My Drummer Said That RINGO Sucks, So I Dared Him To Play THIS Beatles Beat!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 พ.ย. 2024
- -My Drummer Said That RINGO Sucks, So I Dared Him To Play THIS Beatles Beat!
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Here’s the link to my “Heaviest Beatles Moments” video: th-cam.com/video/0uF-rMsL6ck/w-d-xo.html
Good drumming. Also, I like the two pieces of art you have on the wall behind you - really colourful and cheerful. Do you know who painted them? I suspect Miro but that's only a guess. The art looks like it's in the same style as the cover art on Dave Brubeck's first two albums.
"A long time ago, this is decades ago now, we were trying out a drummer and he said Ringo sucked"... so just for clickbait views I'm just going to word the title in a way that makes it seem like this happened last week... not DECADES AGO. Thanks
And Mr. Starkey's son is even BETTER!
so true! i respect Ringo more now...and I do shuffles for latin beats
@@simonmultiverse6349 They look like Laura F Bennett’s work
Paul McCartney says with Ringo, you never had to worry about him speeding up or slowing down-rock solid.
Paul McCartney sucks
Of all the drummers in the world to listen to, Ringo was the one who was so in the pocket that he could prove that the metronome was off!
😂😂😂
Someone asked John if he thought Ringo was the best drummer in the world. He replied, "He's not even the best drummer in the Beatles."
@@darrylbrooks3361 Paul was pretty good
I read that Ringo’s timing was so consistent that it allowed the Beatles to splice different parts of different takes of a song to make it the best version.
The best drummer ever is the drummer who plays exactly what the song calls for.
Yep, I have a very firm Moon bias, but Moon would not have been able to play for the Beatles, as Ringo would not have been able to play for The Who. Ringo was exactly what the Beatles needed, and that's all that matters.
And Ringo fits that description perfectly
Stewart Copeland. I couldn’t agree more.
Thank you!
Exactly!
I had a drummer who had the same mindset towards the Beatles. Said all Beatles songs were boring and simplistic, Ringo is a bad drummer, etc. We wanted to learn the song “Rain”, he couldn’t drum it to save his life. He is no longer my drummer…
@Richard Harrold nah, he's wrong
@@damonmoon436 immensely wrong
The funny thing about ‘Rain’ of course is that it was recorded at a faster tempo, and then slowed down. So, Ringo had to play it faster, but still get the groove. Ringo is an amazing drummer. Full stop.
It’s funny how people can’t understand what made him the legend he is.
Never sleep a legend.
I just listened to rain, i don't understand what is supposed to be difficult.
When Ringo had enough of his bandmates constantly fighting (as well as Yoko's existence) and temporarily left the band, the other three Beatles were devastated and spent the next week and a half begging him to come back until he changed his mind. When he did come back, he was met with flowers on his drum kit spelling out "WELCOME BACK RINGO."
That says a lot right there.
They missed him... but Paul didn't miss him enough to record the drums on Back in the USSR by himself haha
@@methdxmanDidn't he do 'Dear Prudence' as well? Or was that not Paul?
My Father was an Orchestra Leader from the "Swing" era, he was not a rock n roll fan. When the Beatles arrived on the scene, HE bought their first album and sat and listened to it with us. He told us that Ringo was a true drummer, a great musical talent because he understood how important it was the keep the beat spot on always. His talent kept the band in sync, exactly what a drummer's first and foremost function is. He loved the Beatles, thought Lennon/McCartney were an amazing song writing team (as they proved over and over) and would explain why certain songs were such masterpieces. George was equally important because he brought to the band exactly what they needed. My Dad would be 109 if he were alive today - he knew music.
Your Pa' seemed awesome. I can relate to your story, the love of music connected my dad and I more than anything. We would marvel at songs together, he'd be 62 today. Here's to amazing fathers and the hopes of becoming one someday !
Fantastic
Sounds like amazing memories to have of your father. IMHO some of the songs were George songs tbh
Thank you for such a beautiful and honestly written insight.
This is how good the internet could be
Yea he did they are greatest musicians in history!! No music positively effects human soul as does their music!!
George Harrison said of Ringo, "he only needed to hear a song once and he knew the drum part it needed". When the songs are being written by 3 of the greatest song composers of all time, that is an extreme compliment to Ringo's genius!!
Puts a new spin on the joke about Ringo just being “the drummer.” He was THE drummer.
And what most people don't know is that Ringo also wrote some of their most famous songs too!
And this is I would say actually the most important part of being a drummer. You can come up with a beat which makes a song good or great, OR you come up with a beat which elevates it to a evergreen the entire world knows and loves for decades.
I think Mozart and Beethoven might have been better composers.
@@pissedoff7243mozart and beethoven didn't affect the music industry that much since they only made music for 💰 while Beatles used most their music to protest and to spread awareness
You know Ringo was very good because John & Paul were perfectionists & never even looked tp replace him once.
Lennon was many things. A perfectionist wasn't one of them.
@@johnnyrocker7495 except being a perfect asshole.
@@johnnyrocker7495 True, but if John didn't like something he was never shy about speaking up.
Just like they didn't replace yoko ono when she was screaming? LOL they were softies who didn't do what they needed.. can’t drum - “great guy, though” - Quincy Jones on Ringo Starr.
@@mr.s1961you just don’t get it. go listen to something your speed
Watch the restored Get Back documentary. Ringo’s laid back attitude with an always ready to work attitude was the thing holding the Beatles together. Oh and he’s left handed who learned to play on a right hand kit.
As a left-hander I can say that's awesome because there are some things that makes it hard for me to to play an instruments.. guitar violin anything that has to be backwards even crocheting! Ringo is the man plus he can sing to ❤
Ringo was great, and as a drummer, I can tell you that being a lefty and playing a righty kit is actually a huge advantage. Basically, your weak hand is actuwlly your strong hand. Also also, any good drummer is more or less able to play well with their weak hand
Paul was also left-handed, which is weird and cool at the same time.
Laid back but with a solid work ethic - something i think everyone should strive fof
Anymore laid back and he'd fall over... BTW, love this comment... look closer at what he did being a left-hander... I play snooker, pool and the drums as a leftie and I'm right-handed! Yes, when I play tennis I have two forehands lol... no hope! Thank you for your vlog and allowing me to comment :)
The thing about Ringo is that he wasn't trying to get attention as a drummer, he was trying to make the songs sound good.
This.
The team unity of the Beatles is WHY they were so good and why they led the 'British Invasion'.
(Then Yoko came along 🤨)
In fact all the others constantly bully him cause Ringo was que most popular beatle, and that is why he was always quiet knowing than if he get the spotlight the other will punish him.
@@EliosMoonElios what do you mean the most popular beatle?
@@boomer1954fulthe Yoko hate. Also the username lolz
An engineer who worked with the Beatles in Abbey Road said Ringo was the most reliable of the Fab Four because he needed mostly one take to record his parts , no timing problem.
Also John Lennon stated that Ringo was already a professional before joining the Beatles and drumming was his job actually. And that since he was a left handed who was mostly self taught on a right handed kit he would come with unusual patterns that a lot of right handed drummer would struggle to replicate.
He may not be the most technical drummer, and was not fond of drums solos , but he contributed to a solid rhythmic section and has his own style.
As far as the Beatles after watching the Let It Be reissue Ringo was the only one in the band that didn't make me cringe acting like a brat. A true class act.
Because they were recording the backing live as a band together, it is fair to say that he wasn't the one causing false starts etc...
I believe that a lot of his fills were similar on different takes but never exactly the same, however I could be wrong on that.
Well put.
Ringo was "professional" when he joined because he was with Liverpool's biggest band at the time Rory Storm and the Hurricanes but if you listen to old Rory - Ringo was no better than Pete Best at that point. Later if you read Recording Sessions book you'll note Beatles did many many many takes with false starts over and over sometimes into the hundreds...This was PRACTICE for Rings - over and over and over same crap - over and over. To say he was Mr one-take is absurd and Ringo himself says he NEVER practiced thus backing my claim that his schooling was done in the studio via hundreds of takes. No, he wasn't responsible for the many false starts usually but you can see his drumming evolve dramatically. Richie literally got real good in the studio because face it - by the time he joined the Beatles he never had to play longer than 30 minute sets which anybody could do without fatigue. 🎸
I think a big reason for this opinion so many people seem to have (that Ringo sucks) is cuz Quincy Jones said he tried recording Ringo and he was no good. I never believed it cuz of Beatles concert footage I'd seen where I thought he was superb.
