The influence of J Dilla on modern drumming

[@evanmatthiesen7478]

I've often thought about how amazing it would be for him to somehow see now the influence he has not just on music but the very way we approach the instrument of drums. Much like how Leo Fender, who didnt really even play guitar, changed the way people played guitar, Dilla in the same way changed the way people play drums

[@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266]

Yeah, I mean, that kind of groove already existed before him but he helped popularized it to a massive scale.

[@evanmatthiesen7478]

​@@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266 I havent heard anything prior to dilla with that kind of sound, which artist should I look into? or do you mean as a drumming style? I know a lot of people perceive dilla grooves as touplets but to me it sounds more like just going off the grid in the right places. Or even just using a imperfect drum loop and allowing it to flam and/or skip. while I think there probably were drummers doing something like this before, but I think its fascinating that a non drummer, using an mpc, found a completely different path to discovering that kind of groove, to the point where its now THE reference point for that sound

[@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266]

@@evanmatthiesen7478 I don't think there are musical artists that used that type of beat in a systematically form like Dilla, but there are plenty instances of artists that used those off-kilter patterns for some grooves and drum fills. For example, Talking Heads, King Crimson and The Police used some off-kilter patterns on some songs. Maybe guys that predated Dilla in using that type of beat in some songs would be Beastie Boys (Finger Lickin' Good) or Aphex Twin (Alberto Balsalm). I haven't really checked the drum patterns yet, but I get the feeling of those off-kilter drum beats also in some reggae, african music and world music stuff, but I gotta check them first. In any case, Dilla is the one who mastered the hip hop production of that type of beat in a consistent basis.

[@evanmatthiesen7478]

with respect, not really hearing it on finger lickin good, and alberto balsalm not really either, but even if it did, dilla had been producing a few years by the time that came out. Im pretty familiar with the 3 bands you mentioned too, and cant really recall any dilla like grooves. And I am a massive reggae fan and never hear anthing like that. sorry if im being pedantic. I just dont think anyone was doing anything quite like the dilla thing before him @@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266

[@evanmatthiesen7478]

im talking this kind of thing, specifically- around the 30 second mark especially. never heard a drummer do that pre-dilla kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp-TqpyLe66pp6s @@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266

[@blakesbeatscolie]

Great video! R.I..P. Dilla and Amp Fiddler

[@matias.salomon]

Your videos are pure gold, mate. Thanks for sharing this inception into Dilla and all else you've been putting out there

[@LucasCosta180]

Its amazing how dilla influenced a whole generation in music. Even in modern metal we can find this kind of beat. I love Plini’s “Flaneur”. Chris Allison aplied the Dilla Beat in a beautiful way.

[@DrumHubTuition]

For real! Fairly new to Chris Allison but he’s amazing! Alex 👊

[@jordibadal229]

That little stumbled fill at 12:35 was fire haha

[@DrumHubTuition]

Haha thanks mate! Alex 👊

[@jaysoncornish4779]

If you want to understand it from the grid perspective find the oldest brick wall in your area. Take a picture of about 16 bricks and about three courses. Then arrange it as a piano roll in your favorite DAW. The bottom course of bricks is your kick drum, the next course up is your snare drum, and the next course up is your hihats. Even if all of the bricks don't hit perfectly on the grid it makes its own sense.

[@BlackRootsAcademyOfSoul]

Thank you for the video and this tribute. Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤

[@joeellis5295]

Nice one, Alex! Enjoyed the longer form video. Hitting the sweet spot between 'on the grid' and 'so drunk the cabbie won't take me' has proved hard to pin down at times!

[@ppmatt87]

I know guys like Greg Saunier from Deerhoof or Ari Hoenig aren't doing JDilla grooves, but I feel like they helped to prepare me for loving it.

[@shalaq]

Flams and Malfs between hats and snare/kick are crucial. Master straight 8ths on hats and flamming and malfing the snare and kick. Play with accents on either a drum or cymbal. While youre doing this be sure to stay on thr grid with the hats. This is a very good exercise, no quintuplets needed.

[@matthewbeltrano571]

Luke Titus, who plays with Kiefer and Cisco Swank, plays in this feel. Listen to “Home” by Cisco Swank, for example.

[@festilina]

Superb explanation of something I’ve been wondering about for a long time. Thanks for making this video and putting the time in. Great playing as well.

[@emerj101]

Great breakdown, awesome content!!!!

[@DrumHubTuition]

🙌

[@hondas_r_slow]

I've been playing drums for over 33 years now, and I learned this back in the 90's. So, about 12 years before J Dilla came on the scene. This is a New Orleans feel that can be called an open shuffle where you play between 8ths and triplets to get that feel. You are thinking both, going right in between both, and get a sloppy, drunk, yet cool feel out of it with a deep pocket. I learned this from Johnny Vidacovich back in the mid 90's on his DCI New Orleans Drumming VHS tape. Stanton Moore also says that he learned that in between feel from his lessons with Johnny Vidacovich (and other old cats around New Orleans), and you can probably take this all the way back to when Little Richard started playing straight 8ths and the jazz trained drummers just tired to keep up. I guess you can argue that J Dilla invented this, you can also argue that Christopher Columbus was the first to think the world was round. Doesn't make either remotely true.

