolls are uneven and Brandon Khoo is a thousand times better than I will ever be.......but I always seem to find the right groove for my bands songs.
" It's better to be a good drummer in a band than a great drummer in your basement "........My eighth grade music teacher, Mr. Morton.
TheVagolfer damn..
You may not be good at your rudiments and still are good in a band, but you should probably practise them anyway. I found when I began my drum journey I was alright, but when I started going to lessons and studying my rudiments properly I found my music flowed so much better than before I had practised my rudiments. You should know your rudiments and practise rolls and such, because they add to the ingredients that you use to do your drumming. You wouldn't make a cake without a recipe right?
What your eigth grade teacher said is subjective advice, and I certainly wouldn't have taken it but it's probably because our styles differ, as unlike many I specialise not in rock or metal (I like jazz music haha). It doesn't make one any less of a drummer whether they've played in bands or can do their rudiments amazingly because both are important. You should be a great drummer in your basement and a great drummer in a band, not one or the other, because playing live is just as important as sitting alone and working on your technical skills.
Yeah, there are some excellent drummers that have zero radio play (Gene Hoglan, Paul Bostaph, Dave Lombardo), & several suck ass drummers that are allllllll over the radio (AC/DC, Metallica). It's not just about the skill of one over another, but obviously the connections you have.
AC/DC and Metallica have much better drummers. You have no taste.
+Flacid House "AC/DC & Metallica have much better drummers"...........than who?? A fucking toddler with a wooden spoon & a pan?? You've obviously never heard the drummers I mentioned. They fucking crush those douchebags in ac/dc & Metallica.
Damn, I wish the world had more musicians like you, *to play what the music requires*, specially in heavy metal, I'm so tired of the "I play as fast as I hold in bed", and I feel I'm alone in this, everyone around me love it...
same. Fuck blast beats (well blast beats themselves arent bad its just overuse of them)
I like the typical modern metal fan do like blast beats. However it is sometimes disappointing when it is over used. The kick drum is the most abused in this case I think. One of my favorite bands switched drummers, and their next album was a continuous kick blast beat. To be fair the new drummer wanted to be a guitarist but the band only needed a drummer, so I don't think he was particularly inspired to take it easy on the kick.
Immorpher stuff like infant annhilator and all that 'grindcore' (?) crap where it's just constant blast beats is just damn annoying imo. They don't even have to be used sparingly, a great drummer could incorporate many blast beats into a song and not make it sound dull. If you've heard 'i' by Meshuggah then you'll know what i mean. Their drummer makes good use of blast beats throughout the whole 21mins. And by 'kick blast beat' I assume you mean just constant 32nd note kicks? Sometimes it gets so ridiculous it just sounds like a fart lol.
Yes indeed, I am talking about those 32nd note kicks. I don't completely hate them as I will use something like that in a new song. But some albums I have heard don't have breaks in them, so it is hard to appreciate when they are there.
Just listened to the Meshuggah album and the drummer mixes up the kicks quite nicely!
That's not how all metal is, though. Jimmy Bower from Down is a great drummer who doesn't do that. Tommy Buckley from Soilent Green is fast, but he does something totally different. Igor Cavalera sounds good to me. I don't like Bring Me the Horizon, but they have a good drummer.
Despite playing fairly 'simple', Ringo has some crazy ass drum fills on some songs.
I totally agree. Namely come together. Iconic. But fun fact; in an interview Paul McCartney was asked if ringo was the best drummer in the work. He replied; ringo isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles. Lol!
World*
No, that was a myth. He never said that. But Paul did do some cuts on the White Album, since Ringo quit when they recorded some songs.
E.g., Back in the U.S.S.R.
I believe it was Lennon who said that Ringo wasn't the best drummer in the Beatles.
Meg White's seemingly telepathic connection to Jack White was incredible to witness live. Simple as the beats were, Jack is not a simple person to play with. Pretty incredible stuff.
Real
A good drummer doesn't overwhelm the song with a beat.
This guy knows what he's talking about.
Good music is in the air. It's in the atmosphere. It stays there until a great musician hears it and plays it. Great musicians don't create music; They simply filter it out of the air that surrounds them.
exactly!!!
