To me, the ability to quickly learn new songs is one of the most impressive qualities of a professional musician. A zillion years ago I used to play a bass guitar in a punk-rock band. We had a gig scheduled. And the day before it something happened to our regular drummer. So we had to call all our drummer friends to find one available for tomorrow. So we found one. It was a 4-hour flight to the area. We took our CD with 50 minutes of our songs on it, and a CD player. The drummer, who never even heard a single song of ours before the day, spent the entire flight listening to the CD like 4 times. The first run he just listened. The other times he air-drummed-along the entire album. Plus we told him about a couple of variations in songs that we played live, but not on the CD. We got to the stage right off the flight, and played a perfect gig. Not a single mistake by the drummer, including all the variations not present on the CD. Oh, and he didn’t make a single written note, he just listened and air-drummed. To this day, this is the most impressive sign of professionalism in my eyes.
Sounds like what Larnell Lewis did. For the “We like it here” album from Snarky Puppy he learnt most of the songs during a plane ride to the actual studio and played it flawlessly.
I started off my learning by just listening. I can't really write so I memorize things I hear as patterns. Instead of micro analyzing what's going on turn it into patterns that you can kinda sing to yourself. After 21 years it's basically second nature at this point. If I'm asked to learn a song (most are simple) I'll give it one or two listens and play along. Some songs are harder than others but it's something that I've appreciated over time being able to hear something and play it with little trouble. During my last exam in drumming I had to read a complex odd timed jazz fusion chart (which I couldn't read well). So my teacher gave me a CD with the drumless tracks and the one with the drums in them. I remember listening to each of them a few times and then being able to play along just fine which he seemed utterly confounded by as for months I couldn't get through a single chart and in maybe an hour or two I figured out both songs by ear.
I have been playing as long as I can remember but am self taught. This has been extremely helpful. I can’t believe I only just stumbled upon this channel. It has given me the passion to learn some new stuff. THANKS!!!
This is awesome! One thing I feel is missing is Pre-Chorus. I'd say it's in half or more songs. I lead worship and we don't verbatim play the way the songs are recorded (I play drums too) and the pre-chorus is always a great opportunity to change up things before getting to the chorus and makes the drummer feel like they get to do more, since some songs they can get pretty bored on. It's also a trick to set up the chorus to pop. Play the pre-chorus at half time, or do a build, or do what I call "boom on clap" where there's a hat groove but with the kick (or add tom) hit where the snare would normally hit.
Hi Stephen! I really enjoy the theme of your RUclips channel and your GREAT videos! I have two quick questions - what is your dominant hand and what do you think about traditional grip? Thank you so much in advance for your answers!
Great video. Where were was this instruction when I was 15 years old :) ? Drummers young and old will be able to use this for years to come. An 8 year old today who doesn't even know he will play drums will find this helpful in 10 years.
Hi Stephen-new sub here!! Thank you very much for this amazing content. I'm about a month away from auditioning at my church. Been playing for 2 years and I was taught by drum charts. This method will help me with a much more condensed cheat sheet. Quick question: how do you note the difference between snare hit and side-stick? Thanks.
Agree that you make this method very approachable. I think many of us will be inspired enough to actually try this for ourselves. If you are looking for video ideas.....I would like to see a video of the technique you mentioned of "using the drums to emphasize the horns" part. I would appreciate maybe one day you showing what this part (and other song parts where do you this type stuff) sounds like with the drum emphasis and then comparing it to what it might sound like without. I think us hearing the difference might be a cool way to show us what you mean, instead of just explaining it without the demonstration.
The only way this would be better is if you linked a song with every concept that you talked about that’s easy to hear. For example, when you say about 4, 8 and 16 bars being repetitive in pop, give a few song examples so that we can hear for ourselves what those sound like, and the similarities between the songs stand out more so then we know what exactly to listen out for. But all in all, great guide. Definitely sinking my teeth into this, there are so many drum covers I wanna do of easy pop songs my friends love, and then slowly work my way to the genres I really enjoy myself (which conveniently is alot of funk, modern jazz fusion and some rock and metal that is alot harder to do)
Written sheet music is divided into bars. There are different Time signatures that tell What Kind of Note Gets One Beat...and then How Many Beats in Each Bar/Measure. Then there are the Subdivisions of each beat. So there are whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth nots, sixteenth notes, thirty second notes...and a bunch of stuff related to what you can do with that. And then there are the Tempos, which is how many Beats Per Minute. (BPM) So let's say the time signature is 4/4. 4 beats in each measure whican be subdivided to make different rhythms. And a quarter note gets one beat. There will be 4 beats with a pulse at a certain tempo. Let's say each metronome click is set to 98 BPM. The quarter note will be attached to each click, and everything falls in line with that reference point.