Ringo is a human metronome. He's got perfect timing and his fills were always tasty and only where needed. I hate it when people say he isn't a good drummer. He is a GREAT drummer!
Spot on comment. I grew up a Beatles fan (probably a little young for them but when you have an older sister playing 45’s over and over, that’s what happens)! My son is a drummer and I was so proud to hear him make this point to someone who made this same statement about Ringo. 🇺🇸
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
lol. nope
when Mcartney and Lennon were auditioning drummers for the Beatles the 1st time they met Ringo and heard him play they just looked at each other and said "what the f*ck is going on here !?" they couldn't believe what they were hearing and Ringo makes it look so easy it's as though he isn't trying at all , even just a little bit !
no he isnt and this comment fully misses the appeal of ringo lmao, his imperfections and hihat feel are his best feature in my eyes. if you listen to his hihat, he plays a sort of in-between of a true triplet shuffle and a straight groove, and that fluidity IS the reason ringo is good.
I think it was BB King who once told Ringo Starr that he was like a big clock. Its a great complement and is illustrates exactly what Ringo is so good at.
The fact that the other three Beatles still used Ringo as their drummer on solo albums says a lot.
It says they were friends
Well, Lennon or McCartney had just also other drummers on their solo albums, not only Ringo.
@@BruceLyeg That's bs. If you needed an artist to make an important portrait for you, and you knew your art class friend sucked at art, would you still commission them to draw?
@@markpichler9070 yep. But when Lennon was recording his Double Fantasy album, at one point he told the session drummer, "just play it like Ringo". :-)
It says it's their friend, that's about all.
The weirdest and best thing about Ringo is if you just looked at his face you would think he wasn't doing anything at all, he looks like he's chilling watching TV
Charlie Watts was the same way.
@@1blastmanZen guys.
John Lennon once said that Not only was he not the best drummer in the country he wasn’t even the best drummer in the Beatles.🤣
@@anthonyeaton5153No, he never said that...
@deancarlsen3178 yes he did. But he was joking, having a laugh. Done my research.
I used to be the guy that thought Ringo was overrated. I was a teenager when I started playing drums, and I was really into much busier drummers like Bill Bruford, Tony Williams, Barriemore Barlow, etc. As I got older, I realized that it wasn't always about the fills and speed. Sometimes keeping a steady beat was all that was needed, and depending on where you were coming from as a musician, that simplicity could be pretty challenging. Ringo was one of the greats from back in the day when playing drums was still in it's infancy, and people like him were creating patterns that we now look at as basic. Ringo definitely deserves all the praise he gets.
Exactly! On top of so many other things people don't realize about his drumming, they don't take into account the time period he was playing. Ringo brought the drums to the forefront in pop and rock music.
Yeah, yeah, yeah(from She Loves You song). Ringo had a hard act to follow and Pete Best was awful good but didn’t get along well with the Beatles’ manager. Perhaps the style at the time was slowed down and they didn’t want to scare anyone. Besides, I’ve heard they borrowed drum beats from druidic/shamanic trance styles or this could just be a rumor to add to the Beatles’ mystique. I do think Ringo got better, though, as I recall hearing him play around the year 2000 or so, as he seemed tighter and quicker than much earlier.
Not only basic. He was a very melodic drummer too. Think of come together. He used his percussive instrument to create melodies.
I remember reading in some magazine where a journalist asked John Lennon if he thought Ringo was one of the best drummers around at the time. And John responded by saying "Are you kidding me??? He's not even the best drummer in our band!!"
Ouch!!!
Never liked the Beetles.
I believe Ringo’s stamina comes from the immense amount of gigging he did as a young musician, before he’d even joined the Beatles. As most fans know, John, Paul and George had been playing together for 4-5 years by the time Ringo joined the band. He was brought in to replace the original Beatles’ drummer, Pete Best, not only because his previous band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, had shared a residency with The Beatles at the Kaisercellar, with Ringo even having sat in for Best on a number of occasions- he was chosen because he was already successful drummer, a true professional with some serious experience behind the kit & on the road. He was the oldest of the 4, a seasoned road dog in a group of guys who’d all spent the past half-decade leaving every ounce of sweat they had on stages across Britain and into Europe. The other 3 were well aware of Ringo’s ability to match their own energy & stamina, having watched him do it on a nightly basis w/ the Hurricanes. They gave Best the boot for a reason.
That studio recording technology would advance so rapidly, and that music fans would come to prioritize the album experience at least as much as the live experience in just a few short years, (despite The Beatles being the primary catalysts for both developments) they could not have known. He was hired to pound the skins for hours on end in dank, dimly lit clubs, and he remained a juggernaut of stamina and reliability throughout The Beatles’ tenure.
Agreed. And love how 'Act Naturally ' shows their folk/skiffle roots. It has a rockabilly feel- as do several other songs on Rubber Soul.
i just wanted you to know that the first time I read this, i thought you said "giggling" as opposed to gigging. And I read the entire thing with confusion and intrigue
But the boys themselves said they were never as a good a live band with Ringo as they were with Pete. So, it's a trade off.
As a drummer I've always respected Ringo. A lot of his parts are technically simple...but he always wrote/played the right part for every song. There's a lot to be said for that. It reminds me to ask myself, "Am I putting this fill/beat in because it's tough and I can play it, or because it enhances the song?"
Right he had inate feel for the song and didn't push himself to the forefront with showoff shit.
The way I put it is that most drummers play patters; Ringo plays the song. Especially later, he rarely if ever just put a stock beat to a song.
Sometimes I think they are deceptively simple
A lot like Charlie Watts. Underrated but played exactly what he needed to and sounded great while doing it without fuss.
its not just the drummer, too many know how to play drum, but the question is who gets famous.
Really impressive work. And ringo could do this with no clock track or backing at all. He was really incredible.
I guess you're not recognised much 'round these parts... ;)
Hey, Kenji! Didn’t know you were into music… 🤪
Click track
he looked at John's ass going up and down to keep time
I remember Ringo not being happy about the digital click track. "I'm the f**king click track!"
John and Paul referred to Ringo as a human metronome. They hired him as he was THE BEST DRUMMER they had heard. Ringo was grossly underrated. He revolutionized hold the drumsticks (both in same position). He didn't hold 1 stick like a spoon, as most drummers do. He put Ludwig drums on the map. The band loved his drumming and perfect beat. One of the best in history.
Yeah, I thought I remember reading somewhere that Ringo usually only needed a couple of takes in the studio to get his parts down, because his instincts and rhythm were so good and so consistent. Ringo was always pretty self-deprecating about his abilities, too, so people tended to think he wasn't anywhere as good as he really was.
Exactly, Ringo was hired because he was probably the best drummer on Liverpool, he wasn't a genius composer like his bandmates, but one of the most skilled drummers on the country.
I think the terms you're looking for are traditional and matched grip
@@Nico-dv7bqYou're forgetting drums are a big part of the composition. Come together is not come together without those fills, that's from the mind of Ringo. Saying he's not a composer is a disservice, he absolutely is a masterful composer of the drums, his sound is iconic and recognizable and it was all conscious intention.
He played just the right thing on each song, never too much or too little, just exactly what the song needed. There's a good video on TH-cam somewhere where a girl drummer shows what made Ringo special.
Nostalgia is a funny thing. Ringo was actually the fourth drummer that Brian approached to replace Pete Best. Three other drummers were asked first but refused.
It's what I always tell people about Ringo. He wasn't fancy, he was steady. And steady, every single time, without fail, is not as easy as you think.
My dad played drums professionally from the early 60s to the late 90s. He always said that Ringo is one of the hardest drummers to replicate, because he did his "simple" stuff so well.
I agree. I started playing drums in the mid-60's and I agree completely with your dad. I always wondered why this "simple stuff" was so hard to play. I'm still working on it and I've been playing professionally ever since then.
So many people confuse the word "simple" with the word "easy". Perhaps "direct", "straightforward", "clean", or "smooth" would be more apt synonyms in this case.
@@boomerguy9935 k
?
that's one of the reasons Kobe was so damn good. just hammered home the fundamentals, day after day.
Ringo making it look easy is part of why he's a great drummer.
100!
Ringo did what many drummers / percussionists cannot do. He played appropriate, musical parts that supported each song.
Only other drummer, in Ringo’s words, that can do the same is the late Mr. Charlie Watts, and he does a fantastic job too
Yeah, I think Ringo has lots of great drum parts, but to me the story that explains why Ringo is as important to The Beatles as the rest of them is a part that he *didn't* play. Paul brings "Yesterday" in and plays it for Ringo so he can figure out what drum part to play, and Ringo basically says, "It doesn't need any drums; it's done already." Are there more technically skilled rock drummers? Sure, absolutely. But if any of those guys played drums for The Beatles, they wouldn't have been The Beatles.