[@DavidRDavidRoss]

Nobody wants the truth.

[@inthefade]

Did you even watch the video or ever listen to Dilla? This is not just a swing. It is outright dragging behind the 8ths at times, or sounding like it is on 7ths notes or 5s, with some hits early and some late. It is certainly not what you describe, or people wouldn't be praising it this way.

[@hondas_r_slow]

What I am describing is not full on swing time, and it's not straight time. Just because it is called an open shuffle does not mean it is a full on shuffle. It lays in between, like a 5 and a 7 are between a 3 and 8. A lot of people don't know about the open shuffle, I can see where the confusion comes from. I get what is being said and I am saying it has been around for a long time. Dilla brought it to hip-hop, nothing wrong with that, he made it his own. It adds a human element to a mostly mechanical genre. I respect that, but he did not invent this feel.

[@DrumHubTuition]

@hondas_r_slow ah sick, I will check him out for sure and dig more into that scene. I admittedly only know a v small amount about it but definitely would like to learn more. Any tracks or videos you’d recommend that showcase the feel you mentioned? Not trying to take any credit away from anyone else with this video, the intention is to celebrate Dilla’s feel and take a deeper look into the influence he’s had on drumming, which to be fair is undeniable. Respect. Alex 👊

[@workshoptelescope]

@@hondas_r_slow so you’re not saying you were saying you definitely know dilla didn’t contribute anything but also still want to say that while saying you know where dilla got it from and indeed knew about it first but also don’t want to say that. Bet.

[@Jath2112]

I'm betting your channel is going to kinda explode on this. What a fantastic look at this topic! ... It's crazy to think that one person can always come along and add something as massive as...a whole new "feel" to ...an entire field.... I mean.... what?? ...

[@DrumHubTuition]

Legend!

[@wxc3395]

Just discovered your channel and this is just fantastic. Thanks for taking the time doing all of these great contents!

[@pastense]

I was a huge fan of the band Soulive during the early 2000s and they were already incorporating that Dilla feel in their live shows and I remember it blowing my mind! Dilla was still alive during the time, but I admit I didn’t really get into him until after his death, not realizing all of the projects he was a part of! I’m a musician, but not a drummer. But whenever I hop on the drums, it’s straight to a Dilla beat! lol

[@johncena123298]

Thaaaanks so much for this lesson, been practicing the Dilla feel for the last year, and have only made the approach to "Feel it out" by jamming to similar tracks, but now I will start with the quintuplet method, thanks a lot. As always great lesson mate! Cheers

[@py_a_thon]

If you are a skilled drummer: I would highly suggest you consider playing a drum part that encapsulates the vibe of the Aphex Twin song - Flim. Something about those drums, if translated to a live kit just seems like a litmus test of skills. I think it also incorporates a doubletime form of many of the ideas J Dilla was also pioneering.

[@johncena123298]

@@py_a_thon yeaaaah I love that song, I’ve been able to transcribe a small section of that before but not the whole thing, the drums there are super busy. I am working out staying in time in a jam sesh when I incorporate the Dilla feel as you can get lost in the sauce 😀

[@py_a_thon]

@@johncena123298 Yeah, the programmed and glitched out drums in that song are just excellent also when translated to a live kit. Have fun bro. Peace. And yeah: that "playing behind the beat, yet always in the pocket" sound is very difficult on any instrument. Drums especially so I would think.

[@py_a_thon]

@@johncena123298 Shoutout to Squarepusher also. He is a classically trained jazz bassist and his programmed electronic drums (and sample use) are often fire. DnB is sometimes really close to doubletime jazz lol.

[@py_a_thon]

@@johncena123298 Last comment I swear lol. The squarepusher song I was thinking of that has a very J Dilla type feel is called "Iambic 5 Poetry".

[@woody4269]

Love this vid. Thanks man. 🤙

[@DrumHubTuition]

Thanks Woody my dude! Stoked you enjoyed it! Alex 👊

[@woody4269]

@@DrumHubTuition 👊

[@llamapie24]

perfectly timed mate, I’ve been listening to Open Mike Eagle’s latest interview series with Questlove and playing along to Erykah Badu’s ‘New Amerykkkah’ records DILLA ETERNAL

[@wittgenwong8699]

Finally! Thank you for your work

[@orlandeuce6567]

USE THE FORCE

[@Joethedrummer]

Fantastic video. Great introduction to a topic I am behind on and I particularly like the fact you are taking a "suck it and see" approach to learning the feel. Kudos. I think I will try the flamming idea first to get a feel for the thing.

[@mphase7575]

Excellent video, my man 💪

[@tim.matthaei]

Great Chanel!

[@DrumHubTuition]

Legend! Thanks for watching! Alex 👊

[@tommythecat4961]

The thing about Dilla Beats is, it's a small window. If you do it wrong it just sounds horrible and incoherent, but if done well it adds a groove that's like butter. What you play on top also makes a huge impact, but if you're tasteful and get in the right mood it's unbeatable! Oh, and my submission for stuff to listen to is an Italian band called I Hate My Village, they use Dilla Beats quite a bit and play grooves influenced by African music, Presentiment and Tony Hawk Of Ghana are two great tracks of theirs.

