I remember being very humbled by a click once. I was brought in to play in a studio session for a jazz/funk group. It was a full band live recording with a huge horn section. Really good music. Before this I never really played with a click much other than private practice, but wasn’t very disciplined. When the music started, I started out ok, but as soon as I went for a fill, I was way off time. The band stopped 4 times, and was kind of annoyed with me. Luckily the conductor was really patient and very encouraging. I was beyond embarrassed. After the session, I went home and started practicing with a click and worked to become disciplined. It’s so important to use a click especially if you’re a drummer.
I got humbled SOOOOO bad too. I had been playing for my childhood church for like 10 years and was killing it without it. Then I moved to a different church that's much bigger and had more professional musicians surrounding you, and they use the playback click, something I wasn't used to or had ever used in my 10 years playing. Well, from day one I was HUMBLED. different ball game
I totally felt that! I was humbled by a click too for a Youth Conference for our chruch organization. Three day conference, only made it one day and then I pulled out. I wasn’t ready or prepared. But since then definitely been getting all the knowledge I can get!
BRO!!!😏 if some of these drummers really understood how important this lesson really is. And to all of my drummers out there, everyone had to start from "somewhere" that has gotten good on the drums. They wasn't born knowing how to play with a click etc lol, therefore practice really does makes perfect. This is gold Mr Rob, you're truly awesome in what you do my brother!🙂
This lesson is SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT!! IT WORKS!! Maybe it just instilled in me the confidence to say "This drum sounds great!" My Gretsch 18" kick sound better than it ever has though, for SURE. I have a hole in it, and it aways sounded great mic'd, but now it sounds perfect, without mic'ing. Tuned low, no more Vic Firth pillow. Toms how have very natural resonance, not flat and dead like two weeks ago, at the last gig.
I absolutely love the way you teach. You instill confidence and break things down into easy to understand pieces - critical to being an excellent teacher and communicator!
Bringing the concept of confidence when it comes to playing to the click is EXTREMELY relevant. I always felt it’s more complicated than a practical issue. There is something deeper about this, the click could somehow be experienced like being deprived of your main role in a band or an orchestra. It’s like an unreachable horizon that will always be better at keeping time than you. It can make you feel that when it appears, it becomes in charge and takes the rhythmic lead above all the instruments including you, one of its subproducts. The way you consider the metronome plays an essential part. It drove me crazy so many times, at some point I became scared of recording my drums and only anticipated failure, listening back only to catch all the small flaws instead of how it looks like from above. The point being: the metronome will improve you and make you better on one essential aspect of your art, BUT in itself it’s pointless, it will never make music, and you should see it as a wave that you want to move along with, not as separate dots that individually remind you how not straight you are (and always will be). Great job!
I've only been learning the drums for about 5 months now. I've just been practicing beats and some fills. The other day I thought I'd try to play my first full song. After I learned the song and started playing I quickly realized my timing is terrible. I've hardly been practicing with a metronome. That will change now. I learned my lesson
One thing that help me to play to a click while playing a gig was to find a click pitch that didn't seem to blend into and be absorbed by what the other instruments were playing. Kind of like when you mix multi track and EQ so everything has it's own space. A lower pitch seems to work best for me. Then I just imagine the click is a procession player with really great time that I am interacting with.
What a wonderful and "put your mind at ease" way to show drummers how to use the click track and not be afraid of it. I tip my hat and I give you a hug as a drummer brother. In myh heyday in the 80s I got a lot of gigs by walking into a studio that I was called to and they didn't tell me who the artist was. They would ask me to go into the big room of Electric ladyland or the Record Plant and in the center of the room would be an electronic drum kit. The room is pretty dark I would put on my headphones and it would start begin different time patterns through the cans. Then the guy running the audition would say okay play a straight beat in 2/4. Then I would do that and they would either speed up the click track or they would ask me to go around the kit in time. If I could do it then they would complicate the time. or ask me to switch to a funk groove play some Clydie Stubblefield to The click track. Then we might speed it up really fast to 160 and asked me to play Disco beat or punk beat. On one occasion I did just that and the lights go on and Billy Idol walks out of the control room and he wants me to be his drummer. I got a bunch of gigs like that and when you get a reputation for being able to play to a click, and then learn how to play ahead of it and behind it, then when you're on stage your time is automatically better because those subdivisions are always with you. Wonderful way to introduce drummers to a click track. Using the click and learning how to read will triple or quadruple the number of gigs you will get. what a user-friendly video thank you Rob
I've been playing drums for 20 years now and been playing with clicks for about 5 years now and I'm still not comfortable even though I have to play with a click track every Sunday lol great video
I’m so intimidated by the click track. I just found this video and will do this exercise for the next couple of weeks. Thanks so much for breaking it down so easily!