Yep many try to make themselves the focus by playing loud or playing overly complex when the song doesn't call for an overly complex drum part.
Aynsley Dunbar is an awesome drummer but He got kicked out of a couple of groups because he was a little too energetic lol
The Brian May of drumming? 🤔
Thank you for this!! The Beatles aren't the Beatles without Ringo. Food for thought as far as that special chemistry that makes a band great. Ringo was always my favorite Beatle because of his authenticity, humility, AND goofiness! I wish we all could be so comfortable in our own skin. God bless you Ringo! ❤
Ringo is a human metronome, flawless time. His originality was beyond amazing. And even as a boy when I first heard the Beatles, I knew it was actually Ringo that gave the Beatles their exciting sound, their music always sounded like it was moving a thousand miles per hour. One of the greatest.
If you listen to early tracks with Pete Best on drums you can appreciate just what Ringo brought to the band.
Keeping good time was once considered a compliment. Prog rock kind of changed the calculus. For example, there is a reason why Geddy Lee is considered such a great bassist. He kept time so that Peart could meander amongst his 75 drums and cymbals.
@@mc76 Nah, I'd say they both fed off each other.
Um, no. Ringo was not a great timekeeper. (Bonham was miles ahead and still not the best; that title probably belongs tp Carmine Appice) Plug him into a Russian Dragon, and fares not well, but he originated some beats never heard before and brought a unique twist to many others.
@@m0j0b0ne ur a clown
My dad has always said that Ringo wasn't all that because he was simple, so i put him to the test with him playing through an extended fan mix of Helter Skelter and he got tired at the 3 minute mark with 11 minutes to go. He looked up at me and laughed, and he said "son, this is one of those rare times i'm going to say that you're right". And he's never said anything bad about Ringo ever since lol.
Sounds like your dad found out why Ringo had BLISTERS ON HIS FINGERS!
Lol you got good pops when he can admit he's wrong about something. Lol
And never said you were right ever again
Just because your old man is a sucky drummer does NOT mean Ringo's a good one. What it means is Ringo and your daddy both suck.
Eratic03 - Try with Bill Bruford...
As far as I'm concerned, Ringo doesn't have to prove ANYTHING to ANYBODY. His drumming speaks for itself, and his drumming is top notch👍
He had no career, after Beatles nobody wanted him
@@Solomongrundy68 Ringo had 2 number one songs after they broke up before John had one.
Dude has been playing non stop and also was also Mr. Conductor. If he's had no career you've never had a job.
Ringo is A one in my book,, i think he's a great guy,, and he might be a great drummer , but he's a great personality,, perfect fit for the Beatles, I had the privilege of spending 10 minutes with him , and all i can say is he's a regular great guy , not stuck up and a friend i would love to have, music aside.
He was often replaced and couldn't even do a proper drum roll.
Exactly, a perfect example is the drumming on something and a day in the life. Perfectly placed fills at slower tempos, and exactly what the Beatles needed
best description for Ringo. Star is he’s a very solid drummer and he’s also very intuitive. He able to come up with some very memorable drum parts.
Harrison called Ringo the "best backbeat in the business". Always there, totally reliable, and adding to the song, rather than overwhelming it.
You should have mentioned that Ringo was not only a human metronome, but he could repeat the same beat, over and over during 12 hour recording sessions!
The man's a legend!
When metronomes what to calibrate themselves, they get a Ringo.
But he cheated by having his beer and cigarettes handy!
@@neilwilson5785 After smoking a doobie with Ahtook, Lana and his pet dinosaur.
@@astrodb4487 IMO Charlie Watts.
@@cmissshelleymichelle Another great 'basic beat' drummer. Back in the 60's, bands wanted drummers who could keep that back beat. It was all about the right blend of instruments to enhance the song.
I heard Dave Grohl say that Ringo is left handed but had learn to be right handed, so that's why he's unique as he's able to put a slight twist in his drumming style that others find hard to do.
this much I know is True
I heard Ringo say the very same thing in a video.
True, Sally, and that's why there were some normal fills that Ringo really struggled with. That's also why Ringo invented some really unique fills, because he couldn't do some of the usual-sounding stuff.
THIS! He can play the down beats with back beat quickness, but can also (presumably) reverse that. It's like being a righty and learning piano...I always got messed up playing bass notes with the left hand, because that would be snare on drums lol
Ringo was also taught to be ambidextrous by his family so add that into the mix!!
There's a great joke that is right on point.
Gene Krupa gets a letter addressed to the "World's Greatest Drummer." He doesn't open it and says, "I know who this is for." So, he sends it to Bill Bruford. Bruford smiles and shakes his head and forwards it to Buddy Rich. Rich opens the letter while smiling and saying, "It CAME." He reads the first line, and it starts, "Dear Ringo," ...
Brilliant! Thank you.
No, it doesn’t.
In no Universe was Ringo a better drummer, than Buddy Rich.
I had an extensive back and forth with someone who proposed that Pete Best was better than Ringo.
It went on and on. Some people will _not_ accept the evidence of their own ears.
The joke was about fandom and Buddy's ego, not that Ringo was technically a better drummer. And Bruford wasn't the second drummer in the chain. It might have been Max Roach, though I could be mistaken there as well.@@JTM1809
@@JTM1809 boy you're fun at parties
I grew up in the 1970's, listening to the post Sgt. Pepper Beatles. From being on the radio, watching the cartoon "Yellow Submarine" every year on TV, etc. As a child, the most noticeable thing that always stood out in the later Beatles songs...is the drumming. Ringo is one of the most distinctive drummers just from his work with the later Beatles.
People just don't realize how exceptional together were the four talents that comprised the Beatles.
yeah, that is the things that's actually important. ringo clearly did his job well, otherwise the band would not have been so good. he wasn't playing drums for drummers, he was playing for the general public, who do not care about impressive drumming. in that sort of music, it's a given that the drums are not a lead instrument.
The Beatles would have been a good band without Ringo. With him, they were a great band.
They’re considered the goat band so I think so bro lol
They all had multiple number 1 hits after the Beatles...pretty impressive.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery said:
A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
I think this is so true for the Beatles.
What I respected about Ringo is that the other Beatles threw so many styles of music at him and he make the drumming work so well.
Exactly; most drummers would have wilted in the presence of the creative onslaught that Lennon/McCartney/Harrison threw at Ringo, with no two songs being alike. Ringo not only met the challenge but made major contributions and enhanced the songs with his drumming and percussion. Ringo may not have known it, but he was a true musician, and exactly the right drummer for the Beatles. It’s astonishing they were all from the same place at the same time and found each other.
@@handrm they found each other like that bc Lennon sold his soul to the devil at midnight on an old infamous bridge in england in order to get fame and fortune thru a ridiculously talented band.
@@handrm look at the get back documentary too. While lennon, mccartney, and harrisson were arguing and refining their new songs, ringo was just doing his own thing. They didn't even argue against him or gave him any suggestions. They liked what ringo was making that gave them more time to focus on theirs. Ringo did not just bring compositional talent, he also brought comfort.
Here's a great example: the Beatles recorded a ska/reggae song called "Ob La Di, Ob La Da" on The White Album; Led Zeppelin recorded a reggae song called "D'Yer Maker" on Houses of the Holy. I ask you, did Ringo or Bonham nail the tight Jamaican groove better?
@@Strato_Casterrr9898 I noticed that too--I always knew he was an excellent drummer but he really impressed me with the drum parts that he'd come up with. Good point on them not giving him any suggestions on what to play, he was very instinctive and could come up with those fine drum parts to accentuate what they were doing. I came away from the documentary thinking woah, Ringo really was their rock, they always knew they could depend on him, not only for his superb drumming but his mellow, supportive attitude.
Ringo's brilliance lies in his musicality. He doesn't just hit the skins, he does it in perfect time and add fills at just the right musical moment. For a drummer who doesn't appreciate this they are merely a drummer. Ringo is a musician.
FitToBe TieDyed --- Absolutely Right !!!! Always the Difference -- Musician - and everyone else.... Thanks for this !!!
He was left handed and played a right handed kit
I don't know your skill level as a musician or your ear as a producer, they're always more mistakes in a live performance I've heard mistakes on stage by many artists from Prince to The Beatles I've heard Ringo make mistakes I've heard a couple in the recordings and if you push me I'd find them I just can't remember at the moment.
