How To Play "Rosanna" by Toto on Drums - Best Drum Beat Of All Time?

All-time classic groove! Jeff Pocaro’s masterclass playing on Toto’s “Rosanna” is legendary, here’s a rundown and a suggested way of building it up!
My intro vid about half-time shuffles: • One Minute Drum Lesson...
My video about the “In-The-Gaps” half-time shuffle: • The Half-Time “In The ...
My video demo of the Trinity Rock and Pop Grade 8 version: • Rosanna, Toto - Trinit...
Have fun and thanks so much for watching, Mike :)
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Kit Yamaha Recording Custom - 22”/12”/13”/14”
Tama John Blackwell 6.5 x 13” Snare
Evans Hydraulic Red Drumheads, Evans Edge Control Reverse Dot (Snare)
Meinl Byzance Cymbals - 20" Sand Ride, 18” Sand Thin Crash, 16" Vintage Crash, 14” Sand Hats
Zildjian Dave Grohl Sticks
Mixcder E9 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
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Click here to book in for a drum lesson at Mike’s Drum Studio Cambridge: mikesdrumstudi...
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And thank you for all your lovely feedback about these videos. If you'd enjoyed them/found them helpful and wish to support this channel that’d be hugely appreciated - you can “buy Mike a coffee” here:
www.buymeacoff...
All proceeds go towards doing stuff to develop this channel and producing more videos for you. My aim is to upload a drum video each day. Thanks so much to those that have already done so, your support is massively appreciated! Have fun and thanks so much for watching.
Mike :)

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Notation and practice-along versions on my Buy Me A Coffee channel members’ page here: www.buymeacoffee.com/mikebarnesdrums/toto-rosanna-groove-notation-practice-along Support this channel by joining up as a channel member here, get a personalised practice plan, supporting materials, feedback on your drumming and ongoing drum support: www.buymeacoffee.com/mikebarnesdrums

[@krusher74]

How about a lesson on the push-pull on the hit hat to do the hihat shuffle.

[@kevinfitzgerald3395]

Isn’t it counted 1 - - a2 - - a3 - - a4 - - a ???

[@calferath]

I can do the beginning shuffle but having trouble with the in the gap part. Those extra ghost notes just throw me off for some reason.

[@edcollins9377]

My brother plays drums and he thinks he needs a kit the size of Neil Peart's to be a great drummer. Is he right?

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

@@edcollins9377 No, although big drum kits are lots of fun!

[@dennisthate5787]

Mike, ..............You are the only on line drum instructor who got through to me on learning this unique, Iconic, one of a kind, work of art drumbeat. I've struggled for years and now finally have it down. You break it down masterfully ! Thanks

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Nice one Dennis! Glad you dig and so glad it was helpful for you - thanks for watching 🙏🏻👊🏻

[@jad2484]

It's because he "counts" the time signature instead of just saying " it's a 4/6 time" or whatever time signature it is.

[@denisperez8031]

My thoughts exactly 👍🏼

[@mg10056]

The best tutorial on Jeff Porcaro's 'Rosanna' I've seen. The ghost notes and the 'in between' shuffle played here, seperates this version from other interpretations.

[@hookedoutdoors]

Hands down you have the best breakdown of the greatest drum beat of all time. Super easy to follow and understand and even the progression. Much appreciated brother.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers!

[@DigitalConspirator19]

Thank you for that lesson. A groove pattern I could never figure out. Now I realize how much I was overthinking the Rosanna Shuffle. Now…my practice session for the next couple of months! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Chris!

[@bertybertface1914]

Probably the most straight forward way of explaing it. Will keep me busy failing on this wet raining Saturday today. Cheers

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Ha, thanks for watching man and enjoy :)

[@chatbass2468]

Dude, that was way cool, even though I'm not a drummer thanks for breaking that down.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cool man!

[@-8978-]

Thanks for the tutorial! All other tutorials allways teach you to do it with all ghost notes, which make it harder and not focused on the more important kick. I think your way is better

[@joshuapema6216]

Fantastic break down and explanation . People like yourself will be the reason we have amazing musicians in the future . Thanks for sharing that .

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Joshua, appreciate it man!

[@stevewitts7910]

As ever Mike, a totally brilliant way to teach such a complicated drum part. Thanks.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Steve. glad you dig!

