Joe The Drummer

Here's my instructional video on how to play Chris Layton's energetic groove on Stevie Ray's Testify. It's a brilliant groove to learn and to play and gives us a chance to focus on doing the dynamic strokes (Full, Down, Tap and Up strokes) on the snare.

How To Play Testify By Stevie Ray Vaughan On Drums - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Here’s my instructional video on how to play Chris Layton’s energetic groove on Stevie Ray’s Testify. It’s a brilliant groove to learn and to play and gives us a chance to focus on doing the dynamic strokes (Full, Down, Tap and Up strokes) on the snare.

My latest YouTube video covers the topic of using paradiddles as grooves between the snare and bass so instead of playing R L R R L R L L you play B L B B L B L L and so on. It's a great way to develop your ghost notes including balancing the ghosted and accented notes in different ways....

Playing Paradiddles As Grooves - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online My latest YouTube video covers the topic of using paradiddles as grooves between the snare and bass so instead of playing R L R R L R L L you play B L B B L B L L and so on. It’s a great way to develop your ghost notes including balancing the ghosted… Read More »Playing Paradiddles As Grooves

Check out this wonderful clinic presented by Brazilian drummer Isac Jamba who has come to my attention via YouTube. He offers a really comprehensive introduction to the Brazilian samba drum kit vocabulary and style. Topics covered include fundamental rhythmic patterns, the standard foot ostinato, how to play really fast Samba without your hands falling off, how to apply rudiments, approaching stick grip and stroke (oh those 16ths look so relaxed OMG, 16ths ! It's slow hahaha), additional rhythms and on and on. There's a lifetime of stuff here. Highly reccomended.

Isac Jamba Teaches Samba - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Check out this wonderful clinic presented by Brazilian drummer Isac Jamba who has come to my attention via YouTube. He offers a really comprehensive introduction to the Brazilian samba drum kit vocabulary and style. Topics covered include fundamental rhythmic patterns, the standard foot ostinato, ho...

Here's a follow up to the recent video I made about the world famous Purdie Shuffle. In this one I cover playing a ghost note after the backbeat accented snare note and the ope hihat options. Enjoy.

More On The Purdie Shuffle - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Here’s a follow up to the recent video I made about the world famous Purdie Shuffle. In this one I cover playing a ghost note after the backbeat accented snare note and the ope hihat options. Enjoy.

Here's my take on how to play the famous Purdie Shuffle as played by Bernard Purdie himself on Home at Last and Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan and by Jeff Porcaro on Toto's Rosanna. This is an introductory video made in response to a request by a YouTube viewer. I cover how to develop the hand pattern with the hihat shuffle and the snare ghost notes, adding the backbeat and then some bass drum variations.

How To Play a Purdie Shuffle - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Here’s my take on how to play the famous Purdie Shuffle as played by Bernard Purdie himself on Home at Last and Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan and by Jeff Porcaro on Toto’s Rosanna. This is an introductory video made in response to a request by a YouTube viewer. I cover how to develop the… Rea...

Here's an introduction to how we can use paradiddles in a groove context and make patterns with which we can practice and improve our ghost note playing. I demonstrate how to make grooves with the single Paradiddle and its three permutations and use those patterns between the hihat or ride and the snare to create busy grooves with soft and loud notes played on the snare.

Improving Your Ghost Notes With The Paradiddle - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Here’s an introduction to how we can use paradiddles in a groove context and make patterns with which we can practice and improve our ghost note playing. I demonstrate how to make grooves with the single Paradiddle and its three permutations and use those patterns between the hihat or ride and the...

I had my clunky 20" Zildjian Ride modified by UK cymbalsmith Dave Collingwood who lathed a bunch of metal off it. In this video I explain the process and demonstrate the differences between the original and modified versions of the cymbal.

20" Zildjian Ride Modification Result - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online I had my clunky 20″ Zildjian Ride modified by UK cymbalsmith Dave Collingwood who lathed a bunch of metal off it. In this video I explain the process and demonstrate the differences between the original and modified versions of the cymbal.

I was very glad to have the opportunity to speak with drummer Michael Oloyede from Lagos in Nigeria who's written a brilliant book on Afrobeat. The book covers technical exercises to help develop the coordination you need for Afrobeat drumming and specific groove patterns based on a wide variety of Afrobeat tracks. The book includes loads of audio examples of the patterns to help you learn them....

