How To Play When The Levee Breaks - Drum Lesson (Drumeo)

[@jamesmehigan2407]

What so many seem to overlook is that Bonham SWINGS when he plays. He's not the straight-beater that so many other hard rock drummers were/are. His style was ecclectic...he learned from Krupa, Rich and other swing/big band percussionists. That's how his inimitable GROOVE comes thru, and you demonstrate this beautifully in the laid-back grace notes you beat on the snare and hi-hat...kudos, my dude! :D

[@ntbcreative1969]

Great job explaining the groove, Randy! - For all of you guys who say "It's wrong" or " It was really done like this... he is giving you the tools and facility to re-create the groove without setting up mics in a stairwell, hall reverb in a studio or natural reverb. He's showing you how HE plays it to acheive the same vibe/groove in any setting - be it a small/big club or practice room. If you take the time and play it how he has explained, those ghost notes become second nature and just fall into place. i.e.. the 16th after 2 and 4 in the "Rosanna" groove.

[@jsk23198]

ntb Creative cool, but its a delay and he should hear/say that. but its great to be able to play it. on the remaster you hear the delay on every note :P

[@izzimichaels2892]

i agree, he gets the proper sound, thats all that matters here.

[@bluephoenix1911]

No, he's saying how Bonham played it. And that's wrong. Bonham doesn't play a second softer "e" kick. It's a delay machine. And the drums were indeed recorded in a big mansion.

[@ntbcreative1969]

@@bluephoenix1911 yes, yes - we all know the story of delay in the stairwell. I apologize on behalf of Randy for steering us all wrong by misleading us. Dude - at this point it'sSemantics. Does he not teach you how to emulate JB's feel/groove? I imagine that Bonham played it like Randy did when in concert. You ever think about that?

[@bluephoenix1911]

@@ntbcreative1969 sorry I thought this was the comments section under a KZbin video. Semantics or not, it's not accurate. For what it's worth. Yes indeed Randy is at the end of it all showing how to replicate the sound but that's not what he claims. I don't care how Bonham played it live. I'm pretty sure he could fit another 5 ghost notes in a 32nd space. That's not the point.

[@bernbsy]

This guy is not only a super fundamentally sound drummer, he's a really good teacher/instructor!

[@mammothaudioengineering]

@2:22 Here's the thing about the original recording of this song: there actually IS a delay on the drums! It's very slight and that's gives it that space, apart from having a big reverby room and nice compression and obviously, a great drummer.

[@JacobMD1000]

i love how he made a simple beat just take up so much space..but honest question..how do you know there was a delay? did they mention that somewhere?

[@thecrippledrummer]

It was recorded at Headley Grange and Bonham’s drums were at the top of a staircase, and they were miked from the bottom of the staircase. That’s the echo or delay you’re hearing.

[@mysticsailor9]

Drumuitar.. nope.. the actual recording engineer has clearly stated he used a Binson Echorec

[@101redman1]

@@thecrippledrummer drums where on bottom and mike was half way up and the sound compressed and then ran through the Binson Echorec

[@zacharyradford5552]

Wasn’t a big room it was in a stair well.

[@SamuelLawson]

Randy, you're an amazing teacher. I'm being completely real here. I'm a guitarist. I don't play drums, I've never really seriously sat down with a kit. I just wanted to see if I could do a little bit of this song because my son is learning it. I watched your video and, after about an hour, I was able to play the basic beat. My son, who has never heard me play drums *at all* was flabbergasted when I played it for him today. Thanks! 🙏

[@garywade]

What a brilliant example of how to teach. 10/10 mate. Well done.

[@titotequilamusic]

As a guitar player and producer, in my opinion, this is a great explanation of this groove. I program drums or record drummers, but this tutorial is very good. The most important echoes (delays) can be incorporated into the main figure. Basically, you can play this without the echo (delay). Great explanation and demonstration.

[@portal432]

It’s interesting to see all the misinformation in the comments, look up Rick Beato’s video on this you will get it straight facts. The point of this lesson is dynamics... this is a fantastic video thank you Randy

[@hairycrocs5038]

Rick Beato sucks tho

[@Iv.T.]

