Pro Drummer Teaches You how to play FUNKY DRUMMER

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In this lesson, I'll break down how to develop the break to one of the most sampled and iconic drum breaks, "Funky Drummer". This is one of the most challenging 16th note Funk grooves.
This KZbin video is an excerpt from a longer lesson on Classic One Handed Sixteenth Note Grooves which can be found inside Stanton Moore Drum Academy.
This beat is challenging because of the ghosted “e’s” and “ah’s” and the ghosted 16th note right before the back beat. There are a lot of moving parts in this one. If you can play this groove, you’ll be able to play most of the other 16th note funk beats you will encounter.
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[@caseybelway6635]

The original tempo 98bpm is INSANE! Clyde’s right hand was superhuman when he recorded this.

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@caseybelway6635 I agree! 🙌🏼

[@jordancohen48]

This is a fantastic breakdown of the beat and as a drum teacher I realky appreciate the detail put into describing the construction of it. Excellent job by an amazing drummer!

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@MercedLCARS]

The best breakdown and recreation I've ever seen...so accurate. The icing on the cake would be to add the ambient reverb (plate reverb), then you've got yourself "The Funky Drummer"..." I wanna give the funky drummer some of this funky soul we got here!" Haha 😂 my favourite beat of all time! Great video.👍

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@MercedLCARS thank you! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@jimgrubbs7543]

Stanton, you’re great at breaking the beats down so even my “wonder Drummer” 8 year old sponge of a natural can understand them. Boy he makes this old dog of a drummer jealous…

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@LedSandman]

This was very helpful, teaching it step by step made me understand the beat

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thanks for tuning in 🙌🏼

[@milansikela8383]

Love playing funk. I remember a drum book my teacher wanted me to learn called the Funky Primer.

[@stantonmooremusic]

I worked out of Funky Primer when I was younger! 🙌🏼

[@НиколайАксёнов-ч4з]

Thank you, Stanton!

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@badhabits25]

Thank you for a great lesson. As a left hander playing right handed. I'm have a hell of a time getting my right hand any faster than 83 bpm. But I'm not giving up.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Keep working on it! 🙌🏼

[@MattAngiono]

I'm also lefty playing right drums... The bonus here is that your left hand can do so much more cool stuff than most drummers IMHO. But I feel your pain trying to drive fast beats with the right hand

[@karenmoore6561]

Thanks Stanton!!! I've been working on the five funk beats you should know for 6 months now, and its super rewarding to get Funky Drummer sounding somewhat right. This lesson is right up my alley, and a real eye opener after learning to play straight rock.

[@stantonmooremusic]

I’m happy to hear that Five Funk Beats has been helping! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@aaronsparks9012]

Not only do you have to be a drummer on a certain level too play this groove and it's a lot of fun when you can this also took some talent and knowledge to put this lesson together and transcript everything nice job Stanton I really enjoyed this one.👋🤘🙏

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you so much for saying that! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@aaronsparks9012]

@@stantonmooremusic Your welcome thank you for the drum lesson.

[@Andydrum100]

Thank you so much Stanton for breaking down this Funky Drummer groove. I'm having a blast with it!!!! 🥁🤘👍😊

[@stantonmooremusic]

I’m glad to hear you’re digging it!🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@majorseventh2699]

You get the extra pops and clicks in and the bottom in the kick, comfortable tempo and good clean sound. A loop of your groove works for me. All the utube drum loops have either not the groove, can only adjust tempo some, or a trash can sound...thanks for the good groove and sound.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in! 🙌🏼

[@sssooonnnbbbooo2127]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with such detail and patience Stanton! Best funky drummer lesson I've seen. You're a groove beast. Cheers from Argentina

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for the kind words. 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@julesfather1512]

This video was EXTREMELY helpful! I love how you broke it down and built it back up. It took me about 4 days to be able to play it at 80bpm. Sounds good. Next challenge: getting to 98bpm. Thanks again!

[@stantonmooremusic]

So glad to hear that! Thanks for tuning in!🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@scramuelito81]

This is so well explained and broken down. Thankyou very much and regards from Melbourne, Australia.

