The Ultimate Guide to Classic Steve Gadd Beats with Gregg Bissonette

[@musicalchairs777]

Gregg played with a jazz legend, the world's greatest frontman, when it mattered most, with Roth, filled Jeff's drum seat in Toto, and now is playing drums with Ringo. I opened for him and his brother and he was as cool as any musician I've ever met. A stellar career, a stellar player and a stellar guy!

[@drummingdog5706]

I saw him yrs ago subbing for alex acuna. First thing he said to me was, wheres all the chicks in this town?” Funny guy, great drummer

[@JamesWarrenWatts]

This is a HVV, High value video. So many golden nuggets for us drummers. Thanks Greg for this tribute to The Gadd.

[@drumchannel]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@charliecontrino1626]

LOVE IT! Absolute truth! First got into Gadd when I heard Chick Corea's FRIENDS album. It's what he doesn't play that makes it so awesome! Yeah that lick from Chuckies in love blew my mind as a kid and still does 46 years later!

[@scottmoyer1357]

Gadd plays "50 Ways" with his left hand placed on the Hi Hat using the traditional grip during the displaced paradiddles after the partial 5 stroke roll [RH diddle + LRL] with the bass drum dropping in as the 5th note of the 5 stroke roll. Loved his fill on "Chuckie's In Love" and of course the Paul Simon song "Late In the Evening". One of the ultimate drum solos played live is Steve playing with Al Jareau with Buzzy Feiten, Joe Sample, Lenny Castro & Alphonso Johnson on Chick Corea's "Spain." Lots of Gaddisms in it especially with his left hand on Hi Hat and right hand on snare and accented on toms using the sticking [ RLLR LRRL ] from Stick Control along with a variety of useful melodic-based stickings from the same section in Stick Control [ George Lawrence Stone]. Thanks for the Gadd clinic. Always good to hear you play. Do you know the new Latin beat called "The Marongo?"

[@svenbohlin6017]

Thanks, Gregg! You have really fleshed out Gadd's specialties and subtleties and now it will be much easier to practice these ground-breaking licks. God bless you, Gregg - you rock!🙏👍🤩

[@hawkrider88]

I love his Love for Steve. Steve will go down in history as a true original, someone who changed drumming and a sweetheart of a guy. How many guys can you say that about.

[@edwardlee6516]

great Greg who breaks it down thanks Steve for all the years of fun groves

[@nmjazz09]

Gregg, you are amazing!!

[@Han-Solo459]

Gregg is so amazing. 😊

[@brockmannolaf7182]

Steve Gadd is the Greatest of all time! Steve GOAT! 🤩🤩

[@codersexpo1580]

@2:15 follow the yellow brick road...money's worth right there alone. The Gregg...ty Steve!

[@danielwiggins5739]

Great short vid. Love your work Greg and Drum Channel. Great content.

[@gringochucha]

Greg is always a joy to watch. It's too late to play now, but I can't wait to get back to the kit tomorrow!

[@jonnykk1]

Never too late, just wake your neighbours up!

[@gringochucha]

@@jonnykk1 They're very tolerant already of all the music making. Don't want to antagonize them unnecessarily. Plus, I'd already practiced my ass off yesterday 😅

[@budwudd]

I think the magic in Steve Gadd´s drumming lives in the space between the notes he's playing. Sounds like a cliche, but he could play two notes and it would be fantastic. Whatever he plays sits SO well in the music.

[@felipep8266]

Gregg is the best!

[@hazze3010]

One of my favourite drummers playing licks by one of my favourite drummers 🥳

[@codersexpo1580]

Its a paradox right!

[@bjorn_moren]

Gadd certainly has lots of cool licks. That is what is usually talked about among drummers. But that downplays what in my opinion is his greatest skills: his playing choices, his timing and his general sound. He always plays the perfect thing for the song, and he does it with incredible precision. The dynamics are spot on. It is very pleasant to the ears. I don't think anyone but drummers appreciate this. Most people are completely unaware of it.

[@handyboen]

Thanks Gregg 👍👍🙏🙏

[@scottdorfler2551]

Don't forget Vinnie Colaiuta! Another great Italian drummer. Frank Zappa jokingly referred to as, "Steve Gadds clone," on "Little Green Rosetta", Joe's Garage.

[@rolandsiegert4858]

... and Rick Marotta, whose groove playing significantly influenced Steve. Louis Bellson, originally called Luigi Balassoni, is another.

[@jimbob3038]

Just loving the tone of this kit 👌🏻

[@HuckFinn212]

Thanx Gregg, that lesson wss pure gold!

[@maximusachoo]

So good thankyou

[@tonybartonemusic]

Very Good demonstration. Musical and easy to understand. ( Not always easy to play ) Thank you Gregg !!

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

Great breakdown of some Gaddisms.

[@doubts]

Thanks Gregg. Great teaching as ever.

[@Uneditormas23]

que data.' gracias greg ....saludos from Argentina

[@shawnbruce6934]

Great Video! Thanks!

[@GeorgeBuck-d5b]

You are a GREAT drummer and teacher! Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I was wondering if you could break down the Gadd St Thomas groove on Chuck Magione Alive album. Thanks again gb

[@FusionHowie]

Gregg Bissonette is the Tom Hanks of drumming! Tom unmistakably in the best movies, his acting is unmistakably the best of the pack of actors, Tom has played in many different kinds of roles. Well, Gregg has played with the best musicians, in the greatest bands, played many genres. Hmmm I'm on to something right? Peace from Detroit MI.

