How Great Drummers Play the Hi Hat - Left Foot Survival Skills

[@zoolzoo4434]

alot of snarky stuff to say but when you sit down on the kit all i see is a total joke

[@8020drummer]

I'm calling BS - I don't think he actually watched it 😂

[@gregdiamanti6089]

Found the guy that doesn't study leglocks.

[@Chrisbell804]

80/20 drummer knows what he’s talking about. 🎸🎭🥁🕊🏴‍☠️😎💜🌎

[@spiciestspeckofdust7844]

okay kevin

[@wmbdaredevil]

Poor child you have much to learn 😂

[@Nijoto]

You’re like a good Chianti. Dry and very effective. Excellent lesson!

[@symmetricalDrummingAustralia]

...love that area under the curve analogy...perfect!!!!

[@roloduarte3100]

Awesome lesson; in my opinion the best on this subject. Thanks!

[@dr05guitar]

Thanks for the tips… also I laughed quite a bit when you said not stomping like you’re trying to kill a zombie… the delivery was perfect! Haha

[@stevenwilson9865]

Carmine talked about the importance of the hi-hat. He played on the beat, off the beat, and in-between..and he made it look easy.

[@bigmistqke]

Literally was talking about this yesterday. Thanks 🙏

[@kengreen6901]

You are a great teacher, mighty big thank you.

[@ThePaulmirto]

Great lesson

[@ryanspeed4671]

I enjoyed the video and your playing

[@namesake7139]

Excellent video

[@wendyscher2957]

Saucy stuff! Love it.

[@devolta]

So what do I do with my middle foot?

[@patricktiglao]

Again more great stuff!

[@MrRezRising]

Wil Calhoun of Living Colour was the first time I ever saw someone pushing hi hat foot straight eights out during a groove. Before that it was AVH during his solo in the Sammy concert in the 80s.

[@alphamonkey1234]

Nate wood has one of the best left foots I ever did hear and see (at some angles)

[@christianmalessa2572]

Still love these videos!

[@chris.dillon]

I spent 4 days on 13:54. :O Couldn't play at all, 3 days (mornings and afternoons) now I can at least get through it consistently. Me = early beginner. Now I'm adding the quarter note on a ride I don't own (yet). Geeez.

[@jasonschenk3285]

Get in the habit of keeping time with your HH foot when you are just listening to music. Eventually, you'll find yourself doing it when you aren't even trying to, or thinking about it. It'll start to be a natural thing that you just do. My wife says that I make the whole car shake when we are sitting at a red light (if I am driving), and it drives her nuts. I don't even realize that I'm doing it until she tells me to stop. She doesn't realize that it was going before the red light too haha. A lot of this stuff is muscle memory so, if that foot is planted on the floor, it has nothing to remember. Check out Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His HH foot NEVER stops even if he isn't playing a chick pattern. Anyway... Keep it up, and before you know it, it won't even be a thing anymore for you.

[@Sundaydrumday]

Good video !

[@benmollett48]

Tony Allen instructing Moses Boyd get into this in relation to afrobeat setting. He recommends Moses goes away and focuses on those off-beat hihats. Beauty of Tony's ability to play the hihats with stick while opening / loosening hats while still get a crisp 'chick' from those hats.

[@morganneher8643]

It’s amazing how much the left foot can do on the floor board of your car, we brake and gas with the right foot I basically learned how to play left foot lead that way but it DEFINITELY helped the Hi-Hat awareness and endurance

[@chocolatechipcookiedough]

My favorite of all the 80/20 lessons I've seen so far. I love this.

[@phatbackbeat6553]

Really informative lesson. Thank you.

[@josephcecire3959]

Thank you for cheering this like the way you teach the way it is

[@ENOCK_onYouTube]

Awesome!

[@citydrums7525]

Great concepts. Sweet playing...

[@timothymckenna1702]

Once again, awesome lesson!

[@williamkjwilliamkj1815]

Akira Jimbo does a lot of 8th note left foot time keeping.

[@andreadrummey6466]

What you must first understand is that there are three core principles of a John Danaher reference.

[@cjansenATL]

In this example, playing hats tight was focused on, but there is value in the loose sloshing seen with Tony, Gadd and Vinnie. Very challenging in its own way.

