What Makes A Drummer Sound Great? | Matt Johnson
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- So often as drummers we focus on what we're playing rather than how we're playing it. Our speed and technical abilities should come after we've honed in on our timing and dynamics.
Matt Johnson is an experienced musician who knows what's needed to become a great sounding drummer. In this lesson, Matt will share some tips and realizations he's come to throughout his long career as a studio musician so you can start honing in on your own sound.
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Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:07 - SONG: "U R 3"
3:40 - Introduction
5:38 - Lesson Overview
9:53 - Studio Playing
11:55 - Hitting Cymbals
17:04 - Dynamics
21:15 - How To Develop Listening Skills
22:50 - The Importance Of Mixing Yourself
35:53 - SONG: "Strange Thing"
39:50 - How To Hit Drums
44:03 - How To Grip Your Sticks
51:55 - Q & A
59:34 - SONG: "Only The Strong Survive"
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Matt Johnson is best known as the drummer for Jeff Buckley, appearing (as well as co-writing one song) on his album "Grace" in 1994. Matt has also recorded and performed with Duncan Sheik, Elysian Fields, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Gabriel Kahane, Dean Wareham, Britta Phillips, Beth Orton, David Poe, and Theo Eastwind. He toured with American indie musician St. Vincent from 2011 to 2015. Johnson is also a highly capable solo musician, having released two albums: "Cagefighter" and "Law of the Land".
Matt plays:
Tama Drums
Istanbul Cymbals
Evans Drumheads
Vater Sticks
#Drumeo #MattJohnson #JeffBuckley
Matt Johnson on ‘Grace’ is the definition of tasteful but interesting drumming. Never predictable but never over the top, and always serving the song while still having an identity,
His drumming on mojo pin is amazing
MOJO Pin is incredible - the entire album is as close to perfection as you can get in my opinion - Matt is an incredible drummer - saw him.with Rufus WainWright couple times and he's amazing
Big reason why i love Grace and Eternal Life is because of this guy's drumming on those tracks. Glad to see he didn't fade into obscurity like so many other musicians have and that he's only getting stronger.
FacePalm holy shit i didnt even recognize him holy shit he has a alot of great stuff with jeff buckley
Incredible album. brilliant drumming - especially the left foot, on grace or dream brother in particular (the splashes at the start are very cool). Matts balance is insane, he looks so casual and relaxed playing with both feet. I almost fall off my chair doing that sort of thing and really struggle reaching for tom work when im leaning back to help use both feet
Here is something I haven't seen on drumeo yet: A drummer who is not just smiling away and superficially answering the questions or just sticking to his or her agenda, but a drummer who is really driven by the urge to convey crucial theoretical ideas and concepts, going with the flow and really, really thinking about the questions he is being asked.
He seems to be a little stressed, but he is the first drummer I see on here who in this case is not just seeming tired, but even more fervent in his expressions.
He is so fired up to convey these thoughts and find the best possible phrasing, that he doesn't try to seem sympathetic. All of his energy goes into the ideas and concepts and I personally find that very sympathetic!
Matt Johnson is THE drummer I would LOVE to have in my band.
A passionate, humble, amazing musician, able to visualise drumming through images and metaphors that are inspiring and enriching for any musician (I am a guitarist).
Thank you, Matt, and keep spreading beauty and poetry through drumming.
How on earth can anyone vote this video down. He’s a legend and he’s giving some serious advice to anyone who plays the instrument. Class act
This dude's analogies are on point
"I hate hearing myself.. I just try and make something that I don't hate, and go from there..". Man, that is EXACTLY how I feel.
Great to see Matt Johnson on Drumeo. Matt's drumming on Grace was a great influence on my drumming development when I was 15....- pretty much changed the way I approach the drumset. Such poise and thought in his playing....and for all the chopheads out there.....yes he still has a few sneaky tricks up his sleave....just let's them out at the right time.....Matt is a master of placement and 'tastefulness'(for want of a better word). Thanks Matty!!and thanks Drumeo!!
The first time I watched this video I did not understand why it was good. Now I am watching it for about the 10th time and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to receive such good advice! This dude is the man baby!!!
I'm glad this guy didn't condense down a single thing he said, whatever the point he was making he spoke from a place of passion and of someone who truly experiences music when they play it in a sense beyond what they hear, or even see. It's refreshing to hear someone actually talk about the experiences that notes and the space between them bring, sick lesson. 10/10.
at first I was like 'wtf' but then I let go of my judgements, opened my mind and I actually found this to a very important lesson that I can totally understand and relate to from my own playing experiences. He brings an interesting philisophocal approach to an art form we call music. Thanks Drumeo for exposing us to many many different ways of being a drummer.
It's definitely a very different lesson compared to what we usually do! Glad you enjoyed it, Sean.
I know what you mean. Just go absorb Grace and you'll be able to give it more latitude.
