Black Sabbath’s anthem features straightforward drumming with just three essential drum pieces: kick, snare and hi-hat. Beginners will find playing this tune incredibly rewarding.
Beginners can try opening up the hi-hats for additional sound.
You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me was The Kinks’ debut hit and has had an outsized influence on generations of musicians. The song pioneered the use of distorted guitar riffs in rock songs, helping shape Hard Rock and Heavy Metal music genres. Van Halen covered this track on their 1978 debut album; many fans consider their version the superior rendition. Meanwhile, The Kinks continued performing this song throughout their long career in various musical settings.
Ray Davies wrote his song after watching a woman dance in the crowd of a club in Piccadilly, London. In an interview held later that year, he stated that this woman reminded him of French singer Francoise Hardy and was wearing a dress with long sleeves reminiscent of French singer Francoise Hardy herself. Furthermore, Ray explained in 2016 that its lyrics were inspired by Tracey Davies who danced professionally during her early 60s years.
Mick Avory provides the drumming in You Really Got Me and was hired by The Kinks in 1964 to replace their previous drummer Micky Willet. Avory went on to feature prominently on most Kinks recordings up until their disbandment in 1976.
Avory is widely recognized for his contribution to The Kinks’ iconic sound during their golden era in the late 60s and early 70s, and as the pioneer of their distinctive “beatle drumming” style which became so prevalent during their later incarnations in the 80s.
Beginning their career on Pye Records proved challenging. Following two single releases that failed, which threatened label cancellation, You Really Got Me was recorded and proved transformative for both band and label alike.
Ray and Dave have revealed that the original recording of You Really Got Me was quite different from its released form. Ray claims that producer Shel Talmy overproduced it by adding too much echo, turning into an echo-y Phil Spector soundalike track. Meanwhile, in its released form the drum tracks were kept much simpler with less strain placed on vocalists’ voices.
Superstition
Superstition is the belief in irrational things that cannot be explained rationally, such as carrying a rabbit’s foot for good luck or viewing Friday the 13th as unlucky day. Superstitions also encompass objects or places considered cursed – for instance Annabelle from The Conjuring movies or those who disturb an Ancient Egyptian mummy are known to fall prey to superstitions that affect them negatively.
Superstitious beliefs often have an irrational appearance; however, their basis often can be found somewhere in reality. For instance, some may use superstitions as a form of comfort during periods of anxiety related to unknown outcomes such as economic crises or war. We see superstitious behavior increase during periods of high stress or uncertainty such as economic crises and war.
Wonder’s song has stood the test of time and remains a favorite choice among drummers of all abilities. Its captivating intro is easily digestible while its three key instruments – drums, Hohner Clavinet and Moog bass – contribute to creating its infectious groove.
Once the beat kicks in, Wonder’s effortless vocal delivery elevates its charm. He sings short phrases while letting keyboard riff fill in between each word for a relaxed yet confident atmosphere that encourages listeners to get lost in music.
The chorus is another standout element, featuring a melodious bass riff and singable lyrics that convey faith and belief to most listeners.
As you play Superstition on the drums, you must place great importance on maintaining a steady rhythm and beat. Accurate timing will help your song sound professional and ensure it stands out among other tracks on your album. A metronome is an effective way to train yourself in this area and get more from each practice session.
Last Nite
No matter if you are an expert drummer or just beginning, starting slowly and progressing gradually is key to enjoying playing drums as an activity. Not only will drumming get your adrenaline going but it can be therapeutic too – letting out frustration or anger through playback or rhythm is incredibly therapeutic and simply fun – while drumming is primal and exciting in its own right!
Beginner drummers may find it challenging to select songs which are simple enough for them to learn quickly, yet still include rhythms and fills that are accessible and fun. Popular examples that work well include Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, Jump by Van Halen or Fool In The Rain by Led Zeppelin – each offering something distinct!
Last Nite by The Strokes is another excellent song to learn on drums for beginners. This rock classic helped launch The Strokes into success and has since become an indie icon. Fabrizio Moretti provided drum parts that shouldn’t be too difficult for beginner drummers. Both bass drum and snare drum parts should be simple; the hi-hat cymbal may prove more challenging.
Hi-hat cymbal playing is an essential skill for any drummer to possess. As part of many drum beats, it requires great hand coordination to master it properly. At first it may seem complex; take your time learning the basic rhythm before adding on more complex beats.
Highway To Hell by AC/DC is an excellent song to start playing for beginners, instantly recognisable by anyone who has heard it. The drum groove is straightforward with mostly bass drum and snare drum combination as well as some basic fills on beats 1 and 3, with the bass drum moving on beats 1 and 3, and snare drum playing beats 2 and 4.
Come As You Are
Come As You Are’s lively backbeat and straightforward drum parts make it an excellent song for beginner drummers to learn. Beginners should begin by following the four on the floor bass drum pattern and snare backbeat, gradually adding in their own fills as they improve. Come As You Are is also an ideal song to practice dynamics – how soft or loud your playing volume changes between verses and choruses – as it forces drummers to vary their volume as verses change into choruses. More advanced students may wish to challenge themselves with its big hi-hat part; just remember to slow it down to an acceptable tempo level so as not to risk too much.
Lock in with the bass guitar and bass drum on beats one and four for this song to work effectively, as there’s a key snare hit during pre-chorus that should be lightly played so as not to interrupt the groove for guitar solo. There may also be additional hits during second chorus that may be difficult for beginner drummers to hear; just focus on keeping your place and you should do fine!
One of the key challenges in playing this song is its tempo – which at approximately 140 beats per minute may be too fast for beginning drummers. To counteract this difficulty, one should slowly increase tempo until reaching desired rhythm tempo for song. Newcomers should focus on counting while simultaneously playing at same time to help stay in sync with band.
Drumeo provides video drum lessons that dissect an entire song – from its bass drum ‘pickup’ part to the full song itself – making learning to play like Dave Grohl easier than ever before! Our lessons come both as video lessons and sheet music formats so if you want to accelerate and optimize your learning of drumming quickly and efficiently then join Drumeo today and sign up as a member!