@@hubertpilk I think he was Urban dexterous😜
My favorite Beatles songs.... Particularly Dear Prudence... Was done by Paul, not Ringo...
For one thing...He said Ringo sucks but then he said 'he doesn't really know any beatles songs'. Looks like this person needs to learn a lot of things in life.
My late uncle used to say, whenever you see someone doing something and it looks so very easy, it never is. It is usually the result of a lot of work and talent. That surely applies to Ringo Star's drumming. He looks so relaxed and at ease when he is playing the drums, but if you try to replicate it, you are in for a big surprise.
You ( and your uncle! ) are so right!!!
That is a brilliant anecdote!!
Music has a whole lot to do with faking it.
Oh, yeah. Your uncle is on point.
People with developed skills may look like they're having an easy time- the reality is that they can be a having a hard time but they just don't look it because they've practiced and are used to it.
You had a wise uncle ..
Wise uncle, you had...
I've worked with so many drummers. Usually, the ones who loved to show off can't keep time to save their lives. Keeping time, knowing when to embellish and when to just keep simple time, and knowing how to play for the sake of the song and not for yourself is something that takes skill and maturity. Good drummers are NOT a dime a dozen.
That goes for all musicians, no matter what instrument they play.
So true!
We are on our 5th drummer in 8 years. The first was the best! Great timing, solid foot work, and rarely ticked! The guy we have now is good but he doesn't understand how to sit in the pocket and always is adding fills! But the worst is the ticking!! Ugh...
Amen
They are different skills. Carl Palmer is a part of Emerson, Lake and Palmer a group of talented musicians, but he can’t keep a steady beat to save his life
It’s one thing to play a cover perfectly. It’s another to create the music from scratch, like Ringo did hundreds of times. A true musical genius. Any drummer can just fill it with noise, but Ringo was a real artist, adding the perfect fill without overdoing.
He litterally played everything simple and boring. Exept the song rain where he just plays bad fills Overtop everyone. Ringo sucks
@@austinsatterfield4981 There's a whole lot more to music than complexity. If you can't see beauty in simplicity, you're gonna miss out on a lot of great music. Ringo made great music. Great music is far more important than chops. Ringo got it exactly right every time
@@austinsatterfield4981
You couldn’t play it,
could you?
🤣🤣🤣🤣
You got brain damage??? must suck @austinsatterfield4981
@@austinsatterfield4981 simple and boring are not synonymous. I don't think anyone could say that Ringo is one of the greatest drummers out there, but he was very good and he was the perfect drummer for The Beatles.
Drummers keeping all four limbs going in time and singing at the same time always amazes me. I can barely pat me head and rub my tummy at the same time without stuffing up.
What makes Ringo one of the best drummers ever is his talent for CREATING beats. It's relatively easy to play most Ringo's parts, but the difference is that he actually created them from scratch.
@@aaronsinger Jealous?
@@aaronsingerI didn't know you were the 5th Beatle. Please tell us more about your insight into your studio recordings with them.
No no Ringo’s stuff is not easy to play well. It’s easy to play the notes though
totally agree...the only thing I would add is that Ringo's beats were also always very musical; somethng that isnt prevalent in modern music.
Amen. Nobody gets this. Talent itself isn’t rare. Every city has 1000 great guitarists. But creativity is what sets you apart
Ringo is so underappreciated. He is so good that he goes unnoticed. He works to support the band instead of showing off.
Absolutely ! - There are too many thinking of ´showing off´. - Ringo is a real musician, he understands all the other parts and doing always the best for the song !!
Good drummers aren't noticed by casual listeners. It means what they're playing fits the recording.
When drummers get too busy and start 'falling down the stairs' with their drums, that's when they tend to get noticed - for all the wrong reasons.
@@beeflat4287 Dave Grohl always said this of Taylor Hawkins, although Taylor tended to play with fairly complex patterns.
He's just underappreciated by certain audience. You can find more videos defending him as a good drummer than any other drummer in the world
underappreciated? hes one of the most famous, successful, and continuously appreciated artists of all time from any genre of any medium!
Ringo’s drumming made Paul’s bass really stand out. They make a perfect combo
Paul's bass playing is something else that is under rated.
@DigitalJustice Yes, the drums and bass have to really knit together well, or all is lost.
Listen to rubber soul with just bass and drums. It's out there on youtube and it's just so good.
He was no Keith Moon just as Paul was no John Entwhistle, but their playing was just right for the Beatles.
They showed your video on H3! I was so suprised because you've helped me learn sm on guitar and I wasn't expecting the crossover!
What’s H3? I’m out of the loop. Hehe.
@@TheArtofGuitar THe h3 podcast/show! Years ago he was h3h3 productions! I was suprised to see the crossover! Love your videos!
I love that you made this video. I've been a professional musician almost 40 years and have given the "Ringo Challenge" to countless drummers who believed Ringo was a slouch. I've administered this test at least 40 times and my challenge has always been the same. I ask the drummer to emulate the open hi-hat shuffle Ringo played on so many early songs. It didn't matter which song I chose; the result was always the same. Not a single drummer I've met can emulate the exact feel and groove of Ringo's playing. Some guys came close and most were able to approximate the actual pattern. But none of them could produce the exact swing and groove. These drummers ultimately sounded the way it sounds when you try to program a Ringo beat on a computer or drum machine. The parts are in their proper spots on the grid; but there is nothing even close to the actual feel of those performances. I had one of the first tribute bands in Seattle (The Britt'ns) in the '80s and we played "a tribute to the music of the '60s and early '70s" which of course included note perfect renditions of Beatles songs. We auditioned countless drummers and the test was always how close they could get on those early Ringo parts. I never found a drummer who could play with that special groove; therefore non of those songs ever felt quite right. Another even more difficult test was "Come Together". All drummers think that's easy and a no brainer until you ask them to play the part immediately after playing the Beatles recording for reference. In my 40 years playing with some of the best musicians in Seattle I have never found a drummer who even comes close to copping the way that sounds on the record. I've even had guys put tea rags to deaden their toms (as Ringo did in those days) and they were still nowhere near close. In all fairness I've seen Ringo demonstrating how to play that fill and he doesn't even sound right anymore. In 1969 when the Beatles recorded Abbey Road it was on the tail of the straight full month of jamming the band had been doing to record the Get Back project. If you watch that 8 hour film you can literally see Ringo reaching a new level as a player. Because they had become a studio band after 1966 they really didn't play their instruments unless they were making an album. The Beatles all reached new highs as musicians as a result of all the jamming they did during Get Back. After the rooftop concert they basically went straight into sessions for Abbey Road which in my opinion is the ultimate showcase for all of them to reveal all they had grown as a result of playing so much recently. I believe Ringo's playing on Abbey Road is in a universe all it's own; and when the first song Come Together opens with that incredible (untouchable) drum pattern you know you are witnessing that band in its musical prime. All that to say it's my opinion that no drummer who has lived can recreate that drum part on Come Together. The only guy who could ever do it was Ringo Starr in 1969. I'm so thankful for all the magical moments captured on their albums; and that will always be one of my favorites.
Awesome comment. I did watch the full 8 hour doc and will be doing a vid on that soon. :)
I didn’t know you could write a comment that long on TH-cam.
I still do think you guys are setting people up for failure when you compare a man who dedicated his whole career to those beats and a drummer who might be specialized in something else to replicate it on the spot
@@TheArtofGuitar it’s like asking a jazz pianist to play some Rachmaninov after hearing it once or twice even if we are musician we need to practice
Then you sadly haven;t worked with many pro drummers, all of whom would leave Ringo wanting to eat his hi-hat.
The same is true with funk guitar. A lot of guitarists think funk is easy, but maintaining a fast and complex strumming pattern throughout an entire song, and staying in the pocket the whole time, is no easy task.
Folks think funk is easy? Crikey, they've obviously never listened to 70s James Brown.
I wanted to learn funk song as a beginner and halted when i look at the tabs I'm still trying but to no avail
@@stevenlornie1261 Speed metal guitarists who beat off on the fretboard and play fast licks with no rhythm often claim that funk is "easy"
You don't really have to stay in the pocket though. The Hi Hat covers that. Plenty of funk guitar is sloppy. Between the hat and the wah it really doesn't matter.
Chord TheSeeker
Two words.......
Cory Wong!
“She Said She Said” in my opinion is his best drumming. Phenomenal. Couple of ghost notes in it. The key to Ringo’s playing is that he’s actually left handed.