The link is in the description: ruclips.net/user/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbC1ud0R1dTZ3RjVJaDJ5dHhsTmNycXFfc3JEQXxBQ3Jtc0tseU9TSFdtM2pMaWNFaHlaanJ4Ry1md1p5d3BsM1o2XzlEYVl3WlR4eFRKdldSTVRISmJjYW9xaGVCcGd6RE9EWHhVQkE1Y3I0M3Y1QjFXbGp5emEzSTJlXzJYMm1oaDFzdHRIcHVPdlJKSFFjTlpCTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fthe-non-glamorous-drummer.mykajabi.com%2F5-steps-to-learning-any-song-in-under-an-hour
I downloaded the guide but has nothing to do with what your talking about here? Guide says know what to practice the 3-part daily practice routine?? My lord getting too many confusing emails man.
To me, the ability to quickly learn new songs is one of the most impressive qualities of a professional musician.
A zillion years ago I used to play a bass guitar in a punk-rock band. We had a gig scheduled. And the day before it something happened to our regular drummer. So we had to call all our drummer friends to find one available for tomorrow.
So we found one. It was a 4-hour flight to the area. We took our CD with 50 minutes of our songs on it, and a CD player. The drummer, who never even heard a single song of ours before the day, spent the entire flight listening to the CD like 4 times. The first run he just listened. The other times he air-drummed-along the entire album.
Plus we told him about a couple of variations in songs that we played live, but not on the CD.
We got to the stage right off the flight, and played a perfect gig. Not a single mistake by the drummer, including all the variations not present on the CD.
Oh, and he didn’t make a single written note, he just listened and air-drummed.
To this day, this is the most impressive sign of professionalism in my eyes.
Took a 4 hour flight to jump in for a gig and aced it. What a chad
Sounds like what Larnell Lewis did. For the “We like it here” album from Snarky Puppy he learnt most of the songs during a plane ride to the actual studio and played it flawlessly.
I started off my learning by just listening. I can't really write so I memorize things I hear as patterns. Instead of micro analyzing what's going on turn it into patterns that you can kinda sing to yourself. After 21 years it's basically second nature at this point. If I'm asked to learn a song (most are simple) I'll give it one or two listens and play along. Some songs are harder than others but it's something that I've appreciated over time being able to hear something and play it with little trouble. During my last exam in drumming I had to read a complex odd timed jazz fusion chart (which I couldn't read well). So my teacher gave me a CD with the drumless tracks and the one with the drums in them. I remember listening to each of them a few times and then being able to play along just fine which he seemed utterly confounded by as for months I couldn't get through a single chart and in maybe an hour or two I figured out both songs by ear.
I’ve only ever learned by listening or watching videos, never understood tabs! Thank you for this video, really helpful!
Super helpful! I’ve had so many gigs where certain songs worry me to death but this will definitely help. Thanks!
I have been playing as long as I can remember but am self taught. This has been extremely helpful. I can’t believe I only just stumbled upon this channel. It has given me the passion to learn some new stuff. THANKS!!!
Nicely explained. I'm learning how to do this and this greatly helped. Thank you so much.
This is awesome!
One thing I feel is missing is Pre-Chorus. I'd say it's in half or more songs.
I lead worship and we don't verbatim play the way the songs are recorded (I play drums too) and the pre-chorus is always a great opportunity to change up things before getting to the chorus and makes the drummer feel like they get to do more, since some songs they can get pretty bored on. It's also a trick to set up the chorus to pop.
Play the pre-chorus at half time, or do a build, or do what I call "boom on clap" where there's a hat groove but with the kick (or add tom) hit where the snare would normally hit.
Thanks for all your effort in making this tutorial! Couldn't have been easy along with the EBook! Appreciate your knowledge.
Hi Stephen!
I really enjoy the theme of your RUclips channel and your GREAT videos!
I have two quick questions - what is your dominant hand and what do you think about traditional grip?
Thank you so much in advance for your answers!
Great video! What's the program called you're using on the iPad?
Very helpful I have my own version but I can add some of your tips , thanks
I'm not a drummer,but I must say you are such a teacher!
