Uploaded July 2008 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Well, what can I say about this beautiful drumming by Steve Gadd that has not been said before? This probably represents one of only a very few drum parts that is instantly recognizable to Joe-I'm not a musician-Public (the other being the Phil Collins massive In The Air Tonite fill!).
Like many people, I had no idea of how Steve Gadd actually played this. When you learn it by ear, most normal people would never think to do the left foot hi hat thing to help with the 'sticking'! I mean, that is pure genius! It was not until I watched Steve Gadd himself demonstrating it here on YouTube, that the penny dropped. Awesome.
I then had lots of problems with the second 'press roll'. It just did not sound right when I played it. I could see Steve was doing something different, but could not quite see or hear what it was. Then I watched 'CraigTube' talking about this very issue here on YouTube, and the penny dropped again! Especially his answer to a query from someone else about the sticking pattern for this roll (RRL LR). Nice one! So I owe thanks to CraigTube for helping me out on this.
(Incidentally, I have just had a comment from CraigTube himself on my cover, and he tells me he has actually done another video specifically aimed at the dynamics of this groove. Wish I had seen it before I posted my attempt (!) - anyway, I thoroughly recommend looking at that: CraigTube, you are a great observer of drumming nuance and a great teacher!).
I have watched a few guys doing this on YouTube, and it is interesting seeing all the different versions. I can see that this is one of those songs where the real Steve Gadd sticklers out there give people like me a real hard time over the detail of how to play this. Fair enough! I have tried my best!
In the second verse my left hand does not hit the hi hat fully on top of the hat on the third hit, and this means that the tip of my Blue Flix 'Tip' (not Flix Stick) does not make full contact - the result is that this critical beat is often rather quiet, if not silent! Pants!
The chorus is, frankly, beautiful playing by Gadd. Understated, simple, perfect groove. Tiny little ghost notes here and there, and what sounds to me like the occasional eighth note on bass drum. And just an occasional open hi hat. Perfect.
All in all, a fantastic, genius groove, and I personally think its very hard to copy. It is perhaps considered by many to be 'easy' once you get the technique sorted, but I think the real test is whether you can get the dynamics and groove down: it's too easy for this to sound too mechanical. CraigTube certainly agrees with me on this!
I don't claim by any means to have got this right, or with the right groove. But I've loved learning this over recent days!
Finally, those blue Flix of mine - thank you to Flix for letting me try these 'Tips' out (I'm a recent additon to their official endorsee list, if you did not know!)- they are perfect for something like this! Much more clarity on the snare and hi-hat, then I would have got with the standard Flix Sticks.
:-)
Well, what can I say about this beautiful drumming by Steve Gadd that has not been said before? This probably represents one of only a very few drum parts that is instantly recognizable to Joe-I'm not a musician-Public (the other being the Phil Collins massive In The Air Tonite fill!).
Like many people, I had no idea of how Steve Gadd actually played this. When you learn it by ear, most normal people would never think to do the left foot hi hat thing to help with the 'sticking'! I mean, that is pure genius! It was not until I watched Steve Gadd himself demonstrating it here on YouTube, that the penny dropped. Awesome.
I then had lots of problems with the second 'press roll'. It just did not sound right when I played it. I could see Steve was doing something different, but could not quite see or hear what it was. Then I watched 'CraigTube' talking about this very issue here on YouTube, and the penny dropped again! Especially his answer to a query from someone else about the sticking pattern for this roll (RRL LR). Nice one! So I owe thanks to CraigTube for helping me out on this.
(Incidentally, I have just had a comment from CraigTube himself on my cover, and he tells me he has actually done another video specifically aimed at the dynamics of this groove. Wish I had seen it before I posted my attempt (!) - anyway, I thoroughly recommend looking at that: CraigTube, you are a great observer of drumming nuance and a great teacher!).
I have watched a few guys doing this on YouTube, and it is interesting seeing all the different versions. I can see that this is one of those songs where the real Steve Gadd sticklers out there give people like me a real hard time over the detail of how to play this. Fair enough! I have tried my best!
In the second verse my left hand does not hit the hi hat fully on top of the hat on the third hit, and this means that the tip of my Blue Flix 'Tip' (not Flix Stick) does not make full contact - the result is that this critical beat is often rather quiet, if not silent! Pants!
The chorus is, frankly, beautiful playing by Gadd. Understated, simple, perfect groove. Tiny little ghost notes here and there, and what sounds to me like the occasional eighth note on bass drum. And just an occasional open hi hat. Perfect.
All in all, a fantastic, genius groove, and I personally think its very hard to copy. It is perhaps considered by many to be 'easy' once you get the technique sorted, but I think the real test is whether you can get the dynamics and groove down: it's too easy for this to sound too mechanical. CraigTube certainly agrees with me on this!
I don't claim by any means to have got this right, or with the right groove. But I've loved learning this over recent days!
Finally, those blue Flix of mine - thank you to Flix for letting me try these 'Tips' out (I'm a recent additon to their official endorsee list, if you did not know!)- they are perfect for something like this! Much more clarity on the snare and hi-hat, then I would have got with the standard Flix Sticks.
:-)