Exactly. I seem to remember Dave Stewart asking him about it and citing the strange late downbeats and patterns on "Ticket to Ride" and "Come Together."
I said something similar before seeing this comment.
Ringos fave song of his is Rain….to showcase his drumming…
Ringo's fave is Rain
She Said She Said and Rain are my favorite Ringo Beatles tracks. Also happen to be tow of my top 5 favorite Beatles songs. Strawberry Fields Forever, #1.
Ringo’s timing is sublime and his left hand lead makes him so difficult for us righties to accomplish properly. “Come Together” is a beautiful example of complex drumming aided by that left hand lead. So many right handed players get the timing off. It’s getting around the toms and having the stick spare to get into the groove again.
As a non-drummer, I think the best thing about Ringo is that he's like a composer. His parts are so organically intertwined with the song that you can easily tell what song it is from hearing just the drum track.
A friend of mine that's been a drummer for 50 years said the very same thing. You can name the song just from hearing Ringo's drums.
So true!
YES!! It's not just his playing, it's his composition too. I completely agree with you!
Absolutely not. They’re so intertwined they don’t even feel like distinguishing parts.
@@unclefuggly7149 That's pretty much true of any drummer and a band they are really into. Guns and roses had mediocre drummers but I doubt there is a GNR song I can't recognize by drums alone.
I think a lot of people who dismiss Ringo don't appreciate that he didn't play to stand out, but rather played to complement the song. He wasn't playing to show off but his drumming enhanced the songs beautifully.
i would go as far to say the entire beatles band sucks
I watched a drum tutorial somewhere on TH-cam years ago in TH-cams infancy. But the instructor brought up Ringo. Amd said he's not overplaying or fancy; but serving the song.
True, that fits their music which is smart. However, if your talking about a real percussionist on his own, not a member of a band, who can adapt to just about any style of music from jazz to metal... funk, country, fusion, latin etc. Ringo Star would be lost, while more advanced drummers would completely inialate him. That's the point most drummers and musicans are making when they reference Ringo as "sucking" on the drums.
Steve Ferrone club.
Exactly! Every musician's job - play to the song. No more. No less. If Ringo were playing the old Beatles tunes while trying to add Neil Peart beats and fills, it would have sounded ridiculous
Early ringo has a way of swishing his stick on the hi hat left/right which I think is part of how he kept such a fast and swinging groove going. His parts are so inventive and perfectly supportive to every song.
In addition, Ringo is a left hander playing on a righthanded drum Kit
@@gregoryjenkins8645 Just to elaborate on left-handed people playing right handed things: Kurt Cobain was not 100% left-handed; he did everything else with his right hand, except play guitar. For some reason, as a predominantly right-handed person, he felt more comfortable playing guitar left-handed. Also, I don't even think it even qualifies him to be called ambidextrous.
The signature ringo swish!
You said something actually key to this discussion..."...perfectly supportive to every song.". Whatever any of us may think about his playing or rating as a drummer, he was THE drummer for the Beatles.
It's a figure 8 that has a completely different feel on the upstroke than the downstroke. It's almost impossible to master. I've been trying for years.
Really interesting video. I am a musician (piano, classical), and I grew up listening to the Beatles, who will always be great. But I had that impression too, that Ringo maybe wasn't as flashy as some of the drummers in Rock bands today. But then I was surfing the radio, passing through the inane stuff on the radio, depressing stuff, then I landed on Help by the Beatles. Wow, so much energy to their music, due in great measure to Ringo's energetic crisp drumming. Just a minute ago, I was listening to "All my Loving" deconstructed, and there's not much room for a swing to be added to the beat because it's quite fast, but Ringo has a nice quick swing fit in there somehow, again with that crispness. And he never wavers, never speeds up nor slows down. And it's so easy for him. It's like breathing for him.
After watching Get Back, seeing Ringo just coming up with beats for each new song like he's already heard that song before is just amazing, nobody even tells him what to do.
Exactly and sometimes that will help establish the next piece of music when they hear the feel of the beat, truly a shame how his name has become synonymous with "talentless" and "lucky to be here", people who know nothing about it talk crap about him.
Good point. And yet Paul was said to sometimes feel superior enough to show Ringo what he wanted Ringo to play.
@@surfwriter8461 "feel superior enough"? Maybe he just had a clear idea what he wants.
John told him what to do all the time.
@@surfwriter8461 it's not Ringo's song tho, sometimes either Paul or John has a clear idea of how they would like the song to sound like. Just like how George told Paul about playing the bass in Something.
Thank you . I once saw a video of Ringo and his grown son playing drums together. It appeared that they were playing exactly the same , except Ringo like you said made it look easy , while his son looked wild like he was having trouble keeping up . To me Ringo is one of the most underrated. He doesn’t overplay , not a showboat, but incredible musicality .
And with so many egos and such a wide array of talent, and potential clicks Ringo was the glue in a way. Think if he were like most great drummers, notoriously aloof. The Beatles may have been limited.
He was always rock solid, present, and appreciative. Other people may have been too young to appreciate the Beatles, or got too big too soon. But Ringo knew what was happening while it happened, and what they would be missing if they broke up. I could never understand the disrespect for Ringo Starr.
Practice is the secret for speed and stamina. There is no other way. It looks easy with Ringo because he practiced it for a long long time, many years, his wrists and his muscles got flexible and sufficiently enduring to play his songs without being tired.
What is the most astonishing for me is he played in suits and so with restrictions for his moves while keeping him very warm.
@@brianshaker1885 You forgot he invented and created a lot of modern beats or at least, he gave a direction for other people to improve it. The mistake not to make is looking at him with modern eyes and taking him out of the context of the time he was succesfull.
Zac was taught by Keith Moon to play drums so that could be the reason
@@coyote728 you beat me to it!
I played Ringo in a couple of Beatles tributes over a few years. I’ve always been a Ringo fan, but had started playing as John, and when our drummer quit we auditioned several drummers. Not a one of them could play a shuffle AND sing at the same time. So I ended to taking the Ringo Role and we got a new John. I can attest that the man is no slouch on the drums. His abilities are so much greater than we often hear because he plays to the song, not his ego.
Great drummer audition task to play a Ringo shuffle! Have to remember that. Here is one our band asked at the drum audtition - Q: "Can you roll the brushes?" Usual A: "What are brushes?"
Make your own music. Stop plagiarizing already. Jeesh. The music world is going to be a bunch of copy cats with no more original music.
@@angrydragonkungfu9164 Quick story, I'm too young to have seen the Beatles thing when it happened, but in the 90's I caught (by accident) the Mahoney Brothers doing their early Beatles show at a fair.
They were flawless. Gave me goosebumps. Good tribute bands sound just like the recordings. Young people need to have the opportunity to see that stuff.
@@angrydragonkungfu9164 if he is happy doing that and making many people happy at the same time, well that is what is important. Some are original but rarely are enjoyed by others.
@@angrydragonkungfu9164 Oh, come on! Being in a tribute band is not "plagiarism". Tribute bands cite their sources!
I just recently got into listening to the Taiko drums at the Bon O Dori Festival they are amazing.
Should have asked him to sing Act Naturally while drumming that beat. Ringo pulled it off live, and often. Absolute legend, was Ringo.
Was?!
Last I check he still kicking it
Is
Is. Is Legend- He Lives Still!
Ringo was like a human clock keeping time. & he always kept it "in the pocket" never stepping on anyone's toes or trying to outshine anyone, just provided a steady beat and complimented the song.
And for drummers who played too loud, I had a music teacher who always said "a good drummer is felt, not heard."
Regarding playing too loud, the famed jazz drummer, Tony Williams (RIP), studied under the legendary Alan Dawson. Dawson had Tony practice until he could play incredibly intricate & complex rhythms at a volume such that you could carry on a normal conversation while standing next to the drum kit!
That's honestly a pretty dumb and limited take from your music teacher.
Thank you very much for that enlightened statement, as I have held that is the most important thing about a drummer since day 1 I started playing. Drums are meant to be felt not just heard. (all about the tuning).
Ringo did keep time very well from what I see. His drumming was over simplistic and non technical for me. As long as his band and his fans are fine with it, none of my business
Exactly.
There's a video of him playing Act Naturally live on the Ed Sullivan show (no lip-synching!). He's playing that super-fast shuffle on the hi-hat, in perfect time, while singing and looking totally relaxed and at ease, even smiling. Many have said negative things about him - myself included - but I garnered a new respect for him having seen that video.
Any negative comment about Ringo is rooted in ignorance
Watching any live recordings of them really brings home how good they were and how professional and well rehearsed. And the fact they all made it look easy is even more to their credit.
