How To Play "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" - Free Drum Lessons

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In this video, I show you how to play the legendary drum groove from the song "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" by Steve Gadd. Technically the groove isn't that hard, but getting the feel down is something that will be impossible, but fun to try!
There is another video from Steve Gadd where he demos the beat, but I wanted to show it to you using our Smart Beat Technology so you can see how everything lines up in real-time. Hopefully this helps simplify the learning process for you.
To your drumming success,
- Jared Falk

[@roncarnell5924]

Steve Gadd is a master of creating unique, hooky parts - but he plays in a way that I can grasp when things are broken down properly by my betters. And one of those would be the gentleman in this production. it's easy to tell this dude here is approachable, not a snob, and gets joy from sharing. Thank you sir, for enabling me to finally play this thing correctly.

[@olivejunkie]

I can now pratice this Steve Gadd groove, having really struggled to hear what was going on with his hi-hat before now. Thanks for breaking the intro down, nice job!

[@stevenraparelli3396]

Jarrod, this video really helped me learn this song. I was struggling and still am to get it really smooth. Steve Gadd is a legend for good reason. Thanks for the help.

[@StephenTScheg]

Jared, I needed to learn this groove for my Irish band, as a lead-in for an instrumental. You completely demystified Steve Gadd (a fellow Rochesterian!)'s playing for me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[@stevenpope1462]

Thanks you sooo much for introducing such as amazing song to me, Jared! This is the kind of groovy stuff that makes me wanna hit the kit everyday! You did a great job breaking it down!

[@jonnohoare]

In isolation, finally I can play this. Never knew what he did with the bloody hi hat, always did something different each time, now its licked, thanks so much.

[@bcdigiart141]

thanks.. I have worked on this BEAT w a session drummer while taking lessons.... it definitely helps seeing the written music w the time counter.. this is a subtle... rhythm... and GADD is truly a great drummer.. THANKS for sharing ...

[@ApesGarage]

Great break down, great info and loads of hints. Best, 'simple' drumming vid I've seen in a while.

[@ConxurOz27]

Thank you so much Jared... You do it again! I need to play this song for my drum recital in my college!

[@michaelfaeth]

Thank you Jared for shedding light on this beat that has always been a mystery to me. Really good job on this!!

[@patcronin283]

Great job explaining this. Excellent playing as well

[@imfeelinggoodnl]

I so love this groove! ❤

[@thebluestplanet6768]

One of my favorite song intros ever!

[@cristina2514]

Your videos are amazing! I've learning a lot with you! Thanks

[@MrSmogifyer]

great groove! Learned it about 3 years ago when i was 14 or 15 and still LOVE to play it!

[@roberto3582]

great work man!! congratulation!

[@loganwilbur5131]

Hands down, the best vid to help you learn this tricky beat.

[@TCWill76]

Thanks for the video. I've never been able to hear this right. Now I can practice. I wonder how good I would be if I had had KZbin in the 90s.

[@steffenelting7390]

That was so awesome! Thank you, i will definitely give it a try!

[@anav587]

When I heard the song for the first time I wondered who the drummer was, seems appropriate that it's Steve gadd now, the drumming is probably the reason I love it

[@leftbar1]

All your lessons are helpful and understandable. Thanks a lot for your efforts to enlarge the drum family...

[@garryguenette5191]

Hi Jared, Thank you for your free videos. Very helpful hint and nice technique shows.

[@padadiddle]

Great job man. Your feel is fine. Thanks.

[@semajttam]

Nice one Jared! You're a great drummer and excellent teacher.

[@ChrisGardnerMusic]

This is a great breakdown jared! Really breaks it up into manageable chunks!

[@paulh3479]

Another informative video, thank you!

[@metallicarocks911]

Steve Gadd is a BEAST of a drummer... He even played 'Aja' by Steely Dan, and sight read the sheet music for the difficult jazz song!

[@wc1994]

I love the "stick click" he does in the middle of Aja. To think he came in cold, off the street, read the charts and played it perfectly. That's amazing!

