The Secret That All Pro Drummers Know (Here's what you should be practicing)

Рет қаралды 24,678

Күн бұрын

As a drummer, nothing is more important than consistency when it comes to playing a reliable and solid feeling groove in a band setting, whether on stage or in the studio. But here's the truth: consistency is not something you're born with. It's a skill that can be learned.
In this video, I'm going to reveal the secrets that will help you play with the same precision and intentionality as your drumming heroes like Steve Jordan, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Jeff Porcaro.
You can practice what I show you in this video and see amazing improvements in your grooves, fills, and pocket TODAY! Get ready to take your drumming to new heights with these game-changing tips!
DOWNLOAD THE EXERCISES:
brianstephens.com/lineup.pdf
**If you dig this lesson with Brian and want to learn more, go to www.DrumCorner.net. There you will find video lessons, drum-less play-along tracks, and much more!
REMEMBER TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE! My goal for April 2023 is get get 1,000 subs and you can help me reach that goal! Click SUBSCRIBE, smash that LIKE button, and share this video will a drummer buddy NOW!

Пікірлер: 98

@newellcanfield5197 10 ай бұрын

This is a must video for drummers who actually play with other musicians - somewhat of a novelty these days! Pearls of drum wisdom from a veteran drummer who has the “lived experience” and ability to articulate and demonstrate how to groove a band into next week! It’s all about the importance of “pocket.”

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much, Newell!! Can’t wait to show you the sequel to this video!! STAY TUNED!!

@fernandomartincom 3 ай бұрын

Totally agree Newell! 👏🏼💯🥁 This is the kind of videos that REALLY help develop as a serious and professional drummer!

@jazz4asahel Жыл бұрын

Well that makes a difference. Good thing I found this.Thank you Brian!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!! Thanks for watching. Just wait until you see the next video (that I’m working on right now) There are a bunch of other lessons here on my channel. (Check out the channel playlist that features most of them)

@BOCCHIERIJOSE 10 ай бұрын

What a lesson, thnx so much for this, really enjoyed it and practicing it

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching, for replying, and for *practicing*!! 🤜🏻🤛🏻 There’s a bunch more here on this channel. Just hit that Drum Lessons playlist and have fun! (Tons more coming too, including a “Part Two” to this one)

@joc8 10 ай бұрын

Great lesson, well explained, and demonstrated... thank you so much!!!

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for taking a moment to reply, Joanne! There’s a bunch more lessons on the channel for you and several new ones coming soon!

@adityatyagi4009 11 ай бұрын

Super stuff! It is focused attention to all these small details which separates the pros from the rest of the pack. Well done.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

Exactly! Glad you get it! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to leave a note. 🤘🏼🤘🏼

@chrismallios1621 10 ай бұрын

I am very pleased, at the way this video was presented. Straight to the point and stripped down to the bare bone essentials. All allowing and guiding the most important pulse, to happen naturally in harmony, with the rest of the band. I really needed to have this clearly communicated and drilled in me. That was all possible with these exercises, along with the proper count simultaneously. I am going to be so much more confident and relaxed, now that I know what to be aware of and what to drill on. I am amazed at the amount of progress I was able to make, in such a short time frame. This is the missing link. I will use this instruction to develop a better time keeping tempo. Thanks so much for sharing this excellent advise.

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the thoughtful & thorough follow up. I’m really happy that this lesson made such a positive impact on your playing. The sequel is coming and it’s gonna be a super fun one to practice!! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

Жыл бұрын

Great lesson, wonderful example also for my Students, thanks for sharing !!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching and please do share this one with all your students (the next video I’m working on will be equally as valuable to them)

@jonashellborg8320 11 ай бұрын

Good stuff. This is my focus too, I will just emphasise this will take time, and you’re still developing this after years of practise.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

It's like I tell all of my students: Even after Michael Jordan had several champions rings and had set a ton of records, he still practiced jump shots, layups, and free throws every single day. There's always something to refine & improve about our "groove game". Thanks for watching and for taking the time to leave a reply!!!