@@hairycrocs5038 The most stupid comment ever :ddd

[@hairycrocs5038]

@@Iv.T. Rick Beato charges 100s for basic ass books and forces his kid to play oboe and bitches about it live

[@Iv.T.]

@@hairycrocs5038 if you have problem with that, don't buy the books

[@knowyourenemy50]

@@hairycrocs5038 lmao so true. he's super pompous too, tries to be low key about it but most of his vids are a "look at how much music theory i know jerkoff"

[@FRANKLOMBARDI-iv5xs]

Randy im sorry..I didnt mean to Leave you out on the Zep Great Job Man. Teachers at Drumeo are all Great..Thank you Giys...😁👍✌️

[@andivax]

Fun fact: kick drum and snare was processed thru Binson Echorec delay, so the groove was a little bit different )

[@rustyaxelrod]

I’m not the drummer but I gotta say Thanks Man! That really helped me to understand what I was hearing.

[@vigt548]

I'm 72 and still a beginner (after about 10-12 yrs.) I love hearing from other beginners who drawn to this beat like a moth to a flame. The pedagogues on here hillarious.

[@derkarevalo412]

John Bonham is truly the greatest that his 3 different pieces were featured on Drumeo lesson sessions!!! Featured 3 times WOW!!! almighty BONZO!

[@diogesesmore9874]

Went through hundreds of songs to play to after returning to drums after 20 Years. Hypnotic perfection

[@FRANKLOMBARDI-iv5xs]

I Love Drumeo..Love that Beat..Zep..Thats one Beat i will work on...Im a Beginner..Older Adult. Thanks for the Video..Jared. Rest of the Teachers. 😁👍✌️🎸

[@groundedasmr1234]

Loved it! Loved the sticks held backwards too hehe

[@malann8254]

Nice lesson, I practiced those ghost notes for a while and they came faster that I thought. Thanks Randy

[@paulyoung4781]

That is a solid powerful drum beat,love the tribal sounding kit

[@syntheticsun]

Love your video, thank you so much for taking the time to put it together! I just got my first kit after knowing I could play the drums my whole life, I'm learning from you.

[@markdemell3717]

This particular beat just drives me nuts ,I am pretty much a beginner but,I can play a few beats , the way the hi hat is used causes my right hand to follow my right foot.Argh.

[@aut0mat0r]

Happens to everyone, fella. Work on those independence exercises and you'll get it. Keep at it!!

[@dmcwhorter9974]

Having the same problem- I just double up the high hat part on the kick - it’s getting a little easier. Not right- but I’m slowly getting there.

[@kartikdiwan4360]

Literally the same is happening to me that’s why I’m seeing this video 😅

[@jasonfitzpatrick2197]

On a positive note, it's really easy to become good at any two of the three bits in this. Adding the third bit is where everything goes wrong 😂

[@edwardkaminsky8142]

I has taking me 2 years to cut that string between the right hand and right foot. Starting lessons and actually seeing the notes has helped tremendously. Many a drum cover have the sheet music with the video on the Tube. Dam light bulb went off between seeing the notes, and hearing the notes. We all learn differently.

[@gibbonzo125]

Wicked helpful. I have the basics down and this will take me to the next level! Thank you!

[@Nova-xs2wt]

Woaw ! At very first listening, the beat didn't seem hard but when you deconstruct it like Randy Cooke is doing, it becomes way more difficult with all the gray notes and the dynamic XD Very interesting lesson as always, thanks to Randy and Drumeo !

[@ytk735]

I love watching your videos, man! You always put a smile on my face, you just have such a great vibe and to top it all off you are great at explaining things and every night I can't wait to get back on the drum set to try doing what you do. Thanks a lot!!

[@stratmister009]

real Bonzo feel. Better illustration than most offered by others.

[@carguy3460]

Explained the nuance perfectly! Thanks!

[@joesphkozdra4765]

Finally someone who plays it right bonham played the echos now it sounded reverbie . In the actual song but you can hear him playing it just like u are although with much more power and boom but you nailed it .. great video ..

