Peter Erskine - Ride Cymbal Technique Part 1

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Being able to smoothly swing a beat on the ride cymbal is an essential skill for any jazz drummer. From the dynamic quality, to the rhythmic placement of each hit, Erskine, a jazz legend who has played with the likes of Weather Report, Chick Corea and Maynard Feruson, breaks down exactly how to “swing a band with one hand”!

[@dom19119]

Is no one going to mention how good his upright bass impression was?!!

[@tdunph4250]

dom19119 You beat me to it. In some ways it was better than %50 of the bass players out there! LOL

[@tamaraperkuhn586]

Thanks for speaking what I was thinking!

[@trae1965]

Indeed-it was cathartic, at least for me.

[@cassiebakermusic]

I was thinking that too haha

[@taylorking3719]

He got the timbre just right!

[@Olliemets]

The Master. I had the good fortune to meet Mr Erskine when I worked in TV. He was playing with Joni Mitchell (1999 or 2000 or so). So modest about his awesome talent and very willing to share his knowledge. I'm just a weekend gigger who loves to play yet he spoke with me as a fellow member of the drummer brotherhood when we were talking backstage before he went on. He gave me a pair of Peter Erskine Sticks (Still Have)...they were very tapered with hardly a bead at the tip. Perfect for light ride work. 5 years later he played on another show I was working backing someone else. I said hello and he said "I remember you. How did you like the sticks?" I'm a fan.

[@bigfootpegrande]

The best teachers are the most generous...

[@dee66daniel72]

@@bigfootpegrande How right you have ...

[@alisaiterkan]

@@bigfootpegrande And the most generous are often the best teachers

[@rhythmfield]

Great story and reveals Peter’s warmth and humility

[@paulmayerpiano]

Nice story. I always took him to be both extremely skilled and extremely humble and honest, which is even more intimidating/inspiring in a way - he knows how to play AND he knows how to live. Let it be known from this day forth that nice guys don't necessarily finish last!!!

[@diegopeart]

Now this is what being a drum teacher is about: useful information, easy demonstration and objectiveness.

[@reno42wolf]

couldn't have said it better myself. I teach my students the same technique.

[@iiWNMii]

I appreciate him pulling the curtain back to explain his approach. So wise and inclusive.

[@RobFlaxMusic]

When your favorite drummer is actually the Bob Ross of drumming.

[@chrisbell5032]

It's just a happy accident mate.

[@drumduder]

Ina Garten

[@Ramshackled17]

happy little flams

[@alisaiterkan]

Came for the legend, stayed for the PSA. There is only one Erskine!!

[@jeremiahlewis700]

It's great when a drummer of his caliber breaks it down so far that EVERYONE can understand it!!! 😎😎😎

[@trae1965]

Pete, you calm me down way better than my therapist...thank you, good sir 🙏🙏🙏

[@gringochucha]

Peter is a legend. Saw him live a few years ago and it was an amazing concert!

[@J3unG]

He's such a great teacher!

[@davidanania5618]

Peter, your ride cymbal “touch” is among my all-time favorites. Your playing on “Talking to Myself” on Micheal Brecker’s “Don’t Try This at Home” record is absolutely beautiful and how you approach the ride is the centerpiece for me.

[@nilsenstrom857]

I have had a pretty cool experience with Erskine, he was in my town performing with Norrbotten Big Band, the first couple of songs they played with their original drummer, a great drummer, I mean I dabble a bit with drums and cant even understand stuff that drummer does. Then Peter steps up and replaces the drummer and there is not words to describe what happened. I mean the first drummer is a true pro but mr Erskine just lifts the whole band to something otherworldly, it was just such an amazing experience to hear, feel see that difference and it humbled me in what these legends actually do with their instrument, amazing.

[@stewieuk1276]

I’ve been a major fan of Peter when I first heard him play on Maynards Carnival album in 1980. He is just fantastic!

[@eriksmithdrummer]

Carnival, a great album, is from 1978. In 1980 he had been with Weather Report for a couple of years already.

[@mc76]

Erskine and Kenny Aronoff studied at the Indiana University School of Music--at the same time! Imagine those rehearsals.

[@gerardi2000]

Thank you Mr Erskine. I have lived your work for years. You are definitely one of favorites.

[@johnb.3476]

How amazing is it to get a lesson from a renowned drummer! Thanks for the lesson.

[@ovepayne]

I was lucky enough to meet Peter and join his clinic in Sandviken, Sweden in 1998. Peter is a true gentleman and one of the greatest drummers of all time and he encouraged me as an amateur drummer. A very fond memory indeed!