[@Duderancher69]

You are so much help mike. Thankyou for all your videos man. Your helping me so much through my grades, I’ve been playing for 2 years, and I’ve just moved onto grade 8. Anyway, Thankyou for all your help with the grade work. Legend🔥🤘

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Rio, glad you're appreciating the vids man. Thanks for watching :)

[@sx6002]

Mate, preety complicated but awesome. Good breakdown. Should deserve more likes

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thanks for watching man!

[@plpl5114]

Thank you so much mike I really appreciate how you broke down such a complicated song thank you again. You are such an amazing teacher!

[@mxfxdlg]

DUDE!!! I’ve gotten further with you in ten minutes than with everyone else on you tube for over ten years! Fantastic teacher. Thank you so, so, so very much! Love you, brother. New subscriber!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers! Glad you dig

[@davepoulsen-bi9un]

Mike I just want to thank you you are the best especially the way you go over everything in detail and take it slow and go over it again that makes a platinum drum teacher I really enjoy your Channel and you are my favorite drum teacher keep up the great work you must have the patience of Job God bless

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Chers Dave! Very much appreciated and glad you dig.

[@diarmaidoconnor9038]

probably the best video about the Rosanna shuffle ive seen in years. awesome. I get it now, thank you.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cool! Cheers.

[@Elwrt455]

I love your tutorial because you go slow and explore each dynamic.

[@user-kt7fk6hq5p]

Nice breakdown of the shuffle, the base pattern and the ghost notes to a very unique song. I've come across many instructions on how to play this grove, however this is the best yet, primarily in its simplicity and the way you build upon the skeleton of the song.

[@2rp4k0]

thank you for teaching it so clearly!

[@drumdone]

This is a fantastic breakdown of how to play it and similar to how I've been trying to teach myself after watching video after video on it so this will help so much. So many videos concentrate on the hand pattern and then suggest practicing the full kick pattern and then say now lets put it together. Thank you.

[@strongwk]

🤩 Brilliant work, an awesome lesson, still going strong. Thanks, you do this great Mike 💯👍

[@Bcunningham1968]

Man…. One of the best teachers right here Thanks man

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thank you!

[@philatkinson3955]

Yippee, finally a chap that taught me to Finally play this groove!!! 🎉🎉🎉😎🎉🎉🎉You are a master teacher!!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cool! Thanks for watching.

[@njdrummer7120]

Man this is great thank you. I struggle w shuffles. Fool in the Rain and Rosana and this helped me so much. You are the best thank you

[@Worldpaintedblood-md2fw]

Thanks mike. Very helpful indeed mate!

[@VintageBoxingTM]

Excellent description Mike! Shall run through this …. slooooow and slowly until I nail it! 😅

[@d.d.b.5228]

You got me through this better than I thought. Great work on your part grab a beer you need one. Thanx Alberta Canada

[@Tijam23]

Super ces démonstrations même si je ne comprends pas tout , je peux voir ce qui est sympa ! Du travail, du travail ! Merci beaucoup !!! 😊

[@dajones7574]

Amazing lesson, Thank you for going through it step-by-step , It’s greatly appreciated !

[@billfindlay7561]

Great breakdown. Simple steps!

[@ronaldoronald3607]

Complimenti, una spiegazione semplice, fatta benissimo, il miglior video su KZbin

[@Leyla.E.]

Thank you so much Mike...for breaking it down and for the demonstration. It's a little struggle for me but with time it's manageable. Thanks again and you are amazing . Keep up the good work...we need you 🥁👍❤

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thank you Leyla! So glad you dig :)

[@Leyla.E.]

@@MikeBarnesDrums 👍🥁

[@mattwinkett6238]

Great tutorial Mike 👍

[@pimvcollem]

Excellent explanation!!

[@smgoethe]

Awesome, man, can't wait to get home and start practicing!

[@paraschodha9560]

Thanks For this! The video helped a lot!

[@denisperez8031]

Thank you , I’ve listen to Jeff Oecari’s video & got the gist of it but somehow You were better at explaining it than the man who played it first 😆 awesome I’ll be a longtime fan ( a 65 year old drummajor😁) keep up the great job … stick it pal👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@nigeve01]

Fabulous, thanks for posting....

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thanks for watching 🤜🏻

[@MrYeahnahmate]

Mate; just love your style! Your videos are awesome

[@Android-yj9wk]

Great 👍 job!! Thank you so much for the break down on this song! Going to be Ironing this one out for a good week or so!