[@batwithglasses]

Randy my man, you are infectious!..no meds needed... you really should consider this for a living! 😉

[@romanbykov5922]

You'll be playing like John in no time. Lol, I wish!

[@JulianFernandez]

Dude is solid!

[@vandan48]

Very nice!! Even without all the production, sounded just like Bonham.

[@ericbouza854]

Finally! Someone playing it the way he did. 👍

[@Underdog_Drums]

You are a great drummer, and picked a great tune for a lesson. I've played this tune over 1000 times in my life, but you are the first person I've seen point out the snare echo. 1 thing listen for next time ya hear it. He's accenting all the &'s on the hats.

[@Mike-ju1vl]

Great beat! It's been used over 100 times I think

[@MrCBiologyIreland]

‘Binson Echorec’ was used with 2 mics and lots of compression. It’s a delay effect. There’s only one bass kick and snare kit. This video sounds like the original because you’re playing all the echo hits too. Bonzo didn’t have to.

[@SlightReturn666]

Thank you so much for ‘splaining this once and for all!!!! I never believed the “one-ee” hit was a real kick, but rather just a ghost note or an artifact of the delay used. You saved me a trip to a padded cell!!

[@ShawnxEdge]

You’re absolutely correct, he’s teaching the lesson as if Bonham was making the echo effect he’s completely wrong thus teaching the lesson wrong.

[@tomrochester7381]

@@ShawnxEdgecompletely wrong 😂 he should have said, step one, go into the studio and get a full mic set up and a ‘Binson Echorec’ before anything?

[@ShawnxEdge]

@@tomrochester7381 I watched a few videos of them playing it live, they skip the intro for one and he doesn’t play it with an echo effect neither does Jason Bonham. I’ve also watched lots of drum covers, some played a double on the first kick and others don’t. The Drumeo lesson is a strange take is what I should have said, but what he’s teaching isn’t what Bonham actually played.

[@AndyMangele]

I like your videos, dude - even though I'm not a drummer! But I have to program drum-tracks every now and then - and that's where videos like yours come in handy! ;)

[@jesserebel8387]

there is also a grace note generated on the kick after the second snare, it was delay in the recording, but its possible to play it live also

[@kevbeck4092]

Tasty drumming my dude

[@jamesbell9011]

I agree with your wealth and the true elusive teachings where the rubber meets the mat!!! Thanx for sharing!!!😃

[@abundiobernal7544]

north side Houston High school, plenty of talent sitting there... yet no sponsers... i was one of them 20 years ago... quitman and fulton.... much needed musicians

[@voodoochild8697]

Awesome informational video 👍

[@chuckefunn8624]

I don’t play drums but love the song thanks for explaining what is done in the drums

[@toddstein74]

I like the big Bonham sound you got

[@endolfdaise5168]

The studio drum version was recorded on a stairwell in some big house somewhere and that helped give the sound some natural delay

[@jacobjar2603]

Dope 🔥 thank you so much!!!

[@fernandocorreiadelima9513]

Adorei a metodologia dele, fica fácil de entender assim

[@mathcoreable]

More Randy Drumeo, he is very entertaining

[@jeff49605]

and his band is amazing (All Good Things)

[@romertorres4469]

Binson Echorec is how Bonzo got that echo sound

[@Fededrum71]

amazing... now I understand the great feeling with this fantastic intro - groove

[@heladoscuro5074]

SOUNDS THICCCCC!!

[@MC-cd8ni]

Randy cook, you rock bro, great lesson.

[@keenenreiter3719]

I have to commend this man for teaching how to play the secondary snare and bass drum hits but as stated in the comments there is an actual echo on this track. So really the first click track he plays to in the beginning of the video is correct.

[@mysticsailor9]

indeed .. as clearly stated by the guy who actually recorded this track on location.. the delay is a Binson Echorec

[@rafaelfernandes7305]

very good this channel drumeo videos are top very good 👍👍👍👍👍

[@竹村孝史]

Thank you very much This video was an eye opener to me

[@donjohnson5653]

Nice break down .though I've been playing this song for 40 years!!!✌👊😎great to hear another person's view...