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@scramuelito81 i’m glad you’re digging it. Thanks for turning in!🙌🏼

[@djsroberts]

This is a perfect lesson. Just vlListening to F drummer then trying to play it was previously so frustrating because even once you’re on top of the R hand speed it still didn’t feel right, almost like I was being a foolish amateur musician, missing something really obvious just to finish if off your explanation and instruction was immaculate. Thank you.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Glad you dig it! Thanks for tuning in! 🙌🏼

[@josephgiarraffa6379]

Love Clive’s funky beats and thanks for the great demonstration of ur ne of his beats

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼🥁🙏🏼

[@silvertongues2]

great lesson, I'm 50 and just starting to play, I hope I'll be able to get my funky drummer on soon!

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@lll_7713]

Me and Lil John Robert’s were just going over Funky Drummer and other James Brown songs. This video helped me out! Thanks Stanton!

[@stantonmooremusic]

Awesome! I’m glad to hear that it helped you out. 🙌🏼

[@DavidGonzalez-qq4vj]

Excellent and fantastic Stanton 👏👏🥁🥁🥁🥁

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you!!! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@rg3825]

Breaking down some classic beats - this is a great format man. I enjoy yer style in this one. I'll check out some more. Great job. Pretty good length - no longer.

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@rg3825 glad you’re digging it. Thanks for tuning in!🙌🏼

[@thedudeontheinternet]

How you break down the steps really helped! Thank youuu. I can’t believe I am starting to get this

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you! 🙌🏼

[@Anton_Nikolaus_Mangweth]

Stanton you are my groove hero

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@Anton_Nikolaus_Mangweth thanks!🙌🏼

[@theomerinodrum]

Thank you Stanton I've been looking for a nice tutorial for this groove because I want to learn it, speed it upand chop it in order to create some breakcore-ish rythms

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thanks for tuning in! Glad you’re digging it. 🙌🏼

[@augustleo7434]

Great lesson - cant wait to start this!

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼

[@jimbobmaximus515]

Cheers dude, rad lesson. You got me nailing it

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@jimbobmaximus515 thank you! 🙌🏼

[@jacobabourdeau2944]

Favorite groove right now. Thanks for breaking it down. Sometimes easier to see the music written out than play than by ear. Hope you and the band(s) can get up to New England sometime soon.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Glad to hear you’re digging it! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@tdrum21]

Love the details on shoops on this

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@moabealbuquerque9827]

Você é muito citado aqui em Pernambuco-BRASIL. Quando estudei no conservatório Pernambuco de música meus professores falaram muito de você para nós estudamos. Obrigado.

[@bumsibar6163]

Such a hard beat to get right! Almost! Great job!

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@bumsibar6163 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@philipmcevoy7206]

Thanks Stanton

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@philipmcevoy7206 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@valteraugusto6617]

Thank you,thank you,thank you.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@Littleneddygtw]

Love these videos. Thank you kind sir

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in! 🙌🏼

[@dhmtbr2551]

Very nice presentation…killing it once again !

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@patdare6525]

super nice breakdown, trying to master the funky drummer + push pull technique - very hard

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@patdare6525 it takes some time, but stick with it!🙌🏼

[@portnickos]

This is probably my favorite SMDA lesson but I think I've said that for a few dozens of lessons 😂😂😂 Anyway, the one handed 16th note grooves is one of my favorite stuff to play and this whole lesson (not just that Funky Drummer demonstration) is just EPIC!! Can't wait for the next chapter/lesson on this!! 😁

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you my man! So glad you’re digging it! There’s still more left in this series!!! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@fabrice230]

This is really hot stuff! Thank you so much, sir.

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@fabrice230 glad you’re digging it, thanks for tuning in!🙌🏼

[@Funkybassuk]

Oh man, this is awesome. Thank you!

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thanks for tuning in! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@marcuswalden1284]

Some can play. Some can teach. A few can do both. Being a Louisiana boy myself I always get great ideas from you. Thanks so much for sharing in such a thoughtful and effective way. I love stealing your licks! Now. Back to the woodshed.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for saying that! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@Constantijn09]

What an incredible lesson 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@TheKevinKitchen]

Great and many thanks

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@TheKevinKitchen thanks for tuning in🙌🏼

[@Coffeedog62]

Thanks, great lesson.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thanks for tuning in! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@dreamerrt216]

Excellent breakdown. It's a master class on why I should come back in a year because it ain't happening today. lol

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@peterclack1228]

Great. Well presented as always. Rgds peter Australia

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@scottyhughes9179]

Love this, thanks Stanton, a very valuable lesson!

