Robert 'Sput' Searight - Flood

Robert 'Sput' Searight (Snarky Puppy)
Live at 3rd and Lindsley (Nashville, TN), September 04, 2012
FLood

[@thomasnichol4138]

If I keep practising for drums 8 hours minimum a day for the next 30 years maybe I'll be half as good as Sput. Snarky Puppy is what music is all about. Brilliant musicians.

[@wombat2248]

Thomas Nichol if I had 30 years left I'd still keep trying don't ever give up been drumming for 34 years on and off there's still spell of I ain't gonna get any better then it'll click one day gives you such satisfaction to carry on

[@stonerthoosie]

"Getting nerdy for a minute: the outro is actually still in 5/4. I have it written in 4/4 for simplicity’s sake, and because that’s how it sounds. When dividing a bar of 5/4 evenly, you get 2 sections of 2 ½ beats. Put the kick on the downbeat and the snare on the “and” of 2, leave out the subdivisions, and you have a 4/4-­‐ish backbeat. Voila." These are Michael League's (the composer/bass player) words...

[@PilanWatson]

Evan King true

[@Xolin11]

quintuplets are now mainstream

[@pierregarnier6451]

i love the mistake at 3:05 ( he hit the steel of the tom ) and his laugh !

[@Carlo24515]

+Pierre Garnier Lol yeah, the audience goes wild because they think he's just being hip.

[@blockhax6146]

Carlo Kind nah the audience was going off at league’s dank bass fill

[@AlbinoJesus]

I'm almost 100% certain he's stacking a Classics Custom 12" Trash Splash underneath his Byzance 20" Extra Thin Hammered Crash as well, took me a bit to figure that out but he like a splash-crash stack as his main "crash" and you can hear it when he rides on it. The Byzance 22" Jazz Big Apple Ride sounds drier than normal so I'd assume he's got tape on the underside of that too, he does that with a lot of rides I've seen him use and it sounds pretty damn amazing.

[@Danielcrspo]

Hes so clean with his strokes its so inspiring.

[@masterj5]

he hits every beat in the measure!!...TRICKY and sounds wonderful

[@ayosalawu4755]

That fill in 5:32 crazy! just shows how some simple fills can make something sound amazing. The peoples reaction as well loool

[@Gazuka]

his fills aren't super complex. The sticking is pretty easy. However, his placing of each note and his accents are a real game changer. Absolutely amazing

[@Yamah12a]

He is the Jaco Pastorius of drummers... Not only does he feel the groove, he also plays the melody. Its so consistant.. I compare his drumming to Jaco's playing on Joni Mitchell's Hejira... Complete DOPE!

[@stixxandstones]

Sput Screams to Nate on percussion, "They'll never see it coming!! 5:29-5:40

[@phivemusic1]

Never a day goes by without A listen to you guys!

[@SANEDrummer]

This video has do the best by all means of interesting me in Meinl Cymbals... Sput is KILLING!!! I can't wait to see Snarky again, with him!!!

[@MrJcason7]

he messed up and hit his sticks and the crowd went wild lol

[@constantlydrums]

I noticed they went wild because of what Michael League played then.

[@paqman78]

I can watch this video all day long. Oh shit, I think I just did.

[@TheFumbleberry]

It's 7/8 and 5/8. The way those time signatures work out if you count the quarter notes the phrases naturally land in 7/4 and 5/4. So it works both ways. You can either choose to play 5/4 over 5/8 or 5/8 over 5/4, but here if you follow the subdivision it definitely shows it is in 7/8 and 5/8. The ending is still in a medium tempo 4/4, just with a ton of tight subdividing.

[@Btolbertjr]

count in quarter notes if you count 8th notes you'll be way in the sky with bpm! but the pulse (quarters) fit perfectly giving you 7/4 and then into 5/4 for the bridge part

[@jhonnytavares1]

posso escutar um milhão de vezes o mesmo video...sempre vai ter algo novo para aprender com baterista!!!

[@carmenip6924]

flood with freedom I love

[@TrickysBen]

Hearing the crowd cheer at 3:06 gets me EVERY time!!

[@shadowchenery]

I'm pretty sure the song switches between 7/4 and 5/4. It's a lot easier to follow on their record "Tell Your Friends" (available on iTunes). Btw, this is like my favorite track of that album. Hope that helps! :)

[@savagemedic30]

Sput and Spank remind me of one other in these particular scenarios of musicianship.