DamageIncM It sucks when you are on the bus and you think of something great.
FusRoDah2 hey, notebooks.
***** Couldnt agree more. I find more inspiration for music just starting my day than i do trying just sit down and force things. Ive written more songs in my head before even touching guitars than i have any other way.
haha.. dont be stealing my middle name too!!
"What separates a good drummer from a bad drummer is how they approach the music" Amazing quote. Great words to follow to be a true good drummer.
The drumming Ringo came up with on that song fit that song and complimented the whole of it-it was "simple" but creative by leaving holes in spots-IE he accented it with spaces and gaps instead of fills-as most drummers do.
I just ran across this video quite by accident. I must say I could not agree with this guy more. Whether you like the Beatles or you don't; whether you like Ringo Starr or you don't, I've always professed that there is not a better drummer who could play Beatles music better than Ringo Starr did on every single song on every one of their albums. He was a master at coming up the with most stylistic drum parts for every one of their songs. No one could have done it better. Many people know he was not the most well-schooled drummer around and left a lot to be desired in the chops department. But every single measure he played was perfect for the song he was playing on at the time. He was one of the most creative participants and underrated musicians of the time even as he was playing with the other three virtuosos who comprised the Beatles. I don't know Brandon Khoo and I've never heard of him, but he hit the nail on the head squarely by making this analogy. I would imagine he is a superior educator who knows more about drumming than most of the big powerhouses who we all think so highly of. When he started to answer this question by mentioning the Beatles, I hoped he was going to make an example of how Ringo should be rightfully mentioned as one of the great drummers ever, solely for his work with the Beatles. To be clear, I'm not a huge fan of Ringo, but I'm a fan of all the great drumming he left for the world in conjunction with the Beatles. Hats off to Brandon Khoo, a master educator who knew exactly how to answer this question and did so while quietly exalting a master drummer of his time, Ringo Starr!!
you are wrong, Joey Jordison is the best 😂😂😂😂😂
The song RAIN shows some purrty good chops to me.
Bad ass song
Following the music is definitely the first priority. That's something every musician needs to know. That's why when i learn or write a new song I start out with simple beats. doesn't mean you can't play the complicated stuff. It can add value to the song, but only if you know when and where to place it. Don't overdo it.
That is very well said, and it says it all about music.
As the saying goes: "Sometimes less is more"
That is true, but less can also mean making it dull and generic.
At some point beat blasting becomes generic.
ive played drums for over 11 years now ,and the one thing i say to EVERYONE who wants to start playing drums is
Its not hard to play fast (blast beats,double pedal etc) its hard to play slow,with alot of feelings and precise. you have to go through the same thing when learning how to drive a car.. its REALLY easy to just press down the gas and steer the car on the freeway, but when you have to go from stopping to 50kmh constantly ..its actually alot harder.
remember this,
I play the guitar and its the same thing. All that tapping and shredding looks good, and afcourse it sounds good. But try playing that soulfull slow blues. That`s when shit gets hard. With fast playing you hit a bunch of notes that sounds good when played together. But when you play the slow soulfull notes every note can stand by itself.
I've been playing for about 10 years now, and I can tell you, it's very, very difficult to play fast yet precise. If anyone comes to me saying it's easy maintaining a 200 bpm blast beat for 10 minutes I'd say you know very little about playing drums indeed. Sure, it's not complicated, but I've never seen a non-metal drummer maintain this speed for more than a few seconds.
youd be surprised how many of the top metal drummers play wrong, which is just another evidence that playing fast isnt hard, even if you play sloppy you can get away with it.
anyone can learn to play fast alot easier than playing the perfectly slow rythm songs. Ive never really practiced playing fast and i do it well. it just comes to you naturally with experience.
so all the shit about jordison being a good drummer for example? i think he's average. most of his beats are intermediate at most ,but what makes him a good drummer is his music theory knowledge.
tac0 That's why I specifically said playing very fast, yet precise is very difficult. I wasn't saying anything about what you could or couldn't get away with. Any style can be played sloppily.
