Ringo had a knack, talent, gift for creating the perfect beat, groove, feel for THE SONG. As opposed to playing the most complicated, difficult, busy thing possible.
Bryan ... Beautifully put : "playing the most complicated, difficult, busy thing possible" .. and how many drummers do this ? .. and how tiring is it ? A great comment.
It amazes me how performers are equated with composers. His so-called "fills" are not just performances. They are compositions. Not techniques, but carefully crafted creations.
The Beauty of Ringo is his knack for simplicity and feeling the song out. He's not afraid to let his natural tendencies take over and was the master of drumming outside of the box.
Damn straiiiiight!!! Makes me chuckle when i hear people slag Ringo off because it tells me instantly that they're full of shit and just ignorant to what any decent musician/songwriter instinctively hears and feels, a songwriters dream and he has it locked down like nobody ekse. You always know pretty much when it's Ringo. I think its true to say that its not always what a master musicuan plays its what he doesn't play and just serve tye song. I FUCKIN LOVE RINGO 😊
An excellent list. Even Ringo himself was surprised at how good his rhythm for Rain turned out. His brilliance was laying down just the beat the song needed...no more and no less. It perfectly served the song and what the other musicians were doing. If some consider that "lacking" in some manner then how I wish I could be that "lacking." The right man at the right time.
I think it’s tremendous that as a drummer (I’m a guitarist/songwriter) you took the time to highlight just how monumental Ringo was and is as a elite drummer!! His feel, swing and PLAYING for the SONG and LYRIC as a drummer is unmatched STILL. Think “Rocky Racoon” the gun shot on snare..LOL!! BRILLIANT!! But I think there’s one thing you missed about his playing that you should mention if and when you do a video about him again and that is: His unbelievable ability to create drum parts that are so musical and iconic, you could name the song without the music, just his drums!!!!!! “ Ticket To Ride” “Come Together” “I Feel Fine” “Revolution” “Get Back” and on and on!! Who does it better than Ringo? Great job singing Ringo’s praises, he the most underrated drummer ever. BTW, you talked about his part in “In My Life.” Yes he’s done it in “Anna” but he’s also done it more famously in “All I Gotta To do.” If you think I’ve made some valid points, let me know with a thumbs up.
The more I listen to all the classic Beatles hit songs the more I realize EVERY one of them has a signature Ringo "riff" to them--his ability to come up with a unique groove that fit the song perfectly was extraordinary! You cannot imagine ANY of those great songs without Ringo's creative hooks as an essential part of them--just amazing!!
I have played alongside some truly great drummers in my musical life. One of the best of those got me on to the fact that there are hardly two Beatles songs where Ringo even plays the same fill. Every single song is unique. Not many drummers can be so open and fluid and adaptable whilst maintaining having the ridiculous pressure of mega stardom upon them
Lovely tribute to Ringo. I agree that Ringo was really creative and didn't need to be fast or anything. His grooves are so distinctive and you know which Beatles song it is after one measure. You can't say that about many other drummers. Ringo was exceptional; perfect for the Beatles too.
Once Ringo joined the Beatles the chemistry was complete McCartney not being a true bass player brought a unique melodic style to the bass John happy to chunk away on Rhythm and George Harrison became more tasteful with his leads each passing year but Ringo with being a lefty on a right-handed kit was extremely hard to duplicate.
No, that's a placebo. Ringo in fact didn't play on most of their stuff. Quincy Jones often hired better drummers to re-do Ringo's parts. For instance Bernard Purdie played on 21 of their songs.
@@bobgreen1236 haha, no. In fact George wrote most of the beatle's hits while they were touring. I was talking specfically about when Qunicy was producing. Even though George did often hire session drummers over ringo, according to him
@@bobgreen1236 from George Martin Himself. Also based on the fact that their "simple" stuff has been sued for copyright by the likes of Chuck Berry and other British artist. And the more complex stuff (based on what the beatles say of their musicianship, which is that they suck) couldn't have been written by them, bc knowledge of that would require a classical education, of which martin had.
Ringo was the best rock drummer in the UK at the time he joined the Beatles and THAT is a fact. Watch live shows of him with the Fab Four in the the 1960's. The man was killing it on the drums.
@@joeg4707 how can you call him average when he has created some of the most iconic drum parts in history? Has every average drummer done that? What's your criteria for a better than average drummer?