@@garthdrake3220 100% correct. Thank you.
I'm so glad you are doing this. It's nice to see a young man like you recognizing Ringo. Ringo has been interviewed about the same exact issue. And he explains that he never wanted to "take over"the songs with crazy solos or many beats . He did not want to drown out the songs. I'm old as EF, lol so I remeber. Did you know that on thier first concert at Shea Stadium, it was so loud, and the sound system was such crap that Ringo could not hear the rest of the group singing or the instruments; but he was so in tuned to the songs and practicing the song with the group that was keeping beat and rythem by memory and waching thier lips and body movements. Beat that with a stick lol. Great video kid. Very informative.
I've met Ringo personally in L.A. at some cafee joint. At first I had no idea of who he was . But he was such a great person to me from the get go till the end of our regular conversations and he taught me lots of real history that he personally went thru .
I truly respect that man as a person and as an greatest musicians of all time !!
Lucky!!
@@chriskourlos4407 Yessss! Can you believe !? That Ringo Starr !!! One of the Original members of The Beatles !!! The man hanged around with Paul ! John ! George ! And started The Beatles!!!?? My gosh ! 😱😱😱
& talkin to you with just normal regular conversations ?! Like any other human being would do ?? When he introduced himself to me in a end... I was completely stunned with starstruck !!!! 😂🤣👍👍👍 Thanks God he told me his name in a end of our conversation because if he told me at first ? then I could have not even open my mouth to talk !! LMAO 🤣
My cousin met Mark Zuckerberg in Hawaii but she didnt recognize him and asked him to take a photo for her to post on Twitter. He said "Do you know who I am?" and she said no. He didnt take the photo.
@@reginaldcampos5762my guy has an ego complex jeez
@@iwontbebeat7111 Just curios, did he say Ringo Starr or Richard Starke?
Took me over 40 years to understand how good Ringo is. Grew up with the Beatles, but not being a drummer, I didn’t understand how highly regarded he is as a drummer until I started seeing TH-cam videos like this one. How astounding is it that these four guys found each other when they were little more than young bundles of potential? As a jazz aficionado, I became a fan of the great jazz bass players, Jaco to name just one. It wasn’t until I got to hear better Beatles recordings that brought out Paul’s bass that I realized how good he is.
They used jazz cords on alot of their songs especially on there early recording which come out like total pop songs.
Listen to Mac's bass on 'I saw her standing there'; absolutely KILLER. All four men were SUPERB musicians.
Yeah Paul McCartney (among others) was one of the reasons I even picked up bass guitar. He isn't appreciated for his basslines enough
@@ashleighsalinas8526 I don't think Paul isn't appreciated for his bass play. He is consistently ranked amongst top 10 bass player of all time on many site, as well as revered by many bass player.
The thing is... He has so many other accomplishment, as songwriter, vocalist, lead singer of Beatles/Wings, and multi instrumentalist. It just overlooked and dwarved by his other accomplishment, particularly as one of The Beatles songwriter.
They were the first "put together' boy band. Who do you think sent them to Hamburg and paid for the whole thing? They didn't do that alone, there was always a deep pocket paying for the path to success. Nothing has changed, they were the Blueprint if you like.
In addition to his drumming talents, something also has to be said about his ability to get along with people, because when the Beatles broke up he was the only one nobody hated.
"Why can't we all just get along?"
The shuffle Ringo uses on “Help” is so tight! What he did was rock the stick on his finger like a Tony Williams thing and used the weight of his arm to keep going; you can do it all day and not wear out!
I think people need to understand that just because a drummer isn’t smashing cymbals and doing a bunch of rolls or double foot kicks, it doesn’t mean they suck. Doing beats like these and holding them is incredibly challenging.
Straight up. I see how hard it is for the tambourines in the musical group I'm in to keep the tempo, it's pretty easy to fluctuate by accident. Ringo being able to keep his tempo all the way through, while also doing some of his funnier beats, is really impressive.
Yeah, it honestly makes those rolls and stuff way more impressive, especially when they manage to go back to the original pattern
Ringo developed a completely unique beat for each and every single song.
This was a big part of the Beatles sound and what made them stand out.
Very true. All Beatles were highly talented.
It is remarkable to listen to their catalog and recognize the variety of beats and fills that Ringo came up with. He deserved songwriting credits because he contributed as much to the sound of every song as anyone in the band.
@@mc76 No one in the band was expendable.... including Ringo. I guess the proof of that is they all went on to very successful solo careers after the inevitable breakup but none of it touched the Beatles. Some came close as they are talented as individuals, but the magic between those 4 is a one time thing. Not just once in a lifetime but once in a forever.
Yes!!!! exactly spot on!!!!
@@mc76 Listen to 'My love don't give me presents'. Ringo at his creative best..........
One thing that seems to get missed, is the Beatles have a very eclectic catalog, and the drum parts are as eclectic to go along with them. Not only could Ringo play, but he came up with the parts for the songs, and that worked perfectly with the song. That's where a lot of drummers fall behind. Sure, technically, they could play a lot of his stuff, but could they have come up with it in the first place? There's the true genius. That as his well known ability to keep perfect time. Truly the backbone of the band.
Not just that, but he behaved differently based on who wrote the song-- he knew paul had a set rhythm already in plan but john would let him experiment more, and george was kinda like john too from what I recall, but he didn't mind either and he adapted to each song naturally
Hardly. They were a pop group, that is all. There were/are far more accomplished musicians far more worthy of your adulation.
@@paulsawtell3991 And how many instruments can you play?
@@paulsawtell3991 ah a dildo
@ Paul Sawtell
A comment like “They were a pop group, that is all” disqualifies you from having a valid opinion on Ringo or the Beatles in the first place. Rock and roll was never about technical virtuosity or accomplished musicianship but about the joy of singing and playing in a tight band and pissing off the grownups and authority figures, whom you sound exactly like. That’s one of the main reasons all the kids went out, got instruments, and started bands after seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. You literally don’t know what you’re talking about.
There is definitely something about those rock drummers of the 50’s and 60’s- a lot of them were trained by jazz drummers, with complex rhythms and the need for great endurance. It brought a whole different dimension to rock.
I've always said that Ringo Starr is not the flashiest of drummers, but he is basically a human metronome.
"I am the click."-Ringo when Jeff Lynne asked him to play to a click track.
Ringo's drumming on Come Together and Here Comes the Sun was shear perfection. You don't just get up and play that without some serious practice. Or write it without some serious talent.
Or both.
This is what so many armchair critics truly don't get when they talk about lots of artists, whether musicians or other types. People will say, "Oh, come on, *I* could play that!" There are counterfeiters who can paint perfect imitations of Old Masters like Rembrandt, but the real question isn't "Can you imitate it?" The real question is, "Could you have created it in the first place?"
@@partyboi8773 my guess is NO!
I thought Paul played on Come Together
wasn't come together done on a wrong handed drum set too?
Great story. Thanks for sharing this. Having grown up in the 1960's and listening to ALL the Beatles albums over and over throughout my life I feel like a am well educated about them. And I've heard the, "Ringo was the weakest of the four musically" argument, and that he relied a lot on George Harrison to keep him up to speed with the band's evolution. Then there is the, "The Beatles were just the first boy band". What a lot of young people fail to recognize is the context surrounding the Beatles and the cultural mood of the time. They were true innovators and the reason the casual listener doesn't appreciate this is because their innovations and style has been used by just about every band since. So, many times when someone scoffs at the greatness of the Beatles it's because they are exposed to their contributions all the time being used by other bands not knowing their origins.
Exactly, well said.
Beatles might have been the first boy band in Meet the Beatles or some such, but certainly not by the time Revolver came out.
Your post reminded me of a remark a friend had said about how boring it was reading Aristotle. I just laughed and said it was because that what he found mundane about Aristotle was because that in Western civilization we are all swimming in an Aristotelian ocean.
They pioneered a bunch of stuff for sure
I too was able to witness the phenomenon called The Beatles, they completely changed every facet of the music industry, they completely took over the record charts they would come out with a new album when they still had songs from the previous album in the top 10, they spawned copycat groups like The Kinks The Who and the Rolling Stones, every kid begged their parents to get them a guitar a bass or a drum set for Christmas, people often wonder why the 80s had such great music, those were kids that were influenced by the Beatles, coming of age.
As a Beatles freak when I first started learning to play music, and a lifelong fan, I heartily join in your love for them. Ringo is great - Cheers!