Conversation With Afrobeat Drummer Michael Oloyede - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online I was very glad to have the opportunity to speak with drummer Michael Oloyede from Lagos in Nigeria who’s written a brilliant book on Afrobeat. The book covers technical exercises to help develop the coordination you need for Afrobeat drumming and specific groove patterns based on a wide variety o...

Here's an addendum to the recent video about offbeat 8th note grooves. Let's add some 16ths on the snare and bass. Once you've got the hang of all that, try combining snare and bass 16ths. You can have hours of fun with this. The objective is to internalise these patterns and then learn to mix them up. Don't forget you can vary the snare and bass 8ths too as demonstrated in the…...

Offbeat 8th Note Groove Snare & Bass 16ths - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Here’s an addendum to the recent video about offbeat 8th note grooves. Let’s add some 16ths on the snare and bass. Once you’ve got the hang of all that, try combining snare and bass 16ths. You can have hours of fun with this. The objective is to internalise these patterns and then learn to mix...

Once you've got the hand of a reasonable amount of standard 8th note rock vocabulary, it can be fun and useful to learn a whole load of variations for the hahat/ride pattern to allow you to spice up your grooves. One very common and popular option is to play offbeat (or upbeat) 8ths on the hihat or ride which means we're playing just the &'s....

Offbeat 8th Note Grooves - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Once you’ve got the hand of a reasonable amount of standard 8th note rock vocabulary, it can be fun and useful to learn a whole load of variations for the hahat/ride pattern to allow you to spice up your grooves. One very common and popular option is to play offbeat (or upbeat) 8ths on the… Rea...

Here's a couple of videos introducing some technical exercises that will help you develop the coordination required to play Afrobeat in a Tony Allen influenced style. These exercises are written for the ride cymbal in order to allow the focus to rest on the coordination of the hand patterns with the bass and hi hat without being too concerned with the sound of the stick on the hi hat which demands a more fine level of control on the hi hat....

Afrobeat Technical Primer Parts 1+2 - Bass & Snare - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Here’s a couple of videos introducing some technical exercises that will help you develop the coordination required to play Afrobeat in a Tony Allen influenced style. These exercises are written for the ride cymbal in order to allow the focus to rest on the coordination of the hand patterns with t...

How To Really Play Hey Joe On Drums - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online So many people getting their start on drums seem to grab a chart and attempt to learn to read and play note-for-note renditions of some person’s transcription of what was played by a drummer on a recording. With most pop and rock tunes, the drummer didn’t “compose” what they played by writin...

So many people getting their start on drums seem to grab a chart and attempt to learn to read and play note-for-note renditions of some person's transcription of what was played by a drummer on a recording. With most pop and rock tunes, the drummer didn't "compose" what they played by writing it out on a bit of manuscript paper and then read and play it....

How To Really Play Hey Joe On Drums - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online So many people getting their start on drums seem to grab a chart and attempt to learn to read and play note-for-note renditions of some person’s transcription of what was played by a drummer on a recording. With most pop and rock tunes, the drummer didn’t “compose” what they played by writin...

I finally made a YouTube video in which I explain how to go about playing Tony Allen's first pattern of Afrobeat. It's the first of a series of videos I'll be making on the subject. Download a PDF here with a transcription of the pattern and a breakdown of my breakdown of the groove, so to speak.

How To Play Afrobeat On Drums | YouTube Video - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online I finally made a YouTube video in which I explain how to go about playing Tony Allen’s first pattern of Afrobeat. It’s the first of a series of videos I’ll be making on the subject. Download a PDF here with a transcription of the pattern and a breakdown of my breakdown of the groove, so… Re...

Getting off to a great start to 2023 with this fantastic tune written by Allen Toussaint and performed by Lee Dorsey and many others. I first heard Everything I Do Gonh be Funky performed by Dr John with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band in the TV series Treme which was a gritty drama made by the guy who did The Wire about life in New Orleans....

Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky - New Orleans Groove - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Getting off to a great start to 2023 with this fantastic tune written by Allen Toussaint and performed by Lee Dorsey and many others. I first heard Everything I Do Gonh be Funky performed by Dr John with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band in the TV series Treme which was a gritty drama made by… Read More...

Learn to play Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood on drums.

