Beats & Style Lesson 4- The Bo Diddley Beat

This classic American drumset groove, played on the tom-toms, is based on the Clave rhythm from West Africa. Popularized in American Rock 'N Roll by Bo Diddley, and used by many others, this fun, danc

[@keithmoon3190]

🎶I'm gonna tell you how it's gonna be that you're gonna give your love to me🎶

[@stuffnuns]

Clear and concise, with a little history, too. Thank you for breaking it down to the bare bones.

[@bebopbonsai]

Mitchel Evans - thank you! I hope it was helpful. You have a good last name, too. Check out my song Physiology here on this channel, and go www.ianevansmusicusa.com for more🤙🏼 thanks again, Mitchel. Keep drumming!

[@arbcraft]

Really clear and helpful. Thanks

My favorite groove !! Wonderful example for my Students , thanks !!

[@smashedinproductions]

i'm taking a college course at a private school here in canada regarding musical genres and styles.....this video is a perfect summary and would be an amazing asset to anyone furthering their knowledge and education in music. great work!

[@bebopbonsai]

Cody, thanks for your comment. You raise an interesting point that I am happy to elaborate on here. In my opinion, which is shared by others, the 3-side of the clave does in fact imply a triplet feel while still maintaining the duple count. The way you explain it, as a sloppier 6/8, is valid to some degree, but I believe that a more precise explanation of the Bo Diddley beat should be based off of a 16th-note subdivision. Afro-Caribbean music has a rich and complex heritage. There is a fine line between a duple and triplet count, and in some contexts things can be pretty fluid. For American drumset players in the jazz tradition, the catch-all term "Latin" is used to describe any rhythm from any non-North American culture. The root rhythms of Cuban, Brazilian, Dominican, Spanish, and Puerto Rican cultures were blended into this melange of generic "Latin" beats when applied to drumset. Unfortunately since then, things have devolved to the point where most American drummers don't know any of these rhythms, and many of the ones that do seem to treat them as an endless and noisy barrage of generic and poorly placed off-beat accents. To be blunt, just turn your snares off and play a bunch of crap on it and voila, "Latin- Olé!" I chose the 16th-note count to allow the entire pattern to fit within one measure, as is typical of many classic jazz-drumset "latin"-influenced beats, including the bossa nova, Mozambique, and samba. Many drummers in the jazz tradition play a hi-hat "chick" sound with the left foot on beats 2 and 4. Using the 16th-note division, you can superimpose this strong "2 and 4" feeling onto the upbeat 8th notes in each measure. This left foot "2 and 4" technique has become so commonplace for drummers, and other musicians are so accustomed to it, that it even works when played and counted this way. This generic "Latin" drumset approach owes little to the actual Afro-Caribbean lineage in my opinion, and in America, this stuff has almost become an extension of the traditional jazz language itself because of the nature of the drum kit and it's limitations and advantages. Without all the textural nuances and timbres of Afro-Caribbean percussion, the drumset player is fairly limited. There is less detail in the sonic picture this way, so things become boiled down and simplified, and consequently, very powerful. The Bo Diddley beat is a rough and ready approximation of complex African drumming, reworked by African-Americans and played on the drumset in the context of jazz, blues, and early rock n roll. The 16th-note count exactly matches a 12-bar blues form with 4 beats to the bar. Therefore, it is a good way to count this beat, and other beats like it, when communicating with the rest of the rhythm section about the music. I hope this information helps! Thanks for your comment, your time, and your interest in my videos. Cheers!

[@SWH2012]

Very well informed tutorial! I will show this to my drumstudents (around 30 weekly). Thanks man! Blessings from Germany

[@Minist4R95]

John densmore killed it on the doors version of who do you love

[@lukebones]

Ok. I'm thoroughly impressed

[@JanSeides]

That was exactly what I wanted to know ("How do you count it?"). Starting with "It's a 2-bar pattern". Thank you so much!

[@harrylazard]

great instruction!

[@jello-tarzan]

Great lesson, thank you!

[@uwepetersen]

Very well explained, thanks Ian keep up the good work.

[@truckystiv]

First video of yours I've watched. Excellent.

[@zeldaaquil7849]

Cheers Ian! neat! now back to the drum kit.

[@stnwrd]

Thanks man for the demonstration

[@andyabad1629]

Right on point!

[@tommunist10]

Nice lesson. The middle part where you break it down into 8th notes and count it out is helpful.

[@thatdamnedfly]

totally gonna sample yours. thanks.