Your statement, "He was a rock drummer, so..." is quite telling, because that indicates what's been the state of rock drumming for decades: when public schools stopped having concert bands, jazz bands, and orchestras, drummers stopped learning parade grip, rolls and rudiments, and carrying a practice pad around with their books at school and practicing every spare minute, and became "beaters" and "pounders", and "crashers", to boot. Just ask a drummer like the aforementioned one to play a paradiddle, a flamadiddle, or a ratamacue-even a double-stroke roll! Nobody knows how to swing in rock-and-ROLL these days, and they aren't learning that Gene Krupa style from Hal Blaine's stickwork on countless"Wrecking Crew" radio hits. (On the other hand, Carol Kaye's trebly, pick-driven bass tone has blossomed!) It's all matched-grip, single-stroke tom-tom stuff, which is fine in drumming circles, but not in rock bands that move me. Just listen to Mitch Mitchell's drumming with Jimi Hendrix (Paul McCartney's favorite guitarist of all time), and you'll dig what I mean, brother. Yeah-h-h...
Interestingly, what attracted John and Paul to get Ringo as their drummer was the steadiness of his drumming, the metronome-like quality of his beat. What is probably underrated about his drumming is the sheer inventiveness and creativity of it. If anyone has any doubt about Ringo's quality as a musician, not only as a drummer, should listen to "A day in the life". The way he uses percussions to create a wall of sound is mindblowing.
I had heard that he also impressed them by playing ‘What’d I Say’ by Ray Charles..
As far as inventive goes, didn't he play with the drum kit in reverse... in regard to his favoured hand. Hence the unique drum sequence in Ticket To Ride.
Phil Collins once pointed out Day In the Life as an example of Ringo’s inventiveness. As in, yeah sure, any decent drummer can play the Beatles parts, but not just anyone could have come up with the beats.
Rubbadubs have bagged on Ringo’s drumming for 50+ years, but contemporary musicians who worked with him have spoken pretty highly of him.
Every beat he came up with was the perfect accompaniment for every song, that is an artform in itself.
Yes I wholeheartedly agree!!
Seriously, he helped make some of the greatest rock music of all time and he's a legend who cares if he didn't have 150 pieces in his kit
It’s the same one tho. Like it doesn’t fucking change.
@@billyalarie929 Im not going down that rabbit hole,lmao
One thing about Ringo. He is infinitely better than people realise. He is in fact left handed yet played a right handed kit. Incredible
Not unusual or even remarkable
@Jory Corvid That’s a fair point. And would be relevant except for the fact that it’s not unusual or remarkable literally because of Ringo Star.
Willie Smith did that his whole career with Muddy. Fran Christina with the Fabulous Thunderbirds the same.
When I started drumming and my instructor had me learn Come Together, it became the most fun and interesting piece to learn since i had to emulate some of Ringo's playstyle.
Many people didn't realize he was left handed playing on a right handed drum kit. When I found that out it blew me away.
I played a lot of ska and punk in my band in highschool and later in life was watching a metal band with a solid double bass drummer play with my friends. We were feeling loose and did a friendly drum duel, and of course his dbl pedaling was far above my own, but he became fascinated with my HH rolls/bounces while working the toms and the off beat kicks (plus the fact I play open style, allowing such odd moves) and I ended up going over there several times to jam and teach him some things. Miss playing so much, been over 10yrs 😢.
Ringo was so steady, really perfect for the Beatles.
As a fellow drummer, I can honestly say Ringo is one of the most under appreciated percussionists. Not over rated.
He gets put at the very top of drummer rankings whaddya fkn mean he's underrated, he didn't even break intermediate, he just had the basics down a bit more solid than most
@Jeremy Spade Really?I never see his name mentioned when you see lists of great rock drummers
@@spartansquid5931 You didn’t read that very well. The other poster did not say that Ringo is underrated. They said under appreciated.
@Jeremy Spade No, Ringo is not overrated. In fact, he’s underrated. Whenever someone knows that they’re full of it, they laugh for no reason.
Percussionist might be a bit of a stretch.
It's way beyond playing difficult beats, Ringo had incredible feel, the best back beat a band could ask for. And he was incredibly creative with the beats he made up for their catalogue of songs. He always played the right part for each song, always.
Talking about great backbeats, check out Stewart Copeland from The Police!
;)
@@elikfriend He's good too.
But Pete Best can do both, HA HA!
Yup.
If you watch the documentary series Get Back, he just sits there and listens to the other three and when Paul or John says play….he hits it with the right drumming.
He never asks how he should play , and no one told him.
You're explaining this as if it's not something literally all pro musicians do
He wasn’t even the best drummer in the band!
All references aside, the interviews I’ve seen the last few years where he’s talking about music, and his being left handed, and music theory. He was a musician. And that’s high praise. A lot of people that play music aren’t musicians. Especially theory, the how and when to apply
@@fritzjackson4336 How long have you been coming back to this video looking for different ways to slag Ringo Starr off? Is it longer than the five days I noticed without even checking?
@@kermitwilson There is some truth there. I saw an interview where he said that. I'm the same,a left- hander playing right-handed drums. Phil Collins sets up his drums opposite to "fix" that. In the same interview he said he rarely plays a song the same way twice. Meaning on different occasions, not in the studio recordings on a single day.
A lefty playing righty drums is that if we aren't called out on it early we tend to lead with the left hand which a lot of times puts us a beat off what most rightys would play. Which in turn causes us to have to figure out how to go around the toms without crossing our hands.
I was never inducted into the theory of music. I just started playing drums with some lessons, then wood wind instruments self-taught.
I once said to the band director in high-school that i didn't know if I should be embarrassed because I couldn't "talk music" with other kids, or be proud of what I've accomplished by myself.
@@fritzjackson4336 Indeed. And for a good reason. Do you know why the pattern of Rosanna is THE reference, even for pro drummers? Because there are pro drummers (means: taking money for their drumming. That's what professional actually means) and among pro drummers there are those who don't need directions. They FEEL what to play and it always fits. Rosanna reveils pretty quickly who is a regular pro drummer and who is a pro drummer with talent. And a talented drummer feels how to support the song and the arrangement without being told what to do. Yes, that is pretty rare. I loved Taylor Hawkins...yet, Dave Grohl and Taylor used to talk about how to play certain parts to find the right way that would support the song the best. Which is totally fine because it is quite normal. Ringo is...different.
Ringo is an absolute machine. One of the best "working" drummers ever.
People may say that about Ringo, but there’s always these little nuances about his playing that helped him become one of the most influential rock drummers
Andrew - He didn't influence anybody...
@@pit2ryan3 What are you talking about? There are plenty of drummers who have praised and were inspired by Ringo.
Ringo has feel, soul, taste, depth, musicality and the ability to “write” drum parts for every song…
His tuning, phrasing and groove is beautiful.
It’s too easy to mock what you don’t understand…
The fills in “A Day In The Life” are symphonic joy!
Ringo's swing feels really good. He hits that perfect spot in between the triplet and doublet that just feels really good for those little rock/countryish type of numbers.
He has said he gets that because of his odd kit set up.
Lennon and McCartney both rerecorded most of his drums on the last two
Beatles albums, not much of a secret.
@@markmccreary9605 do you have a single fact to back that up?
@@seth8844 not a one. It's just silly hearsay. There were some tracks on the white album that were McCartney because Ringo quit during the sessions but they begged him to come back and he did. It shows too, Back in the USSR is just a basic 4/4 beat and Dear Prudence is obviously Paul trying to play like Ringo.
Yes, there is plenty of FACTS to back it up. Research, try it.
Got nothing but love for Ringo’s playing! I especially love those early recordings of the Star Club and 64 tour. And everything after that. He has played some great drums in a lot of Beatles to many to count. I love his drums on Rain, Strawberry fields, I am the walrus, Hello Goodbye, I feel fine, Ticket to Ride , Everybody’s Got something to hide except for me and my Monkey, Rubber Soul tracks and many others 😎👍
Ringo may not have been a flamboyant drummer; but his timing was flawless.
I have only ever seen one "flamboyant" drummer I would bother to go and see again. Sadly he's dead so I can't. RIP Keith Moon, the human avalanche. Moon's timing was nowhere near flawless, but Entwhistle's was, so it worked.