[@sneakdisser5204]

love it, great video guys. been looking for more swing ride tutorials, one of the world's best here in erskine

[@svenbohlin6017]

Great, Peter is so relaxed and calm showing some very important basics here - awesome!

[@bigdukepod]

What a great teacher and gentleman. I've had the pleasure of witnessing his genius many times with many different artist. Listen and learn folks for there is no one as skilled in Jazz technique as Mr. Erskine.

[@trevoraird4156]

Some years ago I went to a drum clinic here in the UK, Peter Erskine stepped in for Steve Gadd who was unwell and couldn't do the clinic. Well the wonderful Mr Erskine gave an absolute master class in time keeping, technique and swing, his ride cymbal playing was a joy to behold, and a true gentleman.

[@DR.Detroit11]

This is gold man. Thank you Peter.

[@infinitecreativityondrums8367]

This lesson is a treasure!

[@aakkoin]

Absolute legend, great descriptions of the art of drumming

[@BPJazz]

Fantastic video!!!! The roots of everything. Simple and deep. The essence of all drumming is here. Great Peter Erskine!

[@gigizito9069]

This lesson has remained etched in my mind since 1986, when I attended a short three-day course in Ravenna (Italy), with Mr. Erskine as a teacher. He used the same words to best explain the importance of quarter note pulsation to improve the swing. Great teacher as well as a great musician. I still have all the notes he gave us

[@HorrorKidd88]

In a clip regarding the Ride Cymbal, Peter Erskine drops a hihat 'nugget of gold' at the end of the video.

[@BNC593]

Excellent! Thank you, especially the HH tip at the end. It certainly makes you think

[@davideleouet]

1:18 « If you can swing a band with one hand, you can swing a band. »

[@Heyemeyohsts]

Umm ok

[@shamusenright5387]

Is it a quote from Anchorman?

[@shamusenright5387]

@Willis Arnez You obviously don't get the joke. "60% of the time it works everytime."

[@farshimelt]

@@Heyemeyohsts In other words, if that's all you got you can swing the band. Everything else is icing on the cake.

[@Heyemeyohsts]

@@farshimelt wow I forgot i wrote that. Lol. But really? A ride cymbal is enough in jazz? Definitely not in rock or Pop lol

[@dieter6686]

Great teacher, great drummer👑

[@dee66daniel72]

Great Workshop ! THX !!!

[@billystar1306]

One of my all time favourite players. Very sweet and musical.

[@JazzDrummerOh]

Thank you.

[@midnightc1]

Thanks for the lesson, Peter, you 'da MAN!!!!

[@user-ub6hd3nd4l]

One of my favorite drummers....From his work with Bob Mintzer Steps ahead, Steely dan.Jaco...A great, flexible drummer....Great in all styles of drumming...Thanx Peter.

[@remygaron8311]

Loved every sec of it 👏👏👏👏🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@AllanGildea]

Outstanding teacher.

[@musikalmike71]

I had the honor of holding a drum while you signed it during a PASIC convention; it's the closest my hands came to the hands of a world class drumming great!

[@MrSchenk21]

Excellent videos. Changed my view from bass/snare to hold the beat. To ride/high hat. Different hand different foot. Thanks

[@johanpeeters1849]

Great lesson!

[@mat4410]

A wonderful player…a wonderful teacher. He teaches as clean and pure as he plays. Watched him with Dianne Krall and he is just terrific. If Diane was looking for the perfect trio swinger, she found him. I’ve seen Peters brush lessons and they are….yes!

[@jonashellborg8320]

Such a great lesson. Stick placement makes a huge difference to cymbal sounds, and consistent placement concentrates the overtones and wash so the cymbal is more focused. It’s so easy to ignore, I curse myself for the gigs I’ve ignored this and the sound is messy as an effect.

[@beeamos5903]

OUTSTANDING! I am so happy i found this. Lol its like everytime i see or here this guy im a bigger fan.

[@donleblanc7223]

Thank you so much Peter, I remember meeting you during a sound check in Toronto, Great stuff.

[@drumminwithdave5088]

The Basics but The Gold of the feel. To many youngins. This could easily go over their heads. So AWESOME

[@farshimelt]

Why bad rap young people, did you skip that era?

[@spencerkim4755]

What a legend.

[@PecktheTownCrierVideos]

Great lesson.

[@MikeJamesMedia]

Nice! Peter, I've followed you since your big band days days, and of course you've done a gigantic amount of great playing in your career. I've recently revisited the Diana Krall recordings, and especially love what you did for her on the 2004 Montreal Jazz Festival. You made the whole band smile many times, and my favorite is probably the solid blues feel on "Love Me Like A Man". Awesome to see you at the drums, with your eyes often closed, swaying back and forth, supporting and driving the band like crazy. Beautiful... :)

[@yesdrums6627]

Thank you My Erskine for this lesson! I play open-hand position.