I don't like Jordison's playing one bit and that has nothing to do with what I said either. I say this just because Jordison's not the type of player I have in mind at all. If you're interested you can listen to "Invictus" by George Kollias. If what he's doing isn't difficult to replicate then I'm at a loss as to why no one seems to be able to do it.
And it also doesn't matter how complicated or simple any particular beat is, it's about speed, precision, power, and stamina. Pretty much everybody can play a blast beat; that's not the point at all.
I know from experience that trying to maintain blast beats at 200 bpm and higher absolutely wrecks your limbs. Sure, most players can do this for a few seconds, but the point is maintaining speed, precision and power consistently throughout an hour-long gig.
If you don't practice playing this regularly, you will tire after 10-30 seconds and start falling behind.
A lot of drummers can play blast beats and double bass at 250+ bpm. Very few drummers can hold a steady beat at 12 bpm, as Derek Roddy demonstrated in his 12 bpm challenge.
Best drummers are the ones with Humility...like Brandon Khoo
Best people 😂
I really enjoyed this, Thank You. As a Percussionist it made me think out of the box.
A good drummer knows how to serve the song, not himself.
Any time someone tells me Ringo sucks, I ask two questions. 1. Do you like the Beatles? 2. What could you have done on drums to make their music better?
Your second question is great.
Great questions!!
I never touched a clarinet in my life, and I know Squidward sucks. So, the second question is bullshit.
First is debatable, but also, probably, bullshit.
Ringo is very very bogstandard, doesn't matter how much money he makes
You absolutely missed the point. He didn't say a word about how much Ringo makes - he was referring to his worth with regards to how he added value to the songs through artistic playing.
Bad drummer drowns everyone and crashes every half a beat.
a good drummer knows the word GENRE..
Just because two songs are in the same genre doesn't mean that they should have the same style of drumming
THIS
There are so many genres in the world. but very few drummers can pull off 90% of the genres, but there is one drummer, whom I think may have done it all, from Pop, to Rock, to Jazz, to Metal. His name is Vinnie Colaiuta.
@@BrandonKhoo I"d say Gregg Bissonette is also very versatile
@@landonpeckham7752 I agree. ok, Vinnie and Gregg....
That's easy:
1) Anyone: good drummer.
2) Lars Ulrich.
Hey may be a bad drummer but he can sure as hell sue the fuck out of Napster
Lars isnt that bad, he recently got a lot better and his simple repetive beats can be tough to keep for the whole song
well he sure has bad taste in snare sounds (either that or he's too easily convinced by engineers/producers)
***** Butthurt in a nutshell LOL
+Jessi Krishka simple repetive beats?? his beats are mad! the main rhythms might sound simple, but you get lost at the first fill trying to follow him, meanwhile he still goes. And, to everybody: enough with this story! insulting Lars Ulrich is just another thing to be cool on the internet...
yea. a drummer who can keep the beat like a metronome is a hard find
It's common knowledge that metronomes increase in speed as the audience increases...right?
It's common knowledge that metronomes increase in speed as the audience increases...right?
? what ? are you high richard
not in Nashville...if you rush here you don't get work.
and improvise tastefully over that metronomic quality. But at a minimum the drummer has to be like a clock
This is a brilliant demonstration. It has the same enlightening effect that Victor Wootens video on "wrong notes" had on me. It's insane how obvious the advice sounds and yet many of us never thought about it that way.
czcams.com/video/UvKEpAYZjlE/video.html
that's the video I mentioned
Thank you! many things are actually obvious to us. but we tend to not notice it because we are too near the element in itself. it took me many years to realise this... and im sure I've got much more to learn as well.. but Its the journey of discovery we should enjoy...
You hit the nail on the head Brandon... sometimes restraint is harder than blasting away!!!
Restraint is not crashing every bar. LOL I still sometimes forget and do it from time to time, and then when i listen back to the performance, i kick myself. LOL
The best drummers are the ones that put out.
calm down gramps don't have an MI
spring for some serious alcohol, and we'll see where things go.
#dicksout4harambe
+Old Codger
Your comment + your name = lolz²
I suppose its about finding that middle ground - that sweet spot between serving the music and tastefully inserting your own character into the music :)
That's it. That is abso-fucking-lutely it!