[@shaizam92]

I like how jared explained u helped me in process of learning

[@simishaqlil23]

Thanks DRUMEO !!! I can play the song finally !!! Thanks 🙏 thanks thanks!!

[@vilasmora]

Excelente, Congratulations. Thanks from Madrid.

[@adrianmyst]

Thank you, Jared, for this lesson, and Steve Gadd, for this groove)) at first it seems so easy, but it"s much complicated indeed, nice groove, it's interesting to learn it and fun to play!

[@drfiberglass]

cool drum lesson.. Good job..

[@gsmith207]

don't sell yourself short at the end of vid! you got amazing feel! SG would be proud! To break that down slowly like that is a talent in itself! Your an awesome drummer and teacher. thank you. At 54 I just learned how to play a groove the way the Master did. And I thank you for that. Cheers! And yes I can play traditional grip. I'm an old fart! My Gramp loved Buddy and Gene K. He Taught me how.

[@richbuck100]

Nice job! Thank youuuuuu

[@kungfuninja55]

I love Gadd grooves. When I want to just show off or warm up in a more fun way I'll play this or his cowbell mozambique thing.

[@richardtabbi240]

Super, thank you very much !!!

[@DonGeorge47]

Well done, Jared.

[@DonGeorge47]

Nicely broken down, Jared

[@kaim.8462]

great job

[@NotAFanAnymore]

Outstanding

[@Bill_Bruford]

Great, thanks

[@AngelA-xc7ne]

this drum intro lives in my head rent-free.

[@gilmaroko6119]

Thank you!!!

[@Avico78]

best drum teacher!

[@michaeljones1521]

Thanx for this.

[@Trav84]

good job jared

[@knickerbocker191]

This was very helpful, thanks! Any chance we could see a video of Gadd's fills on Aja?

[@davidarmstrong1624]

Awesome.

[@rickspyder6159]

Can't hear the Hi Hat loud enough to get the 16th note sound and feel but accurate none the less. I play this groove with only my left hand dropping from HH to the snare. (rolls excluded) Makes for a fun groove and leaves your right arm free to move to ride or improvise around the kit.... Cheers

[@PyroSparton117]

Hello, I know this is an older video but I cannot access the sheet music. It keeps sending me back to the video. I was wondering if the sheet music is still available. Much love from Texas! Keep on drumming guys!

[@DrunkenUFOPilot]

Fascinating. I know nothing about drumming, but fascinating anyway. Maybe someday I'll take percussion lessons to become literate at this stuff, not to be good at it, but just to know something about this.

[@BeatlesBowieKrimson]

very nice demo. I like your comment that he wrote it and he can play it any way he wants. Exactly correct! Nice job and nice comments at the end.

[@paigedrummer2413]

i have subscribed you cas your ace and really helpful

[@liampchilton]

amazing thanks

[@102722550]

On 2nd measure, beat 4 you only play mid tom and floor tom but on sheet music says to play bass as well.

[@deepseadrumz1]

Jared, I thought you played it well! When you played the intro at 102 bpm, it sounded very good. Thanks for sharing!

[@DrunkenUFOPilot]

Was listening to the famous 70s recording a few days ago. Those 32nd notes, that fast bit, seemed to vary where it was from measure to measure. Tricky to count along. But now, with your explanation in this video, I see what is going on. Now I can also hear what is going on. Still a point-an-grunt illiterate at drumming, but this is getting interesting!

[@skatewithme59]

very good lesson.I thought i was easy but when i started practising it......daamn ;D.lot harder than it looks :)

[@MrRICHARDGOMEZ]

thanks jared

[@ivankulikovsky]

Good video :)

[@holysnackpack]

Awesome

[@richardferguson9743]

Learned this incorrectly. We played this tonight and I knew it wasn't right. This was broken down very well. Doesn't really help because it's Steve Gadd but still. Thank you Drumeo!!