How To Play Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood On Drums - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Do you want to know how to play a 12/8 blues feel? Texas flood is a great introduction to playing 12/8 beats which means you’re playing a ride pattern in 8th note triplets. In this extended video I demonstrate the way the lovely Chris Layton plays the groove and fills on the original recording of....

How To Improvise On Drums Using Accents - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online My latest YouTube video outlines an exercise that can help you develop your improvisational skills using accents. This method is pretty easy to get going whatever your level of ability, you just need to be able to combine softer and louder strokes or taps and accents. The trick is to start with the....

My latest YouTube video outlines an exercise that can help you develop your improvisational skills using accents. This method is pretty easy to get going whatever your level of ability, you just need to be able to combine softer and louder strokes or taps and accents. The trick is to start with the simplest thing you can do in a relaxed way....

How To Improvise On Drums Using Accents - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online My latest YouTube video outlines an exercise that can help you develop your improvisational skills using accents. This method is pretty easy to get going whatever your level of ability, you just need to be able to combine softer and louder strokes or taps and accents. The trick is to start with the....

New Episode! https://sladl.ink/Episode202
This week we’re continuing our focus on the topic of “cutting through the mix” with a balance of performance and setup/tuning choices that can be made. Some of these will be fresh, others will make you think, “what haven’t I ever thought of it that way before?” and some may be a healthy reminder.

Your Technique Could Be Hurting Your Sound | Season Three, Episode 40 Not surprisingly, technique often has an influence on sound. The discussion of bass drum technique with burying the be**er vs. playing off the head can get q...

Studying Traditions authentically and Navigating Multiple Musical Modalities in a Contemporary Context with Pete Lockett Pete Lockett speaks to T.L. Mazumdar

Zigaboo Modeliste is one of the true forefathers of funk drumming and in this YouTube video I explain the groove he plays on Robert Palmer's Sailing Shoes. The song was written by the great Lowell George and was on the Little Feat record of the same name. Palmer's version of Sailing Shoes appears on his 1974 debut album, Sneaking Sally Through The Alley....

https://joethedrummer.com/learn-to-play-zigaboo-modelistes-groove-on-sailing-shoes/

Learn to Play Zigaboo Modeliste's Groove on Sailing Shoes - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online Zigaboo Modeliste is one of the true forefathers of funk drumming and in this YouTube video I explain the groove he plays on Robert Palmer’s Sailing Shoes. The song was written by the great Lowell George and was on the Little Feat record of the same name. Palmer’s version of Sailing Shoes appear...

In my latest YouTube video offering I explain the vital drumming components for The Beatles' Come Together. This is a great song to introduce you to Ringo's fabulous drumming. The famous riff has a nice triplet run on the toms which you can play right to left or left to right and the rest of the verse and chorus are an exercise in minimalist groove making....

https://joethedrummer.com/how-to-play-the-beatles-come-together/

How To Play The Beatles' Come Together - Joe The Drummer - Drum Lessons North-West London and Online In my latest YouTube video offering I explain the vital drumming components for The Beatles’ Come Together. This is a great song to introduce you to Ringo’s fabulous drumming. The famous riff has a nice triplet run on the toms which you can play right to left or left to right and the rest of…....

Time For Space № 38. Birth (original play-along) 🎵 Music & drums Asaf Sirkis 🎵 Birth I hope you'll enjoy it.--🙏 👍--▶️Listen/download the new album - Solar Flash here:https://asafsirkis.bandcamp.com/albu...

Asaf Sirkis: Solar Flash - Jazz Journal Drummer leads fusion-flavoured album featuring Kevin Glasgow and the truly virtuosic keyboard work of Gary Husband

October 2021 Peformance Performance by the amazingly talented young musicians who participated in our half-term band workshop. For more information about our workshops and other act...

Time For Space № 34. Time Capsule (original play-along) 🎵 Music & drums Asaf Sirkis 🎵 Time capsule. I hope you'll enjoy it.--🙏 👍--▶️Listen/download the new album - Solar Flash here:https://asafsirkis.bandcamp....

Tony Allen: The 5 Major Drum Patterns of Afrobeat Tony Allen breaks down the five major drum patterns of Afrobeat in an unreleased clip from our recent documentary Birth of Afrobeat. Birth of Afrobeat highli...

Free Online Kids Band Workshop Fun, interactive online music workshop for young musicians

When the neighbour is away drummers can have some proper fun 😎