@deadlydorock 10 ай бұрын

great content and helpful tips....whether pro or beginning. and nice lamps!

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching and for leaving such a wonderful comment! Plenty more stuff here on the channel if you dig that video and there’s plenty more coming soon! (And for $60 each, you can find those lamps on Amazon!)

@canadiandrummer Жыл бұрын

Wow man … I’ve been there, too. Great topic and lesson. Subscribed and liked!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Peter!!! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

@jerryhoran6036 11 ай бұрын

Just discovered your channel and this lesson is just what I needed. Thank you! Btw..video looks and sounds great! Already I can see you're someone that focuses on quality rather than quantity.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching Jerry!! Glad it came to you at just the right time. There’s a bunch more of this stuff already on the channel and tons more coming in the very near future!

@JJP1111 Жыл бұрын

New sub here. Thank you for sharing your time & knowledge. Best of luck getting to 1K subs!!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks for stopping by and watching the video! I hope it helps. (Got another one, kind of a Part 2 to this one, that just went live. Check it out! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hpN1i9eZksi-eY0.html )

@gudjongd 10 ай бұрын

Great course, lots of good ideas.

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! I appreciate you for watching and commenting. There’s much more to come!

@Miesterdrums 11 ай бұрын

Thanks very much for producing this content. All the topics you covered are exactly the type of things I’m trying hard to work on - to improve consistency, dynamics and feel. Wise words too regarding how you listen while you play with regards to yourself, click track but most importantly where you compliment other musicians.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

You’re very welcome. There’s other lessons like this already on the channel, and I’ll have many more videos in the weeks and months to come. Hit that Subscribe button and let’s talk about it all together! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

@Miesterdrums 11 ай бұрын

Awesome, thanks Brian. I’ve subscribed to your channel. Look forward to joining the discussion

@KH_32_ Жыл бұрын

Great Video!! Thank you!!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching. Should have another one up this week!

@user-di5vp9wo8r 8 ай бұрын

Even by the name of this video, I knew that it's gonna be about time. And I knew that I needed exactly that - as at the last gig I unfortunately started dragging as soon as the band lowered the dynamics... Thanks for all the advises!

@BrianStephensOfficial 8 ай бұрын

Glad I could serve up a reminder. Thanks for watching and I’m sure your band mates will appreciate the time & effort you are going to put into not dragging! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

@wayneglass9996 Жыл бұрын

Excellent work Brian!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks Wayne!!! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

@snarecat3441 Жыл бұрын

This is an awesome lesson.. brings me back to where I started. .. I think there are too many “ party tricks” on you tube. Fun ,but pointless for playing music with other musicians.. nice job cousin! Thank you ! 🥁😎

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Glad you dug it! And if you liked that one, the next lesson (that I’m working on now) is even better. That will be up in another few days. This sort of stuff is the “free throws and layups” kind of practice that most drummers completely forget to explore, especially if they have been playing for a long time. Thanks for watching and for hanging out with me here for a while! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

@RockyTop85 11 ай бұрын

I gotta kid that I’m trying to lay this exact same foundation with - awareness is so important

@joachimvogel586 14 күн бұрын

Make sence. Good Feeling this Guy!

@BrianStephensOfficial 14 күн бұрын

Thanks for hanging out & watching! (And for the comment!)

@soundjustlikeapro Жыл бұрын

Good stuff! Consistency is the key to almost anything. Sounds great!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!! I’m working with a band in pre-pro today to produce their next studio recording and this is the exact thing that we’re dialing in. The difference, once you hear it, is night and day!! (Thanks for watching!!)

@elitedrumlessons6174 11 ай бұрын

Great information and concepts!