This guy has a good vocabulary. In language and music.
Non drummer here. Love his granularity and poetic description of his technique. We need more artists like this. So great.
Obviously cares deeply about providing great teaching. One of your best lessons. Matt made me think differently about my drumming. Excellent!
Colin Fitzpatrick drums lots of guys act like you pay them to show off, I find...
Great to hear a musician chat about dynamic approach, arrangement and engineering! That's been rare.
Absolutely love MJ's work.
his playing on Lover You Should Have Come Over perfectly encapsulates his philosophy and methodology. That is one of my all time favorite drum songs.
Timeless, classic drum tracks do not get any more awe inspiring than Dream Brother, Matt Johnson showed me how subtle expressive and yet powerful (rock) drumming could be.. Thank you Drumeo.
This lesson is just next level, seriously amazing concepts to dig deeper into, explore and expand
This is, by far, one of the best lessons y'all have had done so far.
One of the best pieces of advice my drum teacher gave me at my first lesson - play the cymbals quietly, especially when riding.
Grace is one of my favorite albums. Love the fact you guys got Matt on your show. Very cool, and hes wrong, 25 years ago he was AWESOME. The drum work on Grace...amazing work in my opinion.
One of the best drum sounds I have heard and playing on the album Grace by Jeff Buckley,this drummer became one of my drumming Gods because of that record.
one of the best sounding albums of all time, Andy wallace baby
I have to say eternal life’s drumming always amazed me when I first heard it about 20 yrs ago or so...(maybe more)
I love the drums on that record. Great lesson. I love the irony of "the days of return to forever are gone" :)
Matt Johnson is a true, deep, insightful (does that word exist?!?!) musician and we must be thankful to share space-time with people like him. Thanks Matt and Drumeo. Great stuff.
it does!
Starclassics. Literally the best sounding drums....Matt is sooooooooooooo on point. Killin it..... And smart....what a key player. Thank you Matt
This guy's thinking is so deep, he's obviously deeply into Philosophy as well as drumming. Good stuff.
The toms sounds FANTASTIC !
Can't agree more, wish Drumeo can post how he tuned the toms!
A wonderful, dynamics and groove focused player, who plays for the SONG! Creates musical parts that make the songs better!
anyone that uses inviolate & hegemony in the same sentence when describing drumming has my undying respect.
The man! Ironically, my biggest compliment for his drums on Grace is that they didn't stand out at all. They're fantastic -- don't get me wrong -- but they blended into the songs so well that it took me a while to even notice the intricacies of his parts.
One of my favorite drummers ever, always knows what's best for the SONG.....Buckley's Grace album alone has track after track of kick ass tasty drumming....underrated!
Philosophy practically applied for great sound! Mattt's drum-fu is very strong. Biggest takeaway for me is that even if we're not fast nor have a lot of chops or creativity we can still sound good and make good music.
Wasn't at all what I was expecting, but it was fascinating to listen to someone talking about the philosophy of drumming and the feel of it as much as technique.
Matt picks right words for the sound and makes his instrument sound great. The most useful lesson from Drumeo. I've watched this twice. And basically these are main approaches to practice playing drums. Thanks!
This is the best lesson in my opinion. These are so important topics and concepts about playing drums in context of music. Matt is very honest person and his playing is so mature. Thank You Drumeo for this lesson!
so many great thoughts on the subject! and Matt Johnson's sound and control of the instrument are the living proof of their actuality. thanks Drumeo, please bring this man to the studio again, this topic is inexhaustible
Great session… very cerebral and a fresh approach. Matt’s work with Buckley was perfection.
Matt's drumming on Grace is legendary.
I honestly couldn't rate Matts playing any higher. He's one of the most musical, players Ive ever known! Buzzing!
Thanks guys for lessons like this one, which focus on working drummers. I liked it a lot!
I remember years go i put on score all grace album drum parts. Each track is amazing, so original, creative, challenging, and really sounding good. My favourite was the crazy part at the end of Dream Brothers. but god, mojo pin is fantastic, grace too, so real, eternal life... and how simple grooving but subtle and perfect is Last Goodbye. For me Matt Johnson is one of the very finest drummer, with a very high sense of taste, and so underated ! Thanks for this interview!
Wow thanks Drumeo and Matt. As philosophical as Matt may be, he has shed some light om how Ive always tried to play.
Amazing lesson! I love to hear this man talk. Glad to see great drummers share my same view and approach to drumming.
best lesson I've seen on CZcams so far. All you need to know about drumming! Great guy!
This is the first drumeo video I watched in full. So grateful for Matt doing this thing. Masterful!
Interesting analogies about hitting a drum in the center. My personal version of why hitting in the center provides the best all around sound is so the vibrations move evenly towards the outer edge of the drum and then evenly return back to the center. Like when a raindrop hits a puddle; the ripples move outwards and then the splash moves upwards in the center.