[@Kman1960]

Excellent breakdown of an Iconic drum groove !

[@grumpydrummer8960]

Early recordings didnt have the ghost notes until some later live recordings. So, maybe he developed ghost notes into the mix, regardless or additionally of the reverb effect. Enjoying you teachings. Cheers🎉

[@celinetiare6095]

Super merci beaucoup....... Pour cette leçon 😘

[@401dholdings8]

Try playing the double kick with a "wet noodle" foot. The echo effect is incredible!

[@jimmygodoy5812]

you opened my eyes amigo

[@freddysands]

Great tutorial, thanks👍🏻

[@Ghost_Recon_Actual]

Great explaination.

[@DeanFennell-or1je]

Thanks Randy!!

[@redwings2008stanley]

any suggestions on what to do to get the independence between base and hi-hat

[@mikedugue6513]

Excellent lesson

[@JaxsonHazard]

I think you missed a ghost note before the first snare. When I listen to the song, I’m hearing one. But that’s the fun about Drumming. Everybody hears a beat differently and plays it differently. That’s why no one will ever be like John Bonham Ginger Baker, Keith Moon, Charlie, Watts, or any other great drummers. Because they’re the ones who created the beat, and remember every little detail about it. There might be someone who surpasses Bonham’s drumming skills, but they will never see the drums or play them in his same style. Same thing with Fool in The Rain; everybody plays ghost notes in different spots. Some count it in 4/4, others in 12/8. Personally, I don’t think anyone should look up the drum transcriptions or anything like that. Just listen to the song multiple times and either transcript at yourself or play along with and try to remember every single note there is and once you have all the main notes, then focus on ghost notes. Anyways, he did do a great job explaining the groove, but personally, I am hearing a ghost note before the first snare.

[@IKnewMickey]

Nicely explained nicley done!

[@WhelanDrums]

Agreed. Wonderful little lesson!

[@koenolsman]

@drumeo you guys should make a note: He only played 1 bassdrum and no extra 'echo' snare It's simply the effect of the house they recorded, you can see on KZbin a video of Jimmy Page explaining how they did it, also his son Jason Bonham plays it live with 1 bassdrum (allthough besides this guy is a awesome drummer he does explain and show a way how to reproduce the song live without the effect of the recording) which is awesome so thanks for the video and lesson!!!!!

[@gregbyrne743]

Zeppelin only played this a couple of times live and this guy explained it perfectly.

[@alexrandell9199]

Simple beat w 8ths on the hats: how it was played W ghost notes: how it sounds on the record We’ve all seen Rick Beato’s video on how it was recorded with delay, but for all intents and purposes, you need the ghost notes to get the *sound* right

[@Noone-of-your-Business]

Oh man, I need to practise! So much cool stuff to play, so little time!

[@pawelmorrison]

Dude wearing an elegant shirt and a baseball cap like those cool 8 year olds at school ceremonies lmfao

[@artsal]

AWESOME 👏

[@morasa3000]

great video !!! THANKS !!!!!!

[@jacklanam825]

Mr. Cooke, watching this video makes me want to see how you would teach "The Ocean." Especially given that it isn't a straight 4/4 throughout.

[@steinndadi]

I heard that they recorded the drums in a stairway to get that big delayed sound to the drums. So he is only playing the simple version but it sounds like he´s playing it like you are teaching.

[@keenenreiter3719]

Steinn Daði Gíslason that was true.. They recorded in the stairway that provided a natural echo and the beat was basically a straightforward blues beat but the microphone at the top of the stairway recorded the echo making the rhythm sound the way it does on the album..

[@dimetilldeath]

Think it was the stairway to heaven

[@briang6040]

I read the same thing. He didn't play the way this guy is explaining it, but it is cool.

[@MrJcontrol]

Steinn Daði Gíslason Just think about how much easier it would have been for Paige and Bonham to have recorded that beat with this guy’s tutorial.

[@MidiPunk]

The Johns brothers (Glyn & Andy) engineered the recording with close microphones that added 'slap back' in addition to getting sound from the room (foyer with spiral stairs). There's pictures of the room and interview explaining it somewhere around here.