Getting ready to audition for a local cover band in about a month, and I'm pretty sure they play to a click track live which is something I'm not comfortable with. Gonna start practicing this!
You never know how important this lesson is until you play with a group of talented people who don’t understand the click. Love my band mates but I really need to be on my game or tempo is shot to heck. As a drummer I have one job. Keep time.
Thanks rob , ive always been a little afraid of the click but it ain’t that tuff if you get locked in and mess it up a bit. Great playing and some fab chops nice one thanks man 👍🥁
Thanks so much for this, i was humbled yesterday with the worship team at church. Now working on myself and building confidence. I have practiced with a metronome, but haven't played live with a click. Never played live with a click, and i wasn't even practicing with a metronome, so the click threw me off.
Not only are you a great player Rob, but you're a natural at laying things out in a manner that's approachable and sensible. Every time I watch one of your videos, I learn something, and I've been playing for quite a while. If it's something I know or can do...it doesn't matter, because you bring a new and fresh perspective. All the best to you!!
Nice! Nice! Nice! Good work. Enjoyable & educational as always. I have a very similar exercise where I start really slow at say, 60bpm with one hit per click, then two, then three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine & ten hits. Then back down. Then repeat faster. Haven't figured out eleven hits yet but it will come! As an added bonus, it also helps smooth out those singles strokes.
You know I'm usually enraged to get a notification for some video i don't care about - but not for your vids sir. Have been learning for about a year, your vids have been a big help.
"... It's just highlighting one of the subdivisions I already hear...." so insightful... I hear them, but they're a little messy in my head... Getting there though... Thanks man... This is awesome
Love this! Been playing in a band with programmed synths for years, and my only “click” has always been a pulse or some other marker that already exists in the main audio. This is an excellent way to keep track of the tempo while freeing up headspace. 🤘
I came up with a nice way to practice mental time while not having access to your drumset. When I am listening to songs, I start to imagine the click and just count different clicks (e.g. different subdivisions) with the songs. This can be done by counting out loud, or by just imagening the click.
Took me a WHILE to figure out what you did at 0:44 but I got it on tab. 😏 That one will take LONG before it sinks in 😆!! Triplets played as if they were 8th notes, ARE YOU MAD? Thanks for making me want to pick up my sticks as always!! :D
Gotta try this immediately. I'm currently working towards my first gig in years and haven't played to a click in all that time. Makes me a little nervous, tbh. Love your videos, man!
More great exercises, thanks! I kinda got hooked on playing with a click while touring around with a hip-hop/electronic band. It just made more sense, and some of the keyboardist's delay effects were much nicer if I was at a precise tempo, for obvious reasons. Honestly I now have trouble feeling comfortable without it with a kinda theatrical comedy rock thing I'm doing now- a pretty analog situation. I'm working on it, counting and practicing more without one so hopefully I can get cozy soon.
Gosh, I’ve been playing for 24 months; I cannot play WITHOUT a click (metronome) bc my tempo fluctuates too much on my own (6-8 bpm). The click keeps me steady and within 1-2 bpm of the target click.
Hah! This used to be my warm-up routine, sans the click but with quarter note pulse between feet on kick and hihat. Never thought of using this to practice click-tightness, gotta give it a go!
I would recommend to go the circle also down, because it feels more difficult to slow down than to accelerate ........ at your intro playing I liked the beginning the most when the click was like dotted eighths, sounded great! Never tried this before........
Great exercise! As others have mentioned I would also add to the grid the very hip 5 beats per quarter note (after the 16th notes and before 16th note triplets.) Billy Cobham's "Stratus" starts with him doing a roll with 5 to the quarter note, killer! There's also 7 beats to the quarter note as a possibility if you like the challenge. It's good brain food, some players choose to use them or it could happen spontaneously if it's in your vocabulary. It definitely helps one get more comfortable with odd times.
I remember being very humbled by a click once. I was brought in to play in a studio session for a jazz/funk group. It was a full band live recording with a huge horn section. Really good music. Before this I never really played with a click much other than private practice, but wasn’t very disciplined. When the music started, I started out ok, but as soon as I went for a fill, I was way off time. The band stopped 4 times, and was kind of annoyed with me. Luckily the conductor was really patient and very encouraging. I was beyond embarrassed. After the session, I went home and started practicing with a click and worked to become disciplined. It’s so important to use a click especially if you’re a drummer.
thanks for sharing. i need that reminder
Same here mate.. just got declined from a church band
I got humbled SOOOOO bad too. I had been playing for my childhood church for like 10 years and was killing it without it. Then I moved to a different church that's much bigger and had more professional musicians surrounding you, and they use the playback click, something I wasn't used to or had ever used in my 10 years playing. Well, from day one I was HUMBLED. different ball game
I totally felt that! I was humbled by a click too for a Youth Conference for our chruch organization. Three day conference, only made it one day and then I pulled out. I wasn’t ready or prepared. But since then definitely been getting all the knowledge I can get!