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thanks for tuning in Scotty! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@bobsondrums]

You can kind of "cheat" by using a "broken paradiddle" RLRR LRRL in your strong hand. I think Dave Garibaldi used this pattern in What is Hip.

[@mrlayhesupreme]

Wow! Amazing lesson my friend!

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@gilbertoisabot]

I don't even play drums but this is interesting to watch! I love this drum break.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you. 🙌🏼

[@nelsonlourenco3781]

Thank you

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in!🙌🏼

[@echohawk9579]

So smooth

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@CharlesTPrimm]

Clyde was one of the very few drummers who understood the virtues of playing pianissimo.

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@CharlesTPrimm yup!🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@ajparr5585]

This was great !

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼

[@groovewithpassiondrumlesso2348]

Awesome funk lesson Stanton! Nice job of breaking this iconic groove down. I find it difficult to keep my sixteenths going steady when I play the ghost notes on the snare. I’m going to try these out the way you play them. Slow them down, then build up the speed.

[@stantonmooremusic]

Glad you’re digging it! Let me know how it goes after you slow it down for a while, then build up the speed. 🙌🏼

[@groovewithpassiondrumlesso2348]

Will do.

[@groovewithpassiondrumlesso2348]

Stanton I’m still working on this funky groove. Working on getting the ghost notes to mesh with the 1/16 notes. It’s getting there. Just need to keep “shedding.”

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@groovewithpassiondrumlesso2348 I’m glad to hear that it’s coming along. Keep shedding and keep me posted! 🙌🏼

[@TFunkMose]

You are the only person besides myself who actually play this correctly!🤟🏿

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@TFunkMose]

@@stantonmooremusic

[@TFunkMose]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fprZqKGAadV_ecUsi=5nMiycxKrs96tf0E

[@ghettostreamlabs5724]

Clyde was so smooth!

[@stantonmooremusic]

I agree! 🙌🏼

[@harvestnutrition]

Incredible tutorial! Thanks for putting this out here :)

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in! 🙌🏼

[@joseph-ow1hf]

Very nice, thanks

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@andreamultineddu7303]

A very professional video .

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@ballmouse]

great lesson, ty

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in! 🙌🏼

[@chezchezchezchez]

Fantastic!!

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼

[@Moonfacedman]

Master of economy of motion to play it for the duration 👍

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@FadjarMoeljarto]

Well..thanks for sharing🥁👍

[@stantonmooremusic]

Thank you for tuning in! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@Ian_Luxton]

Hello and thank you for great breakdown! Question about right hand feel/technique on the hats -- I am an amateur drummer -- I am noticing (especially at 2:53) your subtle accent of the 8th notes in your RH as you groove on the hat. I don't mean the shoops, or the stronger accents on 2 and 4, just that chill pulsing 8th note feel. Are you controlling that just with your right hand, or does part of that groove come from your left foot? I see you lightly bouncing your left heel, and I'm wondering if when you do that you are also actually releasing a tiny bit of pressure on the hats, and getting groove out of that, or? The more I practice the more I see how musical the hats can be, so just wondering how you think about this in general. Thanks so much! ✌

[@gregfranzman3310]

Definitely helps

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@johnmontgomery3694]

Back around 2011, I was playing with Breakestra (Mile's Tackett's LA based funk band). He and I spent hours after practice one day, trying to figure how the hi hat truly worked on the recording. Miles was convinced it wasn't an open hi hat played on those upbeat 16th notes. On the recording the hats should is pretty prominent, but it doesn't sound like a "stick" sound. I deduced that the hi hat sound was actually a HH foot pedal "chick," like Steve Gadd does on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover." I would substitute a foot pedal "chick" for a stick tap on those upbeat 16ths, and it sounded great (y'all should try it, even if it's wrong). A bassist friend (Thanks, Paul Reyes) gave me a book: The Funkmasters: The Great James Brown Rhythm Sections 1960-1973, it even it had hi hats opening on those 16ths...with taps on the cymbal. This has been the great grail search for a few of us. We know we can trust your input on this, Stanton, but have you ever seen Clyde interviewed about this (or seen any video that shows him playing it)? Haha, I gotta finish writing a student's solo this morning, and can't go down THAT rabbit hole, but I am gonna start looking for Clyde's explanation! Thanks for the video!