Yeah, I mean, I know a drummer who is very capable but is so overly fixated on "serving the music" and the whole "less is more" thing that his playing is very tasteless and energetically flat because he's too scared to let his hair down, so to speak haha. Don't be like that guy but don't flood the music either :)
If his playing is tasteless and flat, that's not serving the music either. Pretty much by definition.
Got that right, Tomoko
@ Jeremy Pl: There are actually more than a few clowns out there who will tell you with a straight face that Dave Grohl sucks. Yeah- sure he does, pal.
And I suppose next you're going to tell me you're not a dipshit...
This was a lesson I started to learn as a guitar player. I found that the best guitarists knew how to serve the song. They could be technically proficient but could also do it in a way that serves the song as well as knowing when to back off. From what I learned, you have to find that balance to know when to play simple and when to play complex.
A good drummer leaves after you pay him for the pizza.
andy droid more like he's drumming on doors and spinning pizzas to throw them onto heated stone drums. his stick would be a little longer I think.
SLAAAAAAYEEEEEEEEEER!!!
@@greatbungblaster Shit, a terrible drummer would throat punch ole Kempwit
So wait, he's saying Ringo is good right? Cause that guy has such perfectly fitting drum lines
He has perfectly fitting drum lines, as in, perfectly fitting the beats and tempo, not the song. He's drowning the whole song like that and it feels like a drum solo with background music. I thought his point was clear enough.
I meant, Ringo has such perfectly fitting drum lines. ;)
correct....his style fit the music to perfection
You try it butthead and see where your lines end up.
Also for those saying ringo or Meg white aren't "good," you're out of your mind and I'm thinking you're not getting a lot of session gigs.
Take nick mason of pink Floyd. He admits himself that he's not the most technically proficient drummer.
But can you imagine anyone else playing on dark side of the moon? He plays for the song.
But on " The Wall " they had Porcaro, Toto's drummer playing the drums on Mother and many other tracks, in the actual studio album.
+Hitashi son and appeice played on momentary lapse of reason. Which is why I mentioned dark side of the moon. :)
+Hitashi son and appeice played on momentary lapse of reason. Which is why I mentioned dark side of the moon. :)
Colin Mahoney And i mentioned The Wall, because that's the album Jeff Porcaro played on. .................................................
Nick Mason is easily the best drummer of all time; Echoes Live at Pompeii is the best drumming I've ever heard.
Buddy Rich couldn't even achieve the sound Mason has.
To even mention Meg White in the same comment is appalling.
If you really think about it, it takes a lot of finesse to play that beetles song on the drums, and I am not being sarcastic. there is a reason as to why Ringo is so successful! Have a look at my drumming idol Steve Gadd, same thing. He does the same thing over and over again, but dammit it work and it's really all you need!
Phil Rudd of AC/DC is another one.... less is more.
Derek bates indeed!
what is the song's name in 1:43 ?
thank you! :)
Aiden Perez
Because Ringo is left handed but plays a right handed kit.
I think that in his entire career with the Beatles, Ringo took one drum solo and that was on the last side of the last album they ever made - Abbey Road. Technically, Ringo seemed like a fish out of water, a lefty playing a right-handed kit, but he was, without a doubt, the best (and perfect) drummer the Beatles could have ever asked for. Paul McCartney has said that from the first time he sat in on drums for them, they knew he was the perfect fit. His focus was always making the song better, period. Cheers....
I like Ringo as a drummer. He may not have the best abilities in the world to play crazy fast stuff but he has always a steady beat and knows how to play good fills. The example with "In My Life" showed his inventiveness, a nice drumsample that doesn't sound boring and serves excellently the song.
+Mediantor also loved his playing in "The End"
***** Yes, he has the drive!
+Mediantor Don't forget Strawberry Fields Forever too. Love the drumming in that. Also, if you listen to the Anthology version, you get to hear a pretty awesome drum solo as John says "cranberry sauce" lol
+Mediantor I agree, been playing drums off and on for 45 years and I have borrowed more riffs from Ringo than anyone else. I've even made my 3 rules of Ringo drumming;1 keep the beat, 2 cue the chord changes, 3 do the fills. Follow that and musicians will be all over you
+Mediantor Sometimes it's much harder to play drums on a "simple" song as opposed to going crazy fast. It's not a question of ability.