@@calebgatica8285u and me both dude…
BRO!!!😏 if some of these drummers really understood how important this lesson really is. And to all of my drummers out there, everyone had to start from "somewhere" that has gotten good on the drums. They wasn't born knowing how to play with a click etc lol, therefore practice really does makes perfect. This is gold Mr Rob, you're truly awesome in what you do my brother!🙂
Thanks much 🙂✌🏽
@@RobBeatdownBrown You're welcome bro, & thank you!!
This lesson is SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT!! IT WORKS!! Maybe it just instilled in me the confidence to say "This drum sounds great!" My Gretsch 18" kick sound better than it ever has though, for SURE. I have a hole in it, and it aways sounded great mic'd, but now it sounds perfect, without mic'ing. Tuned low, no more Vic Firth pillow. Toms how have very natural resonance, not flat and dead like two weeks ago, at the last gig.
You break things down in such a simple and clear way that it instills confidence before the exercise has even begun!
Twoof...!
Yeah, like tuning drums! What a revolution that was for me, after 40 some years of trying to tune drums.
@@petevredenburgh8899 right?!
I absolutely love the way you teach. You instill confidence and break things down into easy to understand pieces - critical to being an excellent teacher and communicator!
Bringing the concept of confidence when it comes to playing to the click is EXTREMELY relevant.
I always felt it’s more complicated than a practical issue. There is something deeper about this, the click could somehow be experienced like being deprived of your main role in a band or an orchestra. It’s like an unreachable horizon that will always be better at keeping time than you. It can make you feel that when it appears, it becomes in charge and takes the rhythmic lead above all the instruments including you, one of its subproducts.
The way you consider the metronome plays an essential part. It drove me crazy so many times, at some point I became scared of recording my drums and only anticipated failure, listening back only to catch all the small flaws instead of how it looks like from above.
The point being: the metronome will improve you and make you better on one essential aspect of your art, BUT in itself it’s pointless, it will never make music, and you should see it as a wave that you want to move along with, not as separate dots that individually remind you how not straight you are (and always will be).
Great job!
This comment really changed me, thank you.
Hi Rob,I think this is just what I needed thanks😊 to maybe see the “GRID”one day !🥳
I've only been learning the drums for about 5 months now. I've just been practicing beats and some fills. The other day I thought I'd try to play my first full song. After I learned the song and started playing I quickly realized my timing is terrible. I've hardly been practicing with a metronome. That will change now. I learned my lesson
Broken down to simple form so even a luddite like me can figure it out. You're the man.
One thing that help me to play to a click while playing a gig was to find a click pitch that didn't seem to blend into and be absorbed by what the other instruments were playing. Kind of like when you mix multi track and EQ so everything has it's own space. A lower pitch seems to work best for me. Then I just imagine the click is a procession player with really great time that I am interacting with.
That intro was a clinic. I want to live in 16 th triplet
What a wonderful and "put your mind at ease" way to show drummers how to use the click track and not be afraid of it. I tip my hat and I give you a hug as a drummer brother. In myh heyday in the 80s I got a lot of gigs by walking into a studio that I was called to and they didn't tell me who the artist was. They would ask me to go into the big room of Electric ladyland or the Record Plant and in the center of the room would be an electronic drum kit. The room is pretty dark I would put on my headphones and it would start begin different time patterns through the cans. Then the guy running the audition would say okay play a straight beat in 2/4. Then I would do that and they would either speed up the click track or they would ask me to go around the kit in time. If I could do it then they would complicate the time. or ask me to switch to a funk groove play some Clydie Stubblefield to The click track. Then we might speed it up really fast to 160 and asked me to play Disco beat or punk beat. On one occasion I did just that and the lights go on and Billy Idol walks out of the control room and he wants me to be his drummer. I got a bunch of gigs like that and when you get a reputation for being able to play to a click, and then learn how to play ahead of it and behind it, then when you're on stage your time is automatically better because those subdivisions are always with you. Wonderful way to introduce drummers to a click track. Using the click and learning how to read will triple or quadruple the number of gigs you will get. what a user-friendly video thank you Rob
I am all over RUclips watching drumming instruction vids.... I keep coming back to yours..... they are simply the best. Great job Rob !!!
