Neil Peart Drum Solo - Limelight - Tutorial with KJ-Rias

www.KJRias.com - Click here to get instant access to my free training videos now to improve your Double Stroke Bounces, Bass Drum Control, and Drum Fill Application.
Hey guys!
This week's topic: Neal Peart's ending solo in the song "Limelight", By Rush.
Album: The Spirit Of Radio.
Tutorial requested by Jorgsspawn.
• Neil Peart Drum Solo -...

[@RaulGarcia-tz4ij]

Truly for me Neil Peart was the master on drums. That drum ending on limelight was so heavy that i really dont know how the hell he did that! But thanks to your tutorial it helped me play the song till end. Thanks KJ..

[@Metamorphosis33]

I have an audition with a cover band tomorrow. I have been waiting to get back out playing drums live for about 5 years. Limelight is one of the songs on my audition list. This video has been AN IMMENSE help to me. I certainly don't have it down pat like you do....but your break down was so candid and addressed the EXACT things I was thinking. You made it seem not so impossible...and that is REAL TALENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SUBSCRIBING NOW!!!

[@austing.8870]

Neil's also using 5 more toms and another foot for his bass drum to do this section, so kudos to you for doing this on a 4 piece with a single pedal. Took me forever to learn this song when i first got into Rush. Good lesson here dude.

[@buddyrichable1]

You’re doing what Neil Peart did with a double pedal, with a single pedal and a small kit. You da man. I am a member and you have opened so many doors. I realize this is an old video but I just had to comment. Anyone wondering if they should plop their money down for your lessons, I can highly recommend that they do.

[@josephstransky2427]

KJ I could care less what anyone says...your a killer teacher and you absolutely nailed this even if the if its sticked differently

[@KJRias]

hey thanks for the info! i didn't know he was playing those last few strokes on a gong. no wonder it sounded different. thanks again for the support.

[@ricku6255]

All I can say is bad ass KJ, what a wonderful job you have done on this tutoral. You mention at the end that you enjoy doing demo licks to help us aspiring drummers? I was wondering if you would be will to do another RUSH song, the groove in particular, for Mystic Rhythms? Many thanks buddy and keep on rocking!

[@blemrow]

you are correct regarding the ending of the song. a lot of what neil was doing at the time with double bass, now double bass pedal, was influenced by Tommy Aldridge (whom he met when Tommy was with Pat Traver's Band opening for Rush). In his first MD article Neil mentions that he learned performing double bass drum fill, leading with the bass drums from watching and talking with Tommy. A great example is listening to "Boom Boom out go the lights" from the Pat Traver's Live - Go for What You Know album

[@thejohnnydavidson]

I'm working on this Drum Cover now. Thanks for your help....

[@gtludwig41]

At the end of lime light on the video you can hear and see him clearly doing that in the studio and you can see him alternating from the snare drum to the rack tom keeping his hands on the floor time the whole time creating a double fill..... Ba da baba da da.... Like it sounds ..... Keep rocking man.

[@CPMir]

I really liked this lesson because it's getting the job done with a very simple drum kit, like the one we may have at home. It's not easy to have the monster thing Neil has!

[@KJRias]

thanks for the support bud! i like your play-style. i can't promise it'll do much, but i can post one of your videos to my facebook page on monday. watch for it and keep it up!

[@herbertlopez99]

One of my favourite Rush songs!! Well done my friend!!!

[@lucca123ful]

Yes!!!!Thats awesome,I wanted to see more of rush fills!

[@kevincady5613]

Awesome skills. Nice work!

[@ddnick8688]

First time I have ever commented on a video (at least in memory). This is an excellent video that is going to save me a huge amount of time. I have the Bill Wheeler transcription and what he transcribed for the second series of the three that are presented here is way harder, and after watching the 1981 video from le studio, it looked to me like he was quite a bit off. Your version is much closer and presented in a very easy to follow way. Thanks for posting.

[@jimeichenser2640]

Great breakdown and a nice quick foot. Very helpful! Keep up the good work!

[@thomasmacgillavry701]

I'm pretty sure it's from the album "Moving Pictures"

[@michaelloder5150]

yes

[@fizz5611]

it is lol

[@SlowRiderDucati]

Yes I saw the moving picture concert back in 1982 at the LA Forum in Hawthorne CA my home town. I remember thinking this sounds just like the album. Sadly I lost my original concert t shirt.

[@jeanphilippelandry8295]

awesome lesson. one of the greatest on youtube.

[@CrimsonKarl]

I think by doing doubles with a single bass pedal you're making it harder than the way Neil played, and playing it very well (and accurately), so kudos to you :) This would have been c. 1980 and I believe at that time he had 2 bass drums (later on he moved to a single bass with 2 pedals- someone can correct me if I'm wrong here but I think he has always used 2 kick pedals in some configuration or another throughout his career). Anyway, he pulls this move off quite a bit and I used to think they were a typical Bonham triplet (L-R-K) until I slowed down the recording and realized they were more of a 'Peart-quad' :) L-R-K-K or R-L-K-K, depending.

[@JohnJones-ft1ln]

Nice job bro. Good job with the info transfer as well.

