STOP Trying So Hard to Groove on Drums - Do This Instead

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Here's my complete "time" lesson, for more detail and context to these exercises - • 4 Exercises to Improve...
Something occurred to me the other day as I watched a Thomas Pridgen video:
Grooving isn't about trying hard.
In the video, Thomas plays opposite a less experienced drummer. The other drummer's trying super hard to groove, but it's obvious that Thomas' pocket is better.
But Thomas wasn't "trying" at all.
The whole thing reminded me of all the "jazz face" that happened at my old college after a visit from Marcus Baylor. We all furled our brows and tried to play "serious groove" for months after hearing Marcus.
Did it help? Not at all. Unless our goal was to look, as Ralph Lalama used to say... Never mind. I'm not going to finish that sentence.
It just so happened I was also listening to some Sam Harris podcasts this week on Dzogchen meditation - particular his interview with Mingyur Rinpoche.
Dzogchen teaches that the fact that there isn't a duality between thoughts and the thinker - the "locus behind the eyes" as Sam calls it - is an insight available at a moment's notice to someone ready to receive it.
Sam gives the analogy of realizing one wall of a restaurant is mirrors. Your perception changes, and you can't "not see it" after that.
Mingyur's father, Tulku Urgyen, showed Sam "the pointing out exercise", analogous to telling someone the walls are mirrors.
I love how I don't need to retain people's attention in this written description, so I can make is as long as I want :P
Anyway, what if "trying hard" to groove misses the point?
What if Thomas and Marcus don't have better pocket because they're "trying harder", but because they *see more clearly*?
Well, then we'd probably approach the whole enterprise totally differently.
This lesson suggests one way.

[@postlude1]

I’m a guitarist, and I’ve learned so much about improving as a musician watching your channel. Thank you for the great content.

[@ryank5115]

Ditto!

[@chicanochops]

Y’all are awesome

[@CynHicks]

I'm also a guitarist. I feel like a guitarist that can't thoroughly appreciate a good drummer is missing something very important musically. As a rock, jazz, metal ect... guitarist you really should be able to enjoy listening to a drummer "solo" and enjoy it like a guitar "solo." My opinion but hey that's all I have. I love listening at and watching good drummers practice and teach. This dude here is no exception.

[@CynHicks]

@@derkletron6292 Hahaha, same here. That wasn't always the case but the more comfortable I got with guitar (especially improv) the more interesting great drummers became.

[@coffee5736]

Same brohammer i play guitar diehard but i love watching drum and synth vids.

[@cobuspotgieter]

This is really, really good man. I especially loved the inclusion of meditation. Awesome video!

[@kirjian]

COBUS! You first inspired me to play drums :)

[@ernestocaro2048]

Love how he is an awesome drummer and he's still seeing these videos like everyone else

[@insanetechpistefi1684]

Agreed. And after all, everything is coming from your mind so why wouldnt you keep it fresh & clear?

[@ConArdist]

Meditation is our best friend, in every facet of life❤️

[@8020drummer]

Thanks! Huge fan!

[@hillie47]

Insight #0: record yourself. And be amazed at how shitty you really play. It's usually a great reminder for me. :-)

[@Mari000]

Indeed

[@Grayham4]

Yeah I couldn't believe how bad it was lol

[@artistry4252]

yeah I told him to shut up hes not a drummer

[@chubbyzee3714]

I did this once, really opens your eyes

[@Sirtoastsalot]

You're your worst critic

[@spinnis]

It's kind of like drawing. A lot of people who are bad at it are bad not because they don't draw things the way they actually see them. They draw them as they THINK they see them or how they conceptualize them, which often ends up looking like a symbol for the thing more than an accurate representation of the thing. People have to learn to more accurately perceive their own perception. It's similar to timing in drumming. People hear themselves in the way they conceptualize what they are playing, when they should hear how they are actually playing it. This is not to say people have to draw accurate representations of things, or that they have to have a straight beat, but you have to learn the rules before you break them.

[@TeslaNick2]

That's why I record myself and listen back so much. It's the only way to really know how your playing really sounds.

[@8020drummer]

As a guy who used to study drawing (and sucked) I agree!

[@leocomerford]

The famous story about that is the one about how Betty Edwards www.drawright.com/ discovered she could make people's drawing improve right away by making them draw _upside down_ , forcing them to actually look at the model and at what they were drawing for the first time.

[@KaninTuzi]

@@leocomerford So... play music backwards?

[@austinhammond6018]

Spinnis basically the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

[@ivanpetrov4206]

In my opinion, a very important thing for a drummer is the ability to dance. Being a dancer you сan to hear and feel all things what your body expects from rhythm and music while moving. This experience can be used during the creation of grooves. For example, Gene Krupa and Steve Gadd was a tap dancer

[@scottyhughes9179]

I totally agree. I have said that for years.