You absolutely nailed it when you said Ringo was and is a game changer. It is so nice to see his drumming recognized. His drumming parts were so essential to the song composition aspect, which was a huge bonus to the Beatle's songs. One of the smartest things the Beatles did was grab Ringo and then they really became the Beatles. They instinctively knew something was missing to complete the square.
Ringo wasnt flashy. He has feeling. The best to fit a drum groove, but even in the day some drum.ers were badass, look at Rich ou Roach those guys were sick. Buddy rich even finish a solo while having an heart attack. What a fuckin legend hahaha
I have always love Ringo's playing and it's always amazed me how under rated he is by people who think a hundred double bass drum licks per bar makes you a great drummer. Ringo's feel and taste is below no one. I really like the Tom Petty drummers story. it's the same beat just with a different swing. I saw Gregg play live with David Lee Roth in 1986. he's got lots of chops, but still loves Ringo. the only thing I wish is that I could see Ringo play some Beatles songs without a second drummer. if McCartney had a tour with only Ringo I would see it in a heart beat. but Ringo is almost 80 and he never practices. and he probably hasn't played a Beatles song from beginning to the end with all the exact fills since over 50 years ago when he first recorded the songs. so he probably only remembers the beats but not the exact fills. or even where the fills are, and Pauls drummer has every nuance down pat. even though when he plays the exact same beat and fills he still doesn't sound like Ringo playing it.
Ringo doesn't just play the drums, he plays music on the drums. Ringo creates a drum part for each song just like percussion parts are written for orchestral compositions. Each song is not just a beat, it's a drum part, just like a vocal arrangement or a guitar part.
Wow... I've listened to the Beatles since they came to the US, and I guess I never realized how instrumental (no pun) Ringo was in changing so many things we just take for granted today! Thanks!
Hwd71, you're like a sheep in the herd repeating what other people say. Ringo Starr is not left handed. He leads with his left hand when he does rolls that's it. He plays on the hi hat and ride cymbal with his right hand like any right hander would. He also writes right-handed. It's a myth that is left handed. The reason he says that is because he's got an odd habit of leading with his left hand to do rolls that's the only thing he does left handed. And that's because it's a shity drummer I doesn't know what he's doing. He uses that as an excuse for his shity drumming
@@gurnblanstein9816 right fucking on! You and Quincy Jones share the same opinion. Also ringo didn't play on most of the records. Even Bernard Purdie said he played on 21 of their songs. He's a brand, not a musician
And here I thought I had a SCOOP! When I found out he was left handed, it explained A LOT. And NOBODY had HIS FEEL. That's why they will ALWAYS BE THE FAB FOUR!!! WE LOVE YOU, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!!!
I've watched this video 3-5 times just to see the love and admiration that Mr Bissonette has for one of my heroes. I still enjoy Ringo solo work, because it is made with love, this sound silly but it is true.
Not silly at all. True. Ringo’s devotion to peace and love has always shown through, from the earliest days, and definitely in his drumming. Musical magic doesn’t just come from nowhere… you have to have it in your soul…he has it and it came through on the Beatles songs and it is still coming through today.
So grateful for this video!! So great to hear from the man who plays with him, who most likely knows him and his playing better than anyone…having played alongside him for so many years!
Well said. Ringo is my favourite drummer . He didn’t just play drums, he helped shape the songs into great songs. To me the drumming became an instrument as important as Pauls bass playing. He’s the greatest.
Maybe you already know this, but the Who's most famous drummer, Keith Moon the Loon, was Zak's godfather, and got him into drumming! (Ringo actually didn't want his son getting involved in the music business, at first.)
When I first started playing, I never appreciated how good a player Ringo was. For me, he is the first groove based drummer I recognize. Now I try to get my students to appreciate what Ringo did to change our mutual musical world. Thanks Greg for being such a cheerleader for your friend and our source of inspiration.
What a great point that many people do not realize. Many front vocalist performers have also been drummers which really adds an extra level of phrasing to their chops.
I’ve been raked over the coals by friends for stating that Ringo is one of my favorite drummers of all time. They just don’t get it. Yellow Submarine is one of the best, in my opinion. The overall groove/sound of the snare is amazing.