[@Buzz_Kill71]

Great HIGHHAT and ride cymbal lesson.

[@ronayers5133]

Still one of my favorites.....

[@milkmanswife93696]

that is a really really really nice sounding ride

[@Gretsch0997]

Love that guy

[@Klaus312]

He is a real master of drums!

[@placebo5466]

"If you can swing a band with 1 hand. You can swing a band." Ha! I love that.

[@johnnyraybaca1690]

wow. Peter thank THANK YOU I play more congas and had percussion.. but At 50 I'm playing more drum set I have been a big fan ....back to weather report days thank again for the tips.....

[@PeterBinns]

Thanks Pete

[@drewbacsi]

Always loved Erskine's playing with John Abercrombie and Mark Johnson!

[@marcot.1452]

Seen them in Bologna some ... (many🙄)... years ago 👍

[@theofficialdrumcovers]

shame that puppy

[@apooyosucks]

Ringo: butter that bread

[@facelen4321]

His walking bass line is pretty good!!!! Real master.

[@jimstewart1080]

I attended a drum clinic with Peter way back when he was still with Stan Kenton. It was me and a number of numbskull high school drummers. Peter started the clinic by teaching us how to snap our fingets, but with a GROOVE. It was so elementary, yet so fundamental (just like this ride pattern tutorial). All I can say is we all walked out of there swinging a little bit harder!

[@kirjian]

Just look at that delicious technique. The freakin stick moves on its own

[@jerrymammoser9857]

Pete, you are so cool, a great teacher. What you did on “Blue Skies” with Al, John and Bob was the best fast bop I have ever heard. How some people can go that fast and COOK at that...was truly incredible, incredible in that hard to believe. How...HOW?

[@mikehawk9461]

Jerry Mammo what album?

[@jerrymammoser9857]

@@mikehawk9461 ....not ON an album...soundtrack to “Glengarry Glen Ross”... kzbin.info/www/bejne/nounkJdsrdRki7M

[@farshimelt]

Practice...PRACTICE! (with a metronome. Start at 60 bpm and work your way up.)

[@craigwilliams501]

His trio recordings with John Taylor and Palle Danielsson, esp. ‘You Never Know’ opened up a world of music for me, and are still among my all-time favorite albums. Check them out if you haven’t already!

[@dabatchko]

he is so good.

[@DavidLeBlanc]

Neil Peart wrote a number of years ago, this is like the lesson he started Neil off on learn to swing and improvise, start and practice on the hi-hat.

[@farshimelt]

Neil never did learn to swing.

[@nirakarbrahm8107]

Master, master!

[@robertreedy414]

Sensei, arigato

[@greggisbert3252]

Thank you Peter for the PSA. 😢🐶

[@KhalDrogo76]

Such an underrated drummer in my opinion...his playing with Weather Report is truly genius

[@micheleperego5924]

Just one of 10 drummers in a survival kit.

[@kirbybrown2607]

He is certainly not underrated. He has been an authority in jazz drumming for going on 5 decades.

[@jeffwaters2470]

Your the best - and your from somers point! -i am lbi dude but thanks for that lesson. My jazz playing sucks and it needs to get better

[@silverbadgerdrums]

Thanks for the Public Service Announcement ; - ) Saw you play in Wellington, NZ, recently with the Rodger Fox band. You totally ran the big band with just brushes.

[@portuguesebeer5069]

Im a guitarrist, but i liked a lot your video! Cheers from Portugal 🍺🤘🇵🇹

[@torbjrnengan3689]

Thanks Peter . The public announcment regarding the hi-hat is understood and accepted : )

[@Bosphorousman]

I love that he’s playing Craviotto drums here.

[@SimAlex20000]

ah man i need a drum kit pronto

[@paulhowlings7111]

Amazing learning is great isn’t it

[@PeterBinns]

Thank you legend (and you really are :)

[@robertreynolds5663]

Woah, I always wondered why I couldn’t swing on the HH.

[@gj8683]

Yes, it's those little things that count.

[@bateriayguitarra5032]

Es Leyenda!

[@gattuccina]

Grazie

[@gattuccina]

Thanks a lot

[@nicoladamicodrummer]

Very interesting! Where is part 2?

[@N5877wGabby]

Thank you Peter for sharing your wisdom, I love the importance of simplicity as the foundation of a great swing feel. BUT! I am never sure about a statement that finishes with "period, no argument" Its a philosophical question creativity within objectivity. Love your work Bro.