[@macalby]

So insightful - sick video

[@louiestuart9675]

Awesome video dude!! Looking forward to more 🤟🔥

[@krkNdvd]

Such a great video man 🔥

[@tdrum21]

Great thoughts & love these beats. Your sounds are very cool too 🔥

[@DrumHubTuition]

Thanks mate, hope you are well! Alex 👊

[@At.mos.fEarProduktionz]

Although I make all kinds of beats. Dilla is always an influence for me. Not for the drums but more for the vibe he brought. 😎👍🏽

[@lizethescobar3648]

Great video, I recommend a single Robert glasper - 4eva

[@DrumHubTuition]

💯

[@R_Ultraloud]

Thanks for sharing.

[@nuke97]

Dilla introduced tuplet based rhythms to hip hop.

[@mrelduce]

yes my dude, good vid.

[@ccraigc76]

Wonderfully done video. New sub here! Looking forward to seeing what you do next as I check the previous videos out.

[@DrumHubTuition]

Stoked to have you in the crew mate! Alex 👊

[@supermcfly100]

I add silence in front of all my drums when I’m programming just to adjust the timing without having to slide any of the midi notes

[@JonrieS]

nice

[@sergiopezza-batteriadrums3493]

Grazie! 👍🥁🥁🥁

[@commonbeats]

🧡

[@derekmotta6926]

Clyde, Jabo, Zigaboo, Dilla.

[@justinjordan67]

Ron Estill produced the Jamiroquai tracks not Dilla.

[@DrumHubTuition]

I didn’t say dilla did?

[@ppmatt87]

I do this accidentally all the time. Can I somehow reverse engineer this into doing it on purpose and sounding good?

[@DrumHubTuition]

For sure, as long as you are intentional about it! I would advise getting your kicks / snares & hats locked in before making them wonky so you have a solid foundation but also music is an art form so maybe you’ll find something new along the way if you take your own approach! Alex 👊

[@patriekvanwier9549]

Why is JD BECK not on the list here...?????????????

[@DrumHubTuition]

This isn’t a comprehensive list of every drummer ever inspired by dilla fam

[@Schemez-16vhiphopbeatz]

Dillas beats sounded so simple but there was more going on then what u would think like micro rhythms the way he processed his drums the way he side chained his bass and the way he chopped his samples even if the track was just drums bassline and piano sample there was lots of other things going on only people who know nothing about producing thinks he's overated if u produce yourself you know how good dilla actually was ..every body is trying to use the dilla formula now especially the dilla swung drums dillas drums where never sloppy but producer are over doing it now

[@xandacab4285]

dillerish

[@poerava]

Don’t forget Dilla was a killer MC No one mentions that RIP J-DILLA kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIGyfI2Egc2CoJo

[@colinburroughs9871]

dropping accents where they don't really belong is what you do when you either don't know enough or know too much lol

[@MD_Vadim]

Amazing Video! RIP and Love To Dilla! Check Out: MD_Vadim - Cola Killah Sneaky F******* Russian - Love To Dilla

[@johnqpublic4662]

Nah, it’s not about feel. It can be analyzed.

[@benimartin878]

Hablas mucho y se escucha poco los ritmos

[@DrumHubTuition]

I had a lot to say 😂 check out the tracks I mentioned fam! Alex 👊

[@ryanand154]

Dilla gave drummers permission to be shite.

[@DrumHubTuition]

😂

[@ryanand154]

Beats don’t have measures.

[@DrumHubTuition]

Not sure I follow mate haha

[@ryanand154]

@@DrumHubTuition We can stretch and distort them and no longer have the organic metric if that’s what we’re seeking.

[@CribNotes]

I can't stand those drunk sounding beats. They're amusing as a geeky academic music exercise, but I've never heard a drunk beat that I found inspiring. Now I don't know everything, and I've been totally wrong about new shit many times over the last 50 years, but I seriously believe drunk beats interfere with the energetic flow of our bodies. And I'm sticking with that opinion now that I just found out J Dilla died from cardiac arrest at the age of 32 after suffering from lupus. Those drunken beats might have fkd with his immune system signals and his heart beat. Keep that shit away from me till I know any different.

[@colinburroughs9871]

the effect of that rhythm was probably accentuated by his substance of choice- that's actually kind of the history of lot's of music though

[@ShanevsDCsniperr]

out of curiosity have you listened to j dilla's music or just people trying to imitate the rhythmic feel on a drum set? i would not describe the stuff on donuts for example as sounding 'drunk' but i agree the sound of 'dilla-style' drumming is usually stilted

[@DrumHubTuition]

Interesting take haha, but fair one- let’s see how long I last then because I love ‘em! Alex 👊

[@ianbrown3304]

Sounds bollocks ...

[@DrumHubTuition]

😂

[@JeffreyMulac8]

It makes total sense for drummers