[@8020drummer]

Of course. This is just a basics washup. There aren't really any "wrong answers" once you have it under your command.

[@brittab.6675]

This was a great breakdown!! Thank you!!

[@jimfarey]

Sick examples! The bit you spouted about describing time feels/beats at 6:15 for 25s could be whole video! Great stuff

[@TeslaNick2]

Brilliant ! I SO need this.... Thanks man !

[@Chrisbell804]

Excellent advice! Thank you!!🎸🎭🥁🕊🏴‍☠️😎💜🌎

[@volodymyrvolkiz2434]

Alternative reality where Sheldon never left East Texas and start doing drugs. ||| Just a joke, Great stuff you do man! Tnx!!! :)

[@andypradojr6186]

Awesome bro!

[@8020drummer]

Thanks dude!

[@benking9160]

Strangely playing left foot in time to compliment a beat came quite naturally for me. As a beginner early on I decided I'm not interested in the double kick and instead focused just as much on the hi hat foot as my bass drum foot. As time went on I found many techniques to make different sounds such as chick, splash and all sorts in between. The hi hat is the most diverse instrument we have on the kit so start experimenting!

[@petarpavasovic6333]

2:30 Chapter One - Quarters 5:57 Chapter Two - Hats on Offbeats, 8ths and Alternating 11:47 Chapter Three - The Max Roach Thing

[@yarddriver]

I have been trying to incorporate my left foot more, but I can feel it in my hip if i do it too long. Has anyone else felt any type of pain by long use of the left foot. I will start by playing around with my throne height.

[@joshpuranen4695]

Thanks for doing this episode. I needed this.

[@JoshuaGlazer]

I've heard that ghost notes on the snare serve a similar purpose of filling in the beat.. So then how would you decide which to use? Or whether to use both?

[@indie209]

Damn... Danaher wisdom everywhere

[@timothymckenna1702]

Once again, do you really need a double BD pedal while ignoring the beauty of the hi-hat?

[@ochocabra1542]

Old Sheldon isn't really selling this one

[@joshualeedrummer4042]

Hello from Asheville, NC. Nice lesson man! I'm also a jazz drummer that does BJJ. Cool to see another one out there.

[@shawnbruce6934]

Great Video Nate. I just started following about 2 months ago. Question What hats are You using in this and many of Your other videos? Thanks.

[@aminer20707]

if you draw the area under the curve using rectangles, you'll actually get the exact area once the rectangles are infinitesimally small, and infinite in number. Calculus 101.

[@turuntashtheboo7681]

Keith Moon had a perfect hi-hat tecnique!🤩

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

That’s a great topic to outline... nice work!!! And great upload.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

I’m a New Yorker myself, man. Moved to Atlanta 6 years ago. I miss the scene up there. Way different in the south. If you run into any of my boys on Bleeker St. ...tell em Jay Fenichel says hi.

[@AndrewBeveridge461]

Your snare head looks like it's composting.

[@8020drummer]

You're correct. My snare head is extremely conscious about reducing its carbon footprint and avoiding nitrate fertilizers and mono-crops :P

[@AndrewBeveridge461]

@@8020drummer that's nice, but does it pocket mulch?

[@two-eyesmckay1400]

is there a sadder sight and sound on the planet than a drummer staring at the camera lifting his left foot off the hihat, getting that springy noise and then slowly repeating it....hahahaha thank you Mr 20.

[@8020drummer]

Two-Eyes Mckay 🤣🤣🤣

[@colephelps6202]

I like your playing style and complete awareness of exactly what you're playing. Not a real musician, but I love to learn more to deepen my appreciation. P.S. Laughed at the lame, bread-sandwich troll you pinned at the top.

[@isaacleedrums]

Dislikes are people without a left foot.

[@yuriselukoff]

or with a broken hihat clutch

[@christopherrogalski8997]

Pirate drummer?

[@gostbatsohg]

lol i liked and i'm a lefty

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

...or too afraid to use it...

[@davewalker3873]

I disliked because this guys drumming is hard to watch.

[@braedonavants]

I think I finally realized why I like your videos so much. As someone who is slightly neuro-divergent, I want clear-cut rules and guidelines principles to help understand a concept. A lot of drum video lessons are just coordination transcriptions, or wishy-washy "Just feel it Bro" monologues.

