Gavin Harrison's Paradiddle Challenge - Drum Lesson (Drumeo)
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A couple years ago Dave Atkinson was at Gavin Harrison’s drum clinic where he learned Gavin’s paradiddle challenge. We couldn’t find any traces of the challenge online, so we knew we had to ask him about it when he came to Drumeo.
This challenge is definitely a tricky one, so make sure you’re comfortable with each step before adding the next into the routine! Your limb independence will most definitely be put to the test.
Make sure you watch Gavin's one-hour Drumeo lesson!
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The one thing that stands out, which makes Gavin exemplify professionalism, is his unequivocal demonstration of being consistently humble. He always gives credit where credit is due, and leaves ego out if the way, in order to be vulnerable, and charismatic at the same time. The mark of a true teacher. You can't help but DESIRE to learn from him.
Came down to the comment section to say "what a great guy!"....I guess what you said also works
You said very eloquently what I was thinking. I saw King Crimson about 10 years ago in Toronto and I can’t recall if it was Gavin on drums as I hadn’t played for years at that time and wasn’t familiar with him.
Since then he’s become one of my favourites. He is immensely talented and so creative as well as being a super guy.
@@buddyrichable1 Took my step son to see King Crimson at the Ryman in Nashville a few years ago. I was in the balcony right above Gavin's drumset and I found myself glued to him the entire show. I literally couldnt turn away, I was mesmerized. I wasnt familiar with him at the time as I honestly didnt listen to a lot of prog rock outside of KC. He made me a super fan overnight. Porcupine Tree is one of my favorite bands now, love his other band, The Pineapple Thief, as well. His pieces are always so complex and full and theres never any wasted space. Bonnie the Cat was a song PT created around a drum beat that Gavin wrote and if you havent heard it give it a listen, it showcases just how phenomenal of a musician he is . Dude is one of the GOATs and I wish I'd heard him sooner.
Your grammar is fantastic
No matter how complex the patterns are, Gavin always sounds so good. His groove and tone is phenomenal.
Awesome demonstration. It is helpful to think of this as a 4:3 polyrhythm which can be first worked out between the hands before playing as paradiddles between the hands and feet. So for example:
L = Left Hand
R = Right Hand
B = Bass drum
H = High-Hat with foot
1 e + u 2 e + u 3 e + u
L L L
R R R R
When adding the feet, it will be best to play this in the context of a basic groove to get the feel before adding paradiddles as follows:
1 e + u 2 e + u 3 e + u 4 e + u 5 e + u 6 e + u (repeat)
R R R R R R R R R R R R
L L L
B B B B B B B B
The Rs are simply eighth notes on the hi-hat and the Ls are backbeats on 2, 4, and 6. The bass drum pattern is every third sixteenth note which gives rise to the 4:3 polyrhythm.
When paradiddles are added, it becomes:
1 e + u 2 e + u 3 e + u 4 e + u 5 e + u 6 e + u (repeat)
R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L
B B B B B B B B
To further challenge yourself, play the R on the high-hat and the L on the snare and accent the backbeat on 2, 4, and 6 to get a groove going. To take it even one step further, play the hands open with left hand on high-hat and right hand on snare.
Regarding the feet, alternate B and H as a paradiddle like Gavin Harrison does in the video. That would look like this:
1 e + u 2 e + u 3 e + u 4 e + u 5 e + u 6 e + u (repeat)
R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L
B H B B H B H H
One thing, it is most useful to think of this pattern in 6/4 rather than a 4/4 which "wraps around" for 2 extra quarter notes. In 6/4, the 4:3 polyrhythm can be much more easily seen and heard because of the symmetry; it is just 2 groups of 3 quarter notes each with the second group starting the 4:3 polyrhythm with the left hand and/or high hat (if paradiddles are played with the feet; otherwise it would be a B all the way through for the entire measure).
All of this is very challenging and a similar 4:3 concept can be applied in playing a standard jazz swing pattern. Perhaps I'll wrote more on that later if there is enough interest...
