Drum Lesson: Chuck E's in Love (Rock School Grade 5)

Hi, welcome to this drum lesson on Chuck E's in Love, Rock School Grade 5. This is a difficult piece, guys. It's probably the hardest one in the Grade 5 repertoire. Steve Gadd, one of the most in-demand drummers of all time, plays things that have really become part of the classic Gadd repertoire that most drummers aspire to.

Incredibly musical, incredibly intuitive, and technically demanding, particularly at this tempo and with this kind of feel.

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Original Recording

The first thing that I would do is refer you back to checking out the original recording with Steve Gadd. The next thing to mention is that this is what we would call a distilled arrangement. Some of the more complicated technical elements and subtleties have been taken out to make this suitable for a Grade 5 student.

Having said that, to play this piece with the right kind of nuance, in my estimation, is a lifetime's work. So do what you can, but also don't be too hard on yourself because, you know, none of us play like Steve Gadd. There's a reason why he is who he is and why you are who you are, and I play the way that I play. None of us can ever really sound like each other. It's important to embrace your own individual approach to this.

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Getting Into the Nitty Gritty

Time Signature and Dynamics

• We are in 4/4.
• Dynamic: mezzo forte for the most part.
• Half-time concept:
  • The backbeat falls on beat three rather than on beats two and four.
  • Instead of counting 1, 2 and 3 and 4 and, we count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.

This gives us that relaxed half-time feeling. Later in the piece, it does move to regular time where the backbeat is on 2 and 4.

Shuffle Feel

The whole thing is shuffled and has a swing feel. If you're unsure what "shuffle" means, it might technically refer to playing the first and third partials of a triplet. Here, although it's not indicated on the chart, we're swinging the quavers written on the chart. Listening to the original record and playing with the Rock School backing track will help you get that feel.

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Key Concepts to Note

• Bar 4: Classic Gaddism, a linear drum fill.
  • Linear: One note at a time.
  • Based on an inverted double stroke sticking.
  • Instead of right, right, left, left, it's:
    • Right, left, left, right, right, left, left, and so on.

Practicing the Drum Fill

The drum fill slowly:

1E and A, 2E and A, 3 and 4 and.

Just break it down, it's like a motor skill. You need to practice it until it falls under your hands.

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Familiarizing with the Chart

After the drum fill, continue with the nuances and subtleties.

• Drum Roll (Beat 4, Bar 8):
  • I tend to play that just by dropping both my sticks simultaneously.
  • Alternatively, you can play a five-stroke roll or a buzz roll.
  • This is a classic drumming technique you should have together by Grade 5.

Ghost Notes

We've got some ghost notes. Ghosted notes are ones where there's a bracket around the note head.

• Bar 11: The last eighth note in the bar is a ghosted buzz note in the left hand (snare drum hand).

Transition to Ride and Floor Tom

When we get to C, we go up onto the ride cymbal bell on the upbeat, then switch to the floor tom on beat four. This pattern develops continually in the original.

As the piece continues, there are triplet subdivisions. Pay attention to the note placements.

• Bar 28: Grace note on the snare drum followed by the bass drum on the third partial.

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Techniques for Letter D

• Letter D: More of a regular shuffle feel.
• Notice the bass and snare drum parts are often alternating in response to the melodic line.

Hi-Hat Splash Technique

At Bar 35, which is one bar before rehearsal letter D, we have a hi-hat splash technique on the fourth beat. You can achieve this by:

1. Splashing the cymbals together with your toes and then instantly releasing the cymbal.
2. Just using your toes to lift your foot and splash the cymbals together.

Movement in D

When we reach letter E, we enter a rubato section (stolen time). The click drops out, and the guitar player strums through the chords, followed by four clicks that bring back the tempo.

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Wrapping Up the Lesson

• Third from Last Bar: Handle triplets on the cymbal with single sticking and a light touch.
• Final section involves: snare drum, bass drum, press roll with the hands, leading to a final snare and bass drum hit together.

Grip Techniques

When I perform this piece, I use traditional grip to achieve a lighter, different kind of intonation. Here's how it sounds:

• Traditional Grip: (Play)
• Match Grip: (Play)

You'll notice a difference in the attack of the notes.

Experiment with both grips, and don't forget to record yourself and practice with a click and the original recording.

Final Thoughts

Consider the tuning of your drum. The snare drum should be relatively dry with a hint of reverb in the track. The nuances of hitting and the overall sound are significant.

This is a stunning piece of music and a big ask for a Grade 5 drummer, but a rewarding way to learn a lot of useful information.

Good luck, hope you enjoy it, and, yes, Chuck E's in Love!