[@jiujitsubassist]

As a bass player and want to understand drums better, I came for the drum lesson and stayed for the Danaher reference. That's awesome!

[@baterizmo]

Great stuff as usuall...it would take me a lifetime to go trough that sh*t

[@magn8195]

Could you cover playing closed and splash hi-hat on the left foot?

[@guitarsANDcars39]

Just what I needed.

[@joshpuranen4695]

You know it's a good instructional when you come back to it a few months later and watch it again.

[@y2ksw1]

I oil or grease my mechanics 😄

[@sergiosilvadrums]

Check out my new drum cover!!😜

[@呵呵-t9x]

Best youtuber

[@fenderguitar9204]

Great content in this! Thank you.

[@arjandejonge]

Great subject well put, remember bill steward pushing and pulling his sliding hihat stand back and forth again using it as a voice, comping John Scofield! Thanks for the lesson!!

[@Rockin_Ross]

“Raccoon eye brought to you by allergy season”. Man...can I ever relate! I love the “death stare” you give us while playing. Like the long one around 12:30 and the shorter one at 15:00. Like, “learn this shit or I’ll kill you ALL!!!” A good motivator if you ask me. 😂😂 Love your stuff man! You really know how to break it all down and make it fun!

[@sabre22b]

I filmed myself for the first time yesterday. It looks I dropped 40iq points. Scary.

[@Tekkerue]

13:04 wasn't expecting to get a calculus lesson here. 😂

[@BrianH020]

Another excellent video Nate, sorry it took me so long to subscribe. Especially like the hats in opposite rhythm of the hands, that's a personal favorite of mine. In a groove context, I love playing a shuffle where the foot is the 2nd note of the triplet and the ride hand is playing the first (i.e. quarters). I've heard Vinnie and Tom Brechtlein (both with Robben Ford coincidentally) do this...

[@resop3]

I have no concept of drumming or beats but I find these videos oddly interesting.

[@dirkayala5812]

Like!...Thanks

[@ronmyers2317]

I have been looking for something to help me utilize my left foot more often than I do. There is a reason it has been called the Forgotten foot. I'm going to have to experiment with these suggestions if I can figure them out LOL. Start placing open hi-hat notes in various places and see what I come up with.

[@boblatzer]

If I’m playing a straightforward rock beat with no ghost strokes, I throw my snare hand over to the hi-hat on the one and three in unison with the kick. I like doing that and I don’t see drummers doing it.

[@8020drummer]

Yes you do. JD Beck and Mark Guiliana do it. Trust your instincts :)

[@JoeyvanLeeuwen]

love how you raised your eyebrow when you changed the snapping to 2 & 4..."ya like jazz?"

[@nosfy]

goooood shit, sometimes we needa go back to the basics to advance forward!

[@spiciestspeckofdust7844]

It would be awesome if you did one of these for bass drum!!

[@jcbozich]

Just what the broken left foot rehab needs. Thanks Nate!

[@johnd.4536]

I was just struggling with these problems. Thanks for the tips.

[@shkottrendezvous6644]

Man, I love your lessons. I really get a lot out of them. Some drummers talk too much as though they like the sound of their own voice without adding value to the listener. You get straight to it. I’ve watched about three of your lessons and learned heaps already after many years of hobby drumming. Thank you.

[@coreystubblefield6332]

Fantastic

[@kirjian]

Horacio el Negro Hernandez playing On Fire with the Michel Camilo Trio is another insane example of left foot independence

[@jonasgustaf]

What no one really wants to talk about, is that hi-hat things/sounds/notes are most often involuntary. They just happen. Don't get me wrong though, they probably happen in the subconscious mind of an already accomplished drummer. But, I really doubt that Mark Guiliana is aware of the ridiculous stuff that he does with his left foot. Mostly it's unaware action through the musical mind of his. The only reason that I'm so sure of this, is that it is happening to me all the time (although I'm not a great drummer, like he is). I'll be stomping that hi-hat in different patterns all day long sometimes without thinking about it. But when I listen back to my "mindless" stomping, it makes sense, and sometimes even sounds awesome.

