In this new episode, we uncover one of the most creative and impressive drum parts ever recorded. “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin, from the album In Through the Out Door (1979), is a tune embracing rock and samba with a solid rhythm section and a captivating arrangement, resulting in a timeless hit. The John Bonham drum part features one of the most famous half-time shuffle grooves, paying tribute to the pioneer of this rhythm, Bernard Purdie. Bonham’s innovative approach to “Fool in the Rain” showcases his unmatched drumming style, continuing to inspire drummers across generations. This ar ..read more

Few drummers can influence entire generations and mark a new era of drumming. One of these is Mike Portnoy, whose remarkable work with Dream Theater redefined progressive metal. Considered by fans and critics as the band’s masterpiece, Images and Words was released in 1992 becoming the band’s most commercially successful studio album. In this article, we explore the Mike Portnoy drum part on the famous song “Pull Me Under” analyzing the main grooves and fills in depth, including the complete drum transcription. Drum Grooves and Fills In the first section, Portnoy plays a tom groove, adding ..read more

We close the year with an absolute top-notch transcription, something I worked on for a long time, and now I’m finally happy to share it with you. Today, we explore the Gavin Harrison drum part on “Harridan” by Porcupine Tree from the album Closure/Continuation (2022). Gavin Harrison’s work is impressive for its ability to adapt to different musical textures and time signatures, navigating through complex rhythms, electronic experimentalism, marvelous guitar riffs, and sensitive chord changes. This article examines the song’s main grooves, introducing the complete drum transcrip ..read more

Josh Freese, better known in recent months for joining Foo Fighters, is one of the most prolific and versatile drummers. He has appeared on over 400 records; in case you missed it, I extensively discussed Josh Freese’s career in a previous article. Today, we explore the drum part of “Judith” by A Perfect Circle from the album Mer de Noms (2000), one of Freese’s most iconic recordings. His drumming on the song is irresistible and top-notch, with a great reference to John Bonham’s drum sound, resulting in one of the most memorable rock drum parts ever recorded. This article examines the song’s m ..read more

We moved from jazz to classic rock, soul/funk, Latin, and Brazilian music; this time I’ll talk about something different. Well-known as the drummer of Blink 182 and a music business star, Travis Barker is one of the most influential musicians on the Rock scene today, who inspired a whole generation of drummers. His hyperactive and energetic drumming can be heard on many American music hits, moving from punk-rock to hip-hop and alternative rock with a great attitude. He collaborated, performed, and recorded with artists such as Yelawolf, Avril Lavigne, Goldfinger, and Machine Gun Kelly, among o ..read more

In my latest article, I discussed Bernard Purdie’s drumming on “Babylon Sisters” by Steely Dan, analyzing his playing and presenting the complete drum transcription. Today I want to share a collection of 10 legendary Bernard Purdie grooves, performed and recorded between 1967 and 1995, with artists such as Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Joe Cocker, and others. These are some of the most remarkable Purdie grooves, including the legendary drum beat on “Memphis Soul Stew” by King Curtis, the unstoppable funky groove on “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin, the timeless Purdie Shuffle on “H ..read more

With a career spanning over six decades, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie is widely renowned as the most recorded drummer of all time and the creator of the half-time shuffle groove. He has played on countless hit records (totaling over 5,000 records) of some of the biggest names in music, including Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, B. B. King, James Brown, and Steely Dan, to name a few. His incredible feel inspired John Bonham on “Fool in the Rain” and the late Jeff Porcaro created a compromise between John Bonham and Bernard Purdie’s groove with the legendary Rosanna Shuffle. In this article ..read more

“Africa” is one of Toto’s most recognizable songs, a timeless classic. Originally released on their 1982 album Toto IV, the drum performance on this track is a perfect example of Jeff Porcaro’s signature sound, showcasing his versatility and musicality as a drummer. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at this iconic drum part and provide a complete drum transcription to study and analyze. We’ll also discuss some of the main elements of Porcaro’s style, providing tips and insights on how to get as close as possible to his drumming style. Playing Jeff Porcaro’s drum part on “Africa” by To ..read more

In our daily practice routine, we should dedicate time to listening, studying, and playing the grooves and fills that marked the history of the drum set. That’s an essential part to improve our drumming. “Lenore” by Chick Corea, from the album The Leprechaun (1976), is one of the most iconic and creative Steve Gadd drum recordings. In the A section, Steve plays a funk-samba linear groove with an open approach to the drum set. The first backbeat is anticipated of one 16th note, giving the groove a funk feel. That’s a key element of a funk-samba drum beat. The bass drum, floor tom, and hi-hat pa ..read more

It’s time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of the most iconic albums in music history. Thriller by Michael Jackson is the biggest-selling album of all time, with more than 100 million copies sold. The album was released on November 30, 1982, for Epic Records, and produced by the legendary Quincy Jones with the collaboration of renowned musicians such as Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen, and Steve Lukather, to name a few. Seven of the nine songs included were released as singles in this chronological order: “The Girl Is Mine”, “Billie Jean”, “Beat It”, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”, “Hum ..read more