When I first started I use to think to be a good drummer was all about the speed and complexity, with age & wisdom now I come to realize that it is yeah mainly what the guy said; appropriateness Is key. not to be a show off but having the capability to know that you can and add that flare into the song with.. appropriateness
I'm grade 8 and simple beats are so therapeutic to me now
Rui Bonito
How's it pointless?
Its not about the slow beat approach or the faster lane, its about what music you are playing. A slow up beat will not work well in hardcore metal genre and vice versa, and you have to choose your music before you even approach on your techniques. To me like this man in the video says its to serve the music you are playing and add your signature if you ever find one where its appropriate.
This couldn't be said any better!
Still coming back to watch this - the lesson here is pure gold.
So true and an excellent example of drumming that fits the song. Ringo did well at playing what his songs required. Music is sometimes best when it is simple.
Ringo isn't simple.
That's not what I wrote. I'm sure Ringo is very intelligent.
Jamband BillyD His Drumming isn't simple. His mind is. Ringo is actually fairly ignorant but he's so talented it doesn't matter.
I suppose one's opinion of simple vs complicated drumming depends on one's level of experience. Keep trying and maybe you'll be able to play this remedial drum part without training wheels.
Jamband BillyD I didn't see anything in this video I couldn't do. "In my life" was the most complex thing he played. It clearly isn't remedial.
Bold statement "The singer will try and make you think that they are the most important part"... they are important because they have the lyrics, but they are are one part of the whole picture. Very well said.
Nothing against singers. I love them but in a band, everyone plays and "Equal" and important role, if one member doesn't, the song falls apart, than that defeats the purpose of being in a band. Thank you for your kind words.
I don't know why but I still go back so much and re-watch this because it's such a good point and message
One of the most helpful videos I have ever seen on CZcams related to improving your playing.
A good drummer plays in the pocket. Thats the most important thing. Period.
As a metal drummer, even I say this is truth.
Zach Johnson As a drummer you should say this. A good metal drummer plays in the pocket too.
Pocket awareness (along with other attributes) is what I love about cats like (in no particular order) Billy Cobham , Rod Morgenstein, Will Kennedy, Omar Hakim, Dave DiCenso, Harvey Mason, Mark Walker, Larry Finn, Tom Brecthlein, Kim Wakefield and Steve Michaud, to name a few...
im not entirely sure if i understand this..how am i suppose to play in a pocket? what kind of pants are going to be big enough for my drums?
John Bonham, not the most technical player in the world, but one of the best. He can really feel a beat and play in the pocket. One of the best rock drummers in history.
There are bad bands with good drummers, but no good bands with lousy drummers.
Metallica
JoshLikeCrazy Heavy Metal may indeed be the exception to the rule, for many. I used to like Metal too but broadened my tastes as age crept up on me. I think it was Count Bassie who said there are only two types of music, good and bad. I have never seen a good dance band with a lame drummer or a hot Latin act with lousy percussionists but I have seen great blue grass, country and folk acts with no drummer at all. Now I am just confused, thanks Josh. Cheers!
JoshLikeCrazy why is he a bad drummer for metallica?
pacun1 cause he sucks
oh no reason behind, just cause? really, thats how u back up a comment?
Spot on explanation. I'm a professional trumpet player and you have given excellent advice and definition of what a "good" musician is to be. It's not about us.
Thank you Brandon, this is the most important thing I've learned from watching so many videos. Many drummers try to constantly impress everyone with what they can play, instead of playing to enhance the song.
When I was a young drummer (10-25 or so) I used to emulate Neil Peart. And I couldn't get a gig.
Now - I do my best to keep it simple, lock in with the bassist and play groove and feel... I now have my pick pf gigs in NYC.
don't be a hero.... just play a tasty part that fits the music and you'll always get a job as a drummer
Wisdom born of experience, that's the best there is. Thanks for your insight, brother.
It is great to be able to play like Neil Peart. The more sticks in your bag, the better.
