What you NEED to know about drums (as a guitar player)

[@danbgt]

Excellent video. I am 73 years old. Started playing drums when I was 10 years old. Not a professional musician, I did play drums in some really bad bands in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. And I still play just for the fun of it from time to time. I am an “old school” drummer. More Charlie Watts than Neil Peart. I retired from my profession and started learning to play guitar five years ago. I can say, with all seriousness, that knowing how to play drums and understanding rhythm has had learning guitar much easier. I also discovered that knowing and understanding drum rudiments and patterns has been useful in learning finger picking patterns. I always enjoy your videos. Especially the acoustic fingerstyle things. Thanks!

[@ww3lstep]

Great information -- you play bass too? Perhaps a bass-for-guitarists video as well? Thanks!

[@MiguelOlivan]

Yes! The bass perspective, the harmony and the groove that match perfectly with the guitar we love...

[@acpg]

Yes, there's definitely a bass follow up lesson I could make. Maybe later this year.

[@divingslotcarsmusicandstuf9619]

@@acpg adding my vote to that, it would be v useful. This drum video was very timely btw thank you.

[@Blue_3rd]

Excellent idea! There is nothing worse than feeling like the typical ‘guitarist playing bass’. 👍

[@davidhamilton7780]

Drummers have feelings too. Great lesson, many thanks Adrian.

[@SuperOhdannyboy]

Big thanks. I have been working on simple drum programming for recording songs so can really use this. I had not considered the importance of the cymbals. I can put your teaching into practice immediately. Thanks again.

[@PaulJonesy]

What a great idea - I love working in a DAW as well as playing in a band. I struggle with creating patterns beyond the kick and snare. I’ve no idea what to do with toms or cymbals. This video left me wanting more - more on those other elements, more on fills. Great video as usual.

[@phoffen3829]

Me too. I could never figure out where to put the fills without the tune and with the tune, it isn't always in time. I gave up and gave away the drum machine - which I regret! Every now and then Adrian's sense of humour gets through on his videos. He doesn't show it as much on his vids as he could!

[@Sir1luc]

Finally someone who explains this so clearly. A true gem. Thank you.

[@miketurnbull7410]

Another great video that helps build the 'bigger picture'. I'm mainly a drummer but learning guitar, which is why I watch your videos. My wife is learning drums and this has been very useful to her too, showing how it all 'comes together' and the tip about focussed listening is great - because I've been banging on about it to her for ages! I use Superior Drummer a lot for my recordings too, but via a Yamaha electronic kit and it works brilliantly. So, many thanks for something a little different, put together and delivered in your usual clear and interesting way.

[@abrigospardos]

Thanks a million Adrian! I'm in the process of writing my own stuff (harder than I thought it would be) so this video lesson comes just at the right time! Also, drummer friends are few and far between and they're usually pretty busy too...and I've found that beatboxes don't swing and can't really replicate a decent shuffle. So learning about basic drumming, as well as a few generic basslines, is really helpful to the average guitarist.

[@Bicyclehub]

It was very interesting and so clearly explained. Please keep doing these sort of videos that are related to guitar playing but don’t necessarily involve guitars. They are very useful to those of us who are learning to create songs on software.

[@SolidMoses]

Wow. So many useful stuff in here. Every week is exciting in this channel. Also, the part where you imitated the noob way of describing to the drummer what to play, is literally me 😅😂😭

[@LuigiForte]

He bangs the drums!

[@daz4627]

Boom-Tishhh! 🙂 (cool kids may not understand your pun but I thought it was pretty good)

[@Squareheaddude]

Adrian, this was awesome! I'm trying to learn more about drums to aid me in song transcriptions. Like keeping time, identifying chord changes and what not.

[@MrTimcoronel]

William Reid's programming on the Jesus & Mary Chain's Automatic is excellent, as is Simon Guthrie's work in the Cocteau Twins

[@acpg]

Yes both awesome!

