Behind The Beat w/ Arthur "L.A." Buckner | Lesson 1: The Dilla Feel (Part 1)

McNally Smith College of Music master's student Arthur "L.A." Buckner shares key concepts he employs in hip-hop, R&B, neo soul and gospel drumming in this exclusive 4-part lesson series.
"Episode 1: The Dilla Feel (Part 1)" kicks off the series with Buckner explaining how innovative hip-hop producer J Dilla (A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Common) utilized intentional rushing and dragging when constructing beats, and how as a drummer, you can play in the gray area between straight and swung notes to emulate this purposefully out of sync feel.
For more on McNally Smith College of Music visit: www.mcnallysmith.edu

[@deguselassie7363]

Man bro, your an amazing teacher. Explanation of grey area was excellent. Thank you for your give away. Has helped me a lot. peace bro

[@thebeautifulnoiseband6795]

"Strung In The Grey Area" That's all you need to know. Brilliant clip, lovely drumming.

[@sanityinaseaofmadness7353]

This "feel" lesson is something you don't find often on KZbin drum lessons; drummers focus on specific licks, or techniques - whereas Feel is like 80-90% of what people experience with kit playing in music. I know hip-hop / gospel drummers *play* with feel much more than other drummers do (in the sense of them intentionally using the concept), which is why mini-lessons like this are so valuable. Totally inspirational - thanks MSCM

[@drummerwise]

Holy shit, this blew my classically-trained mind.

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

Classical music killed music

[@pbague]

Thingaloo classical music lowkey popularized and developed music What the hell are you saying Do you think that they were blasting tupac in the 1600s or something?

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

@@pbague uhm, no. In the 1500s, people sang more complex melodies more in tune, with better rhythmic articulation and better decorations. We know that because the rest of melodic cultures is still like that. Look at China, India, Semitic cultures. Then classical music came and threw everything out of the window in order to make polyphony easier.

[@pbague]

@@bacicinvatteneaca more complex doesn't necesseraly mean better yknow Also, if it's singing we're talking about, please don't undervalue the work and practice put into the art by amazing singers like Elina Garanca, Pavarotti and Bocelli. If you prefer older music, go listen to it, no need to insult other people's tastes!

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

@@pbague precisely. More complex doesn't mean better, which is what classical music didn't realize when it thought that adding hundreds of instruments would come at no cost.

[@NoWayJose26]

Ask a friend who don't know how to play drums to do a straight 4/4 beat, i swear 1 or 2 times he can Dilla without knowing that he's doing it (minus the dynamics of course).

[@parthkanani7323]

No

[@dextraw6337]

So much soul packed in the swing of a hi hat!

[@TimDuffieRules]

The hats being more subtle in the mix somehow makes them feel more deliberate and right. Also, because they're quieter, they draw the ear in, make you meet the sound halfway a bit, explore it a bit. As the listener, you are offered an element of rhythmic dissonance that is not overwhelming and curiously changes how you perceive the rhythm overall.

[@hbinfinity]

Beautiful!! I'm a jazz/neosoul keys player and I'm learning drums because I think it will help me understand everything better and this really helped!!!!

[@charleselmer8729]

best explanation of this feel ive seen yet

[@smjdrums]

Man I've been trying to wrap my head around this for months but haven't found anything explaining it. So glad I've found this. It all.makes sense now

[@collincherubim2698]

Finally this was explicitly explained! I've been searching for this but didn't even know what to search for. This was like trying to think of that perfect word to fit and you finally realize what it is like a day later. That impact but times 100. Thanks!

[@lex.cordis]

What you said about putting the hi-hats in the "back of the mix" is something I've definitely been over-looking while I'me playing. Thanks. Also, I would just like to add that it's also a lot of fun to mix it up with slightly dragging or rushing the snare or kick. So many combinations to achieve different grooves. Excellent video! I definitely learned something!

[@TheBawss90]

Of all videos I saw, this was by far the best explanation of this feel thank you!

[@jrsmoots]

You are expanding my progressive rock mind! Thanks to you, and much respect.

[@brettnewmandrums]

Awesome lesson. Love it. Thank you Arthur

[@AdamStachelek]

I’ve never heard anyone call out timing shifts like this. You are scary talented on that hh/ride pattern. You demonstrate touch and time like no other.

[@DavidFeilyMusic]

Dope video! Can't wait for more of these!

