This lesson is a little close to my heart and in some ways; it’s a bit of a tribute to the guys that pioneered the way with this type of groove. The Half Time Shuffle was made famous but some key drumming figures over the years. John Bonham was one with a fearsome groove but for many it’s the Bernard Purdie and Jeff Porcaro shuffles that come to mind first.
The Bernard Purdie shuffle from Home At Last and Babylon Sisters (Steely Dan) showed me just how useful ghost notes could be to enhance the feeling of a groove; likewise, the Porcaro shuffle from Toto’s Rosanna shows us just how much you can drive the band with this type of groove. Perhaps the best thing is just how useable all the elements are across other areas of your playing. For example, just the basic sticking of the Porcaro shuffle can be a basis of some great fills if you moved it around the drums. There are many other options.
For me, these guys and these grooves have been hugely influential and I use the skills learned in many different contexts. I am still working at it though. It takes some real musicianship to execute these grooves well. It’s a work in progress as always believe me!
Remember to grab a copy of the PDF below to refer to when watching the lesson.
Hope you enjoy the vid.
Another great lesson! thanks Adrian,