Great Lesson!!! When I listen to Grace after 20 years it's still mesmerizing. You are a master.
Just caught up with this lesson. Wow! Absolutely fascinating philosophical and practical discourse on drums and drumming. Best lesson I have seen on Drumeo. Congratulations to Matt and all involved.
Wow. This guy is a genius. Best lesson I've seen on this channel so far.
Such a refreshing and incredibly insightful lesson. Huge props to Matt.
i freakin love this guy
I love how this guy puts everything into words i understand
Im a chess nerd, and the chess reference was what i needed to understand his concept
I just stumbled on this after digging around for drum transcriptions for the album Grace. Thank you Drumeo and Matt! Your drumming on Grace is a huge part of why I love that album so much. It's a gift to listen to you talk about your approach.
This is brilliant, some of the best studio advice I ever heard
Absolutely amazing and valuable lesson! Thank you Matt and drumeo!
This was one of the best Drumeos, well done guys. Was so excited and surprised to see Matt on here, a huge influence and inspiration for me from the days of him playing with Jeff Buckley. Could listen to him all day, he’s like a fountain of knowledge and ideas. Thanks Drumeo.
This is a fantastic lesson. There’s 1000 of rudiment lessons and stick control finger flick vs wrist and Moeller method blah blah blah. you can take all the Italian you want and even learn how to say good morning where is the bathroom but you dont truly know the language till you can have a personal conversation where you can express yourself to the best of your ability. This is what he’s talking about.
The best thing on the internet right now.
Great to see Matt Johnson on drumeo! Powerful lesson and an awesome musician.
Great lesson, thanks! Matt's work on Grace is the gospel of modern pop drumming as far as I'm concerned, powerful and inventive yet always extremely musical. Impresses me every time I hear it, and this lesson did an amazing job of conveying his approach. Damn, I've got work to do.
Thank you drumeo this guy is super chill & super gifted!
Love this man!
My mind is blown from this lesson. Really enjoyed it. Thanks.
SIMPLY amazing and inspirig! Thanks for that drumeo!
Thanks Drumeo)) incredibly lesson, full of wisdom and own experience!) Thanks)
Super solid player! That Agop Jazz Ride sounds incredible - what a versatile instrument!
What an absolutely beautiful human being Matt is
I didn't recognize the name or face at the very beginning, but shortly after he started playing I was like, "Jesus this dude sounds just like Jeff Buckleys drummer". Haha! Such great insight on being conscientious of what you're doing on a instrument that is all too often looked at as "just hitting drums". Loved it.
Wow, excellent insight into dynamics, my note book is full of tips from Drumeos expert drummers. Thank you, this lesson was phonaminal!
That is one lucky notebook.
My favourite lesson on Drumeo! Thank you for this work!
Loved this. Very interesting way of thinking about your playing, tearing back the clutter and really making yourself sound as good as you can.
This is the Dao of drumming. Sooo good. Thank you.
Wow this was deep. I feel like this was more than just a "drum lesson". Great stuff!
very very usefull lesson, thank you! matt was just saying what I need to hear and get deep into.
Beautiful. Just beautiful. What a lesson. What a guy. What a freaking clean and melodical style. Those beats are pure music. Thank you guys! This lesson was an awesome internal journey thinking about my drumming ways. For sure it will make a huge impact on the way I aproach my drums
Holy shit this dude is on another level with the philosophical explanations of what he does
Great philosophical approach to drumming...and the results are supremely musical
Yet another great lesson. Well done.
Just beautiful.
Thank you.
Love this lesson, It is Really helpful , Thanks👌🥁🎧🎼
One of my favorite lessons wow this guy is on point
dude... when he started playing the cymbals lightly.... WOW
Exactly my tempo. Wicked lesson more on par with reality than drum solo conventions. Respect
I love Matt's perspective on playing and arrangement. I often get way too enamored with playing something flashy or showing off that I "know how to play," when the goal should really be to fit the song and the groove in a meaningful way.
Excellent!! Love your explanations...you gave me much to think about...
Absolutely amazing!!
This is for me the greatest lesson ! All those advices help to make drumming a living and being a musician
Matthieu Couffrant 5
Smooth, punctual & precise!
Holy shit! He's like a psychologist for the drums. Awesome!
Great lesson, Mr.Johnson.
this is my favorite Drumeo vid! Great lesson!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.
Such a master!!
I m not a drummer,.. still learned a lot for life,.. thanks
"Only the Strong Survive" fills were pretty much perfect-sonically and rhythmically. Cool lesson! Hadn't heard of Matt before. Great player! He said some great things about sonic awareness within the kit and what should be driving the bus.
amazing lesson, thanks for that
Best drumeo lesson
Wow, good stuff! Thanks for sharing!
Yes. Eines der besten drumeo videos!!
Completely agree with this guy. Congrats.
Fantastic player! Great info here too.
brilliant lesson!