But as a wise person once said - knowing what notes to play is important but it is just as important to know what notes NOT to play.
what is the song's name in 1:43 ?
In My Life from Rubber Soul.
Problem is though: Meg White can't hold the fuckin beat
Well, yeh. But, I think the point of this was that most people's perception of good and bad is skewed. She's not good, but she's not good for a different reason than what the person in the audience stated.
the13asterd yea true
Yeah but she can rock a show, that's gotta count for something. Plus she's fun to watch, although I'll admit that may just be because she has big juggs that bounce while she plays.
I'd say that her off beat playing helps make the white stripes sound the way they do. The sound they always went for was really raw, 'childish' sounding. And the out of time playing adds to that sound in my opinion.
she is replacing Neal peart in rush
Right on man! This is SO well demonstrated here. This should be mandatory watching for all kids who begin learning to play any instrument.
The best drummers are the ones that can get the most possible amount of extra beats, strikes, fills and cymbal crashes in the shortest period of time.
Here are some other helpful tips:
Play as loud as you can. Especially in real small, echoey rooms.
Be sure to play extremely fast whenever possible. Speed always adds energy to a song.
Constantly change your beats. Add that variety, because the same beat gets boring after a while.
Be sure to drink a lot, or get plenty of drugs in your system before playing. The old saying "I play better drunk or high" is true.
Never take any criticism from you band mates or the audience. You are the drummer, and you know best.
Try to play as many different fills and chops as you can. You want to show everybody possible how good you are.
Never practice or prepare before playing a song or a gig. Half the fun is figuring out spontaneously what to play.
Try to come up with a different drumbeat or style sometimes just before you play a song live. You will impress your band mates and the audience with your creativity.
Never be consistent. Speed up, slow down, play loud, then quiet, skip a beat or go out of time, even during the same song. Variation is what makes you sound better.
Make sure you have an attitude about your playing. Never take any crap from anybody. You are the professional drummer, and pros know what they are doing. Nobody is as qualified as you are in what your are doing...
If you follow these steps, you will be inundated with more bands and gigs than you can handle...
Maybe not...
Is this a joke? Or were you actually being serious?
Well, your last sentence did say "or maybe not", so I suppose this means I should take it as a joke? ????
@@justinnaramor6050 It's totally a joke...these are the things I hate that drummers do...
@@ClassicJukeboxBand OK, that's what I figured :) hahaha!
The rest of the band members are spawns of Satan. Don't ever let them tune those instruments. Remember: there's no devil's pitchfork without pitch.
I personally think Ringo is one of the most underrated drummers in history. Listen to the drummers of the 50's, then listen to Ringo's drumming on the early 60's Beatles stuff such as "Please Please Me", "She Loves You", "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" etc. IMHO He's the real father of solid rock drumming. Keith Moon was soon to follow, but he was on the complete opposite end of the field than Ringo.....Moon was much more wild, and showey, and sometimes IMHO overplayed. Then about 5 years later came John Bonham, and he revolutionized, not so much solid rock drumming, but technical power rock drumming. Then about 5 years after Bonham came AVH with "Hot For Teacher", and that began the whole double bass, speed playing style drumming, then after that started coming the double bass thrash metal drumming, along with a resurrection of the Bonham style power drumming with the Seattle Alternative/Grunge music.....I know there were countless other amazing drummers during that timeline, but I'm mentioning the ones that really left a mark in the different generations of music. Neil Peart is definitely a mention, but I don't see where he created a certain style, he was just so fucking quick and right on the money with his fills and beats. I haven't yet really seen a drummer who plays like Peart.....Peart is one of a kind. Same with Steward Copeland.....he was amazing at his off meter reggae style drumming. Both Peart and Copeland are absolutely amazing, but they're on their own because I've not really seen anyone else copy their style too much.......Then Meg White came out, and everyone puked lol
That was Brandon Koo's point, that Ringo played economically and tastefully according to the Beatles song at the time, in this case, 'In My Life', George Harrison was the same when he played guitar....I might have misread his (Brandon Koo's) audience, but when he played drums wildly to 'In My Life' some in the audience seemed to think this was better, when in fact it was drowning the song .