[@ericprince2865]

Whole band is very clean...

[@makenzileg]

The roll at 1:45!

[@davidmorrison7014]

hits hard to be that consistant....damn salute

[@PenguinMcDuck]

Also, the 7/8 + 5/8 thing is my interpretation. I can be wrong if League says so, but it certainly sounds like it. In 7/4, the phrase would end and repeat halfway through the bar. I think that's what League means by the outro in 5/4 (or 5/8, whatever). The whole song's been about subdividing a bar into half of its original value but sound like it is still in 1 bar. I think it's just the song's concept from a nerdy perspective. There's noo way to count it in 5/4 unless you want to try 60/48.

[@stixxandstones]

1:29-1:33... Perfectly executed!! Even the crowd was floored on that one.

[@sichard.rimmons]

Having been playing with a small three piece set up for the last five years, it looks so smug and warm back there being surrounded by a wall of cymbals and drums!

[@WumboDaniel]

Man! His cymbals are wild! Especially that big crash he has on the right!

[@stevejoeallen429]

I'm sooooo gonna have to work out how to count those 7s and 5s over what Sput plays here.. i figure if you can maintain the one over this amazing performance, you at least deserve a pat on the back!

[@cobra1010]

Wow, beautiful style! Thank you for posting this! Very nice!

[@MimrodSponge]

That insane bass!

[@simonstuart1325]

absolutely beautiful dynamics.

[@jacktriobaker]

This has blown me away.

[@biorage6670]

Open handed glory!

[@the23drummer]

7/8, 5/4, 7/8, then back to 5/4 for the rest. Then 4/4 at the end. He's messing around with the time a ton so it might feel differently in certain spots but that's definitely the meters. I'm playing in a Snarky Puppy cover group right now through my college. Song is a blast to play.

[@drewper73]

I only recently discovered these guys and I'm making a huge long playlist of everything I can find here. As a drummer, I have to comment on the non-traditional cymbal sounds I'm hearing and the presence of that 2nd snare drum which is above the floor tom in this video but in most of them it's where a floor tom would "normally" go. Around the 2:03 mark he starts playing a groove where he's using the 2nd snare but with the snares turned off. It's a lot deeper than I thought it would be even though you can tell with the snares on that it's deeper than his 1st snare. I'd like to know what kind of drum that is, what kind of heads are on it(the batter head looks like an Evans G1 or G2 coated), and the tuning used to get that sound out of what looks like a 6 1/2"x14" snare drum. I love originality.

[@angelacevedo2112]

drewper73 looks like a drum craft snare might be a hd dry genera tuned like a floor tom then moon gel on top. also might have something to do with how its miced.. i've seen alot of time sput uses shure b52 kick drums mics on his low snares and toms.

[@wombat2248]

drewper73 Guwahati uses 2nd snare like floor tom when snare off unique kit weird choice of cymbals but fit with the sound I mention because I just discovered them too

[@sangwanshakti]

This guy is so versatile on the percussions!

[@yaboyreece22]

Nice track. Beautiful groove. Loved how the crowd reacted to certain parts. That live appreciation of the art was great and you could tell from Sput's reactions.

[@kentjae]

if ur speaking of the 1 that is above the hats 2 the left is a meinl trash crash...if ur speaking abt the 1 above the tilted splash.....that is 2 cymbals...he has a splash under that crash......hope this helps....

[@eche1492]

best version of flood yet!

[@simonstuart1325]

sput is immense ,its like he's playing a tune alongside the song on the gig and can drop in and out when he wants ..anybody have any insight into what he's doing ? there has to be a reference point .

[@hermittlive]

The whole band have a strong reference in time. They supply the reference point with catchy hooks. He drops in and out with ideas and concepts because he hears them. When he's soling at the end, I doubt he's counting time in his head, he doesn't need to. Sput is comfortable with time and in between. I would say bang on a metronome and experiment yourself with time, slow your tempo against the click and here both your playing and the click. Hope this help...sorry for the rant...