[@nycdrummer49]

Just another video to add to why I like this channel. Going on a bit of a kick tonight, and just re-watched a few older vids that I felt the need to revisit. Noticed this dude tends to get hated on a bit for speaking as much as, if not more than drumming. I, personally, thoroughly enjoy it. It's a wealth of information and musicality, and I find those aspects to be just as important as what I can actually play on the instrument. Great vid as usual, Nate.

[@midnitesongs]

this video won’t stop blowing my mind - I’ll be digesting this for most of 2020 Thanks man !

[@Aleph_Null_Audio]

Makes me think of my old instructor's mantra of "subdivide or die!" You need to feel sixteenths to play accurate eighths. Just lining up on the quarter not is not enough. The off-beat metronome is a good way to internalize those subdivisions.

[@dami0la]

Beginner drummer here, how do I learn about more about subdivisions thank you

[@Aleph_Null_Audio]

@@dami0la - The offbeat metronome is a good idea. Another would be to set the metronome for whole notes at a slow tempo (really slow), then count sixteenths, but play half notes. This will help you internalize smaller divisions. The low tempo and lack of clicks force you to rely on your internal sense of time, but will provide some feedback. You could also practice regular tempos, but set the metronome to click once every eight bars. You won't line up unless your consistently counting eighths or sixteenths. If you find you rarely land on the metronome with those exercises, you could also try setting the metronome to sixteenths and play quarters. This last one isn't as helpful unless you count along with the metronome. The idea is to be counting at least one subdivision below your fastest note.

[@isaacg3175]

@danie aveni sub division is just counting per beat, start from one, to 16. Sub dividing 7 or 15 is difficult, but not impossible. Just look it up, if you can divide you can totally drum better than before. I like to use a polyrhythmic metronome with a 4:6 feel cause it has its own rhythm already, then you just fill in the blanks.

[@chrisw5742]

@@isaacg3175 How bout 2/3 timing? :-P

[@isaacg3175]

Chris W it’s basically the same, but the measures are shorter.

[@mathuwhycough6591]

a thousand percent. I never imagined someone could so perfectly articulate the ‘sub-urban’ feel AND have a solution! Amazingly well done!

[@harrycrab8725]

I signed up for the 80-20 course several years ago and I continually come back to these exercises and grooves, the various metronome exercises and recordings, and I really believe it’s a great system to get your playing consistently grooving in the shortest amount of time. Beware, it’s a painful process. Be prepared for metronome at 60 bpm. Even after ‘completing’ the course (you never complete concepts), I use Nate’s course (or selected exercises) as a warm up to get in touch with micro-time and really lock it in. An hour or two of Nate’s exercises and I am locked in for everything else I’m working on. Highly recommended! P.S. I have no affiliation with Nate or 80-20; I paid my money and I’m a satisfied customer.

[@JeanOffTheLeash]

I've been drumming for nearly 20 years. Early on, I progressed quickly with lessons and was able to become a good enough drummer for playing in bands and jamming. I was at this plateau for a long while until I finally got a nice mic setup and I recorded each of my practice sessions. What I quickly realized after listening back is that I sounded A LOT worse than I ever realized. The distance between what you hear while playing and what someone else would hear can be a chasm as large as the Pacific Ocean. Everyone has seen that confident drummer at Guitar Center who's playing eardrum-splittingly bad grooves without a care in the world. So I agree with everything in this video. You've got to attack your weaknesses head on and not be insecure about it. The best way to do that is record yourself and listen back. I agree it's important to play with a metronome at first, but I consider them training wheels. Eventually you have to figure out a way to leave it behind and find the groove yourself. And if you know what good music sounds like, you should know what a good groove sounds like. Listen to isolated tracks of your favorite drummers and try to replicate them. Bonham's more simplistic grooves are a great place to start, such as Kashmir. After dedicating a few weeks to this, you'll eventually become a better active listener as you play and you'll have a more accurate idea of what your groove sounds like in the moment.

[@adamgonzalez2194]

100 percent agree. Everything sounds different behind the kit than in front of it. I've played with lots of people, and I honestly can't be happy with what I play for a song, until I listen back, tweek, listen back, tweek, etc., until what I hear through recording actually sounds good. First run through, I almost always notice something I thought sounded cool playing with the band, sounds like garbage when I hear it back. I spent one semester at the LA College of Music, it was dope, but really expensive. But they would have guest speakers. One week Carl Allen came and talked with us, incredible drummer, absolutely incredible, has played with Jazz Legends, etc. He talked about listening to his performance one night in his hotel room after he had just played, so he could know where to improve, and honestly that was just an added detail about something else he was talking about, not even his main point, but I never forgot it, and this guy has been playing longer than I've been alive. I realized, awesome grooves and fills require listening back to yourself, things just don't sound the same behind the kit.

[@insanetechpistefi1684]

Amen, brother.