[@gohuskies583]

Jared - Very nice Demonstration. I've seen this explained before but this was the best demo of it I've seen. Great job! Have you tried the beginning of Zepplin's Rock'n Roll? That's another tough one that drummers like me that have tried to emulate but failed miserably. :)

[@zetetic23]

Ahhh thanks!

[@akhokha]

What size are your toms, kit, and snare on this video?

[@FreiTrottelProduktio]

i am lefthandet too. but i can recommand to play open handed wthe the hihat on the left. you will have a better control around the kit (i have the basic setup of a drumkit)

[@96EisbrecherFan]

Thanks

[@zander_senpai]

" (...) i at least tried and i gave it my best, and that's the most important!" Simple words, but wise at the same time :)

[@ClaveJimenez]

thanks :)

[@tiedupsmurf]

Nice

[@antlou123]

Thanks.

[@donkey7879]

Should I do doubles or singles with the snares

[@brandoncaudill6864]

Does it make a difference which hand you lead with?

[@Gimlirful]

in the original version I believe there is a flame before rrlrl

[@zvasiaify]

Sheet music is not available

[@johnmcascone]

On the album track there is an added tambourine type sound on the and of every beat which is much more prominent than his high hat work. I play this song live and I include this with my hi-hat foot. Because of this, I ignore his high hat sticking.

[@sutherlandtownley4553]

why is the bass note written in bar 2 on the 4 not played with the toms?

[@davepiper1000]

At last someone who plays the groove as Mr Gadd plays it many thanks Drumeo. David

[@NAPSTERUK00]

is the sheet music available online?

[@benkitay9015]

This is really hard...great video but I'm struggling to make my feet do this. :). Will keep at it

[@96EisbrecherFan]

I have the Hi-Hat on the right 'cause I'm a lefthand player. Would anybody advise it or not?

[@zynix976]

Yes, there's a link in the description :)

[@HadEnough745]

Steve Gadd used floor toms only. On the studio version, it is definitely only a floor tom on that final hit on "4". not a rack tom and floor tom..

[@mappychamp1]

wrong

[@chentiangemalc]

he used two floor toms

[@drumsbykeithb.6081]

Thanks for this. I just posted a cover of "50 Ways", and viewing your instructions and cover both helped. My version is not nearly as good as yours - I mainly play hard rock and metal, and this style of playing is just foreign to me. But it is such a cool drum part, it just seemed like something to try. Great job!

[@theivory1]

I've yet to see anyone use the left foot to open and close the hh on 2 and 4. You can hear all through the track.

[@jensbladt5498]

Wouldn't you like to show us the version from the Central Park concert? :-)

[@stevesmith2373]

This is based around (what I learned as) a rumba beat or the first bar of a bosa nova. And then a roll and then back into it. It sounds really cool but it's not that difficult to play.

[@bassplayinben]

I don't hear a hi hat but I hear a tambourine mounted on the hi hat rod.

[@ThalisUmobi]

Dat bass drum!

[@ilganzo7534]

There's a kick beat in the sheet music that you don't play. Is it on purpose?

[@oriza2]

il ganzo I think he playes it in the end, but not explains in the details at the beginning.

[@dorianne813]

Peut on avoir la traduction en français svp ?

[@mattlikesdrumming]

hahahaha so funny i learned this groove yesterday then this vid comes out today

[@casi-junior]

subtitulos en español por favor

[@prec77ous]

The on-screen sheet music with that ball bouncing.

[@kernelxsanders]

What do you mean by "smart beat technology"?

[@lousama]

Gotta say, this is such a great drum groove, however it displays how much better music can sound without a click track. You played it well, Jared, but for some reason this song sounds totally stale with robotic-like timing, y'know? Great lesson!

[@jeremyoram8729]

There is a flam starting off that first little rudiment. Its not just R R L R

[@RobCartwright]

There's a giant difference between simply being able to play it and being able to feel it like Gadd did.

[@Paradiddledribble]

Definitivt :-)

[@N3V2-Nevto]

Hi ^_^ Can I answer you question? Its a no problem, as long as you are comfortable on how you play it :) It doesn't matter at all if your a Lefthand or right hand :)