Pro Drummer Teaches You how to play FUNKY DRUMMER

In this lesson, I'll break down how to develop the break to one of the most sampled and iconic drum breaks, "Funky Drummer". This is one of the most challenging 16th note Funk grooves.
This YouTube video is an excerpt from a longer lesson on Classic One Handed Sixteenth Note Grooves which can be found inside Stanton Moore Drum Academy.

This beat is challenging because of the ghosted “e’s” and “ah’s” and the ghosted 16th note right before the back beat. There are a lot of moving parts in this one. If you can play this groove, you’ll be able to play most of the other 16th note funk beats you will encounter.

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[jordancohen]

This is a fantastic breakdown of the beat and as a drum teacher I realky appreciate the detail put into describing the construction of it. Excellent job by an amazing drummer!

[caseybelway]

The original tempo 98bpm is INSANE! Clyde’s right hand was superhuman when he recorded this.

[LedSandman]

This was very helpful, teaching it step by step made me understand the beat

[ChuckMacDonald-uf]

Thank you mr moore. Slowjng this down and gradually adding is so helpful !! ❤

[jimgrubbs]

Stanton, you’re great at breaking the beats down so even my “wonder Drummer” 8 year old sponge of a natural can understand them. Boy he makes this old dog of a drummer jealous…

[badhabits]

Thank you for a great lesson. As a left hander playing right handed. I'm have a hell of a time getting my right hand any faster than 83 bpm. But I'm not giving up.

[karenmoore]

Thanks Stanton!!! I've been working on the five funk beats you should know for 6 months now, and its super rewarding to get Funky Drummer sounding somewhat right. This lesson is right up my alley, and a real eye opener after learning to play straight rock.

[milansikela]

Love playing funk. I remember a drum book my teacher wanted me to learn called the Funky Primer.

[majorseventh]

You get the extra pops and clicks in and the bottom in the kick, comfortable tempo and good clean sound. A loop of your groove works for me. All the utube drum loops have either not the groove, can only adjust tempo some, or a trash can sound...thanks for the good groove and sound.

[sssooonnnbbbooo]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with such detail and patience Stanton! Best funky drummer lesson I've seen. You're a groove beast. Cheers from Argentina

[aaronsparks]

Not only do you have to be a drummer on a certain level too play this groove and it's a lot of fun when you can this also took some talent and knowledge to put this lesson together and transcript everything nice job Stanton I really enjoyed this one.👋🤘🙏

[Ian_Luxton]

Hello and thank you for great breakdown! Question about right hand feel/technique on the hats -- I am an amateur drummer -- I am noticing (especially at 2:53) your subtle accent of the 8th notes in your RH as you groove on the hat. I don't mean the shoops, or the stronger accents on 2 and 4, just that chill pulsing 8th note feel. Are you controlling that just with your right hand, or does part of that groove come from your left foot? I see you lightly bouncing your left heel, and I'm wondering if when you do that you are also actually releasing a tiny bit of pressure on the hats, and getting groove out of that, or? The more I practice the more I see how musical the hats can be, so just wondering how you think about this in general. Thanks so much! ✌

[Andydrum]

Thank you so much Stanton for breaking down this Funky Drummer groove. I'm having a blast with it!!!! 🥁🤘👍😊

[silvertongues]

great lesson, I'm 50 and just starting to play, I hope I'll be able to get my funky drummer on soon!

[josephgiarraffa]

Love Clive’s funky beats and thanks for the great demonstration of ur ne of his beats

[MercedLCARS]

The best breakdown and recreation I've ever seen...so accurate. The icing on the cake would be to add the ambient reverb (plate reverb), then you've got yourself "The Funky Drummer"..." I wanna give the funky drummer some of this funky soul we got here!" Haha 😂 my favourite beat of all time! Great video.👍

[lll_]

Me and Lil John Robert’s were just going over Funky Drummer and other James Brown songs. This video helped me out! Thanks Stanton!

[rg]

Breaking down some classic beats - this is a great format man. I enjoy yer style in this one. I'll check out some more. Great job. Pretty good length - no longer.

[scramuelito]

This is so well explained and broken down. Thankyou very much and regards from Melbourne, Australia.

[djsroberts]

This is a perfect lesson. Just vlListening to F drummer then trying to play it was previously so frustrating because even once you’re on top of the R hand speed it still didn’t feel right, almost like I was being a foolish amateur musician, missing something really obvious just to finish if off your explanation and instruction was immaculate. Thank you.