[@matthewryan2803]

This was an amazing lesson!! I literally had a groove epiphany, with your gray area example. It has given me new insight,and I will have lots of new ideas to practice and make my own.thank you L.A

[@GrahamScanlonDrums]

Man, this is absolutely fantastic

[@Kiahsmusic]

I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m listening to when I hear that drum style in music. Thank you so much a million times! This was a really great explanation!

[@TubeYouScreen]

I love this video but why does the lighting make it look like a video game

[@dontletyourmemesbedreams2355]

Holy shit, you're not wrong

[@Benbrattondrums]

Low lighting/harsh lights directly in the camera lol

[@salt3613]

Thanks I can’t Unsee it now

[@tislota_f]

can’t unsee it now ffs

[@darnelhillery4107]

Yo! I JUST came across this video! The breakdown of this concept is truly remarkable. Excellent instruction!

[@benjaminmjones5021]

May the force be strung with you

[@Drumaier]

thanks for the video, short, to the point, and with the visual bar that helps to wrap it all up in the brain ;)

[@subharmonics71]

Wow, super well explained how this groove works! Thanks a lot!

[@xebio6]

Very well done Sir. The Little Richard reference is on point. Check out Jose James' "Save your love for me" with Adam Jackson on drums.

[@RicardoMontee]

2:00 Ok, once you started playing, I really started listening, that was great. Also, amazing visual aid to help with the understanding.

[@nunnayuhbitness6708]

Nothing is new about playing in between straight eighths (or straight 16ths) and triplets, , but this is still one of the best explanations I've ever heard.

[@heipadegdingamlesei]

such a good teacher! thanks so much for this video

[@Wheel333]

Awesome insights and examples. Strungalicious, thanks.

[@2strokeroll]

Excellent example! Thank you so much for demonstrating!

[@josephfelix2588]

great stuff! thanks

[@jeanjaille4225]

awesome, thanks for the lesson

[@ABitShifty]

Big ups on this video. I love how you dissect the feel of it technically.

[@bassic6959]

this is an awesome video

[@jamesblace5761]

Underrated.

[@GQM3Z]

thank you sir, great contribution.

[@gcharocks]

Sweet lesson!

[@A.ChristopherJohnson]

Diggin' the "Strung" term B !!

[@DylantWelch]

Excellent work bro! You have great feel

[@RichieCastellano]

Fantastic video!

[@rubenlopezcastillo8056]

Really good stuff. Thank You!

[@GreggermannMusic]

What a great video! Thanks for the info and love that you discuss the way you mix the of hihat vs the rest of the kit! Awesome info and I look forward to trying it out and checking out your other vids! Great lesson!

[@dirtierdog]

This was very helpful

[@donavanboykin9489]

Awesome awesome awesome. Thanks man!

[@funkytomtom]

This is sick. Thanks.

[@Squirrelconga]

The "Drunken Kung Fu" of Hip Hop!

[@josephkyle6271]

Never knew I needed this analogy until today

[@marcelomunizalves4447]

This is the best video on the "behind the beat" stuff. Until now I could not understand how this related to swing

[@henne2k]

Very Nice Lesson! Thanks!!!

[@fordtruck4512]

Beautiful!!! God is good!!!

[@justinpaquette224]

thank you so much, great video

[@zislec]

Nailed it 😎🤙

[@trismurray]

This is great man, thanks from a UK drummer!

[@apfelbaum6858]

i like to count it as quintuples (of course you can't always measure it) because 5 is between 4 and 6; between straight and swung, between binary and ternary then the typical straight hihat beats are on the "1" and "4" of the quintuples

[@lucienfournier0]

Apfel Baum I do this too!

[@lucienfournier0]

It’s a really efficient method

[@dikbeats2720]

Brilliant.

[@drugocisca5320]

Great !!

[@patdavey7187]

succinct - (especially of something written or spoken) briefly and clearly expressed.

[@djsweatysac1842]

Thanks.

[@islandradio5859]

"Master's student" ?! Nope. There is nothing "student" about this gentleman. The force is deep with this one. Excited to see where this young man goes...to great heights no doubt.

[@SoundFieldPBS]

you aint wrong!

[@taitimoproductions4801]

Thank you my man. I play these grooves but they think im playing out of time.

[@drrodopszin]

For folks programming beats... Years ago I started adding a tiny bit of shuffle to hi hats and rides in our metal songs. I didn't know about the Dilla feel, I just wanted to emulate the "human error" that 2 limbs will be always different, or when the stick bounces up and back to the hats it will never be a perfect 16th note, it will either rush or drag but not randomly. There were also metal drummers who were saying that it is important to play "with a swing feel in mind" even if the song has no swing - it didn't make sense, but with this Dilla explanation you can pretty much understand it. If anyone wants to make this sort of swing it is very easy to do this in Reaper, you just select your hat hits, press Q to quantize and use swing with really mild settings (from 5-20%). The other important part is that the "swung" hits are usually a bit weaker since they are mostly produced by the stick bouncing back. You can make your programmed drums remarkably human-like with these tricks.

