La Grange - ZZ Top - Rock Shuffle

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DESCRIPTION: ZZ Top drives the rock shuffle to the top of the charts with La Grange. In this lesson, we'll look at the rock shuffle, groove timing and some triplet fills used in La Grange by ZZ Top.

[@drumzyful]

I love your approach and the way you break everything down to a simple form, you make it very effortless. I tend to rush to make notes and your talking about how you start and end riffs so you can get to the crash is great.

[@stevenbardsley2489]

Frank was such a beast on those first four or five albums!! Later on he just grooves but he paid his dues!! Monster drummer!!!

[@es30888]

On request, please.... Put some white reflective tape on the top of your bass drum beater so we can better see it in the video. Thanks!

[@alldog222]

Best, clearest, slowest, no extra bs cover great man. Ty

[@christianfraude4517]

Love this lesson Nate & the best illustration of La Grange 1972 wow that long ago !! Love this shuffle Nice 1 Nate mate !

[@georgekondylis6723]

Nice breakdown. Timely for me. Just started playing this with my cover band.

[@_TenaciousD_]

Awesome Nate! I love how I never think much of songs, cos its not my style or whatever, until I see another drummer drum it or break it down like you have and then I have such respect for the song and its drummer! Makes me wanna go learn this now cos I've never tried it :)

[@billy-O4137]

Thank you so much for your free lesson. Can't wait to get your book.

[@carloharris2173]

Love playing this song but you make it look so easy amazing

[@jeroenpelkman4320]

Thanks a lot for this video! I think most of us are used to making the ride cymbal groove, instead of the kick and snare. Excited to learn this! Also, the kick on your set sounds amazing!

[@jimmorrison5604]

Awesome lesson

[@CraigShawCraigShaw]

This is a challenging groove, which you've played very well! And the kit is tuned beautifully! 👌

[@mtario16]

Very good explanation. Thanks.

[@udosmidt4133]

Thanks, great Inspiration.

[@pedroescudero4310]

nice video! thanks for upload, is very useful! Regards from Spain

[@angelathrall3896]

Perfect camera angle. Thanks for the post!

[@candy1a68]

Nice job with this oldie but goodie, Nate.

[@DelSanchezIII]

Thanks for this! After watching it broken into bite-size pieces, the song is much easier to play than I thought. (y)

[@TigressSkyTigrisSky]

Thank you so much for this. I am having the hardest time getting this!!! I can't wait to go try again. :)

[@hubertpilk]

Thank you for teaching it correctly

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

Beautiful stuff 🤘

[@revere406]

solid - learned a lot!

[@philx7425]

thanks for tips!

[@pierrekid]

Well done. I alternate on the snare (triplets off the snare) LH snare, RH hat, LH snare RH Snare LH hat and back and forth...

[@fabianvazquez3553]

Perfect

[@mikezisk5009]

Nice sounding kit good to see them Zildjians

[@exdcpopo]

Very nice breakdown of the drums on this song! It looked and sounded like you were throwing paradiddles in there too on the last fill at the end of the video, but you didn't mention it. I could be mistaken, lemme watch it again. Thanks for the vid!!

[@markbothe8854]

Awesome

[@ShaZAM514]

There is a flam at the end of the rim click figure. Check out the live Crossroads La Grange - Tush medley, you can very clearly hear he's playing the full shuffle on the snare.

[@user-bc8pd1cr8i]

Спасибо.

[@wade123davis]

Seriously there is no wrong or right here if it sounds good then its good every one tries to be repertoire of every drummer try be yourself.Personally i think this is a great lesson.Thank you online drummer.

[@Ladyranger]

Great teaching tool

[@sonicthehedgehogfangirlsav5221]

Great Lil lesson ,so many drummers don't play that song correctly...thanks🥁

[@muuriciodegollada3870]

Thank you

[@thenrepeat9124]

I'm old and have played forever and a few drum songs have evaded and fascinated me thru the years. This is one of them. I have learned that a couple of them are made to sound trickier than they are due to an echo added in recording. This is one, and Walking on the moon is another good example. I wish I remember what interview I read it in, but as the story goes there was a beautiful accident happening with drum recording la grange that gives it a perfectly timed echo. BUT I dig a drummer that can pull off a silky smooth shuffle! critics can boast of knowing a different way but playing a sweet shuffle like this takes mastery and many great drummers cannot do it. S0 if you`re harshly criticizing this guy I kinda have my doubts that you can play it better. I do agree however that the intro drum fill is probably single stroke.