[@jonasgustaf]

A great practice for anyone: Play a slow shuffle. Then lightly tap your foot on the hi-hat pedal on the (1). What you will ultimately end up with can be something similar to Fool in the rain, or any other countless songs by great drummers. It really is a great exercise. The timing of the tapping with your foot is extremely hard. Especially when you pair it with a complicated shuffle pattern.

[@leticialopes769]

really appeciate your job, great vid keep up with it❣

[@fadyrayes]

Great lesson!

[@markciocco2509]

Good topic. Hi hat foot is a subtlety a lot of players overlook or don’t practice yet it really enhances the overall sound of a beat. Although, in a loud, electric band setting, it is easily drowned out by sheer volume.

[@caffeineadvocate]

I notice you do what I do. Sort of a "restless leg syndrome" in 8th notes as a timing device, even when not every 8th note is sounding. Neat.

[@B.Davis1]

caffeineadvocate exactly

[@sabre22b]

I've got that with kick drum. Sometimes it sounds great. High hat? Not so much :(

[@gabrielkall3694]

Exactly what i was looking for, your content has come a long way man

[@MarkQuick0411]

Found it helpful when playing with Praise & Worship is including more hi hat pedal syncing with the click track helps keep me in time & also gives dynamic range when the bridge comes in to also verses

[@sandervisser790]

3:56 lo-budget effects, cool cool cool. Support this man on Patreon and give him the FX he needs!

[@martinkent_]

I've been needing this really bad recently, so perfect timing!

[@AceRazor]

Epic Danaher inclusion.✊🏽

[@Sami-Gantz]

I've been throwing a hi hat quarter note at my practice when I'm working through books. Either every beat or 2 and 4. Depending on how I feel. It makes me feel like a real drummer when I've got my head stuck in a snare pattern

[@MrAngryTwinkie]

Jimmy Chamberlin has had a beautiful straight left foot

[@Elboy522]

He could keep those 8th notes going all set at twice the bpm of the recording

[@isaacleedrums]

MrAngryTwinkie bro I know, but what do you have against curved feet?

[@paistefever]

300%. Absolute beast and delicate at the same time, when needed. I was watching closely his left foot on some tunes few yrs ago at a show at MSG, monstrous!

[@308atalay]

when you touched on danaher you covered my full spectrum of interest

[@pnsmexico]

yeah, this was awesome

[@seftonjamie]

Ok that’s good drumming brother . I know I need a good teacher . Think you may me the guy . Never had a teacher as such just a few things I’ve stolen from records and you tube tit bits I’ve been playing for over 20 years and have come to the realisation that I’m still a bit shit and would’ve benefitted greatly if I had a teacher years ago . I’m sure I’ll find a link and details of your lessons below . But if you don’t hear from me within a week ,send a search party . Or just a link . 👌

[@laurentiuolivian1861]

These videos improved my drumming in 1 day. Couldn't wait yesterday evening after i saw the videos to practice today, and i got amazed by the difference! It’s been 6 years I’m studying and trying to understand what do I do wrong.Thank you very much. PS: And please do us another favour and do not reply to trolls; reply to people who know what they are talking about. Cheers from UK!

[@tiltedlab]

You’re awesome! Hey! More info on the music you ref’d showing Dana J. Hawkins, please, that was some great stuff!

[@chrisfournier6144]

Thank you for your help with my left foot! Honestly I'm just working on quarters in the Bossa Nova groove. Gotta start somewhere!

[@tylerblake3596]

As someone else mentioned, I sort of have my left leg moving all the time, but the hi hat isn't always opening and closing. Helps me keep my place I think. I've also found that I tend to throw in left foot stuff kind of subconsciously.. Not really sure where I got that from but it sort of reminds me of how a lot of people play ghost notes to fill in the space.

[@mark52111]

excellent video, excellent suggestions. i’m a big fan of putting foot chicks on 2 and 4 for rock and funk grooves. really helps “glue” the groove together. and i hate to rip on another’s equipment brother but those hi hat cymbals are killing me. i’m thinking we set up a go fund me to get you some new ones. those sound like trash can lids. sorry.

[@Roobertist]

Exactly the thing I've been learning for the past 6 months, super happy to see that my thought process was more or less the same and I'm on the right path!