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50 ways to leave your lover

So, decades ago a bunch of drummer friends and me — well before the interweb — struggled to figure out this classic drum riff and none of us got close.  Years later I saw a local band play it and I knew right away the drummer had no idea what he was doing and was just mailing it in and it pissed me off because it’s such an integral part of the song.  Right after the “performance” I went home determined to learn how to do it right.  After consulting the Google machine I learned how to do it — it’s not all that hard but it ain’t easy, and the amazing thing is that Gadd even came up with this and how it ultimately ended up defining the song.  The drummers out there will especially appreciate this I think, and I challenge you to learn it because it’s pretty rewarding to be able to play.

https://youtu.be/Ou70vvjE8k4?si=2yfPiHB4Oems22-C

soix

Showing 1 response by stager

stager
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What passes for dazzling technique in rock is no big deal for a competent jazz drummer. The way rock drummers hold their sticks limits the precision and speed with which they play. Loud, louder, and loudest. "50 Ways" was not that sort of tune, but required a little more finesse. That's a dirty word in rock music.

Here is a clip of Jo Jones, legendary jazz drummer, playing both fast and loud.
Notice at :58 where he changes to a closed left hand to get power, then back to open hand at 1:34.
This is a master at work.

 

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