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! There’s a bunch more here on the channel and tons more to come! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

@michaelfraters831 11 ай бұрын

This is a great lesson. Not flashy but the meat and potatoes (that most all of us ignore) which is actually what bandmates as well as (I assume the studios) are looking for. I’m in a band but they always love it when I’m in the pocket which even when I’m playing in time I may not be locked into that nice warm glove that is the pocket. This not only helps the band, make people listening, and the folks dancing smile which no matter how cool your solo is( and I’m still working on that as well as well as a fan of those) 99 % of your night is supporting the band and the music. I can’t do that all of the time but I’ve finally learned this is what ultimately gets people dancing, tapping their foot, and get you hired.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! I hope this is a good reminder of what’s really important. Especially live, but even on a recording, getting the listener moving (even if it’s just a head bob) with a great feeling, consistent groove is our #1 job. That same consistency is what makes a band instantly sound like they’ve played together for 20 years.

@e.thomas7370 10 ай бұрын

EXACTLY............................................

@drummermike5150 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for the download! It's weird every time I sign up for a Patreon or something similar because my monkey brain was hooked by the next TikTok "awesome" linear fill I get a video like this in my feed basically telling me to slow down there rookie and work on the basics! The fill is cool and all but my original band needs me to keep a solid groove and they don't really care about a flashy fill. Subbed and look forward to more of these foundational concepts.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

Thanks Mike!! If I have to choose between playing linear fills all by myself all week long or playing grooves with/for other people, you know which one is the better choice, right?! 😉 Maybe next I’ll do a video on a cool linear fill that won’t get you fired. 😜 Tons more stuff already on the channel and a bunch more coming soon!! Enjoy!

@GOLDSMITHEXILE 11 ай бұрын

this is gold👍, thanks for sharing your experience and wisdom. Personally I think of a click track as a sort of trigger that externally relates to your (hopefully well developed) inner sence of timing. Sometimes I even forget its there?😆

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! If you’re forgetting it’s there, that’s a good first indicator that your clock is in sync with that clock. Keep it up and thanks for watching! 🤜🏻🤛🏻

@matthewgonano636 11 ай бұрын

I think just practicing basic grooves to a metronome and playing it as long as you can without straying and getting distracted and being disciplined is insanely hard for drummers. Probably 98 percent of players I see overplay and do not have dynamics and just want to be flashy. I am constantly chosen for main drummer most places I go because I do not stray away from the most important things. Groove. Steve gadd said it best. Fills bring the thrills but grooves pay the bills .. you would be amazed how many drummers don't practice to a metronome.

@thebeardedkozak 11 ай бұрын

Preach!

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

I've recently polled many of my students to ask them why they play what they play as they're playing with their bands. Many said they get "bored" with playing only what's needed for each song. So, instead of playing in service of the music, they're playing for their own personal amusement (a topic for a whole other video, I'm sure). I sat 30 feet away from Atlanta's most recorded drummer, Scott Meeder, last night and watched him play only exactly what was needed. He had a room full of drummers there and he didn't ever take any opportunity to "show out" for us. It was a masterclass in playing exactly what was needed in the moment for the music and those musicians he was playing with on stage.

@thebeardedkozak 11 ай бұрын

@@BrianStephensOfficial as another local, Lil John Roberts, puts it: Feels Over Fills.

@thebeardedkozak 11 ай бұрын

I think also, with today's fast access to everything and such low attention span... between TikTok and shorts especially, a lot of people are looking for all of the flash and excitement. So many tik tok/ KZfaq drummers that are viral right now are either playing as many notes as they can or turning it into a spectacle. So I could see why the younger guys almost feel like they HAVE to show off to be "relevant". But then you look at the music that remains "classic" and popular year after year and generation after generation, and it's the stuff that had feel, soul, purpose. Depth. I hope there's only a matter of time before people recognize that and go back to the beauty of making music. Not just a circus trick. I'll admit I'm guilty of trying to "impress" on some of my videos. But there's a time and place for that stuff.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

One of the best ways to stand out, if you’re under 35 (in my opinion), is to not get caught up on that social media hamster wheel. Total paper tiger from a marketing standpoint and what it does to your dopamine reward system takes a long time to undo (again, another topic for another video).

