“Feel it, don’t think it.”
After many years of playing with B.B. King and other genre legends, Tony Coleman is the man when it comes to blues drumming. In this hour-long live lesson, he shares what it means to play the blues ‘authentically’ and how to spice up your shuffles.
It takes feel to put flavor in. Like a good gumbo, “you’ve got to put the love and passion in it, know it, feel it, taste it, understand it to make it come out right.”
Rather than thinking about BPM, Tony prefers to go by FPM: Feeling Per Minute. He says it’s really not about the sheet music; it’s about learning what to do when it needs to be done.
Prepare to learn “the real way to play the blues”, and even hear some wisdom Tony picked up from B.B. King himself.
Lesson Index:
0:27 – SONG: “Get Ready” by the Tony Coleman Band/The Temptations
4:50 – Introduction
8:59 – What it means to play ‘authentically’
10:32 – SONG: “Tony TC Cole Man Shuffle” by Tony Coleman
16:02 – Basic shuffle
22:23 – Double shuffle
28:52 – Slow blues
32:31 – How to get the blues ‘feel’
44:04 – Tips for beginners
50:28 – SONG: “The Blues Had A Baby” by Tony Coleman
If you enjoyed this lesson, Tony’s course on Drumeo Edge will include video lessons for the Texas shuffle, the double shuffle, slow blues, blues funk, and much more. You can also check out Tony’s interview on the Drumeo Podcast by clicking here!
About Tony:
Tony Coleman is one of the best blues drummers to ever grace a stage, having toured and recorded with some of the greatest blues and soul artists ever, such as B.B. King, Otis Clay, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Albert Collins, Etta James, James Cotton, Katie Webster, Z.Z. Hill, O.V. Wright, and Buddy Guy. Besides his illustrious career as a sideman, Tony has also released various solo studio albums over the years, featuring a collection of very special guests.
He’s the author of the book “Authentic Blues Drumming” and currently endorses Mapex, Sabian, Remo, Vater, Audix, and JH Audio.
Tony Coleman has toured and recorded with some of the greatest blues and soul artists ever, such as B.B. King, Otis Clay, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Albert Collins, Etta James, James Cotton, Katie Webster, Z.Z. Hill, O.V. Wright, and Buddy Guy. Besides his illustrious career as a sideman, Tony has also released various solo studio albums over the years that feature legendary guests.
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