[@rogerwelsh2335]

I agree. I find that I lay back on 2 & 4 more than I think I am when I’m sitting behind the kit. I always thought I was lined up with the recording but I wasn’t. The only thing that saves me on most songs is that I’m consistent with it. But I’m trying really hard to force myself to be able to play songs hearing them in different ways. Right now I’m pushing my self to learn to feel songs more on top off the note. My natural feel for songs is behind the beat on 2&4. I can’t believe how hard it’s been to try and teach myself to play on top of the note. Is anyone else experiencing something similar?

[@ScottGarrettDrums]

How to develop groove, by Steve Ferrone: "Ya' just gotta f---in' do it, mate." :D How to actually develop groove and pocket. 1) Relax. 2) Play with a consistent placement on the click. You can be "on" the click while still not sounding consistent. If you're playing right on-top of the click, you shouldn't be able to hear it at all. This is known as "burying the click." 3) Learn how to play with your placement to create an intentional push / pull while playing to a click (e.g. going into or out of a chorus). 4) Try Bonham's method, hats on top of the beat, kick just in front, and snare just behind. That's your quintessential pocket, called so because it creates a wide space between the kick and snare, allowing more room for other instruments to fit in there... like a hand into a cozy pocket. 5) Play along to Sarah McLachlan's "Trainwreck" and bury the groove under your playing. (It doesn't matter if you like the song or not, you're learning how to groove.) 6) After dedicated and focused practice your increased confidence level shines through your playing as a strong, solid, and consistent groove with a deep pocket.

[@cilius88]

@@SeanPeckham-xe2gt My drum mentor has been driving that in my head for over a year. Kick before, Hats on top, snare just behind. It's changed the game for me.

[@mirak63]

Trainwreck doesn't groove.

[@Christopher.TheGrasshopper]

What in the goddamn hell is trainwreck

[@ballhawk387]

What has made the biggest difference for me when playing to a click/metronome is to get out of my head and simply "feel" the click, rather than concentrating on it too much.

[@mikesharpsongs]

Guitar player here, typically solo shows. When I play with anyone I am immediately aware of my tendency to rush and be way too busy. This video is tremendous in terms of further defining the problem and offering a way through. Now I will try to work through the transposition between instruments, but thanks so much for all of the wonderful insight!

[@tiger3249]

8:47 grabs cymbal despite not hitting it.

[@evltwin984]

Its called habit. Like how you keep buying crack

[@carljohnson1726]

@@evltwin984 hold up

[@HIBA_DA_LOLICON]

@@evltwin984 lol wat?

[@christineblack4654]

@@evltwin984 lololololol good one.

[@chacou]

that cracked me up!

[@jarrahdrum]

this channel fascinates me because you manage to make me feel like this is a one to one lesson. In my opinion you are a fantastic teacher and you are not afraid to highlight your weaknesses. A great sign.

[@OriginalVondy]

The answer is: "more cowbell."

[@christopherhoffman481]

crank it to eleven!

[@Cool_Papa_Funk]

More Zilbell

[@sunshine-yr4qw]

Always

[@wimbledan]

Don't fear the reaper dude

[@luisaucedo]

Caubel

[@Bobbroberg]

This video is phenomenal and the first I have seen that talks about feel and placement. I have told 3 of my drum teachers someone needs to make videos like this .”Everything in between the click “

[@DudeThatDrums]

I think your insights and personal experiences (the not "dumbed down" version you were hinting towards) are essential in making these lessons useful and eye-opening. Please keep them in there and take the appropriate amount of time to explain! Thanks heaps.

[@JamiePittsSCM]

You Earned my respect by not dumbing this video down. You actually articulate this really well!

[@harrymears1623]

I love your new years resolution and I wish you the best of luck!

[@dansee6455]

In my opinion playing by yourself can only get you so far. It’s being able to deal with how different musicians play and make the music sound great. To me this is different to just playing tight with yourself. A lot of drummers just “go” and don’t listen. You have to be able to listen and adapt. I guess it also depends on your definition of pocket. To me it’s a relaxed feeling. Like the drummer has everyone in his pocket and is taking care of them haha. It’s great that you talk about this stuff so kudos to you.

[@coldanimal5107]

Totally agree. It wasn't until I started listening to a lot of old be-bop recordings, and noticed that certain drummers worked better with some bassists than others, that I realised the actual groove came from the way they combined. A drummer with a tendency to push the beat can work really well with a bassist who drags the beat, as they form the pocket between themselves, whereas if they're both pushing it just feels like they're trying to up the tempo.