I had to learn 41 songs for a gig in less than a week. Wouldn’t have got through it without this lesson, so thanks!
41 songs for one gig? How long was the gig?
Great video. Where were was this instruction when I was 15 years old :) ? Drummers young and old will be able to use this for years to come. An 8 year old today who doesn't even know he will play drums will find this helpful in 10 years.
Hi Stephen-new sub here!! Thank you very much for this amazing content. I'm about a month away from auditioning at my church. Been playing for 2 years and I was taught by drum charts. This method will help me with a much more condensed cheat sheet. Quick question: how do you note the difference between snare hit and side-stick? Thanks.
Agree that you make this method very approachable. I think many of us will be inspired enough to actually try this for ourselves.
If you are looking for video ideas.....I would like to see a video of the technique you mentioned of "using the drums to emphasize the horns" part. I would appreciate maybe one day you showing what this part (and other song parts where do you this type stuff) sounds like with the drum emphasis and then comparing it to what it might sound like without.
I think us hearing the difference might be a cool way to show us what you mean, instead of just explaining it without the demonstration.
The only way this would be better is if you linked a song with every concept that you talked about that’s easy to hear. For example, when you say about 4, 8 and 16 bars being repetitive in pop, give a few song examples so that we can hear for ourselves what those sound like, and the similarities between the songs stand out more so then we know what exactly to listen out for.
But all in all, great guide. Definitely sinking my teeth into this, there are so many drum covers I wanna do of easy pop songs my friends love, and then slowly work my way to the genres I really enjoy myself (which conveniently is alot of funk, modern jazz fusion and some rock and metal that is alot harder to do)
Very helpful. Having the chart on one sheet is Key .
Great video. Nice to have tips from a pro to make things easier. Thanks.
Thanks bro!
Just brilliant
Stephen, my band wants me to have your PDF immediately, if not SOONER! Where is the link????
why not name them V=Verse C=Chorus B=Bridge? Any technical reason?
Most music is mixed from the audience perspective. So the hats in your Right ear. Easily fixed by reversing your monitors/headphones
What's your cymbals setup?
well in 15 minutes i need to know Tarkus by ELP by heart and I never heard it, how do I do it???
Blendermen10 Listen at 3x speed 😂
@@AlexTuble 😂😂😂😂
I do this most of the time when I’m a college but I i don’t write the chat, I might start doing that when I get my new Mac lol
Can someone please explain to me what a 4, 8, 16 bar is?
Written sheet music is divided into bars. There are different Time signatures that tell What Kind of Note Gets One Beat...and then How Many Beats in Each Bar/Measure.
Then there are the Subdivisions of each beat. So there are whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth nots, sixteenth notes, thirty second notes...and a bunch of stuff related to what you can do with that.
And then there are the Tempos, which is how many Beats Per Minute. (BPM)
So let's say the time signature is 4/4.
4 beats in each measure whican be subdivided to make different rhythms.
And a quarter note gets one beat. There will be 4 beats with a pulse at a certain tempo. Let's say each metronome click is set to 98 BPM. The quarter note will be attached to each click, and everything falls in line with that reference point.
Your website doesn't appear to be working. Cannot download anything from the site. I'll try again later.
What about metal
Ok but van you learn racecar by periphery in 15 minutes?
how am i supposed to learn exist by Avenged Sevenfold in 15 minutes when the song is 15 minutes long...
jokes aside, Great video
Where’s da guide Steff?
The link is in the description: ruclips.net/user/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbC1ud0R1dTZ3RjVJaDJ5dHhsTmNycXFfc3JEQXxBQ3Jtc0tseU9TSFdtM2pMaWNFaHlaanJ4Ry1md1p5d3BsM1o2XzlEYVl3WlR4eFRKdldSTVRISmJjYW9xaGVCcGd6RE9EWHhVQkE1Y3I0M3Y1QjFXbGp5emEzSTJlXzJYMm1oaDFzdHRIcHVPdlJKSFFjTlpCTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fthe-non-glamorous-drummer.mykajabi.com%2F5-steps-to-learning-any-song-in-under-an-hour
A is V...B is C...C is B ...GOT IT!! 😃
I downloaded the guide but has nothing to do with what your talking about here? Guide says know what to practice the 3-part daily practice routine?? My lord getting too many confusing emails man.
👍
just totally confused long way to go. mike
I can play most of the World's pieces by ear on many instruments or improvise original songs but nobody cares
5000 views? Was this too challenging for people to even watch?