I've been playing drums for 20 years now and been playing with clicks for about 5 years now and I'm still not comfortable even though I have to play with a click track every Sunday lol great video
You and me both bro
Your confidence with the click is inspiring!
I’m so intimidated by the click track. I just found this video and will do this exercise for the next couple of weeks.
Thanks so much for breaking it down so easily!
Bro, you are a monster!!! 👍👍💪🔥
What? You make it seem totally effortless.
This is an ingenious exercise.
I'm a guitar player but will definitely be trying this technique.
Getting ready to audition for a local cover band in about a month, and I'm pretty sure they play to a click track live which is something I'm not comfortable with. Gonna start practicing this!
How did that go
You never know how important this lesson is until you play with a group of talented people who don’t understand the click. Love my band mates but I really need to be on my game or tempo is shot to heck.
As a drummer I have one job. Keep time.
I’m happy I have no struggle playing with the metronome but duuude !!! You’re one hell of an educator 👍🏾
Thanks rob , ive always been a little afraid of the click but it ain’t that tuff if you get locked in and mess it up a bit.
Great playing and some fab chops nice one thanks man 👍🥁
thats great man, wish i could play drums, always wanted to play drum past 50 years
Thanks so much for this, i was humbled yesterday with the worship team at church. Now working on myself and building confidence. I have practiced with a metronome, but haven't played live with a click. Never played live with a click, and i wasn't even practicing with a metronome, so the click threw me off.
Great lesson helped me alot yesterday on a recording session. I was able to nail it down thanks
Not only are you a great player Rob, but you're a natural at laying things out in a manner that's approachable and sensible. Every time I watch one of your videos, I learn something, and I've been playing for quite a while. If it's something I know or can do...it doesn't matter, because you bring a new and fresh perspective. All the best to you!!
Been using a Tama Rhythm watch for a number of years now in the live environment. It made me an Ok drummer to a drummer people want to hire. :)
for a beginner like myself, this exercise has benefits far beyond just staying with a click....thanks again
Good advice. The tempo definitely feels different depending on what you’re playing. When you stop it can seem to be faster. Very interesting.
It’s fun to get up to 32nd notes then drop back down the subdivisions to quarters again.
My favorite lesson yet! A lot of ground covered here. Thanks, Rob!
The best timing excercise ever
Being struggling with my drummer on click tracks ,im sure he will improve after watching this video
Great for feet workout as well .. feel the struggle.......thanks Rob!!!!!!
Nice! Nice! Nice! Good work. Enjoyable & educational as always.
I have a very similar exercise where I start really slow at say, 60bpm with one hit per click, then two, then three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine & ten hits. Then back down. Then repeat faster. Haven't figured out eleven hits yet but it will come! As an added bonus, it also helps smooth out those singles strokes.
This was a huge help. Thank you!!
I've always played my subdivisions up then down with the metronome.
You know I'm usually enraged to get a notification for some video i don't care about - but not for your vids sir.
Have been learning for about a year, your vids have been a big help.
Thank you Rob. How did you know I needed this?
"Train the brain." great advice.
Like just watching how relaxed you play
"... It's just highlighting one of the subdivisions I already hear...." so insightful... I hear them, but they're a little messy in my head... Getting there though... Thanks man... This is awesome
Love this! Been playing in a band with programmed synths for years, and my only “click” has always been a pulse or some other marker that already exists in the main audio. This is an excellent way to keep track of the tempo while freeing up headspace. 🤘
2:20 Wait... thats illegal
it's "I'm Tweaked" by Vinnie Colaiuta :-) (basically)
I had those same monitors about 20 years ago. I really miss them.
You have right! I like this exercise.
Also wanted to note how good your video's look! The quality, the editing, the visuals, superb!
Thanks! 🙂🎥🎞
Thanks, Rob!
Killer good exercise. I've been playing for over 50 years, but still a good one. Thanks.
This is an excellent exercise I need to re-visit! Thanks for the reminder.
Wow!! There's a reason why drummers are called time keepers and Rob has some serious time chops.
very use full ,mental thing .get it in your head first .now easy . thanks
I came up with a nice way to practice mental time while not having access to your drumset. When I am listening to songs, I start to imagine the click and just count different clicks (e.g. different subdivisions) with the songs. This can be done by counting out loud, or by just imagening the click.
Thanks Rob. Awesome video again. Your videos are the only ones that make me feel like I’m jammin with my friend when I watch and play along.👍🏻
Rob videos... Like before pressing the play button, always!!!!