[@nyajvlogs]

+Stephen Hermitt also when you play a tune over and over you get a feel for it and also just time playing drums in general I don't know how to count but I could play very intricate stuff with out counting and not missing a beat just by feeling Lol I guess its a gift

[@wombat2248]

Simon Stuart keep listening to them there are breaks and solos etc that are counted bars , the ad lib stuff comes from knowing each other well lot of visual cues too from bassist

[@wombat2248]

Joe Egland it's weird sometimes eh amazing what your unconscious can do , a guy I played with used to tell me all the bars by the time I started rehearsing I'd forgot mostly feel it

[@evanpragliola4947]

its all musicality, every single change in groove, dynamic, and chops, all suits THAT moment in the song. MUSICALITY. jesus. hes incredible

[@mcskiski1994]

HIS CYMBALS ARE ON THE MEINL CYMBALS WEBSITE

[@Moog168]

It's not hard if theres someone that understands it :) I mean everybody in the band is grooving hard in odd time...like it feels REALLY good!

[@greycane]

7/8.... to start....then 5/4 and back to 7/8...but i think it changes a couple other times the band is Snarky Puppy pretty much all of their stuff is like this

[@aidandoesmusicthings]

Lots of time signatures.

[@jjbispopin]

this had a nice feel to it. spunded maddd good!!

[@evanpragliola4947]

ugh at like 4:00 how can u just groove so ambidexterously , wish it wasn't weird for me to do that w my left... back to the practice room

[@MattMarsh]

Love that snare tuning

[@Rudare916]

i cant take it. im trying to work and you post this? amazing. Better than album version.

[@kellynkarr6270]

Bad, bad mother. I love how he drums.

[@EthanMitch]

The A section is in 7 and the B section is in 5 (though there is a 4 beat polyrhythm that lays over it quite nicely)

[@isaiahharden841]

Wow!

[@AlBear1994]

it's 7/4 then the quieter bits are in 5/4 and then it goes back to 4/4 at the end

[@wombat2248]

Amazing band sorry to see spud go , I could watch him all night it's not how many licks you cram in it's the notes you leave out makes for someone special .being a natural lefties myself brought up forced to do most things the right way , but spud here can pick and choose at ease

[@OfficialReKLisT]

Paul Straiton where did sput go?

[@32165498765432165498]

Its mostly in 7. But theres heaps of odd bars here and there I think.

[@charliefarran9603]

Love the china on his left...what model is it, also the little splash.

[@meinlcymbals]

Hard to tell, and hard to remember, as we shot this video years ago. The "china" actually looks like a Byzance 18" Trash Crash and the splash is probably a Byzance 10" Extra Dry Splash. - Chris/Meinl

[@WGund]

Awesome!

[@TrickysBen]

On the real 6:40 that specific lick is CRAZY

[@gonga97]

yes it helped a lot thanks :) (and I was talking about the one with a splash under the crash)

[@RaulVargasDrummer]

8:21 percussion 3strokes in snare drum - robert 3strokes in tom1 , this is Team!

[@brettorrmusic]

You don't get that good by accident. This guy works.

[@sidewalksurfin333]

...What cymbal was that splash exactly? sounds goood

[@Arceic]

ITune.... Snarky Puppy.

[@gonga97]

what is the 4 cymbal that he has counting from the left??the one witch sounds almost like a china

[@The10inchtom]

OMG!! *end of story*

[@DavidLuchaMusic]

7/8, 5/8 and then the original goes into 4/4 at the end.

[@martinkent_]

What’s his cymbal setup?

[@meinlcymbals]

Hi Martin, so sorry - this was filmed seven years ago and we didn't include the cymbals set up info back then. We were learning as we were going! - Chris/Meinl

[@martinkent_]

MEINL Cymbals That’s alright... you being the professional do you think you could maybe give me an idea of what kind it is just by looking at it? I appreciate your time!

[@meinlcymbals]

@@martinkent_ Ooooffff..I would REALLY be guessing here. Plus there are so many little guys stacked underneath the bigger cymbals. I think the hats were Byzance Traditional 15" medium hihats, the main ride was a Byzance Jazz 22" Big Apple Ride (not the dark one), the crash to the left is the Byzance Vintage 18" Trash Crash, the crash to the far right is the Byzance Extra Dry 18" thin crash...that's about the best i can do with the really low lighting and lack of info. Sorry! - Chris/Meinl

[@martinkent_]

MEINL Cymbals no problem at all, thanks so so much!

[@CalvinLimuel]

what snares are he using? those two sound like a low tom and a floor tom!