[@damianbroderick3913]

But nothing- it's Peter Erskine!

[@N5877wGabby]

Haha, yes the one and only :)

[@stevenbardsley2489]

Saw him as a kid with Kenton and in 1999 twitch Yellowjackets.

[@tunesarms2586]

Coo lesson. Peter. I was lucky my father gave me your publis service announcement 🥁😁

[@HorrorKidd88]

I knew of the 'public service announcement' as far as what was to be properly played, but I had never actually heard it said before. Those are the nuggets that you cannot get from just any drummer.

[@tunesarms2586]

🥁👍🏻

[@mehmetkemalulkenciler9222]

Wow

[@etienneduhamel6999]

How well does it sound? So nice.

[@MKDreieich]

ups..."it's wrong! Period, no debate !"...love it ;-)

[@tombami4276]

this is ASMR

[@manuelwenaud8231]

I remember a workshop in France (Orléans), where you asked two drummers to play the ride, and stay even... And then you played....

[@Mobby74]

Hehe, here we have Peter emphasising that he is not playing the jazz ride pattern as a three note grouping, and just below we have a video from Greg Hutchinson, teaching 'walk-the-dog. Both are great drummers, but with Peter closer to mastery? I am convinced by Peter on this one.

[@dashriprok5852]

Master

[@elijahbreakbee8217]

today finally i've got this motion... Guys, if you are interested how to get this exact swing pattern motion, let me tell you what helped me a lot with this. Steve Smith has a book with included video material called "Pathways of Motion". 4 basic grips - different motions. To make it short - practice all of them for at least 3 weeks (on daily basis), and then start practicing this "Peter Erskine" thing. This requires a certain degree of control with grips 3 and 4. This snapping motion that Peter Erskine shows, uses forearm rotation in coordination with up-down forearm motion and NOT fingers (don't try to discern finger movements on this video), at least at slow to medium fast tempos. I'm not making advertising to Smith's material, live interaction with such teacher as Peter Erskine nothing will replace, it's just about my individual approach to that.

[@Wiking1953]

Мой любимый барабанщик!!! Он овцой прикидывается но он ВОЛК!!!

[@patrickwoods2583]

WOW! All this time I was playing the syncopated hi-hat pattern the wrong way!!!

[@bostjanlaba]

Two short questions by a beginner: 1. how do you prevent kick "wanting" to sync with syncopated note instead of regular quarter note (kick too early)? and 2. how do you make a syncopated note nicely "swung" (played a bit sooner, as in a triplet feel) instead of more like a last 16th note of the straight beat? Thank you.

[@junethanoschurchill6750]

Short answer: practice. You’re already aware of those things so just focus on them during your sessions. The tips in the video will help you a lot. Quarter notes first then add the swing note, then just zero in.

[@farshimelt]

Play a 1/4 note on the ride cymbal, on the second beat, let it bounce, and listen to where the next note falls. That will be your natural feel. The 3rd. note is a 1/4 note, then it starts over again.

[@LukeKomlosy]

I got taught to accent the 2 and 4 and play across the cymbal when playing the jazz ride pattern. Is that wrong or is it just a different variation and If it is when do I use which one

[@LukeKomlosy]

@Andrew Bennett what a great reply. Cheers for putting in that much detail I’ll defiantly try and listen out for the difference!

[@farshimelt]

Play until you feel comfortable with the motion, whatever the motion is. One of the purposes of staying in one place is the evenness of sound. Also, at up tempos, it takes less effort to maintain the tempo because there's less motion to perform.

[@cosmokramer1213]

Anyone know what main ride that is??

[@jeffreyalexander7504]

the last point about when to open the hats should be explained more, so I will. Jazz is not upbeat driven. It's down beat driven. Understanding this is the key to how jazz is phrased, inside the bar and over the bar. Starting a phrase on the downbeat gives you more pocket and opens up the key to form. Read almost all melodies in every form (and style) and you can see that they are written this way. Play over the "1" until the phrase is complete, 12 bars for blues form and 16 bars for standard form!

[@jarodmore2836]

Yes I just think he said it was wrong and didn’t provide supporting information. He just said something was wrong. The left foot should be opening and closing on beats 1 & 3 directly after the swing beat. If the hi hat is open when you play the swing beat it will not be very clear and your band will not hear your timing very well. This way (opening and closing on beats 1 & 3) will help lay down a clear foundation for the hi-hat swing pattern.

[@farshimelt]

@@jarodmore2836 It swings more if the HH opens on the swing beat. There's more time to breathe. Opening on the swing beat lifts the beat and sustains the feel. Opening on the 1 & 3 feels like letting all the air out and it loses it's buoyancy.