[@jorgsspawn]

Thanks so much for doing this man! It helped so so much! You did an AMAZING job with it! Keep up the great work!

[@drummerchef851]

Great job, you pretty much nailed it.

[@BosseJ]

Very well played interpretation. I like your fill clips a lot. :)

[@BRANDON7357]

Awesome video. I think for that last crash it's more like a roll off though. I try kick, floor tom, kick, kick, kick with crash. The two kicks before the crash should either be 32nd notes or 64th notes with the first being slightly softer. I think it's similar to Subdivisions' ending. He does the triplet feel with the two 32nd notes in it a lot. Or try taking out the floor tom entirely, not sure if it's the bass guitar doing a slide or the tom as it's kind of hard to hear. Either way, once again awesome vid. Very helpful!

[@drumdude46]

This guy does good work. nice transcribing and research. funny thing is...guessing he wasn't even born...when Moving Pictures was out. i was 21. ...and listening. still...great job, learning ( for the most part) what Neil was doing on some of these amazing songs. Bravo!

[@SlowRiderDucati]

Your orchestration and sticking is better than the sheet music and you did it on a four piece kit which is awesome.

[@GenesisFerminMusic]

Omg this is a godsend. Thanks for making this video.

[@TopMediaGraphics]

Dude, as you said it's your interpretation. But I'd be happy to be able to what is in this video, dam!

[@nicholaspietropolo5416]

After playing in cover bands for some 30 years, second time I had to cover Rush. Went looking for videos and found this. Dude this was off the chain in so many ways.. Its one thing to call yourself a drummer and play on an arsenal of drums, (I've always been a fan of more chit ta hit myself but have reduced the footprint due to shear practicality, and moving all that gear, what arena's we playing in?) but it is entirely something else to cover wide variety with a simple 4pc kit. Single pedal no less. Awesome video and saved me hours breaking it down myself. Out of all the videos I have watched in the past hour this was not only the best but the most informative hands down. and in only 8 minutes. For the dude that was looking for the foot work this should be part of your chops routine - kzbin.info/www/bejne/raOkl5KddsplrJY

[@KJRias]

Nicholas Pietropolo Thanks for the support Nicholas! Those Rush covers can be killer...glad I could help.

[@billyraymond9416]

Neil played a lot of triplets and paradiddles on his bass. He has always said he wasn't talented just relentless and played what felt natural to him.

[@MrNickDrummer]

Didn't Neil use two bass drums back then? He still uses a double pedal today. I believe he plays R-L-R at the end of the song on the bass drums. Great break down video though, and props to you on the attempt with just a single bass drum pedal! And the last "floor tom" roll is in fact done on the Tama gong drum he had back then. Peart is great, he's the methodical brains of the drum world.

[@CreateBetter]

Thank you so much man I really appreciate your help!!

[@pgalatioto]

You are bad ass thanks for the breakdown!

[@robertblackledge8029]

The reason he says it's on Spirit of the radio is because there's a rush greatest hits album called Spirit of the radio and limelight is on that album, although it is originally from there Moving Pictures album

[@Po3oB]

Well, "Limelight" was on "Moving Pictures" album, 1981, and "The Spirit of the Radio" is a song from "Permanent Waves", 1980, but that's not the point. There are some pretty interesting songs on "Permanent Waves" actually, like "Spirit of the Radio" itself, for example, or "Freewill" - both very difficult songs for the beginner, and still quite a challenge for the pro, with some places and fills very difficult to figure out just by listening, but perhaps you could do it, KJ?

[@mrtings]

Veniamin Rozov the spirit of radio is a ‘greatest hits’ type of album

[@mayurdrummer]

Hey bro,great lesson once again..in the song its pretty tricky to figure out when exactly Neil switches from one timing to another..Can you explain that ?

[@JohnSmith-wi3nb]

Isnt limelight on moving pictures because i dont recall a rush album the spirit of radio

[@ultslipknot]

excellent!

[@aaronreeves8376]

Yes I'm Canadian, it was on Moving Pictures 😊

[@KJRias]

fixed. thanks for the heads up.

[@keithmelton3741]

You do know that he publicly, and on many different stages throw out his career, he practiced perfect paradidals, in concert with evenflo. He even praised other drummers of his era, and learned jazz styles, as well as dance drums. He did all of that so you could do what... question his talent, his constant need to know, his overall professionalism? It is easy to brake it all down once somebody has done the hard work of writing and protecting the work.

[@billynolanjr2266]

fantastic but hey I cheat and use a double pedal and also so did Neil, he used a DW5000 double pedal always ...same effect a hell of a lot easier ! but man your awesome . great single foot work !

[@GermiesCoasterYard]

is it easier to use a double kick pedal?

[@vodzdrums]

+TheCubicBeat in my opinion, it is. but the practice required is not easier or quicker than practicing with single pedal. i say this because i started playing drums because of metal, so i bought a double pedal right away and practiced it more than i did with single pedal. so i play the limelight solo with double pedals because i'm more comfortable with it, still i'm also practicing with single pedal. i think knowing one way is never better or worse than the other, but knowing BOTH ways is what makes you a better drummer :)

[@GermiesCoasterYard]

Vodrum thanks, and I agree. thats why I love neil, because he is so adaptable, for instance, when he played the camera eye while missing one of his toms, or being able to plan to get past rain damage in rio.