[@Kevo6eel]

The dense drum sound on the track was created by placing Bonham’s Ludwig kit at the bottom of a stairwell in Headley Grange and setting up two Beyerdynamic M160 mics on the first floor. Andy Johns then applied limiters and ran the signal through a Binson Echorec for that huge reverberant sound. In an interview with MusicRadar, Johns recalled the process: “The limiters had time to breathe and that’s how Bonzo got that ‘Ga Gack’ sound because of the Binson. He wasn’t playing that. It was the Binson that made him sound like that.”

[@toddvandell85]

Needs way more echo/reverb on the snare. And needs Ludwig drums, with a monster deep snare. And Paiste cymbals. Need a big 26" Paiste ride crash. And a monstrous 26" Ludwig kick drum. You're getting the feel, though.

[@djgynee]

Ghost kicks and ghost snares done right!

[@stevenmckeown3572]

Well done have to get down to it on the kit like Booze .thank you

[@sm_4859]

Cool Sound!

[@mikegeld1280]

I think they used a delay on the original that's why it sounds double timed

[@matth1906]

Thank you Randy Cook

[@jeffberba3045]

👍what a helpful lesson,,!

[@dylanfrank9515]

The problem is that Bonzo just had his own sound, that is unable to be replicated. Even if you have his kit the way he plays and the energy in his movement is just impossible to create

[@SlightReturn666]

I want to hear Yoyoka play this groove. I trust her more than anyone - including Jason - to create the true Bonzo feel

[@MarkOnDrums1976]

Listen to Bonhamology KZbin channel and you'll think you're listening to John Bonham. Guys as close as it gets.

[@disc_golfing_with_d]

Actually interestingly enough John BONHAM is playing your simple version but because he recorded it down a big hall at Henley Grange, the first bass hit sounds like a there a 1 e when really the sound was just bouncing off the wall and hitting the mic. Cool video. This is the most easiest and smileys video that I’ve seen on how to play When The Levee Breaks

[@roblianoofficial]

Not exactly, the delay is from a Binton delay fx unit that Andy Johns used on the track. It's not bouncing off a wall.

[@Jorgelopezdrums]

Súper bien explicado! Gracias 🤘🏽

[@davemieze9021]

He knows there’s echo. He’s playing it like u hear it. Randy is a true rock drummer. You obviously watched nothing but the intro.

[@ToOldToTurnProcycling]

The recording of the drums was in a mansion, the drum kit was at the bottom of the stairwell, with the microphones at the top of the third floor, that's what gives the echo.

[@robertoricci3393]

Bonham didn't play all those grace notes on the snare and the bass drum, it's only the natural reverb of the recording. 1:52 is the way Bonham did it.

[@roblianoofficial]

Correct that's how Bonham played it but, Andy Johns used a Binton delay fx unit to get those ghost sounding notes, not just reverb.

[@icepick859]

Yeah he actually is playing with delay on the drums

[@wangson]

That's pretty doing it naturally! I think they're using an echo effect though to produce that sound

[@J0intV3nture]

Pleeeeeeeeeaase to a How to of: Tower of Power - Ebony Jam

[@Palindrome3945]

The comments here really highlight the fact that tons of musician don't really care about the actual SOUND of what they play. It's not a sport or even a craft. Use your ears and adapt your playing to get the sound you want. Assuming sound is your objective ofc.

[@calken546]

First song I learned to play on the Drums.

[@dsecch]

Great. Thanks

[@middarklight]

The first bass drum hit is a single hit with an echo/dekay

[@magnetto90]

I don't even play an instrument. Nice Lesson!

[@nikkisterling399]

I played this song on my kit many times

[@LegoMaster5197]

My hands keep wanting to play the snare on the same beat as the kick drum... any tips???

[@JimmyGunXD556]

I ripped the biggest fart while watching this video. My girl just left the room.

[@krujan8448]

JimmyGunXD556 rad

[@deezmath]

That's fuckin sick dude

[@joesantamaria5874]

Need to give her the Dutch oven tonite. That will seal the bond for sure.

[@FelipeCamargoAreias]

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