Thanks, man 🙂👊🏽
Thanks man. I'll give this a try this weekend. Great lesson.
Love your lessons rob. Already paying huge dividends in my playing.
Took me a WHILE to figure out what you did at 0:44 but I got it on tab. 😏
That one will take LONG before it sinks in 😆!! Triplets played as if they were 8th notes, ARE YOU MAD?
Thanks for making me want to pick up my sticks as always!! :D
My brain just melted. Great video, Rob!
Thanks Rob ... now let's see if I can continue with this & dedicate myself to it ....
Thanks buddy, for your crystal clear explanation and demonstration on how to become a better drummer !
Once again you’ve helped me check a weakness off the list 🔥🙏🏼
Gotta try this immediately. I'm currently working towards my first gig in years and haven't played to a click in all that time. Makes me a little nervous, tbh. Love your videos, man!
This was the best video. This works for scratching... Appreciate sharing !
Great advice Rob! Im going to do that, forcing myself to play to click at all my gigs, great lesson! Thank you!!
Thanks Rob for making it plain and simple 👏
So simple, but super effective... another great vid Rob...
That intro play is freaking cool.
You are the Real Deal, Bro. Another awesome lesson. Thanks!...
I need to learn this. I will try your exercise. Seems to make perfect sense. Wish me luck!
More great exercises, thanks!
I kinda got hooked on playing with a click while touring around with a hip-hop/electronic band. It just made more sense, and some of the keyboardist's delay effects were much nicer if I was at a precise tempo, for obvious reasons. Honestly I now have trouble feeling comfortable without it with a kinda theatrical comedy rock thing I'm doing now- a pretty analog situation. I'm working on it, counting and practicing more without one so hopefully I can get cozy soon.
Very nice! Thanks, again! 😁🥁
Right on thank you
Great lesson. You make it look easy.👏
Super awesome bro. Gonna be sending this to the drummers who play at our church!
Man that is so brilliant cut and dried simple to the point I love it man thank you so much I needed to hear that
Nicely done Rob.
Gosh, I’ve been playing for 24 months; I cannot play WITHOUT a click (metronome) bc my tempo fluctuates too much on my own (6-8 bpm).
The click keeps me steady and within 1-2 bpm of the target click.
Very Helpful video
Thank you .
Respect always!
Excellent and it makes all the sense in the world. Thanks for taking the time.
Great way to teach this stuff. thank you
Great Drill! I’m going to try that tomorrow after my Pad Rudiment drills Thanks a bunch🤘🏻🥁👍🏻
1:10 you see in his face he knows he's about to hit us with something slick 🤩
Great video I'm sure almost every drummer has been humbled by a click before
Amazing I’ve been watching this in a loop
Great exercise Rob. I'll do it! Thanks
I think the real lesson here is how to master the turtle neck! ;) Great lesson as always R!
Just joined your channel about a week ago you are a great teacher keep it going please .thanks
You. Are. A. Freaking. Beast.
Incredible
Hah! This used to be my warm-up routine, sans the click but with quarter note pulse between feet on kick and hihat. Never thought of using this to practice click-tightness, gotta give it a go!
Thanks Rob. I'm going to record with my band with a click and this helps me a lot. It's also so much fun to watch you. Keep going. 🙏
Excellent video. You are a gifted teacher, Rob. Keep up the great work!
Thank You Rob!!! Ur the man!!!!!
First class video Rob this will help me in my pursuit of accurate time on the kit thank you bro
I would recommend to go the circle also down, because it feels more difficult to slow down than to accelerate ........ at your intro playing I liked the beginning the most when the click was like dotted eighths, sounded great! Never tried this before........
I only started playing a few weeks ago, but this is pure gold even for beginners like me. Thanks!
Learn this stuff now and you’ll never forget it 💯
Great jewels of information.
Thank you Rob!!! I always learn something new from you. And I am grateful for that. 🤘🏼
Love those shuffles.
Great exercise! As others have mentioned I would also add to the grid the very hip 5 beats per quarter note (after the 16th notes and before 16th note triplets.) Billy Cobham's "Stratus" starts with him doing a roll with 5 to the quarter note, killer! There's also 7 beats to the quarter note as a possibility if you like the challenge. It's good brain food, some players choose to use them or it could happen spontaneously if it's in your vocabulary. It definitely helps one get more comfortable with odd times.
KILLAH lesson bruv!!😎👍🏾 Thank you!!!🙏🏾
Great video and the click exercise becomes a very good practice tool for keeping good time. Thanks.
Thank you, Rob !