[@DeadlyNinjaDrummer]

What are you even talking about? Metal drummers don't swing at all....

[@drrodopszin]

@@DeadlyNinjaDrummer I don't mean swing as the famous "shuffle" sound. That is quite rare in metal but some songs might have it. I'm talking about the natural swing occurring from the hand not being a machine and the weak hi hat hit after the strong hi hat beat would either rush or drag a bit, therefor creating a super mild swing/shuffle effect. If you are programming drums and you want to have realistic sounding 8th/16th note quick hihat/ride feels you would need to apply 10-20% of swing/shuffle. I think great drummers do it also on purpose.

[@jackregan3896]

great video! hadddd to sub

[@madhushalakshan4838]

Thankyou

[@meekoloco]

Props man

[@loopdrummer5608]

Super cool

[@josephwritessongs]

Very damn cool

[@rjrichmusic]

355 on is gold.beautiful.

[@totoro5527]

great video - even for an absolute philistine like me! Thanks!

[@tojafato]

Thanks 🎼💯🥁👍🤓

[@mikeshouse2000]

nice lesson

[@SS-sw8de]

Salute bro!!! you need a podcast ASAP! 💯

[@j.p.fitting9226]

Great lesson I always found the old Chuck Berry cuts had that in between feel cause like Willie Dixon's slappin' the bass shuffling, the drummers playin' straight 8ths , seems like the piano's swinging too ? Push me pull thing..my old boss, from Mobile wanted bass drum, 4 on the floor, right on top , with the snare all the way back! Sock cymbal swingin' the eighths... Said he hired me to play bass because I kept time with my heel! Who knew?

[@borndrumming1972]

Ringo Star from the Beatles was famous for this type of feel as well.

[@handsomegrooves]

handsome grooves - yes indeed!

[@qbizm]

Great video! But what I need is that song in the intro... Share it please fam! EDIT: Found your soundcloud, and that amazing song! New fan over here! Blessings on you and your dopeness!

[@nouisonthebass8617]

Awesome ！And I love your opening song , it’s so cool , would you like to share that song or video ?Thank you so much

[@maudalmusicalmachines3541]

I've heard it explained as using 5/8 time, but he's right that it can slide in between.

[@haven252]

nice

[@susu-mi7kx]

oh yeah

[@patdavey7187]

What hi-hats are you using please?

[@vdmdesigns1712]

would you mind if I made a ssample of your groove that starts on 04:50 and make a song of it?

[@andrewmitchell5562]

what's the song at the beginning of the vid?

[@cireravilob]

Thank you for referencing Little Richard. There's a rub in a lot of those grooves too. Not quite all the way swung. Earl Palmer one of the baddest drummers ever.

[@gooneybird808]

I'm ganna sample this hehe

[@paktugs600]

balance, as all things should be

[@morkus26]

2:01 Useful.

[@dancefredericko]

best...

[@ndujamz]

Ooh my God. I'mma sample these drums

[@Kloppsserialbottlers]

you're not going to get the best of quality from a YT video.

[@blakeburbach2170]

But for real. They sound amazing. Great player and a great engineer.

[@konstantyj]

Dope lesson!

[@antoniofalanga5846]

you should explain this concept using metronome

[@BigNovantara]

I’m still trying to be like J Dilla on the beat making.

[@gregoryscott3858]

What I'm hearing has less to do with swing, and more to do with being on top of the beat with the kick and snare while being 'artistically late' with the hats. The 2 & 4 can't swing, they're downbeats, but as often as not you're just late with the hats on 2 & 4, and that creates that distinct kind of drag.

[@westvocal]

@1:37

[@Becauseimme]

For a deeper understanding of what the brotha is talking about listen to “Think Twice” by J Dilla.

[@heyitsdamos]

You seem like a dude that it would be such a blast to just sit and make music with

[@SoundFieldPBS]

truth

[@RolandDuke]

Machine emulating man, now man emulating machine lol

[@jackxavier3915]

Ha

[@luc1f447]

It's called quintuplets.

[@chazzable]

really amazing explanation could have used this ten years ago. really good for us white people haha

[@cheemo48]

The real question is "Where did you get those pants?"