[@bobbydtv1]

outstanding this shuffle still kills me even after 35 years

[@FreakSX93]

It's very own isn't it?

[@9th-Circle]

I've been playing for a little while now and I can get most of the beat down but the snare part is a pain in the ass. I always screw it up.

[@FreakSX93]

ZednoughtMagnum Yeah. Totally agree.

[@stevemckeown5072]

Thanks dude got it Cheers

[@libiax]

Thanks!

[@Rob97CR250]

Rock shuffles are like Rosanna by Toto or Fool in the Rain by Zeppelin. Texas shuffle is harder and you do it well !

[@slamma747]

purdie halftime

[@EarthWindandFirepower0990]

THANKS

[@marcushoffmann8469]

Cool. More.

[@jonathanechols2348]

The intro fill is supposed to be a cross over from left to right alternating on the high hat

[@dylancates5965]

THANK YOU! I agree It feels and sounds so much smoother with that technique.

[@carlosmendoza4914]

thats great Mr.Brown....we are playing that cover song since we lost our keyboard player we're doing trio songs....zz...hendrix...etc and you did it for me man !! the detail is awesome bro...thanks a lot !!

[@onlinedrummer]

Great! Thanks for the feedback. Very motivating! -Nate

[@tsrohydag457]

onlinedrummer Thanks a lot it´s a great help!

[@rockybalboa2526]

Hi Nate, i just found your video here for the first time, and watched it, and immediately got a buzz on your SOUND the sound of your kit, the mike placements were on point, and obviously you know what sounds RIGHT! ( i do too ) And THIS IS HOW DRUMS SHOULD SOUND! And i also liked your FLOW. your playing flow. You also seem like a nice guy too! ( which is always a plus when working with a musician ) So now i am sending you this message to ask if you would like to talk more with me about possibly playing drums with me on 3 full albums ( one at a time ofcourse ) of fresh, new, exciting, original dance/rock music with an 80s sound. ???? If so, please get back to me and we will figure out a way to talk more directly. Thank you ~

[@doubledeucedrums]

Mad cowbell covers Review was here:). Great video. 👏👏👏. You’re in our video today @11:54.

[@damnyankeefl]

dude. nice.

[@gregodrums]

Nice vids! What about the killer fill into the solo? It's like a crotchet triplet thing.

[@roadrocket7]

This is so GREAT! One of the trickiest beats/ grooves in Rock. Frank Beard is so BAD ASS. Man.....the SOUND of your drums is PERFECT too. Great job with the camera work and the miking. I learned so much from this and I've been playing a long time. You break it down and show it so dummies like me can "relearn" it the right way. Thanks!

[@mepkin9449]

Thanks for demonstrating this intro. I also like the way you set up your kit. Just like mine only I don’t have the additional floor tom! BTW, where did I miss the info pertaining to the sheet music for this particular intro?

[@timhenderson6473]

U can watch 10 different vids of how to play this and every one is different.this guy is playing the shuffle on the kick along with the left stick.sounds good.gotta play it suttle and keep the groove no matter how u play this

[@mfbomber]

Looks like you have acquired some new drums Nate! The blue ones are missing...I like the new looks. Good work once again - consider me a fan of your lessons! Hope they keep coming...take care.

[@maddogjb57]

Again Nate very well put!!! It would be nice to see a Drum chart play sheet along with the video at the bottom. Just a suggestion. :)

[@PharaohGlaga]

Wow, how awesome. I recently jammed this song with my dad but I didn't quite EXACTLY know how to play it. I was pretty close though. What are the odds that you post a tutorial on it a few weeks later? XD

[@nadir6661]

you nailed it you mother.... perfect !!!!

[@uhclem]

I'm not a drummer, but this was fascinating. Thanx for posting.

[@WHITE23629]

How's life going dude?

[@WRITA3939]

Cool🤘😎🤘

[@abemichau4706]

Shuffled around and found your tutorial video.

[@ThePaulFactor]

good shit

[@terrybartak7811]

Rock guitar is easy. To play drums like Frank Beard is HARD!

[@drummerboyharm3078]

The guy is a treasue

[@andthensome512]

This is one of the most difficult drum beats ever.

[@cmckimm]

that first in-song fill at 1:11 is killer too

[@deborahstarkovich8267]

jeff porcaro actually hated shuffles.