@willmonson7730 Жыл бұрын

Excellent!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!!

@GeraldoMueller Жыл бұрын

Danke schön!!! Gratuliert!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

You’re welcome. Thanks for watching!

@jeppo1185 Жыл бұрын

Try it when you are in a long turning lane with the blinker going. you can work through lots😁 The blinker is a great metronome.

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

You too?! I thought I was the only one! 🤜🏻🤛🏻 #BlinkerPractice 🤣😂

@jeppo1185 Жыл бұрын

@@BrianStephensOfficial it's addictive 😂

@JulianFernandez Жыл бұрын

thanks!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!

@thebeardedkozak 11 ай бұрын

A fellow ATLien! Great lesson, man. Too often drummers skip the basics and go for the fireworks. You can't have an excellent fireworks show if the show doesn't have a foundation and details ironed out.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

Yes! And it's not something that you ever really stop working on. Michael Jordan never stopped practicing free throws, layups, and jump shots even after all of those championships. There's always room for improvement.

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

We just did a big ATL Drummers hang last night at the Tin Roof. Many of the guys who showed up have been playing around this town and on the road for decades. You should come hang out at the next one and get in the mix! It's a small, tight knit circle of great people in this very big town!

@thebeardedkozak 11 ай бұрын

@@BrianStephensOfficial Absolutely! Will you let me know? Or is there a way to stay up to date on those events?

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

If you’ll swing over to FB and search for a group their called “Atlanta Drummers”, I’ll make sure it gets posted there the next time a meetup gets set. (It’s a pretty regular thing that when we meet to hang out, we do it on a Wednesday night because Mike Veal’s band is playing.) Their current drummer, Chris Burroughs, is absolutely amazing and a lot of us that hang have subbed that gig off and in through the years. (It’s kind of a rite of passage for working professional drummers in this town to run the “Mike Veal Band Gauntlet”)

@drummer360 Жыл бұрын

As a former music major, but really a drummer at heart, listening to everyone else and playing to them has always brought out the best drumming. The challenge is totally blocking everything else out of your mind and surroundings and immerse yourself into playing the song that you actually become the song because you bring the song to life.

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Directed focus (micro and macro). That’s exactly what I’m talking about in the video (I probably should have used that term, huh?) Block out distractions, cue into anything that helps with mentally drilling down into the song. Now, I also tell my students that there are times to ignore other musicians who are around you. For example, if you have a vocalist or instrumentalist who is constantly rushing, you have to learn how to ignore them (or direct your focus away from that person’s sound) so that you’re not pulled into the next beat to quickly as well.

@drummer360 Жыл бұрын

@@BrianStephensOfficial Yes, and there have been times when other musicians are rushing and that is why listening is so important for drummers to maintain composure and maintain the correct tempo if playing to a click or maintain your internal clock to pull everyone together.

@camshash Жыл бұрын

I was there too with the kick snare flam'ing, the producer took me in the control room and I heard it and immediately was like "shit". Took a while to really get the kick and snare to hit exactly on time. The thing with time aligning is that since theyre flam'ing, you cant fix that. You can maybe fix it with close mics, but the overheads will always have that flam in it.