[@anotherDnightmare]

I remember seeing him play 50 Ways and he played the hat accents with his left hand. Blew my young (at the time) mind! 😂

[@davidseres3030]

Excellent video...

[@markmorgenstern]

Wow that was clear and inspiring! Love all the references and this video is gold just for the highhat stomp! Love it! Thank you!

[@FullContactDrummer]

One of my favorite Gadd pieces is what he did with Al Jarreau on Spain.

[@billc.5861]

This was just sent to me by fellow Italian drummer Jeff Campatelli, he was just sitting down & showing me Steve Gadd stuff yesterday. Being mostly of Irish descent I have a natural learning curve. Great video Gregg, Thanks.

[@fransiboy]

Follow The Yellow Brick Road, I've got to remember that phrase! Thanx Gregg. I'm from Holland , so we do not have any yellow bricks in our country!

[@misterfunnybones]

Steve God!

[@gadymarcus5297]

magnifico.💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@udomatthiasdrums5322]

still love your work!!

[@nmjazz09]

On 50 Ways, I was taught the left hand played the HH

[@nmjazz09]

Me too.

[@JulianFernandez]

thanks!

[@BobSchoepenjr]

We want part TWO! 👊🏽👍🏾

[@DrummingMan1]

Freaking show off! Ha, ha, ha, ha ha, I want that kit! Must be such a joy to play.

[@GeoffGillDrums]

Mind blown. I had no idea R LL LF hi hat thing came from Gadd ! I stole from Bissonette via one o’clock band album & Brandon fields album.

[@jamescox8402]

"Check out"...Greg Bissonette!

[@TheFunkyfrogster]

Can anyone tell me what Dixon drumkit Greg is playing on this video? Thanks

[@meanmetalmike666]

Great video

[@louiscarrillo5873]

very very nice :)

[@WalterdaLima]

2:23 the answer is easy if you take it logically...'cause we got tarantella under the skin!

[@sp3ck4]

Gadd released a video in the 80's in which he breaks down 50 Ways note for note.

[@arthurazoubel5344]

Steve Gregg

[@jonnykk1]

“pull this down into bass drum land…” 😂 he’s hilarious and so infectious

[@hifijohn]

In gadd we trust.

[@michaelfaeth]

Thank you Gregg!! I really enjoyed this. In regards to 50 Ways, exactly how he was playing it had always been a mystery to me. But I recently saw this vintage footage of Steve explaining it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGWQk2p_i7CXmdE Super cool and even trickier than I thought.

[@frederf69]

left out Virgil Donati!! ✌😎👍

[@marceloseghese]

🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝😮👏👏👏👏😮🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

[@FadjarMoeljarto]

Greaat

[@krioni86sa]

2:13 I think Bissonatte is Italian too

[@hasan_bahramian]

🌹 💞 💞 💞

[@anthonymitchell2354]

Steve Gadd is Italian? 🇮🇹

[@williehamilton1533]

What hi hats are those? 🤔 that chick sounds is sweet.

[@charlesjames9783]

For me drummers aren’t great because of licks. They’re great because of creativity. A lot of things I have learned to play I would never have thought to play. Proficiency is one thing but I think creativity makes you great!

[@larryreyesjr8013]

U sounded like steve perry

[@meanmetalmike666]

Still waiting on Phil Rudd lol

[@zosostrider1523]

The “Ultimate” guide? Love Bissonette, no offense, but to title it the “ultimate” and then state “I don’t actually know the exact sticking.” What??? Greg’s version of “50 Ways” is way off, neglecting the left foot and left hand hi-hat parts. As well as the fact that there’s no open/closed hi-hat part in that section of the groove, only on the chorus. There’s many videos of Gadd himself demonstrating the sticking and voicing of this classic & unique groove, not to mention a transcription book from Gadds instructional video. I suggest going to the source.

[@drumtwo4seven]

GEEK BOY I WAS AT WEST COAST DRUM CENTER ONCE IN THE 90's GREGG BISSONET WAS AT THE COUNTER AHEAD OF ME, BUYING SOMETHING OR STOPPED BY TO CHAT WHEN HE TURNED TO LEAVE HE HAD AN ARROGANT ATTITUDE AS IF HE WAS TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL OR SOMETHING HIS DRUMMING IS BLAND AND MECHANICAL TBH, IT'S TECHNICALLY PROFICIENT AT BEST BUT HAS NO EMOTION TO IT... BORING OVER HYPED

[@mikekelly9851]

Steve Gadd did some great work with Al Dimeola. How is he a game changer? He didn't do anything no other versatile drummer has done. Crazy Army is not funky. You are probably not familiar with Down Fall of Paris either.

[@kstriker77]

If Al Di Meola is the only person you can mention in your comment that Gadd has worked with, you probably need to listen to some more of Gadd's music, you don't become an influential drummer unless there is something you do on the kit wich is unique to others

[@AndyA1234]

Music is not a competition, how fast you can play for example. There's a saying "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do".

[@YMETALXDRUMMER]

Yep.... Italians do it better.... 😎💥