[@PinkFloyd4]

Please mr. onlinedrummer, tell me which exactly skins you use on top and bottom toms and snare. it sounds amasing! tnx :-)

[@slopedrum1]

Cheers for this, why doesn't everyone who thinks they are awesome by slagging this off, put their own videos up here, then everyone can laugh at them.

[@knrst9061]

Shamelessly is the only way with this one.

[@MorganMaddox]

could you use a double pedal for the bass if you can't quite get your single foot to go fast enough?

[@DrumSpotScuoladibatteriaOld]

yeah

[@Rless45]

But what about that next badass fill! Hope ya show us how to do that!!!🙏🙏🙏👍

[@BillZ06003]

Yeah! The fill right before the guitar solo & somewhere else in the song are the ones that I've always wondered about. I sure wish they would have done the whole song or at least given the sheet music so we could see it.

[@williamweiss6128]

Frank Beard was a beast. Listen to the live stuff on Fandango.

[@openyoureyes4799]

I am learning this from you but I play open handed so I play the hh with my left hand and the snare with my right.....

[@TheMavetherave]

Are your toms 10" and 12 "...they are an awesome sound

[@markhav1]

Do u have a lesson on Tush, i have never saw anybody play that song right??

[@bathtubrenew]

It’s a “Texas double shuffle”. Nice video.

[@galaxymodern]

Would love to see the whole song by him...anyone know where to find it?

[@smokesletsgo2374]

Frank Beard is underrated as hell

[@pedrums1989]

Could anyone tell me what the series of the cymbals would be? Thank you!

[@gregorymoreno3406]

The Rock Shuffle??? Here in Texas, its a Texas Shuffle. There are a lot of Texas blues drummers who use the shuffle on many blues and rock songs. Frank Beard (zz top) and Chris Layton (SRV) and Fran Christina (fab t-birds) and the drummer with Omar and the Howlers...

[@dancollins8296]

Frank beard is a bad ass drummer

[@stickboy1959]

would be nice if you had a camera on your bass drum pedal but love your videos

[@matthewmitchell4128]

Not sure this is the most efficient interpretation of the piece. Might ne better off with single stoke crossovers for the fill, but i guess this works. More importantly kids, theres more than one way to interpret sheet music. In this case, i see most people crossover. Im interested to see the original drummer technique but i feelin the crossover. I like the double strokes but its just not necessary and inefficient between toms unless you're doing something with a swiss triplet in a linear fill... idk...

[@xtoomuchmetalx]

I think the kick is only doing half the shuffle, at least thats how i think he plays live, so the Kick sounds on the 1-.-.-A-2-.-.-A-3-.-.-A-4-.-.-Ah. he kinda changes the accents on the snare from the E - + to just the + but the kick is pretty standard

[@mikekelly9851]

It's a typical shuffle backbeat played in blues genera, goes back for years. How old are you?

[@Cockraine]

some say zztop drummer does it crossing hands for the "debut"...what is your idea about that please ? thanks :)

[@narosser]

Yeah I too would have thought crossed hands at the hi-hat snare combo triplets...

[@dwexoticmaple]

hi what headset do you use and does it pick up much drums in it?

[@makes123]

I've enjoyed some of your other videos but this one you're struggling on. Just shows that if you dint play shuffles alot they are hard to master. Keep working at it! Thanks

[@stevensmigiel3969]

I think there is a flam in that galloping beat on the snare rim. Also, I think the shuffle is right hand and kick: snare is not shuffling.

[@tjfreak]

I just watched several without the snare shuffle,it's overlooked as well as Franks signature super tight rimshot strike.. you know the ones re recorded & lost with the big fat sloppy snare & drum sound."The shuffle",which I never considered it to be until now was almost the basis for this song,Great to see FB break downs.@ a glance he seems to be a basic spot holder & is a lot of the time,capable of more than he does & did once.Always felt he intentionally just backed way off for some reason? esp. in the elec drum 80's.I learned from Fandango & Houses of the Holy,Esp. long Distance Boogie..there's some stuff going on in that.You mention influenced by Frank Beard to some people & they look at you like what ? maybe their thinking post 70's stuff.

[@rlrouth58]

No mobile viewing Nate?

[@terrybartak7811]

You're the only guy I've ever seen that even comes close to right. As a classic cover guitarist I've complained to every drummer I've ever worked with that the shuffle is on the kick as well as the snare. Exhibit A in my next "LaGrange" practice. NEVER got the feel right. Pathetically the same for good ol Takin Care of Business. Everyone claims they know it. NO ONE does. Thank you.