Take it slow. It will be frustrating, but stick with it and it will eventually start making sense. At higher tempos, the groove will have a certain quality and feel to it and will almost start to play itself once your brain puts it on autopilot.
If I can play it, anyone can!
Happy practicing! Namaste. :D
Thank you for this. I thought I had it down on the first try like "this is easy." But I was just playing in time with both hands and feet, so there where no alternations. I just hit the fit on the first beat on each bar. Then I tried the real version, and I'm still trying.
Aditya Tyagi excellent job in your 4 over 3,and the cute code for this motif,I was going to do exactly what you have done, so glad to have found your comment and break down or we would have the same thing here lol,great teacher I think you might be!!!!😀
tommorow i'm gona print out this comment to try that thing....already feel my bains boiling....Thanks for your comment!!!!!
Thanks for the positive feedback. Hope everyone is making progress.
That's great break down, really helpful. Thanks!
Only one thing. The last B(or H later) should be on "e" of the "6th" beat, right?
This guy is just a monster with independence, and seemingly one of those nicest guy you'll ever meet types.
I'm loving this Gavin Harrison lessons!!!
Drumeo got my favourite drummer to teach me how to play.
I hope he can return someday a enlighten us mortals a little more
He's great to watch, but no matter how much he enlightens me, I could never do any of the stuff he does.
Andrew Davis Me neither. He makes it look so simple. I guess that's a sign of greatness
My drum teacher taught me these years ago and I use them all the time, they're so incredibly helpful for timing, phrasing, polyrhythms, coordination, independence, you name it
The way he lays this out step by step is genius and makes it really accessible. If he had started out by saying "It's two paradiddles playing 4:3 on top of each other", most people would've already given up from the get-go.
He is not exaggerating. Gary Husband is absolutely phenomenal on both drums and keys!
A friend of mine is pals with Gadd. He asked him what drummers he admires, he said Gary Husband.
The independence is strong with this one!
Blagoja Stamatovski its all about the high ground haha
Indeed it is. An inspiration to us all!
Gawd!
Gavin please always be humble.You are in my opinion such an inspiration an the best drummer on the planet.God has really blessed you with a great gift.
How amazing to hear Gavin Harrison on drumeo! I am addicted to his drumming and the beautiful music he recorded. How awesome he mentions Gary Husband! Also, like Gavin, one of my favourite musicians. For all of you who dont know him, listen to Allan Holdsworth or John McLaughlin recordings where he plays keyboards and drums. If you have any musical sense whatsoever i guarantee you will be amazed and shocked. Its unbelievable.
Reineke Fuchs 🙏
@@GaryHusbandKeyboardsandDrums What an honour! Love you Mr. Husband! Greetings from the lower Bavarian forest. Thanks for the music; your playing inspires me everytime I listen, not to mention your incredible symbiotic connection playing with Allan.
Reineke Fuchs That means the world to me, thank you! Too kind sir 🙏
Gavin is such an eloquent speaker, just like his drumming
I love this exercise! I saw it on one of Gavin's earlier clinics, I use it everyday when warming up now.
That's so awesome. Nice!
Gavin's accent is the most British thing i have ever heard in my life
You never studied to the Cambridge Proficiency Exams, right? haha I am from Brazil and I can think of a lot of accents WAY WORSE(OR MORE British ((ins a 'strong' way))) than his...he is easy to understand, and by WORSE I mean, not bad, but difficult to understand for someone who studied American English his/her entire life (myself included). :D
Hugh Grant maybe. lol
He's from Tazmania ....kidding
You should listen to Golden Brown by The Stranglers...
@@maraxussrafhael pro tip follow the rhythm and the cadence of the accent. It's not difficult.
Gary is the legend who never fails to amaze ❤
So, instead of Paradiddle I’m just gonna call it a 3 dimensional paradiddle and wait for a rip in the fabric of space and time
What excellent training for the mind...keeping it all together.