[@Oscaraha]

Man, thank you so much for this!!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thanks for watching, glad if useful.

[@Hung-Tien]

💗Best Teacher ever. 🙏 Thank you.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

👍🏻👊🏻

[@JohnDavid-ko5qc]

I love this lesson

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

John David Cool man, thanks for watching!

[@andreasschleifer6636]

Thanks for this amazing lesson. Now, after years I understand and nailed it..... finally. Your way to teach something is much easier than other teachers do. Great job. I would like to ask you if you can make a lesson of toto's phenomenal song "I will remember". This would be really,really great. I've been struggling with this song for a long time. thank you in advance.

[@phylodude]

Well explained sir.

[@jimkeogh8552]

Outstanding lesson on the development of a Pocaro Shuffle or any other half time shuffle. Thank you; I completely agree with Dennis Thate's observation regarding the effectiveness of the lesson. I had never heard of you, Mike, prior to this, but I've included you in my "go to" list with Beatdown Brown and Stephen Taylor.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thanks Jim! Much appreciated and so glad you dig.

[@annhuston]

omg you are the BEST teacher!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thank you Ann 🙏🏻👊🏻

[@clarkes08]

Brilliant lesson thank you so much Regards Ritchie 👍🇮🇪

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Ritchie!

[@peterrobertson794]

Great explanation of this iconic beat

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Peter, thanks for watching!

[@markcrisp7315]

Nice how you broke it down nice grooving 💯🎼🥁😊✌️

[@user-ej1kd7vh7m]

Mike, great video. Thanks for posting! It would be really useful to have a video breaking down your hi-hat technique for this. I can see it’s Moeller but there’s always a nuance to these things the faster you go. You look to be using finger control more etc.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6S9epKgi6ubhsUfeature=shared

[@user-ej1kd7vh7m]

@@MikeBarnesDrums, thanks for the link! 🖖🏻

[@MrDrummerJohnny]

Cool! Nice detail is that I see Jeff plays the beginning as 2 times the left-hand on the snare and then right-hand Tom en right-hand on the crash. But all variations are possible of course.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Yeah nice, I tend to play that opening fill as RRL (kzbin.info/www/bejne/maimdJKLetForKs), but yeah I agree, so long as you make it feel good, do it whichever way you like!

[@erichfranz08]

Maaaaaan, thank so much!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Erich!

[@peterfleming3011]

thanks Mike one of the best videos of rosanna by far , just a comment ,i would love to see your bass drum footwork in this video,thank you

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Peter!

[@meghachiplunkar1363]

Bro a big thumbs up from to this video...thanks for this upload !!!!👌👍

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Sure thing man, thanks for watching and really glad it was useful 👊🏻

[@Helliz666]

Thank you so much for your video !!! :-)

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cool Elise, appreciate you watching! :)

[@femalone860]

Thank you.

[@nickantoniades2328]

One of my favourite 80’s groups Mike and one of the best classic songs ever. That’s a really tough drum piece especially maintaining that shuffle. Need strong arms to keep going! The ghost notes make it even more super complicated. Wonder if Simon Phillips played it as well as Jeff.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Nick! Yeah what a classic groove. Grade 8 for good reason. My version here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/maimdJKLetForKs

[@frankie12100]

thank you

[@farazdaqadhar6021]

Thank you

[@javierorellano7759]

One houndred like from me,great lesson

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Javier! :)

[@hzilla5550]

I think others have over prioritized the ghost notes and adding the back beat snare last, when the order should be triplets first , then kick, then snare back beat. Once that is nailed down, then finesse and finish with the ghost notes.

[@Jeff034]

Tks! 😄

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cool man, thanks for watching and glad if helpful :)

[@izze_drums]

I had to learn this for an audition...in a month....not fun. Ok it was a bit fun after I learned it LOL😂

[@peterbittner8263]

Wonderful Mike. Peter from Germay.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Peter! 🙏🏻

[@misterlizard]

dude you are awesome I nearly have this and I'm rank amateur

[@urhottto45]

Nice upload!!👍👍LIKE#+1

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thanks man! Cheers for watching :)

[@vmptuupi]

Mike. Thanks. Not so bad at all. Very good... - Could you play also Mushanga?... I think that is The Best Of All Time!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

vmptuupi ah nice one! Yes will add to the request list! Cheers!

