You might best know Rob ‘Beatdown’ Brown from his popular YouTube channel, but after you watch this hour-long lesson you’ll also know him for his incredible sense of pocket and groove.
Rob emphasizes that “no one will yell at you for sitting in the pocket,” and that overplaying isn’t necessary. Most drummers get hired to play pocket, and for their sharp decision-making skills: knowing what to play and where to play it.
In this lesson, you’ll learn that drum parts don’t need to be flashy to work, and how to get into the right headspace before practicing your pocket. That’s why Rob is confident that this is something you can improve ‘overnight’: it’s a conceptual exercise that’ll help you immediately change the way you think about drumming.
Once you find your rhythmic foundation, you’ll learn how to practice playing in the pocket, how to use the click in a few different ways, and why you should play ‘from the ground up’ by focusing on your feet first.
After this lesson, you’ll know why the hi-hat is such a powerful tool for creating grooves and why internalizing subdivision is so important.
Lesson Outline:
0:00 – SONG: “Broadway Hustle” by Rob Brown (from the playalong album “Beatdown’s Pocket Builders”)
4:40 – Introduction
8:55 – Finding the rhythmic foundation
19:41 – How to practice the pocket
26:29 – Playing from the foot
30:35 – Using the click to improve feel
41:40 – Biggest takeaways
46:40 – SONG: “Take Six” by Rob Brown (from the playalong album “Beatdown’s Pocket Builders”)
About Rob:
Self taught session & touring drummer, Rob ‘Beatdown’ Brown has been playing since 1987. Since 2005, Rob has become a favored online educator well regarded for his simple breakdown style of teaching. His educational YouTube channel has grown exponentially with over 16,000,000 views and almost 200,000 subscribers. Professionally, Rob has played with a wide range of artists in the contemporary Christian, jazz, R&B, pop-rock and pop-country scenes and has played with award-winning artists such as The Stellas and Jess Moskaluke, and with Jacob Moon.
Rob Plays:
Yamaha Drums
Evans Drumheads
Paiste Cymbals
Follow Rob:
YouTube
Instagram
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Rob Brown has become a favored online educator well regarded for his simple breakdown style of teaching. His educational YouTube channel has grown exponentially with millions of views and hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Professionally, Rob 'Beatdown' Brown has played with a wide range of artists in the contemporary Christian, jazz, R&B, pop-rock and pop-country scenes and he has played with award-winning artists such as The Stellas and Jess Moskaluke, and with Jacob Moon.
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