[@VJVid]

Sput or Chris Dave??? Almost too close to call

[@Jordarr8994]

Sput is the funkiest drummer to me. Chris Dave is one of the best time benders on Earth though

[@TheMusicman017]

if you try to focus on the guitar its in 7/4 its hard to do cause mr. searight is just jammin

[@PenguinMcDuck]

Now that's insane. I get the subdivision, the 2 ½ beats can be counted as 5/8. Throughout the song the band's been playing 7/8 and 5/8 while the rhythm section's been playing 7/4 and 5/4 (this is more obvious in the A section.) But the outro is in swing feel. How do you subdivide a 12/8 into 5/8? (12/8 is the straight version of 4/4 in swing by the way.) So does Michael League count the outro in 5/8 or 5/4 then? Or was he just joking with the idea of it, or just suggesting the possibility?

[@jacobeidelberg2088]

gaht dayum.

[@cristianavena4871]

7/8 I think.

[@TheXrythmicXtongue]

I believe they're switching between 7/8 and 5/8. :)

[@AlBear1994]

5:35 to 5:37 : AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

[@raymonddavid4061]

the time tho!!

[@EliezerMercado1975]

Would like to know what kind of Meinl cymbals he is using here.

[@Rudare916]

he messed up! He is human after all....or was that just a new type of fill?

[@AkilHenry]

7/4 to 5/4, then the last groove is also in 5/4 (although it sounds like 4/4)

[@MrPilkers]

Anyone know what yamaha snare he's using here? I know he mixes it up a load... just really digging the sound

[@AquaAnim]

I dont think he uses Yamaha, hes signed with gretsch. Last i saw was using 14x5.5 chrome over brass.

[@Gazuka]

could I have a list of cymbals L-R?

[@zombiejesus300]

where can I buy his music?

[@paulmathews9283]

drummers crazy

[@julianbdorsey]

I know the tune is in 7/X and 5/X, but there's still some discrepancy in the comments section about whether it's in quarters or eighths. When I count stuff, I think in terms of how easy/practical it would be to transcribe it, and when you count over 4, the measures are HUGE, so I think 7/8 and 5/8. The beat to which you tap your foot or bob your head doesn't necessarily the time signature.

[@julianbdorsey]

Except for the 4/4 section

[@TheAlmonteFilms]

Anything x/8 implies triplet subdivision though. example, 6/8, 9/8, or even Snarky Puppys "Outlier" which is in 15/8. This ain't really triplet subdivision so I can see why people would only say 7/4 to 5/4. The end is actually still in 5/4. Its just simpler to understand as 4/4 but it's still the same tempo if you count it. It almost sounds like one of those swing hip-hop quintuplet subdivisions.

[@julianbdorsey]

Yo, o watched some of your comedy videos, so when I saw that you had commented I was surprised cause I knew I had seen the name somewhere. Cool that you're into this stuff

[@TheAlmonteFilms]

+Julian Dorsey Wow a year later I see this comment. Thanks! Haha I am a fusion composer and player myself. Been playing sax since I was 9 and just started getting into composition about last year.

[@julianbdorsey]

That's awesome dude

[@Schlagwerker1988]

3:11 is best! LOL

[@jakecooley7603]

Is it a measure of 7 then 6?

[@milesfarnan9049]

nah it's straight 7 until the B section (also the drum solo) which is in 5

[@emmett12345678]

thats only because we are hearing loads of drums and bass and almost nothing else. if you have a proper mix its has so much pocket

[@EDrummer1987]

7/8

[@ckleinman88]

its in 7...

[@Fr3ddieJ0nes]

Lool at 3:11 he's too funny mannnn!

[@Sawalk3]

BAAADDDDD A_____S!!!!!

[@mutzeh]

That primary crash above the rack tom has to have something stacked underneath it... the decay is way too short and trashy to just be a thin crash imho.

[@DanielIanJones]

Yeah It's a stack. Just not sure what it is. I was at that show and saw it.

[@lorenzmuller3542]

CYMBALSPECS pls! ;-)

[@fredlarrieu5261]

No : A. 7/4 B. 5/4 Coda 4/4

[@jjbispopin]

sounded*

[@drumken]

Zoom Q3HD

[@Btolbertjr]

7/4 then 5/4

[@fredlarrieu5261]

No the last is really 4/4

[@Chasejeremy]

7/8 I think lol

[@lorenzmuller3542]

14" medium hihats, 16" trash crash, 10" extra dry splash, 20" thin hammered crash, 22" jazz ride, 18" extra dry thin crash! am i right? :-)

[@joedessauer]

7/8 but they pull it around and play all over the barline