10 Beginner Funk Drum Beats | Go From 'No' To 'Pro'

I discovered funk drumming when I first began learning the funk drum beats that many of the songs I played on Bourbon Street in New Orleans required. I had never listened to ANY of this funk music, so it was a complete schooling in and of itself. Remember, this style is meant to GROOVE. Pocket is your friend. To quote Parliament...One nation, under a groove. This is a quick lesson on 10 easy and fun funk drum beats you can learn and use today.

Oh, and my apologies for not filming the last drum beat. COMPLETELY dropped the ball on that one but I had already told you at the beginning that I would teach you 10. So, snag the sheet music at the link above and check out that 10th drum beat. Don't worry, I fired myself. But then I had to rehire myself because it's my business. So...you're stuck with me lol.

Leave a comment below and let me know your favorite funk drum beat!
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Cymbal Setup From Left To Right:

All Zildjian

Hats:
16" EFX Crash on top
16" K Light Top Hat on bottom

18" Kerope Crash

22" K Custom Dark Complex Ride

22" Renaissance Ride

Drums:
Tama Starclassic Bubinga with Tiger Wood finish

Sticks:
Vic Firth 5A

Drumheads:
Aquarian
Classic Clear on toms and snare resonant
Response 2 on toms batter
Hi-Velocity on snare batter
Regularor (Ebony) on kick resonant
Super Kick 10 on kick batter

Alclair In Ear Monitors

[StephenTaylorDrums]

I discovered funk drumming when I first began learning the funk drum beats that many of the songs I played on Bourbon Street in New Orleans required. I had never listened to ANY of this funk music, so it was a complete schooling in and of itself. Remember, this style is meant to GROOVE. Pocket is your friend. To quote Parliament...One nation, under a groove. This is a quick lesson on 10 easy and fun funk drum beats you can learn and use today.


Oh, and my apologies for not filming the last drum beat. COMPLETELY dropped the ball on that one but I had already told you at the beginning that I would teach you 10. So, snag the sheet music at the link above and check out that 10th drum beat. Don't worry, I fired myself. But then I had to rehire myself because it's my business. So...you're stuck with me lol.

Leave a comment below and let me know your favorite funk drum beat!

[alfredosincovich]

With this 10 beats you can play the 90% of pop and rock music

[JosephNordenbrockartistraction]

These funk beats go begging for a bass guitar player. I just play my cheap bongos and enjoy it very much. This was nice to understand what goes on behind the scenes a little. Thanks.

[BrandochGarage]

3 types of drummers, those who can count, and those who can't... I really enjoyed this video. Took me almost an hour to watch it because I checked out those other songs, and also got stuck listening to the Funkadelic album, "Funkadelic..." -Peace.

[gmoney]

Theses grooves are definitely all funkified . A lot of classics here man. These are all gonna be great to learn and break out. These are all a lot of fun. And everybody knows the songs . Great stuff as always . Maybe you can do a lesson on the fills that go with these songs. Thanks Stephen as always

[markricher]

Stephen my man, Funk drumming is my thang baby! I was in a Funk band in the 1980's. We had male & female lead singers, backup singers, horns, keyboards the whole 9 yards, we killed it!!!
We had paying gigs every weekend for over 3 years until the two lead singers got married and moved out of state (assholes) lol! The female (Robyn) sounded just like Chaka Khan!
I still own over 300 Funk/Disco albums!
Thank you for including the sheet music and for doing this - Funk Lessons! You da man!

[JeffRandallDrumming]

1:15 That’s THE band right there! Nice work dude.

[johnellwoodtaylor]

I know it’s technically not funk but one of the greatest grooves ever was Alex Van Halen on Mean Street. Not only the funky bass but the fact that he could add ride cymbal on top of that.

[socialrehab]

Thank you. That has improved my drum programming hugely

[dirtydave]

I seriously recommend learning some funk grooves to young/beginner and novice drummers. It will zazz up your playing quite a bit and its also incredibly fun. Your band mates will look at you in awe!

[VW.]

Lol oh stevie. I was playing to a funk backing track. Thought...okay this isnt sounding right, let me see what Steve has..and as soon as your video started playing, so happy....your spirit, energy. So good, thanks man.

[VUKE_fn]

I like how these beats are actually easy unlike some other ones that are like
Oh yeah these beats are easy and when you click on the vid the beats are damn hard

[Underdog_Drums]

Would it have been to much to ask to have dressed up like Rick James for this one?

[jeffjohnson]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing. I don’t play drums but I’m researching drum beats in search of inspiration for my own productions. Never realized how much funk I’ve had in my life!

[MrWCL]

I love the short format of this video! So many drum instructional videos have gotten really long and boring to watch. Great job making yourself different!

[remoskins]

I've always liked the staple singers song respect yourself. Thanks for introducing me to some new songs. Good video, Stephen.

[uhoh]

Best pre-beat descriptions I've heard on a drumming tutorial. I don't have drums, but I have an 808 I'm learning, and I can program it from your descriptions alone. No accident I suspect, since I heard the S word ;)

[drummaman]

Must wear red codpiece when playing any Cameo. Sorry, I don't write the rules, I just enforce them. ;-p

Honorable (important) mention - Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine by James Brown. Jabo and/or Clyde play that groove on many JB tunes.

Funk!

[JsixCsix]

Thanks so much for this. I've been a musician for a while but just started learning drums. This video is money 🤟

[omarnajam]

this is one of the most helpful videos I've ever watched