[@inlandbott]

It's interesting that Adrian appears to be left-handed (uses left on trackpad and has his midi keyboard positioned to the left) and plays drums lefty, but plays righty guitar. I wonder how common that combination is. I know Ringo played a righty kit like a lefty and leading fills with his left hand. And McCartney played a righty drum kit... probably because it was the only one around:)

[@acpg]

Yes, I'm left-handed but always played guitar righty, probably just because they didn't have any left handed guitars in the shop where I got my first guitar. I think it's reasonably common. Pretty sure Mark Knopfler and Gary Moore are the same, and I'm sure there are many others.

[@marleenvos4126]

thank you for this awesome insight into your backing tracks! I'v been hoping you'd shed some light on this for a long time.

[@johnbradshaw5891]

So helpful. Many thanks for explaining an interesting subject so clearly. As a teenager brought up on synths and drum machines it all makes sense now.

[@erikalwill6328]

Thank you so much for providing this video on the subject of drums! You answered a lot of questions I've had on drums.

[@meeno_the_man]

I’ve been wanting this information, this simply explained, for soooo long.

[@OtRatsaphong]

Great lesson, Adrian! Always good to learn about drums and to make them sound realistic.

[@piggycity]

What a great video, glad to see this

[@stewurbach9989]

Great tutorial! Very useful stuff for a guitarist/songwriter putting tracks together. As a retired Austin studio owner/engineer, I've got to compliment you on the tuning of your studio kit. On that train of thought and as a fan of your backing tracks, do you ever do much with the tuning of individual drums in the virtual drumkits?

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

The last bit you showed, I immediately thought of the track Ski-ing from Harrison's Wonderwall Music album (which features uncredited Eric Clapton on fuzz guitar).

[@barthyde8855]

"Bad beat-boxing". 🤣Indeed, we've all been there!

[@MuseumsBloke]

Excellent video, Adrian - Thank you. Best advice I ever got joining my first band, at the ripe old age of c.3.5 no less, was - listen to the drummer …

[@310765]

That’s it! Keep it simple, I love simplicity, thanks Adrian 😃👍🏼

[@jaytee8188]

Thank you very much Adrian. Very interesting and (for me) de-mystifying regarding DAW use and also drum machine tech. I guess the trick is there is no trick, you just have to put the time into these things.

[@danihost1785]

Awesome video, mate! This was super useful.

[@shawnbell6392]

As a guitarist I LOVE drums and what they do for a song.

[@brewtarski1]

Really helpful. Thanks, Adrian.

[@andydinesguitar]

Great stuff Adrian - made me chuckle describing drummer comms as "bad beat-boxing" and "chopsy" is my new favourite euphemism for w***ing off!😝

[@Soundgear4]

Excellent as a bassist, I just got a bebop kit!👍

[@DavidComdico]

Wouldn't mind more production-oriented vids. I don't usually use SD's grid editor but I think I'll give it a go next time. Well done.

[@acpg]

Thanks. Yes, you can use the midi editor in Pro Tools, but if you want to access some of the deeper features and articulations I find it easier to do it inside SD.

[@tiki_trash]

I had a couple roommates that were drummers. I managed to get a basic 2/4 and 4/4 beat down.

[@MrMont-ue8kh]

Agreed, Adrian. That was useful!

[@johnsimmons6136]

Thank you for this very informative video.

[@maxzapom]

hey, i was just looking for this

[@martinfox9560]

Amazing video, thanks

[@djh6970]

Thanks for this one Adrian. Very useful stuff👍

[@toastoftowne1076]

Good idea thanks again

[@iantaylor827]

Great idea for a video. Thanks a lot

[@otterguitars]

That was great Adrian. I'm looking to create my own drum tracks - probably in Logic. I'm hoping the learning curve is not too steep. Thanks for your input.

[@JimMcVay]

This is an awesome tutorial!

[@karllongbottomguitars9192]

Very helpful, many thanks 👍👍

[@RickHardcore]

Very well played!🎸

[@vv247]

very educational !!!

[@tuskedbeast]

You make your approach sound simple but in your covers, I've noticed you're very nuanced in nailing all the hooks and recorded tones of the originals. Your The Have Nots by X is a good example. Curious- where HAVE you used your kit? Assumed all these instructional videos are digital assemblages.