[@mikepostdrums]

I started at 17 and for the first ten years, hardly played in bands at all. I wasn't bad, but I also wasn't anywhere near good. In those years I learned all of these techniques, grooves, licks.. other drummers would tell me I'm a good player. Then when I would jam with other musicians I couldn't apply ANY of that stuff. I thought the answer was practicing more, then joining bands later. It wasn't. I just got more and more frustrated. Then when I joined 3 bands last year, I experienced a shift in confidence and growth spurt in timing and sound. TL;DR play with others, get better faster. surprise surprise

[@cosmic_JAV]

@@mikepostdrums yeah I had a friend in HS who could straight up shred on a guitar. Kid has a amazing sound , he legit could kill it. Well me and my buddy who I jammed with everyday and wrote songs with invited him over, and mind u I have played with several guitarist prior to this, but he came over and tried to play I mean we would try songs that we both new and that I had played with my other friend all the time and he just couldn't do it. He couldn't keep time for shit. He would just always play a song as fast as he could when playing with someone else.. He'd take a 3min song and play it in 2min 10 sec

[@floydsmithjr7999]

I agree, playing any instrument with other musicians is probably the best thing you can do for yourself, even if you tank it, its worth the experience

[@cksh11223]

Just saw the comments, and I can’t agree more with you guys. While it’s important to practise with a metronome, it helps a lot when you really listen to other musicians and react to them (or not), like you need to really hear everyone in harmony, including yourself. I hope more teachers can make videos about this. For example you can have a bass player play a few bars and then you tell people how you’re gonna play with that and then demonstrate, while addressing things like accents, ghost notes, balance, and fills and so on… In short, you’re not just a drummer but also a musician 🙏

[@Drumaier]

Meditation should be taught in schools. Is just a necessity to learn to quiet the mind from compulsive thinking. Great video Nate.

[@dadof3tngirls]

Drumaier J you won’t learn to mediate in school because you can’t teach it in a school setting.

[@gingerbaker1785]

The mind is a dangerous thing. Overthinking sucks.

[@joegridl]

@@dadof3tngirls shure you can! Some countries do!

[@HexZwo]

I work in a school, here they do that in kindergarten

[@Drumaier]

@@dadof3tngirls I don't have a clue about what you are talking about

[@ajb-drums]

One of the best lessons I have seen online not only for content but organization and editing.

[@chanonbernstein8267]

I always get something from your videos, Nate. And, overall, it's inspirational to watch you develop as a musician. Thanks for inviting us to watch your journey...

[@WrvrUgoThrUR]

I could listen to this dude play on THAT kit for days. All the pieces sound like they belong together. Notice how he’s not even playing loud.

[@seraphimdunn]

How to dominate the pocket: Step 1) Be Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett Step 2) Don't not be Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett

[@harrymears1623]

Sugarfoot is a boring drummer imo

[@NeCtRiCkS]

@@harrymears1623 He's amazing at what he's "in charge of". In my opinion, he's quite creative in the midst of simplicity. His precision is remarkable and his drumming does exactly what MJ music asks for: a solid pump to "elevate" the listener and true silence when it's requested. I also used to think it was too simple/boring, then I tried to perceive why and noticed it's 100% how it meant to be.

[@harrymears1623]

@@NeCtRiCkS what should I listen to (in your opinion) if i want to hear this for myself?

[@Hontonoki]

Absolutely brilliant insert about Dzogchen. I've liked your approach for a long time, but now I'm also blown away by the synchronicity that I personally encountered in this video. Thank you very much for this!

[@FusionHowie]

Im obsessed with this awesome instructor! I myself am a Realtor by day, drummer everywhere else. He seems to help me with everyday events and my chops! He hits hard in regards to his "for real" approach on drum parts and real life solutions! This guys is the BOMB! I am NOT a paid anything for this channel :)

[@vernonsteinkamp1088]

Speaking of recording, I was in a band with a great bass player. We recorded our gigs (6 nights a week in bars) then we would review and critique the recordings. Needless to say, we became extremely tight together which helped the rest of the band improve. As drummers, it is important to acknowledge that we do play with several other people at the same time. I have personally noticed that musicians who practice on their own without a metronome, can know some great chops but their timing is off, which in turn causes that constant timing struggle within the band. In conclusion, nothing can accelerate a bands improvement more than recording and analysing with the whole group present.

[@joshistyping]

I spent almost a decade playing guitar, mostly by myself and never with a metronome. When I'd record myself, I'd notice how much my timing sucked no matter how well I played everything else. When I finally got to jam with musicians on a semi-regular basis, I had to use every muscle in my body to stay on time. Don't be me, kids.

[@tmckague]

"Lead the band rather than follow it" - Brilliant. This is the job of all drummers in essence.

[@nellamendelson9764]

Yes, but you have to know music to conduct. Why would the worst driver drive the bus ?