[@johnmontgomery3694]

Well that wasn't hard at all: Now we know: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZTXm4KXlsdmepY

[@stantonmooremusic]

Very cool, yes, there are a couple of videos of Clyde demonstrating Funky Drummer. Here is one… kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZTXm4KXlsdmepYsi=Uj0cmioFezlNLc4B But it’s different than the way that he played it on the record… I’ll let you check that out. Let me know what you think. 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@Madscience81]

​​@@stantonmooremusic Agreed, years later even Mr Stubblefield didn't play it anywhere near the same way he did originally. After a tour when the band were tired Mr Brown got them into the studio to record and it was a beat that Clyde created at the time. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKrZkGqZjad-laMsi=ISRj9PvVU2PqhGOf

[@karstenbursak8083]

"... let them happen." Stanton ... that Sounds a bit like Bob " we don't make mistakes, we have happy accidents" Ross 😂😂😂

[@stantonmooremusic]

Yes indeed! 🙌🏼

[@p.c.1019]

Stanton the Gawd!

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@p.c.1019 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@mattnieri1202]

What's the Tony Deitch hammer? Any relation to Adam Deitch?

[@stantonmooremusic]

Yes, it’s a technique that I explain in Academy Lesson 41 which talks about different techniques of playing 16th notes on my the hi-hat. The “Tony/Deitch Hammer is a combination of techniques that I’ve seen Tony Williams and Adam Deitch use.

[@AxeMan808]

Am I wrong for trying everything at a default 100bpm? If I practice slower I always ALWAYS rev up once I get flowing and get faster and now I'm off the metronome and falter. Man was dropping back to an 80 bpm beat relaxing and easy though!! No Fret Fills!! I had AGES to recover!

[@JamesFaction]

Spot on, but it's be great to hear a snare that sounds the way Clyde Stubblefield played it... It had a certain sound i never heard anywhere else

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@JamesFaction thanks! And I’ll keep working on the sound! 🙌🏼

[@JamesFaction]

@@stantonmooremusic it's funny, in his pater years the snares he played never sounded like that either 😄

[@claychaney-m5m]

Does it work even if u aint funky?

[@JavierMartinez-rz4vc]

Thanks! BTW the end of video has a drum break from Kashmere?

[@paulkuzub6405]

Stanton,when you are ghost stroking with your left is your right hand moving in an upward motion? Thanks.

[@coopercooper8406]

Here’s a link to an hour long loop I have been playing along with at half speed. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYaYnWN_odyrorMsi=8UbthqPSUrrSkZEp 😁

[@dramaface]

dude anyone ever tell you you sound like Steve-o? lol nice vid

[@richardnorman7045]

👌

[@and-Anthony]

Pull outs are hard

[@ИгорьИванов-к7д]

The Groove Inside...

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@jeffcrocker1078]

I’ve found it’s easier to just play the snare part first add 1/8 note hh keep playing over then add the other stuff

[@TC-rc1zf]

Thanks, now I slap my thighs like A BOSS

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼

[@skaer36]

I find that groove very challenging... Always give up too early on this.😅

[@stantonmooremusic]

Don’t give up! This groove took me years to get together. 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

[@skaer36]

@Stanton Moore Drum Academy Will keep on it! Thanks for the breakdown and slowing it down Mr Moore!

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@skaer36 🙌🏼

[@raybbj]

the groove itself is easy to play. It's getting the speed, feel and dynamics that's hard.

[@stantonmooremusic]

@@raybbj yep!🙌🏼

[@robwitt1621]

Pull outs are challenging lol tell that to my 10 kids

[@ryanmonelli706]

SMDA!

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@stixplayer]

POOOOOOOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🥴

[@stantonmooremusic]

🙌🏼

[@Fresh_I.S.C.]

everyone always brings up funky drummer.. has no one ever heard "kissing my love"? James Gadson gets no love..

[@stantonmooremusic]

Gadson is literally in my next YT lesson! Stay tuned! 🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

[@Mikeedoodee]

Not funky. Not swinging. Not the right sound. How about start with a snare tuned right and not muted to death. How about tune the bass drum. This guy is awful, no feel at all, who ever said he is funky must on some good stuff, terrible