That's a good exercise. Here's another limb independence exercise I came up with. The idea is to get each hand to play a simple pattern in different time signatures, say 3/4 and 4/4. Each pattern is simply all quarter notes with a rest at the end of the bar. So, left hand repeats [1,2,(rest)] while the right plays [1,2,3,(rest)]. As you can see, both parts share a rest on every 12th beat and the pattern repeats. It's quite a challenge at first, but once you slowly work it up your brain will not have to think what each limb is supposed to be doing, but rather on the whole pattern's completion and repetition. Of course, you should switch hands as well and if you want to go really deep, add a foot playing in 5/4 over the other two. Best part is you can play it anywhere, no drums ore even sticks are required.
This is something I used to do way back . It's interesting when you invert the paras too. Thanks Guys.
I've seen Crim in concert about a dozen times (going back to 1980). In 2014, I saw 'em in Philadelphia and Gavin controlled the entire ensemble. In October 2017, I saw 'em at Lisner in DC and - as good as Gavin was - Jeremy Stacey completely blew my mind as the driving force behind the revamped Neurotica.
One of the best in the business
I can try this as much as I want but I'm missing a few brains
Just slow it down. We can play ANYTHING if we slow it down enough.
Not about brains, it's about focus. BTW the future sucks, try to stay back in four years ago.
I love Gavin so much! I’m intensely studying him and Buddy Rich right now.
Ben that's so awesome. Keep pushing forward buddy!
"I wonder if I could play that"
Even drummers like him need to ask that question every now and again :)
Werd! I practiced this for a few weeks, and decided to kick it up. Change the accent of the “hands” paradiddles to the second note of the paraddidle (the RA) for a phrase. like, an entire set of “feet” paraddidles. Then change the hand paraddidle accent to the third note in the hands paraddidle (the “did”)…for a phrase. Then the “le” accented for a phrase. Then move the accents off the snare to toms/cymbals. Write it all out first tho so you don’t get confused lol.
@@RockOn78 I need to try this now!
Fun “little“ challenge 😂
zislec - IKR, easy as pi.
Saw Gary with Alan Hosworth and UK, amazing! So is Gavin, obviously!
1:00 I have no idea what he's talking about... but he's one of my favourite drummers :)
Gavin is so amazingly polyrhythmic. Mindblowing
I think Gavin took it easy on everyone with this exercise. It's not that difficult. His 6/8 afro-cuban herta double bass drum groove is another story.
Rudiments around the drum kit is something I'm rediscovering how to apply them consciously when you want instead of coming out subconsciously
Gavin Harrison still blows my mind away!
The king of drums 😊
I studied this challenge in the same way, first single then alternate, finally paradiddle. great exercise to open your mind
Can't get enough of this amazing drummer!
Gary Husband...yes!Saw him playing with Level 42,and behind keys,when Vinnie was behind drums.He was killing that keys...
So beautiful, I could never do this but it's an eargasm to listen to!!
You can start by having the feet play quarter notes on the beat while the hands play triplet paradiddles (or paratriplets, as Dahlgren and Fine called it in 4-Way Coordination). Get the coordination down that way, then it's a matter of getting used to the metronome lining up with the hands instead of the feet.
I believe this three note grouping is known as the three bar phrase in Jazz. It repeats every 3 bars. Great exercise!
That seems like a really cool challenge, headed to the kit right now to play it. Thanks.
That sure is great paradiddle practice!
Saw his older video about this yesterday, tried it, immediately managed it lmao. Super fun challenge!
OH wow!!! This is nuts!
I've also seen Gary Husband live. That man is nuts!!
I've also seen Gavin Harrison live. How lovely my life is!
Awesome! Really makes the technical stuff feel great!
Note to Drumeo...
Get Gary Husband!...a full months worth of lessons with that man!!
Since Gary is also a first-class pianist/keyboard player, pick his brain on interacting with other musicians and on "musicality" ("spirit", "heart", "emoton"...). Ask him to play along with some Antoine Fafard material (which he recorded), as well as a few Holdsworth songs.
Steaknife I second that!..
Benevolent Backpacker Love Gary Husband!
@AquaAnim Not as much as Gary Wife!
best thing I've seen behind a drumkit in my life yo
Gary Husband was a studio guru. If I’m not mistaken, he was a Yamaha endorser. Talking a long time ago.
amo este canal
Gavin always has the best sounding snare
Gavin thank you so much
Excellent. Thank you 🥁👍🔥
Even after 15 years of playing, I'm still learning new stuff.