[@RainbowKrash]

Thank you SO much for addressing meditation as an inherent part of musical practice!!! I am a guitarist, but find myself watching your videos because your approach is admirable and gleans to outside of its immediate realm. I spend some time on the cushion, and have struggled very much with stampeding thoughts, as well as glimpsed states of near stillness. I cannot state enough that literally 90% of the mistakes I make playing guitar are caused by an unfocused mind, meandering through random irrelevant thoughts while I'm trying to play a piece. This of course requires some vigilance on my part to make sure that when I'm playing, that i am focused on playing. The sensation of playing, awareness of my appendages, awareness of the location within the song, as well as mentally preparing for the next parts; are all important head spaces to be in no matter what instrument you're playing. You are honestly one of the first people I've heard even address this aspect of the musical journey, and really i would like to thank you for your genuinity and belief in us, the viewer, to be open to more efficient and different modes of thinking; despite whatever connotations people suppose when they hear the word "meditation." Hope you have a great day! Sick style man

[@csecskristof]

Guitarist/Bassist here. I've been having a similar thing going on. It was an advice by Martin Taylor (Amazing jazz guitarist). He was talking about singing what you are playing. Not singing along with your notes. That is easy. But singing and then playing along what you are singing on the instrument. Super hard. Makes you focus on actually hearing yourself, not as you expect it but what you are actually singing. Sort of hard to conceptualize but it changed my playing a great deal. Opens up creativity and feel by miles. Great vid mate. You are an inspiration , and make me want to pick up drums.

[@ElaEhDoTempoDoBob]

Very nice insights, thanks for this video! I really like the idea of the consistency of the distance between your subdivisions and the exposure to a dance culture. As a beginner brazilian timbal student in a maracatu group I find myself really nitpicking myself in the consistence of the distance between specific notes in a rythm. Also, the rythms are always directed to specific forms of dance, so you gotta learn a lot by looking how your sound interlace with the way you expect the dancers to dance.

[@isaiasferreira2579]

I can't describe how deep and valuable each second of this video is.. You're talking about the structure of reality man.. It is way beyond drumming.. Thanks!

[@drunkmonk2042]

you had at me at meditation. i ve played guitar 23 yrs and drums for 1. thanks for not dumbing down your video like i did this comment.

[@helemaalnicks6215]

I've already been practicing this a lot since that last video of yours you're referring to. I'm not pretending I'm particularly good at it already or anything, but I can definately feel the difference. I used to play 16th on the hi hats by playing 8 notes, and just playing the other 8 notes on the bounce, while now, I feel like I'm playing 2 sets of 8th notes, 1 accented set on the beat, and a set of 'just the tip' on the off. It's hard to explain, but it feels more like they're different limbs now then before, when the offbeat was just an afterthought.

[@oshikiri999]

*The incredible story of an average white guy discovering his gospel roots*

[@oshikiri999]

@tututuims ieijebdo lol I know man. Was referring to his status in life... Not his skill.

[@hp5711]

@tututuims ieijebdo lmao

[@stonelenny]

Gospel???

[@dahliafiend]

Nah not really.

[@267cal]

Lol

[@rogerwelsh2335]

This may be the best one you’ve ever done. You are so onto something that I have not run across yet. I think you really tapped into something really big

[@paistefever]

Once again, absolutely spot-on episode, Nate! I'd say another thing I've noticed after decades of playing with totally different kinds of musicians is the confidence feel while you're playing even regular groove pocket plays a major role as well. Just like Stewart Copeland or Dave Lombardo. they always smash the drum kit when they play because they feel like they are in their own space (universe) while they are playing. I also noticed that musicians that actually love playing music more than just playing an instrument, play more "alive". Something like they allow music and rhythm to possess them. If that makes sense :)

[@boostuse]

This is probably why Travis Orbin is so incredibly talented, he hears things

[@coldanimal5107]

The relevance of dance culture is understated here, if anything. It makes a huge difference if you are making music that people will expect to be able to dance a certain way to or not. Are you playing for people to be able to enjoy it in their heads, or in their bodies? If the focus is on listening to lyrics that are making a real statement, or clever, creative compositional elements, you can approach groove in a very different way than if you're playing to get a crowd up on their feet.

[@rogerlegends166]

yeh , playing for dancers is the real lesson . ' Hips don't lie '

[@danielluz1861]

im learning to play drums in a carnival band in Brazil, the way they teach you to keep the time and find the groove is dancing and hearing people around you.

[@LokeyeMC]

I'm making the type of music where the focus is on the lyrics and making a real statement, with clever compositional elements. How can I approach groove in a very different way?

[@danevansdesigner]

Another great instalment which i always look forward too. Really interesting subject too. I was jamming with my 7 year old son tonight and i was on drums for a bit and he was singing and i was trying to stay clear headed and still in the groove. We had a blast. Great work as usual Nate so thank you.

[@cilius88]

Thank you so much for this. I was super intimidated by this channel a long way back. My mentor started pointing out things to me recently that I need to really explore. This was one. I grew up listening to electronic music. I had no feel, no groove. I can't wait to hit the shed later.

[@a.j.wilkes6352]

I for one really enjoyed the mediation break. We can only hope to break through to the universal through specific experiences. Zen and the Art of Not Sucking at Drums.