[@arthurcezariooliveira2921]

He actually uses a double pedal to play this song, which is neat during the intro That makes me think he actually makes those triples with his feet, as he’s usung both of them And in the very last part in which you played kick-tom-kick-tom-kick’n’cymbal, he actually plays all with his feet

[@arthurcezariooliveira2921]

Great interpretation, though The fills still sound the same

[@danielhenriquetostes1581]

EXCELLENT!!!!!

[@AndyjustB]

hi...great tuts! those hats are awesome...what are they?

[@KJRias]

Hey Andy! Thanks for the support. Those are: Brand: TRX Model: BRT Size: 13" Love 'em.

[@tomasesilva]

It´s from MOVING PICTURES! good lesson by the way!

[@KJRias]

ha. thanks man! keep at it.

[@maldodlt2812]

Great!

[@Shawnee845]

Neil Peart is using his feet 16 note fill. So because of the bass drum sounds are so low you get ghost notes. it just rumbles and he likes to be flamboyant sometimes. If you listen to some you tube video from back in the day all of is friends says he's flamboyant. then he smiles when it comes out right. I must say that I've seen Neil Peart smile when he does something that's tricky on the drums. like double stroke Triples roll on the HI-HAT eh! he smiles...

[@NuOrder11]

Perfect.

[@xFaMoUzxKR3Wx]

isnt limelight in moving pictures? Unless yoy meant to put the spirit of radio: greatest hits

[@will.brooks]

Any lessons on foot speed? cant seem to get it at all

[@KJRias]

Check out the Kick Fills System on KJRIAS.COM. It's all about mastering your foot in fills.

[@animeshdas3715]

KJ Rias

[@KJRias]

well said.

[@kevinjager124]

Dude, what are you on about? The tracklimelight is off moving pictures not the album (that doesn’t exist) The spirit of the radio which was also a track off permanent waves.

[@mattdavis8498]

I thought limelight was on moving pictures. guess I got it wrong :)

[@Sarah143kent]

Neil gets a different drum kit every tour and him drum solos are never the same so if you want to know the drum solo you have to learn a new one every tour

[@mattnicholson8781]

Album: Spirit of Radio? Bro, do you even Rush?

[@tylee5291]

Ummm.sorry....I HAVE to call you out on this... YOU have Limelight on The Spirit of Radio album. Neil is a great drummer to follow and admire, but are you a Rush fan? One, there is NO album called The Spirit of Radio. The Spirit of Radio is a song. Two, Limelight is on the Moving Pictures album.

[@blonchay123]

awesome demo, only difference from him to you is he uses a lot of double kick... even in tom sawyer through out the entire song with every double stroke he actually is using the double bass/ double kick pedal. other than that, nice foot dude!

[@landonpeckham7752]

Who else thinks this sounds like Neil's Test For Echo/Vapor Trails kit?

[@TheSateef]

it's pronounced pee-ert and limelight is from moving pictures, not spirit of radio, which isn't even an album. having said that, impressive you did it on 2 toms

[@HostNayner]

The credits @23 seconds.... You spelled "Neil" wrong lol.

[@KJRias]

Hahahaha. Good catch, man.

[@HostNayner]

Other than the spelling, awesome job man! Out-drummed me!

[@KJRias]

eh, maybe. to each their own. and thanks!

[@BosseJ]

H=left and right hands together.

[@kevincady5613]

Cmon my brothers lets get the Prof name right! And remember easy to copy, but not to invent.

[@apieceofdirt4681]

I don't think that's quite correct. I've seen him break that part down before and it sounds nothing like what you're doing. It’s virtually impossible to fully explain this tune on a 3 piece.

[@mattmarkus4868]

No it’s not. A rhythm is a rhythm-you just hit fewer drums. This is really close to Neil’s part, and I think it’s a great of him to take time to do it. Why don’t you explain what is not correct about the rhythm in this video??

[@tylerbuckner3750]

Not to mention, Neal has about 15x the amount of tubs...

[@slippy8054]

his last name is pronounced peert! PEEEEERT!!

[@adamjacksonmedia]

Hehe... I came down here to see if everyone ripped into him for getting the album wrong 😂😂😂

[@KJRias]

I think I got ribbed a few times on that one. Haha.

[@danielleblum8297]

Would you be interested in doing drum bumming with me? -random fan

[@KJRias]

...huh?

[@Rushftw27]

good job, but you would save a lot of effort and time if u just had a double bass pedal...

[@tripplsixx9995]

wheres the rest of your drums .. I'm pretty sure to teach limelight you need more drums

[@iMatty_2]

There is little to effort in doing double strokes on a single pedal..

[@timvdberge]

NEIL..not NEAL haha

[@baskin2112]

PEA-RT!!!!! not PURT :D

[@gcapps100]

Love the video.. but it's pronounced PEERT. Come on man.

[@jonathansandoval7565]

How boring and useless