@@rorykeegan1895, if you want to se one that's still alive, check out Carmen Appice, playing with the Vanilla Fudge, on "You Keep Me Hanging On", right here on TH-cam! A thunderous ovation! I saw The Who in Boston, in 1975. Keith only lasted through 2 songs, "Can't Explain", and "My Generation". At the end, (and I just happened to have my eye on him), still flailing away, Keith toppled over straight backward, passed out cold. After 45 minutes, it was announced that Keith had come down with the flu, (yeah, right!) show's over, thank you and good night. Refunds would be offered to bearers of ticket stubs. That caused a huge uproar, as a great many people had thrown their stubs away. It also caused a bum's rush to the floor, in search of stubs. And that was my Keith Moon experience.
You wouldn't call Charlie Watts flamboyant either but he was very good
She Said She Said.
Ringo was swiss watch.
Ringo's groove throughout Revolver remains one of the best and most difficult to mimic of all time. And by the way, I also once held the opinion that Ringo was just a simple timekeeper, until I took the time to put on the headphones and really pay attention. It actually caused me to change my approach to playing and writing.
Too many drummers today don’t appreciate the fundamental skills of maintaining a constant beat. The drums are the heart beat of the music. A good drummer should be a accurate as a metronome in maintaining the speed of the song. Great control is a good step towards being a great drummer.
Agree
I was at a club concert of a fairly popular singer at the time. She traveled light and hired some local talent for her backup.
The drummer was rushing so bad, one of her ballads was nearly twice the tempo by the end of the song. She was visibly furious on stage but had to stay a pro and the show had to go on but I could tell she changed the set to only play high tempo stuff for the next few so he could not rush the song into oblivion.
He did not play with her the next night and I would bet he may of had a hard discussion with his agent the following morning.
That’s perfectly said, and very true.
they all use a click track now because they are too busy practicing flashy shit and ignore the fundamentals, ringo is a human metronome
@@alexrobertson557 Just thinking of Ticket to Ride.
Beatles records were often spliced together from multiple takes. Ringo didn't use a click. That's rock solid tempo.
Thats what made Ringo so great. He was always perfectly on time. Let the rest of the band be able to work with that so much easier, since he was so consistent. It was never about his drumming talent. It was about keeping the band all on his time. The fact that he made it look so effortless shows how great he is. Anyone who says he sucks, can easily be shut up with "he was part of the Beatles. What legendary band were you in if you're so good?" lol
Two things about Ringo's drumming that has always stood out to me are, 1) He has perfect meter, and 2) He plays to the song, without a bunch of excessive junk notes.
So he’s boring and brings no flavor. Why would you call that “junk notes”?
@@billyalarie929 drums are classified as rhythm instruments for a reason. I take it you got used to drummers like John Bonham, Roger Taylor, or Phil Collins who loved improvising. However, you can see drummers like Ringo Starr, Herman Rarebell, and Tico Torres who just stuck with the rhythm that the song was supposed to follow, and still the damn songs they play sounded good because of their drumming. Imagine Bonham smashing the life out of his drums while playing "Come Together". It does not work.
@@billyalarie929 boring and brings no flavor? listen to rain, come together, the end, ticket to ride, and tell me why, and then come back to me and tell me that exact same thing.
@@billyalarie929 have you ever heard the phrase "less is more?"
Sure, there are drummers out there that just blow you away every time you hear them, and sure, Ringo might not necessarily be a drummer you'd put on that list, but something that made him great was that he could always provide exactly what the song needed.
You could add all sorts of fills and drum solos here and there, but the key point is that there's not a Beatles song where if you listen to it you go "the drums make this song unlistenable, they should have done this or that" because Ringo could always provide what was necessary for the song, and in songs like rain or she said she said, you can even see how creative he can get with the pauses and fills and all sorts, while also feeling 100% essential
TLDR: Ringo was a very economical player, he always gave a song just what it needed to have that pep in its step
These are the two most important things.
Those that have actually played with Ringo said his strength is his insane ability to keep perfect time in any song with any beat. That is the mark of a great drummer.
It's enlightening watching the Disney mini-series both how professional Ringo is (he was always there on time, always ready, always knew what he was doing, never screwing up making the band start over) and how truly likable he is (always positive, never complaining, never the drama queen). I've always been a huge Beatles fan, but never paid much attention to Ringo. After watching him behind the scenes I have immense respect for him.
I went to a drum clinic with Dennis Chambers probably 20 years ago. His one comment about Ringo was that he had "it"! I would say that is a significant compliment from a great jazz drummer.
My old roommate was a drummer and he used to always talk trash about Lars Ulrich being an awful drummer. I don’t listen to Metallica much, but I know that a pro drummer in the biggest metal band was not “trash”. So one day I played a drum solo from Lars and told him it was from porcupine tree and he was all talking about how good and crisp it was and when I told him it was Lars, he got all quiet lol
Do you happen to remember what song? I'm kind of curious
Lars doesn't suck. It's his lack of dedication to the craft that sucks. If he took the time to practice, he would be quite something. Unfortunately, he's admitted he doesn't.
There's a better case to say lars is overrated. The drummer of one of the most popular bands of all time, that being Metallica should probably be able to play better than Lars, not saying he sucks he is a great drummer and to me it wouldn't be Metallica without him but a case can be made due to how much he does seem to struggle with time live epically unlike Ringo who legit was never off time.
@@bronnyredding8860 no idea but if you look up "Lars Ulrich Drum Solo" the first one is likely what I played
Good one 😀
Ringo Starr is THE quintessential drummer. Plays exactly what the song needs. And THAT is his genius. I laugh at anyone who says he is over rated or bad or whatever. It means they aren't LISTENING.
@@CASolorzanoSpeakerandAuthor But, Ringo was a Beatle and The Beatles were, The Beatles, because of Ringo, Paul, John & George; 4 geniuses.
@@CASolorzanoSpeakerandAuthor in those most likely, not a fan boy here
Yeah I’m with you there man. I def used to under appreciate his playing when I was a kid, and into more technical music. But at that time I had barely really heard much of their catalogue, and really didn’t pay too close of attention to them. But holy shit… later, in my 20’s, my buddy played The Beatles all the time around me, & I most definitely learned to see what all the hype has been about, with their genius in songwriting. They really are a perfectly complimentary group of musicians. & yes, Ringo is far far better than I ever realized when I was a kid. Like you said, he just plays exactly what each song needs. It’s an elegance in simplicity kind of thing. He’s a perfect pocket drummer plain and simple.
But if you’re looking for any flashiness, or polyrhythms he’s prob not your guy. Lol
And Nick Mason of Pink Floyd
@@CASolorzanoSpeakerandAuthor You can't be that schooled in music if you don't know why he is great. enough said!
Ringo may not be the best drummer ever, but he was the best drummer for The Beatles. Always kept time perfectly!
Pete Best was good enough! :
th-cam.com/video/A2oT5voHIHc/w-d-xo.html
This is just a tired cliche. He was always a very good drunmer, period.
@@KrwiomoczBogurodzicy good enough doesn't cut it! Ringo's an innovator, Pete's a wannabe.
And John didn't even think he was the best drummer *in The Beatles*!
Not according to John Lennon
This is the “go to” vid to play for anyone that maligns Ringo’s name. Excellent point. His fills are no joke, either. Even @ 80+ he’s still metronomic as hell.
I had a drummer buddy back in high school, late ‘60s. He was a fantastic drummer and even then could have replaced or at least competently mimic just about any drummer in the rock ‘n roll universe at that time. He told me back then how great Ringo was. He was one of my best friends and I have lost track of him, and I don’t think he’s with us any more. His name is/was Mike Jenkins. Anyway, he demonstrated several things about the drums and Ringo that I could never emulate in a thousand years on a drum set (I would’ve made a crappy drummer) that totally blew me away, and I have since maintained Ringo’s (as well as Mike’s) greatness to everybody I’ve talked about it with.
When you watch the Beatles perform, you are amazed at how laid-back the drummer is. He is relaxed, in a good mood, loves his job and is an energetic and enthusiastic guy. There was no other drummer like him, they are all tense, like they are doing hard work. Millions of people all over the world wanted to become drummers just by seeing the Beatles
Boring. The word you're looking for is boring. (But that's just fine!)
A good point very well made. Ringo made his drumming look easy by his relaxed style, which may have contributed to people under-rating his playing. But he was (is) obviously one of the greats.
@@itmeurdad wrong.
@@itmeurdad
I would go with brilliantly economical. Ringo never felt the need to show off. He just felt the need to keep that beat a-movin'. And to my ears, that is indeed fine.
@@itmeurdad No one off the coolest EVER!
Ringo STILL has that relaxed, completely comfortable look when he plays. He's just that naturally good.
Or acts naturally. 😀
No hes as thick as two planks. Heve you met him? unfortunately I have