[@jukujuku6153]

Im working on meditation through exercise. Not easy at the moment being unfit af, but going for a run can eventually bring a sense of floating through space. I’ll get to that point eventually

[@jeffhuett101]

Very glad to’ve discovered your channel. Your coverage of what I would’ve previously considered ineffable subjects has been wonderful. Looking forward to ingesting your entire catalog. Really great work, man.

[@8020drummer]

thanks!

[@joshpuranen4695]

Wow! This is the first time I have seen someone effectively explain what I hear when I listen to myself play. Perfect explanation to what it's like to try and play in time. I would also add that coming from a drumline background, I tend to think of pulse in rudimental "microphrases", like rudiment combos, but fail to put them together with consistent feel over the bar. Likes crushing groups of notes together.

[@nicholaslee3148]

I feel like there's one main thing missing from this video: dynamics. If your microtiming is amazing but the dynamics are whack (e.g. super loud hi hats + soft snare drum in a rock groove) I'm 99% sure your groove wouldn't sound so great. Benny Greb talks about this in the The Art and Science of Groove. Also, I think the importance of swing is really undermentioned considering the large amount of music that requires accurate swing to groove properly. Apart from that, I appreciate the content you put out man! Especially enjoy the way you think about practicing and how to identify better and worse drummers.

[@yolandacharles_thebassteacher]

Massive truth right here...

[@TonyCoyle]

dynamics come once you can feel the space... (same with rhythm guitar...) you gotta step before you can swing.

[@bryanrmcf]

This is why I love Jeff Porcaro, the man was a genius when it came to groove. Not overplaying and crazy ass chops (which in my opinion can be quite impressive) but nothing beats groove!

[@anthonyreynoso7275]

Bryan Bello couldn’t agree more Jeff and John Bonham were groove masters and their respective shuffles will forever be the manifestations of their legacy 🤘🏻

[@ignasty3591]

You duh man, 80/20! Love your content. One of my favorite drum channels. Thumbs up.

[@dashobradors]

Man, I discovered this channel yesterday and I’m hooked! Really useful tips on drumming and also on life! Cheers from Barcelona 🤘🏻

[@DavidDiMuzio]

I'm also a guitarist ...but I'm gonna practice this. Thanks!

[@legacyShredder1]

I'm a lifelong guitarist, too. The best thing I ever did for my guitar playing was to learn how to play the snare drum. Rudiments and cadences apply to both rhythm and melody on other instruments as well. Learning to play the snare freed me from a prison that I had never known to exist before doing so.

[@markvandivier]

One thing I've noticed is that when you are smiling while playing, you are in the pocket and everything sounds fantastic. (This is not meant for everyone, just the guy doing the lesson).

[@8020drummer]

Agree he he

[@markhedges1194]

Hi Nate! It was good to revisit this lesson. Groove and Pocket are very important, and it was good to recap. My playing is coming on, so thank you again for this great insight, always appropriate and bang up to date. Thanks again and Happy New Year!

[@progrockjock]

Loving this channel!

[@mirak63]

Playing over records works very well if you record your part and listen to it separately, to fix what's wrong, and focus on just one or two bars, and try to replicate exactly the original playing.

[@spartandrew8672]

I think this Chanel has helped me a ton

[@zephodx]

Why, do you smell better now?

[@JerBroChill]

Glad to hear perfume is helping you a lot!

[@YourMomsSideDude]

Ooh la la.

[@doug_I_do_not_consent]

Thanks for the heads up on Sam Harris - I learned TM in college and over the years what they taught has been useful. I ignored everything they taught except to sit still for 20 minutes and let my mind cool down. Usually around the 15 minute mark I can achieve that and the last 5 minutes are remarkably therapeutic. I took drum lessons from a good teacher years ago but never owned a drum set until recently so I'm going back through the lessons. Your channel has been really helpful. Also enjoy listening to artists you mention like Gilad Hekselman. Fantastic channel!

[@Yayev]

You're the best drum teacher for advanced lessons/concepts I've found on KZbin. Also, more meditation!

[@filmjazz]

Fantastic lesson and advice, and more detailed than what I’m currently doing to solve my own groove problem: turns out my bass pedal technique was holding everything else back (and this is mentioned in the video!). After 30+ years since I first started playing drums (complicated by the fact that I also play guitar/bass/keyboard), I’m transitioning to heel up technique. Re-learning something that ingrained is absolutely brutal but I know I have to do it, and I’m just starting to get tangible results after about 10 hours with it. My point is that sometimes it’s not our sense of “microtiming” that’s the problem, it’s a physical technique issue that’s creating a wall. Another simple thing one can do while practicing is reverse your leading hand for a solid hour. It’s amazing how many weaknesses that reveals, and then an hour later when you switch back the difference is really obvious. Love this channel!!!