I don't think so. I think they were applauding and laughing cause he perfectly demonstrated his point.
I can't fault your analysis on Ringo or Peart, but Alex Van Halen did not pioneer double-bass drumming in any context, he was a follower not a leader. Double bass drumming was used in a rock context since the days of Ginger Baker and Ian Paice in the 60s and early 70s, and achieved (relatively) mainstream popularity with Phil Taylor's warp-speed performance on Motorhead's Overkill album in 1979. From then onwards, it was employed by many metal drummers, even before Metallica, Slayer and other thrash bands hit the scene. Plenty of British speed metal bands of the early 80s had fleet-footed drummers, and it was these bands which inspired thrash, leading to Metallica's debut in 1983.
+2TUFSS But I'm referring to drummers who did something that was put on the map. AVH's "Hot for teacher" intro is more well known to the world than any double bass from Ginger Baker
I personally don't recall any Cream song that was all double bass like hot for teacher. I don't recall too many songs from the early 80's and prior that were. Not saying there wasn't, but I can't recall them.
Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) did it with "Fireball" way back in 1971, Phil Taylor (Motorhead) did it with "Overkill" in 1979, Les Binks (Judas Priest) did it with "Exciter" in 1978. They all enjoyed huge popularity at the time and arguably did more to popularise the technique than anyone else. Countless legions of metal bands, some well known now, others not so well known, adopted the technique after hearing Les playing that double-bass intro on Exciter. It truly was a landmark moment.
Van Halen was a great hard rock band, but in terms of drumming technique, they were playing catch-up. Eddie, as the musician who revolutionised rock guitar, was the innovator in that band.
Beautifully presented and said, Brandon! And with fun humor as well.
Thank you so much!
Great response to question. Thank you Sir.
"Serve the song, serve the music." I love this! As a (VERY) amateur drummer myself, this is exactly how I've always felt about it. "Good" drumming is neat every now and then for a solo, but not when it's overkill. I also consider Ringo one of the greatest around - and not because of his flash. Ringo served the song. And so many of The Beatles' songs would not be the same without him.
Best answer ever. Too many young drummers think it's all about who can play the loudest, the fasted or has the best chops....sad.
How do you know a drummer is at your door? the knocks keep getting faster.
You're mistaking it with a guitarist. A drummer keeps their tempo.
+Belmer Fdez-Cid coming from someone who plays drums and guitat i can confirm drummers are much better at keeping a beat
Voila!
+Belmer Fdez-Cid
As a guitarist I feel offended by this.
Mostly because it's true.
Hahahaahahahah
This dude's a legend, still hearting and replying to comments 8 years later
This comment made my laugh out loud. Thank you for it. It made my day. =-))
Well said, you don't have to do blast beats every two seconds to be a good drummer
well said. another perfect example would be john densmore
Yes, Amazing drummer, really kept The Doors humming!
Thank you Brandon Khoo...You are exactly right.
Thank you for watching and appreciating Raymond! :-)
Love this video - great to show any young drummer who is at risk of over complicating their sound.
Brandon adeptly explains one of the most important lessons not only in drumming, but in music, in this short video. I keep coming back wand watching this, even though I have been playing for over 40 years. His demonstration of how most drummers would attempt to play that Beatles song is spot-on, like it or not. Words of wisdom here, folks.
Having done the band thing, I can 100% emphatically agree with this. Drummers, in my experience, have a tendency to serve their ego rather than the songs. I've gotten bored playing dropped D rhythm power chords, but it was what the song required. Every drummer I've played with always had to play the damn songs like they were expecting Danny Carrey to be listening for a critique post-performance.
I try not to do that but it's just so much fun :p
jw11432 Drummers are worse than guitar players. So annoying. Critiques on every little piece of everything.
Darp Barpson The only thing worse than Guitar Players are singers. Drummers are generally the only ones with jobs.
This is best explanation I ever heard about drummers.
The drums for White Stripes is perfect.
Perfectly shitty maybe. If it is their goal to make the world's worst drum tracks as some sort of modern art experiment then well done.