[@vmptuupi]

@@MikeBarnesDrums - Thanks... Mushanga is not the easy one but if You watch Jeff's short version i think You can do it... IIRC Toto has not played that after Jeff left us... At least in Their latest time, Pori-Jazz 20.7.2019. - Even without Mushanga, that was Great to see them Live!

[@nylophone5730]

Interesting hand technique on the hi-hat while you play the shuffle. It seems to sway from side to side. Any other videos where you talk about that a little? P.S. I love your channel

[@conniet3090]

Super thank you!!! Could you do the end from the Beatles??

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Hi Connie, thanks for watching and thanks for making a request. At present, there’s a large number of requests from channel members on the list and I’m working my way through them - so I’ll be honest and say it’s unlikely I’ll be able to fulfill any requests from non-members at this point. But thank you for watching and for your interest, much appreciated and so glad if you've found the channel useful :)

[@xClownXD____]

for playing the half time shuffle, does your sticking pattern change, beacause i am not able to go that fast while normal sticking?

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

No right stick on the hi-hat all the way, in the classic version anyway. In this version, you'll need your other stick to play the ghost notes on the snare anyway! It takes drummers several years of practice to get this fast enough and smooth in my experience, and I'm very much still working on it! Cheers for watching :)

[@harryflavell3083]

Hi mike. I’ve got a solo performance in front of 400 people on Saturday and it’s my first ever performance. Could you give me some advice please. Thanks

[@phil_intheblank]

# UKIP good luck with that

[@harryflavell3083]

Philip Kavathekar thank you

[@chatbass2468]

Awesome man, have fun!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Do all the prep you can, then just go an enjoy yourself man! Have a great one.

[@harryflavell3083]

Mike Barnes Drums do you think I could take a practice pad and warm up while travelling to the venue

[@aviadc1]

You are so cool man!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Thanks for watching 👊🏻

[@raws944]

Isn't there a ghost note immediately after the accented snare? That's the main bit that's tripping me up, maybe I'm wrong

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Yes there is, once all the "in-the-gaps" ghost note snares are in. Slow practice-along video for the basic hand part with all ghosted notes etc here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6vUdJZ3lrSBY8U

[@raws944]

@@MikeBarnesDrums thanks! As a beginner am I going too hard on myself trying to get that "feel" level of volume on my ghost notes? Before that double snare hit I can nail it, super quiet, very much in that "texture" range. That second hit I can still get pretty quiet, but really struggling to volume match to the same degree. Really dig your videos btw just stumbled on them recently when starting to learn this beat, very clear and not showy at all which is a massive positive for me as a beginner. You've got a new subscriber, keep it coming! 👍

[@jameshales7977]

Thanks for the lesson Mike! Is this the same as grade 8 version for trinity or different as I want to learn the song over the summer holiday but great video!!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers James - Grade 8 version is very similar, difference described at 7:19 onwards :)

[@redzelectricalph.259]

Groove of the chorus please .

[@michaelklinik1969]

Actually it was inspired by the great John Bonhams Fool in the rain groove, listen to it!!🥁😉

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Yes, inspirations were the Bo Diddley beat and Fool In The Rain, as the great man himself says: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH6saWSvftGHZrM My video about "Fool In The Rain:" here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqq8koCigZ6FiaM

[@michaelklinik1969]

@@MikeBarnesDrums excellent, thank you for the link to Jeffs explenations what he did to create this incredible groove!! I just watched it!!

[@zildjiandee3921]

Meeeeeen i need help with the chorus

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXzRaWR7mNd-hac

[@tjschanel141]

This might be a stupid question but are their more ghost notes in the full grade 8 piece?

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Hi Tristan, not a stupid question at all - yes, there are more ghost notes in the Grade 8 version than on the Pocaro original, most noticeably in the drum-only intro. Thanks for watching man.

[@tjschanel141]

Thanks

[@albonner2094]

Isn't this Purdie shuffle?

[@albonner2094]

Duh after watching the rest of the video you mention is the purdie shuffle DOH

[@Justus8]

Today I learned swing is also called shuffle

[@Umat165]

👍🏽🔥🔥👍🏽

[@charshii3745]

His toms set up hurts me lol

[@shawnhorton2000]

Would it be feasible to create a more instructive and deliberate step-by-step video for incrementally learning how to play this iconic best? Nope.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Shawn, actually this might be of further help!: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6vUdJZ3lrSBY8U

[@motocg]

que feooo suena ese redo

[@denisperez8031]

Pecaro