[@thatcher857]

I love how EVERYTHING he says is true! Sometimes I feel like the best thing I can do for my students is refer them to his videos.

[@isakeriksson8590]

Such a great video. Good job man, definetly going to learn much from this

[@IniDim]

Wonderful video. Love this man, thank you.

[@braxtongary6721]

Playing off time but on time within time sounds amazing

[@ejeckk]

I spent all of my yearly years listening and playing Go-go, rock, funk, and early fusion. I actually never gave pocket much of a thought because it was all pocket -- especially go-go. But looking back, the biggest development came because 90% of practice and playing was spent practicing and playing with other people. I had this resource because from my neighborhood and generation nearly all of my friends and school mates played an instrument. I know this is different today, but it truly was a great time to develop groove/pocket in the context of collaborative playing versus playing in isolation. I wish more parents would push their kids into at least playing an instrument for a few years. Because with so many musicians around only the truly exceptional will stand out. And their are definitely folks gigging today who are not exceptional, but quite average because of the lack of competition in the space. That's not hating on the least exceptional either (I'm one of them). I know for a fact that I got gigs in the past, not because I was the best, but because there was no one else around due to the sheer lack of talent in the area. I am glad, however, that there are folks around like yourself to help others learn musicianship with encouragement and pointers. Great content!

[@VictorNickel]

Go-Go is beautiful music. Learned about it through Adam Deitch, bless this man Why isn't this type of funk much more widely known? It's monstrously efficient and delivers tons

[@ejeckk]

@@VictorNickel , go-go is almost exclusively played live and is completely a D.C. thing. It had a small time in the 80's when a band called EU had a hit; however, other than that if one lives outside of the D.C, Maryland, Northern VA area, you're likely to never hear it. I am glad that you have an appreciation for it. It'll check out Adam Deitch later. Thanks.

[@lmrdrummer1]

Listen to the intro to Mr Magic by Grover Washington Jr. A group of DC Funk musicians would crank that intro up, loop it and jam over it. That’s apparently how the GOGO style emerged. Whether 100% true, not sure. But listen to that intro and you’ll hear DC Funk before it was a thing.

[@danielmardones5185]

Love this approach. I want to set up my kit now to try this out! Excellent vid

[@myoung48281]

I love how you play, it's understated, nice to see a more relaxed style.

[@yikelu]

I really started to notice my timing inconsistencies when I started recording myself. Doing it on Edrums/DAW helped because I can record direct to a MIDI grid and I can look at it visually to see whether I'm rushing or dragging while simultaneously listening to it. I also started noticing how different micro time of ahead vs behind the beat sounds.

[@argentstrat5471]

Great stuff, Im a guitarist but a lot (maybe most) of your videos are not actually drum specific. Greetings from sweden

[@adamfink8958]

The way you think and teach is quite unique, at least in my experience. I appreciate your insight and wonderful use of analogies, particularly the one towards the end about practicing free throws. Great video! I can't wait to put this into practice (: Thank you!

[@TomBelknapRoc]

Outstanding lesson! Very thought-provoking, wish I were in front of my drums instead of my workstation!

[@JensLarsen]

Super useful insights and relevant to all instruments!

[@pdsm1552]

Oh look it's the guy who made the pentatonic scale cool again! As both a guitarist (who's learnt a lot from you) and drummer (who's learnt a lot from this channel), seeing you comment here makes me very happy! :D

[@JensLarsen]

@@pdsm1552 Nate makes really great videos. I check them out quite often.

[@pdsm1552]

@@JensLarsen ah man you even replied to my comment, goodness today must be a good day haha Thanks for making me want to "Learn jazz, make music" sir!

[@balatpinah4946]

Great lesson! What's that groove you were playing at 12:30 ? Great playing

[@EricT43]

Awesome lesson, thanks!

[@JoshuaDb_The_Witness]

I am not a drummer. I was a pro bassist for number of years, And have been getting back to writing originals over the past year. Really enjoying your videos man, though I'm not a drummer I have subscribed. Keep up the good content brother!

[@Ashtrovx]

Why does this guy not look like a drummer

[@8020drummer]

Somebody shoulda told my genes to make me look more like a drummer

[@brycelondon]

I think anyone holding drumsticks looks like a drummer

[@youngroshi4677]

How do you look like a drummer

[@evltwin984]

Wtf does a drummer look like, travis barker?

[@billpeart]

@@youngroshi4677 looking homeless is a good start.

[@BxCortez2050]

Im glad you're meditating ..you needed to mello out ..

[@cemjimrocks]

Thank you dude, I will try this out

[@terrorfirma7813]

Brilliant lesson. I spend a lot of my practice time working on "pocket" and feel. I guess my first realization was when I quit my band and they tried to replace me with a "suburban" drummer... he was very experienced but lacked the feel. I totally get what you are talking about and I've never articulated it as well as you did in this video. I suppose the best way is like you mentioned about "micro time"... I liken it to a tight swing feel that should be felt but not played and the faster the bpm the tighter/faster that swing needs to be implied. I really like to compare myself to Taylor Gordon [the Pocket Queen] to see how much I suck and how far I still need to go, but hey at least i know I need to work hard on this.

