Skull Snaps - It's A New Day
With
Max SedgleyMax Sedgley breaks down the much-sampled drum break from Skull Snaps’ ‘It’s a New Day’, slowing it down so you can feel the swing and the double kick that give the groove its bounce.
What's in the course
19 lessons (0h 56m) · 2 free
01. Practice tips for drum breaks
Free lesson3:49
02. The Isley Brothers - Footsteps in the Dark
Free lesson4:33
03. The Isley Brothers - Footsteps in the Dark (top view)
0:55
04. Barry White - I'm Gonna Love You A Little Bit More
4:19
05. Barry White - I'm Gonna Love You A Little Bit More (top view)
0:55
06. Skull Snaps - It's A New Day
You are here2:57
07. Skull Snaps - It's A New Day (top view)
0:54
08. Melvin Bliss - Synthetic Substitution
7:16
09. Melvin Bliss - Synthetic Substitution (top view)
0:54
10. The Winstons - Amen, Brother
6:06
11. The Winstons - Amen, Brother (top view)
1:20
12. Banbarra - Shack Up
4:17
13. Banbarra - Shack Up (top view)
1:10
14. Marva Whitney - Unwind Yourself
5:06
15. Marva Whitney - Unwind Yourself (top view)
0:50
16. Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers - Ashley's Roachclip
3:28
17. Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers - Ashley's Roachclip (top view)
1:19
18. Steve Miller Band - Take The Money And Run
5:28
19. Steve Miller Band - Take The Money And Run (top view)
0:56
Lesson transcript
Music Lesson: Analyzing "It's a New Day" by Skull Snaps
So, that was the break from a song called "It's a New Day" by a band called Skull Snaps from the early 70s.
Again, this is another massively used break utilized by artists like:
- The Prodigy
- Gang Starr
- Mobb Deep
To name a few, this is a seminal break in the world of hip hop and sampling.
Breaking It Down
Let's break it down and slow it down to give you an idea of how to play it.
The Groove
The main thing about this is the kind of swing feel that the drummer gets on it. It's a pretty simple groove, but the way it bounces is the reason that it's been used so many times in hip hop.
So, let's have a go!
The one thing that gives the groove its swing and bounce is the double kick drum.
- That's the only thing that gives the game away in terms of whether this beat is straight or swung.
- All the other elements are completely straight.
But as soon as you hear that double kick come in, the feel that's created by it gives the groove its bounce.
And that's it: the groove from "It's a New Day" by the Skull Snaps.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Max Sedgley is a British producer, drummer and DJ with a degree in classical music. His compositions have featured on numerous TV programmes and adverts, including the series Six Feet Under, and he was the drummer for drum & bass producer Roni Size. He also records under the name Cadien.
In his courses he teaches drumming from the ground up - sticking, core grooves and the eight-note rock pattern - and the iconic 60s and 70s drum breaks that have been sampled into countless modern records.