Flacid House congratulations, you missed the entire point of the white stripes music and of the video
Technical ability =/= skill
inscrutablewut you're not completely right. Technical skill is definitely very important.
Abraham Shelly But having a lot of technical skill without knowledge of when to use it does not necessarily mean that you are a good drummer.
I love your video! It says it all!!!!
ALSO, what kind of snare is that, specifically?
Julian Simons Hi Julian! It is a Mapex Black Panther "Blade" snare drum!! Thank you for watching!
Brandon Khoo I like those Black Panther snares. My favorite snare in the world however is the one I heard in Scorpion's Still Loving You, that snare sounds friggin powerful and clean.
+Leo SigloXX thank the sound man
and you're not a good drummer
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
why so many dislikes? This guy really knows what he's talking about.
Wonderful advice, and excellent choice in using Ringo Starr as your example. His drumming is so understated and so perfect on so many Beatles tracks.
Truth! I've been playing drums again and it feels great to contribute.
Nicko McBrain. The perfect combination between skills, technique, and approach. Though I'm not going to say he *is the best*.
There is no best. Could you imagine Nicko playing on a record for an artist like Jill Scott or John Legend? Never. I would say there is probably a "most versatile" drummer and that would be Vinnie Colaiuta hands down. He can play anything from traditional jazz to death metal and do all styles flawlessly.
Paul Baker "Though I'm not going to say he is the best."
Nicko is a great drummer, but I think Gavin Harrison takes the cake for my favourite drummer.
metallicarocks911 y no Bonham?
Gabriel Freire He was quite innovative for his time.
Ringo could do whatever you asked him on the Beatles. And he could do it perfectly. He easily could have been a lead drummer on another highly successful band and be the vocal point of the music, that’s how good he was. But the Beatles asked him to be the anchor for their music, and he obliged and is a key reason they are so amazing all time
I absolutely agree. He put the music before himself.
I was very demotivated when I started drumming that I quitted at some point, because I always kept it simple. Omg I feel so much better now. Thank you!
I pull this up every couple months to remind myself of this important lesson. It applies to all musicians, not just drummers.
GREATEST drum lesson EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aww man, I was curious what your answer was going to be to the Meg White question. (Although I'm pretty sure it was going to be the same answer you gave for Ringo). I'm not a huge White Stripes fan by any means, and I can understand why people might consider her a "bad" drummer if they only focus on her technique and simplicity. But I think she is fantastic and I admire her approach. She plays with a unique, child-like, primal, almost reckless energy that I think serves their music beautifully.
Meg is a shit drummer. She can't keep basic time, she has no groove, and at best she has the technical skills of an average junior high school drummer. Jack is the great equalizer because he can make even a shitty drummer almost sound on point because he is so awesome.
You sound like Jack White is your friend and Meg hurt his feelings. "Cheer up, Jack. You don't need her bro, you've got me!"
honestly, I think meg DOES have skills - if you listen to White Stripes songs, the drumming, while simple, goes well with the vocals and bass and guitar, and thats what matters. She played drums in a way that worked for the songs, ergo she is a good drummer. Complex? no. Do I think that she could do more complex drumming? I dont know. But I know it was not neccesary for the White Stripes, and that her contribution was just fine. I cannot stand people who focus on technique and complexity rather than the actual functionality. If its simple, but it works, why change it?
globalmonkey007 A bad drummer is either one that can't keep time or plays stuff that is wrong for the music. Meg White is not a shit drummer because she can keep time. She's not a great drummer because that's all she seems capable of doing.
exactly... she is not playing for megadeth for instance... you dont need to play like you are in a thrash band if you are not in a thrash band (lars may vary).
also ac dc's drums are simple noone is giving them a hard time. (yeah i know they are more complex than seven nation army he refers to in the video, i am not deaf.
Loved this presentation
This video was much better than I had expected. "Serve the music" well put.
Serve the song. Amen brother.
Great answer.
Your video was mindblowing! Thank you a lot!
Best answer ever - I can totally relate to this, always trying to play something complex so my friends will be impressed with me rather than playing something that perfectly fits the song. But I've gotten a ton better at jamming after having this realization on my own. This was great to watch and very endearing.