I had a big problem with adding accents to paradiddle. It took me couple of days to get a good feel at it, but oh man it's a problem to nail the bass drum the way Gavin demonstrates.
It's important to keep trying. It might be choppy and messy and all over the place. Some things fall into place even during our sleep. Trust me.
I have to say this is real cool, and it's not hard to play, every 3 16th notes kick a beat, then use the paradiddles as your 2 feet alternate,once you can play it like Gavin showed you can open lots more doors with this concept. Ecample, play 6 stroke rolls using paradidle sticking or paradidle didle, put your bass drum on every 3rd beat of the triplets then switch feet, one then the other foot on hats, after that use the Gavin concept of feet hats or bassdrum and mix the feet up don't worry I will be posting vids of me expanding on this cross rhythmic pattern.,😃
Like a metronom. 😊 Awsome
that are the challenges i love
This is sick....I can only imagine the sound of that being orchestrated around the toms by moving the accents
very interesting
Awesome the snare sounds amazing
I love this!!!
Really love that rhythm!!
3:00 Gojira style!
I very like it!)) Thanh you)
Reminds me of the Matt Garstka Paradiddle challenge by OneUp drum vids
***** Brilliant insight.*****
Tricky!
Echt cool lohnt sich zu üben
cool shoes
and playing!
I use paradiddles soooo often 😍
Sick exercise! That snare sounds pretty 😍
Danny Carey, Gavin is giving away the secrets to those incredible beats!
Now THIS is challenge!
I'm definitely about to have fun!! Can you make a video about chops drumeo!!??
Very cool lesson i must try, thanks Gavin :)
He’s y favorite drummer now.
still love it!!
Exactly what i was searching for!
Very interesting (and tricky!) concept - for me at least. Thanks for sharing!
Tanks Gavin for your "dicas". Hug from Portugal :)
Gary Husband is a fantastic musician. I think he played drums with Allan Holdsworth if memory serves. Later, I saw hm credited as a pianist somewhere else, and I thought "what a funny coincidence, two guys named Gary Husband in there same genre of music playing two different instruments"! LOL
Now do the same thing with the displaced paradiddle inversions #6,7 & 8 in Stick Control [ RLLR LRRL ; RRLR LLRL; RLRL LRLR ] with the accents on the beginning of each paradiddle.
Anyone struggling to do this, start with a straight 16th roll (RLRL) and the kick every 3, then switch to paradiddle with the hands once you've got the feel.
This is the shit! I will now nerd out to this for the foreseeable future.
After I get this down pat some day I will challenge myself to reversing this and play the bass drum part on the snare drum and the snare drum part on the bass drum.
Gary Husband previously of level 42 of course!
3:27 "And that's it" --- hahahah...so simple
Tried this and I kind of got it down but it is quite difficult to wrap your head around at first!
Great!👍
I'm not even a drummer but I love this guy lol
If you feel the paradiddles as sixteenth notes in 3/4 it makes it feel a tad easier.
Crazy coordination)
Outstanding
This is a Gavin Harrison ladies and gentlemen 😮😮😮😮
Harrison is not from this planet. Guy's a monster
Brilliant.
awesome i'll try today
Its very similar to the Simon Philips exercise, the difference being that Having makes it sound More musical
NICE ONE BROTHERS, LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE STUFFS
Thanks for another with Gavin, Drumeo! I do not own credit card so for me it is impossible to become a member
I'm going to practice the crap out of this; TY!
The drummer he is referencing is the great Gary Husband of Allan Holdsworth' band fame. An unbelievable musician. He has his own TH-cam channel and would encourage anyone wanting to learn drums to check out Gary Husband.
I wonder if Drawing the Line (The Incident) intro is a Paradiddle?!... It is such a beautiful intro/song!...
I do this with the hat foot practising normal rock beats,dotted 8s crossing the beat.
Donati plays classical piano btw.
Challenge accepted!