[@justiniadonisi9290]

Hey man. In some of your other videos, you describe "finding the 1." What exactly do you mean by that? Are you referring to the downbeat in general, or the first beat of each measure? Love your channel!

[@lucienfournier0]

“Finding the 1” is just a common thing in music, you’re right with the latter. It just means to find the first beat of every measure

[@kurtpatterson1296]

Want to learn how to groove?Start with James Brown's drummers,EWF drum tracks and most of the 70's drummers.Then,add a few modern elements without losing the basic feel and groove.Most modern drummers do not understand funk on the one,like Jerome Brailey for Funkadelic.

[@mileyondrumz]

Dude this is golden. I’ve recently had this realization how I sound v how I think I sound haha. Always trying to improve. Love your content. It’s great, videos from years ago still appear in my feed - means your entire catalogue is very relevant … “keep up the good work in the field”

[@ballhawk387]

The groove is in the heart. Excellent vid!

[@8020drummer]

Here's my complete "time" lesson, for more detail and context to the exercises above - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYCln4CjiqiAgLc

[@jcbozich]

Is this supposed to loop back to the top of your latest post or possibly here instead? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYCln4CjiqiAgLc

[@thomascannariato186]

What metronome you using on the laptop?

[@TheKiddOnDrums]

This video hit at home… thank you very much for putting what I’ve been noticing about my playing and such eloquent language and offering solutions

[@davidbush9274]

Thanks for applying the meditation aspect of it. You made it quick and painless, you did not force it, and it made the advice that more interesting. Thanks for the lesson. Truly helpful.

[@chasemanhart]

“Intentionally imperfect subdivision can be Nasty as Hell”

[@tofuComputer]

Groove is a meditation. Meditation is a groove. Knowing both is the pocket.

[@mileyondrumz]

Great video dude. I’m always searching for ways to improve. This was a good one. 👍

[@MrHamtits]

Just picking up the drums and came across this vid. Great stuff mate! Subscribed!

[@supersophisticated9943]

4:45 when he said you can’t unnotice it I noticed his nostrils are different sizes

[@fatherlandchild2780]

😭i hope hes okay with it

[@s1nnocense]

omg, can'T look anywhere else now :(

[@evensteven8129]

Pridgen doesnt meditate.. Hes just hella stoned..and he went to Berklee..

[@MistaPotatoFace]

Even Steven maybe being stoned can lead to indirect meditation?

[@sonickitchen]

You could be onto something there. Some of the best learning I ever had was when starting a second set with someone and they turned to me and said 'You're doing great, but play it more like you're stoned man'

[@ViciousDeliciousIV]

@@sonickitchen I agree. Playing after smoking a bit felt like slowing down how I play and allowed me to really feel the groove and the soundwaves rather than what is in my head.

[@Oneness100]

So that's why his shit isn't musical. :-).

[@5Antvin]

Berkelee didn’t make him a monster drummer -The gene pool did - fo sho

[@mrweed979]

Dude! One of the most insightful videos on kit drumming I've ever seen! Awesome!

[@VodkaSelekta]

Another meditating musician here. It's the best thing I ever did. It's always good to hear who else uses it.

[@archivestereo]

I thought you were going to really stay true to the “don’t try so hard” theme but you didn’t. Because first time thru I thought the first drummer, excellent time notwithstanding, was trying way too hard. Second was just awful timing. If you listen to the original groovers from the 70s and earlier you barely perceived them save for the beat. They kept it in the background, they depended more on a solid bass drum, and they never overplayed. You are right about the real key to it of course. People who develop great time will groove better.

[@rustyshackleford6318]

archivestereo Thomas Pridgen is a Berkeley school of music trained drummer who played with The Mars Volta for three years. Filling the void left by John Theodore was no small task man!

[@maxsteinbach359]

I feel so called out by "suburban feel"

[@Briamuth]

Haha. I was literally having a conversation with another musician and when they asked where do you get your inspiration, I told him meditation. It, along with yoga has allowed the music to not be made, but heard and transcribed. I am just transferring sounds. I love your advice. Thanks for post

[@Savantjazzcollective]

intersting, eastern meditation = emptying the mind but, I sometimes find that, filling my mind (i.e. christian/judaeo meditation) with the grooves and feels I want to achieve can work better for me...

[@carldroot]

"It's a little bit more like a swung beat . . " Please do a whole segment on that! Repeat this pattern . . . "pick it up pick it up pick it up . . ." Where's one? If your inclination is to put it on "pick", try "up" instead. All of a sudden "and" becomes more important than "one". Now we're getting somewhere.