[@guitargirlutube]

This is really good-very educational. There aught to be more vids re: beats on this channel!!

[@antonioss6912]

Grazie,bella lezione!

[@bebopbonsai]

Thank you all for your kind words! These videos were very helpful for my students and I had a lot of fun making them. I hope to film another series next year, so please post your suggestions for new topics, concepts/skills, styles and I will consider them for a future video. Merci. Danke. Thanks!

[@karlsharpe5487]

Love the groove. Eric Burdon and the Animals used it in a song called "story of Bo Diddley". The Jets used a variation of the Bo Diddley beat on Yes Tonight Joesephine.

[@michaelcromer1564]

The animals song you refer to, “My Story”, was a cover of a Bo Diddley song called “My Story” so it’s not surprising it’s got a Bo Diddley beat.

[@bebopbonsai]

A big, heartfelt THANK YOU to my subscribers and viewers is in order at this time. My "Bo Diddley Beat" video is way up in the Google searches for this style, and I owe it all to y'all! The comments have been positive and this video has been used in various clinic/instructional settings around the world! I have been busy planning some new content from my home city of Pittsburgh, PA, and I have some fun things in the works, so stay drumming and stay tuned to my channel!!!! Peace out!

[@AlessandroBagagliprivate]

What about "She's the One by Bruce Springsteen on Born to Run album? Classic Bo Diddley beat for a great Mighty Max Weinberg! Thanks for the exemple, Ian.

[@tubbers20]

Heyyyyyyyy....Mona!

[@andriealinsangao613]

Ohhhhhh..... Mona!

[@keithmoon3190]

@@andriealinsangao613 I said yeah yeah yeah Mona

[@andriealinsangao613]

@@keithmoon3190 Ohhhhhh..... Mona!

[@ct859]

Most informatuThank you.

[@jdion79]

can you please do a gene krupa sing sing sing tutorial. there are some out there but i'd love to see your take on it. hope you do more youtube stuff. i could see this channel doing well.

[@mw13068]

Jump to 0:50 to skip the lengthy opening titles.

[@tetedepoulet6067]

It starts at 0:50.

[@juskocou]

merci

[@kidcalabria]

Great. You could have added to the list of songs: 1) Elvis Presley - (Marie's The Name Of) His Latest Flame (1961). 2) The Pretty Things - Rosalyn (especially David Bowie's cover on Pin Ups, 1973). 3) David Bowie - Panic In Detroit (1974 - & also Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed, on Space Oddity, 1969). 4) George Michael - Faith (1987). 5) U2 - Desire (slight variation, 1988). And: 6) Robert Caruso - Dancing To The Radio: kzbin.info/www/bejne/laCmh5SfndqKb5o

[@HellbillyHalloween]

Willie And The Hand Jive and Castin My Spell- Johnny Otis, Suddenly I see and Black Horse and Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall

[@stormbornbjornsson6576]

its a 16th note? i would have never guessed it. i always described it as "a really choppy 6/8"

[@nicknicoadams7826]

Super cool video man! What is the logo on the shirt you wear

[@bebopbonsai]

Thanks for watching! The shirt is from Guitar Guys, Ohio! It’s an amazing independent music store with a killer selection run by knowledgeable guys. Check them out- they do a lot of online sales and have very competitive pricing 🤘🏼

[@nicknicoadams7826]

@@bebopbonsai thanks!

[@tetedepoulet6067]

It starts at 0:50

[@jwhiteout]

How can you play wearing a ring? Ow!

[@Bluelightcheaphotel]

Not Fade Away

[@xkguy]

unfortunately the audio and video are out of sync by a half second making it hard to follow.

[@eric1966tomson]

Made on purpose to challenge us ;)

[@raiotinfamigold]

in which song can i hear this beat?

[@MubeDSO]

Guns n roses - mr brownstone

[@hectorluisramone]

+raiotinfamigold "1969" The Stooges "not fade away" The Rolling Stones

[@theothershipconnectiontheo6798]

+raiotinfamigold "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley

[@Wafuller]

Bow Wow Wow - I Want Candy

[@BtotheCtotheH]

Did it cross your mind to try searching for "Bo Diddley?"

[@ralphbenites1819]

It was considered jungle music back in the 50’s from black artists 🎸 so mean 🤨

[@susanramsay8524]

Those blocks are too loud vs your voice

[@livelongandprosper70]

No..I didn't like this video at ALL 🤷‍♂️..all about the history of the beat..not enough time teaching the sticking of the beat..DEFINITELY not for the novice this one 😑 ..