[@ingolfurthorvaldsson7653]

No there is no shuffle with the kick, neither on the original recording or any live version, going as long as 1982. You owe lot of guys apologies. This the weirdest drum version I´ve seen of that song, and it works. But it aint like the original.

[@TheGruveMaster]

Too much left hand! Frank Beard only plays 2 16th notes on the left hand. The shuffle alternates from the bass drum to the snare drum. bass, bass... snare, snare. I learned this groove from the man himself. This is a typical Texas shuffle. Check out Chris Layton also. He does this all the time. Also, when Frank does the fill he starts on the Hi-hat with the right hand and plays the triplet in a single stroke pattern which has you alternating the hi-hat from left to right and gives you a much smoother fill because you keep the single stroke pattern going through entire fill. Played this way, your last triplet starts with the left hand which naturally leads you to the cymbal hit with the right.

[@onlinedrummer]

Watch him again ZZ Top - La Grange (From "Double Down Live) He probably wanted to make it easier for you ;)

[@MotrainPictures]

onlinedrummer true that! you can see he is actually playing two quieter ghost notes with the bass but at times it's hard to hear.

[@gnogno35]

onlinedrummer On that video you're right but it's easy to hear that it's not what he plays on the original recording ;-)

[@TheGruveMaster]

I was introduced to Frank back in the 80's when I was down in Austin recording the Budweiser Blues tracks. We sat for hours trading shuffle groove's and he taught me this one note for note. He's a great dude and I seriously doubt he was trying to make it easier for me. It doesn't matter what he did on a video years after the recording. Very few drummers play the exact groove from the record when they perform live. Mr. onlinedrummer is only right about how he played this on that particular video. The record was played as I described.

[@onlinedrummer]

Charlie Spataro Some things are very hard to hear in the mix. In this case, the entire team here hears the ghosted snare strokes. We have an unfair advantage of OCT (Obsessive Compulsive Transcribers) that relentlessly research each piece. Check any video of him playing it. You'll see the ghosted snares. You won't find any without them.

[@chuckp1832]

A TX shuffle is 4 on the floor. Playing the shuffle with the kick is more of a rock shuffle!! daniel glass texas shuffle

[@Rob97CR250]

TEXAS SHUFFLE ! !

[@roadrocket7]

+Rob97CR250 Here's another for you: "Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble. Chris Layton on drums. He's one of my faves. Bad ass.

[@thirdroompro]

Drums sound great and the part you are doing is seriously rocking. Everyone can figure out their own Nuance, Fact is your Drum part would be great to play Lead guitar over and it drives the hell out of the track. Great Job Online Drummer. Hey drum experts, you can watch many a professional drummer like Porcaro do videos of his OWN shit and then you listen to the record and go............ Whoa, thats not EXACTLY like he showed in his instructional video. Fact: Most real pro's don't remember exactly what they did on some record 12 years ago or 20, They also don't care about the same nitpicking shite that Non pro drummers wanna talk smack about.

[@onlinedrummer]

hmm ... maybe because I used a section of the original audio. Maybe they only have rights to use it on the non-mobile version of KZbin.

[@patrickcostello4146]

Franks plays it with two kick drums, but a lot of players can pull it off with one.

[@dinogettie9220]

WHAT KIND OF DRUMS ARE THEY?

[@onlinedrummer]

dino gettie Hi dino. Those are Ddrum Uptown Reflex drums. Great sound! -Nate

[@dinogettie9220]

THANKS NICE

[@mikea7678]

Missing that flam at the end of the intro phrase.

[@coralbasie]

Is it a crime against the drum gods to play this with a double kick? So much easier ...

[@altie29]

i thought it was a texas shuffle that he plays??

[@Metragnome_Images]

The music style is texas boogie. The drum beat is a shuffle.

[@mikeschumacher9715]

Agreed with the others, crossed handed fill and the tom beats after are wrong. Still learning it myself.

[@mikeschumacher9715]

BUT...thank you for taking your valuable time to teach the world.

[@matthewd.1474]

It’s called “a double shuffle!”, not “rock shuffle”. Great groove, I know it well. :)

[@ericchristensen2389]

It's a rock shuffle in that the bass drum is much busier, with a driving shuffle rhythm, and a straight quarter on cymbal pattern.Technically, a double shuffle has both hands shuffling, which this groove does not.

[@tedyarusso9563]

It’s a actually a Texas Shuffle.. right left flam left... kick on 1&3.