[@alleygh0st]

Steve Albini lesson coming up soon? (RIP)

[@chriss1492]

Outside the box lesson! Great stuff Adrian! Just curious, who are some recorded drummers that you especially admire or consider stellar?

[@acpg]

Cheers! Oh loads of people. Off the top of my head Bonham, Tony Allen, Levon Helm, Joey Waronker, Ringo, Steve Shelley, Budgie, Jaki Liebezeit, er Nicko McBrain

[@michel-jeantailleur]

@@acpg Stewart Copeland?

[@chriss1492]

@@acpg Love Bonham! Most of my favs are fairly conventional choices: Neil Peart, Bill Ward, and although not extremely technical, I enjoy Phil Rudd’s power and swing with AC/DC. Also Phil Collins before his solo career. Some people don’t realize what a good drummer he was.

[@acpg]

@@michel-jeantailleur yes, forgot to mention him. He's pretty good I suppose!

[@acpg]

@@chriss1492 yes, absolutely Phil Collins is an awesome drummer!

[@slippinjimmy222]

Really helpful, just got ableton note before watching this vid. Hoping to get ableton live coz i haven’t got the space for a drumkit! What kind of keyboard have you got setup to your macbook? How do you do that!?

[@jameslockhart2223]

Frank Zappa based his guitar phrasing on drum rudiments, which is definitely an approach worth investigating - not that I've ever done it seriously myself.

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

[@terrencethomas9727]

First thing I thought of was Joe Jackson’s Look Sharp opening

[@zoomankat]

Unfortunately my home is not detached enough for a drum kit. I was wondering if You had tried Aerodrums?.Till then sandpaper and brushes.

[@lookandlisten5740]

Just one question..Where do you plug the amp lead in ?

[@scottadams9770]

Elephant Stone!!

[@AL-mn6df]

Is that a “speak and spell” on the shelf?

[@acpg]

yes! Inspired by Kraftwerk, it's made an appearance on one or two of my tunes.

[@stockholm1752]

Adrian - ProTools or Abelton? I need some disconfusion.

[@acpg]

Pro Tools is what I use most of the time. Ableton's great for more electronic stuff, and has a very clear, easy to use midi editor which is why I used it in this video.

[@luckyrocks1]

I just can't wrap my head around how you play guitar; right handed, yet play drums; left handed!

[@jamesbowskill2067]

Will these beats work in my free jazz band?

[@Mark_Williams300]

Ride cymbals have two sounds. Edge and bell.

[@Hilaire_Balrog]

So what I needed right now in my journey of making music

[@jimmadden1969]

Wondering if have read Dilla Time by Charnas

[@acpg]

On my to read list!

[@Anton_Chigurh_2007]

Moar cowbell!

[@SyntagmaStation]

Holy crap. He can play drums too. Why am I surprised?

[@ShlomirBareket]

I've got drum loops made by Mick fleetwood! LOL

[@John_F898]

So you play guitar right-handed, but drums as a lefty? I’m curious why.

[@acpg]

honestly I don't really know. When I got my first guitar there were no left-handed options so I just went with the 'normal' way. I came to drums later and it just felt more natural set up left handed.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

What do you call a guy that likes to hang out with musicians? A drummer. MMIA My Mirth Is Audible

[@brianfoster5702]

Try playing bass you work with the drummer makes you understand better.

[@Mark_Williams300]

Groove > Chops

[@khogg3581]

Eat drums! Eat drums! Aaaaaaaagghh!

[@MuseumsBloke]

Yeah, all good stuff … but can drums go up to 11? Which, of course, is one LOUDER!!!

[@hosscartwright3431]

Oh, you are left-handed?

[@gecbucca4205]

you can ulrich pronounce like fish ... ulrish. a free lesson from an irish half european. ;)

[@sledge1960]

Too much work involved, buy a Beatbuddy.

[@acpg]

yeah for practice beat buddy's great, for more 'serious' recordings maybe not so good.