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

So, when I’m talking about flamming, I definitely don’t mean the time differential between the close mics and the overheads or the kit mics and the room mics. That’s a physics thing. (Mics further away “hear” later) Pull up just your kick and snare close mics (or like I talk about in the video, use one mic either right behind your head or directly over the kit about a foot or two). In the case of the close mics, you should be able to get the kick and the snare mic hits to land at the same time on the track waveforms. For the one OH mic, you should only see one attack point in the waveform. The other part of this is consistency. Can you land them at the same time, beat after beat / measure after measure? If it’s in your muscle memory, you’ll get them to land exactly together 99.5% of the time (we’re all human right?! 🤔😉)

@camshash Жыл бұрын

@@BrianStephensOfficial Hi Brian, yes this is exactly what Im talking about, sorry if there was any confusion. What I was trying to say is that if you take just the Overhead mic, you cannot fix the flaming issue, the hits are happening at different times and you cannot edit them to hit at the same time, wheres with just close mics since theyre more isolated you can kinda fix the problem, but it's a mute point since surely there will be Overhead or rooms mics on the kit.

@pranjaldeka8063 10 ай бұрын

Hi Brian. In konnakol, the syllables are “Ta ka Di Mi “ not “Ba Ta ka ka”

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Oh, I know. I probably could have explained it better, but I was borrowing the idea of vocalizing rhythm from Konnakol but changing the syllables (mainly because I could say “Ba ka Ta ka” easier at faster tempos). I use the “Ta Ka Di Mi” syllables when first teaching this concept to my students. Young students, especially those from age 7-10 love this way of voicing rhythms. It often gets them smiling and giggling!

@pmac972 Жыл бұрын

Very good lesson. It’s like a golfer who goes to a range and bangs 300 yard drives all day while the GOOD player is working on three foot putts for hours.

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Exactly!! It’s that “short game” work that makes all the difference in the world in your end result.

@davidsage9966 10 ай бұрын

wow

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

I’m hoping that’s a good “wow”… can’t really tell how to reply. I hope you enjoyed the video and got something useful out of the lesson.

@BrotherSimon888 Жыл бұрын

I've been sloppy for over a decade. Just playing to a click didn't work for me. I only started hearing an improvement using a gap click. The benny greb app is a few bucks. Best investment every. Also try playing with the click as one of the subdivisions. I'm still working on this but I'm improving fasters. It's all about groove and this is the core necessity to drumming. Don't quit!

@BrianStephensOfficial Жыл бұрын

Don’t quit. That’s the best thing I’ve read all day!!

@BrotherSimon888 Жыл бұрын

@@BrianStephensOfficial I quit for about 10 years. But then I discovered one drop by Bob Marley when my dad was dying. I’m enjoying it finally. Hearing the pros made me think I was alone and hopeless. But I have always loved drums and it’s meant to be. I’m hopefully going to do a video when I’m tight to tell people how. I think it will help in all areas of life. I noticed I struggle to focus on a point for long so I’m trying that too. But yeah, don’t give up!

@teddyotube 10 ай бұрын

Weekend warriors? Never heard that term applied to drummers.

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Yep, not meant as a derogatory term at all, but often used to delineate drummers / musicians who spend the bulk of the week in activities other than music as their primary means of income. Of course, in a more literal sense, I’ve had students that only play on the weekends, never during the week. I had a student for several years who was a dentist Monday-Thursday, took the day off to spend with family on Fridays and then played drums most of the day, either by himself or with his band, in his basement on Saturdays and Sundays.

@harrysmart6236 10 ай бұрын

If you want to bring the community of drummers on board who are also fans of European / South American football (what some people wrongly call 'soccer') you could work with Tik I Tak A. Just saying. Not explaining.

@BrianStephensOfficial 10 ай бұрын

Go sportsball!! 👍🏻👍🏻🤣😂

@justinreynolds3935 11 ай бұрын

Every audition I got was due to not being the best player or the best gear etc. it was because I was easier to get along with and flexible. When you tour on a visa and live with people like a dysfunctional family the last thing they want is a butthole. Of course you have to play well but there are thousands of great players. Be a good human and be humble and get them gigs!!

@BrianStephensOfficial 11 ай бұрын

At a certain point, especially if the audition is a direct call (not cattle call), your reputation for being able to play well enough for the gig is what gets you in the room. Bring a great hang and a good person keeps you in the room.