She Said, She Said, Rain, A Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, Tomorrow Never Knows, Come Together, Ticket to Ride and I Feel Fine are Ringo's best drummings. It's not a coincidence that they were all Lennon songs: he said in an interview he preferred playing John's music.
What I love about Ringo is that his drum parts are often like little melodies in themselves. I catch myself kind of singing the beats to songs like Come Together, Ticket to Ride, Tomorrow Never Knows, A Day In the Life or the solo from The End.
ça fait vraiment plaisir de voir toutes ces vidéos qui rendent hommage au jeu de Ringo et montrent en quoi il est un batteur singulier. Il a parfois été dénigré et pourtant les particularités de sa technique ont contribué de façon majeure à l'originalité des Beatles.
Uplifting in so many ways. I realize Ringo Starr has given me some kind of standard for what I listen for in a drummer. I learned to dance to Beatles music.
he's amazing, but so underrated!. and I think he was what saved them live. they played live without hearing themselves becaues of all the screaming. the only reason they could play perfectly was because of how solid ringo is.
Ringo plays to the song. He’s left handed playing a right handed kit. He’s so musical I can usually Identify a Beatle song just by hearing the drum part!
Thanks for this, Greg. Ringo IS criminally underrated. The true "musicality" of the Beatles is underrated, too. Drives me crazy when people dismiss them as "just a pop band". So good to see an ambassador like you. Thanks for all your great work, as well. ✌
Ringo played for the song.... he wasn't all that showy off much, but played to suit the song and played very interesting and nobody played before kinda rhythms😊👏anyways, he's my fave drummer💙
I'm a fan of drummers, Vinnie Paul, etc.. ringo absolutely was a master. The ride cymbal and snare on "in my life" his use of ride cymbal in "hey Jude" at the beginning, just beautiful. You mentioned "in my life" his drumming in that song is untouchable.
About a year ago Sina Drums released a video titled "What makes Ringo a Great Drummer". That video has 1.8 million views and about 8K comments. Comments run about 98% positive, but there are still a lot of anti-Ringo people out there. However, very few of them are drummers.
The best drummers are always the ones that play what the song needs. They aren't fill crazy and super flashy...they're humble. I like that he mentioned Tom Petty's earlier drummer. I always dug his style of playing. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Very insightful.
When an artist leads in their field over 60 years they should not simply be admired, they must also be studied for the innovation they have brought to the genre. Ringo is both a generous and complementary drummer. His nuance and wisdom showed early in his career because he was willing to listen and learn from seasoned artists. Aside from his musicianship he's also proven to be one of the best band leaders for the Rock era.
Sept' 2018, my holiday in New England was coming to a close and staying in Boston. It was then I saw a sign out side the Wang Tharetre stating 'Ringos All Starr Band". Well a hundred dollars later and one of the best nights of my life. 👍👍👍
Watching the new Get Back documentary I was amazed by how little direction was given to ringo. He would listen to the other play a simple version of the song and just jump in and rarely ever be off
I believe Ronnie could drive The Beatles if he replaced Ringo, but I am not so sure Ringo would have made Elvis happen. Ronnie Tutt is under-rated and one of the best drummers of the era.
Even the redoubtable Buddy Rich said Ringo was "adequate," i.e., a good timekeeper. High praise coming from the mouth of one of the world's great, great drummers.
Here's my unpopular opinion: a drummer's job is NOT to keep time. Any half-decent musicians have some semblance of an internal clock. So what's the purpose of drums? Feel. Texture. Groove. Whatever you call it. If you play eighth notes on hats vs. floor tom with the exact same tempo, for example, the whole feel and character is changed even with the bpm unchanged. Right? Great drummers like Ringo are "feel orchestrators" for lack of better term. It's not simply what rhythms and patterns they *can* do, it's what they *choose* to do (or not do) while playing drums as an instrument within a song. I'm not saying metronome practice and rudiments and stuff is bad. It's great. But when you sit down with a band to play music, keeping time is almost of secondary importance. Priority numero uno is listen to the song, think about what it needs, and leave your fingerprints on it to make it better. Every note should add to a song. That's why "bad" drummers like Ginger Baker or Keith Moon still are held in high regard by non-drummers. Maybe they were sloppy, sure, but their creative input and impact on those bands cannot be ignored. Ringo is one of many great examples of excellence so far as playing what he felt the song needs. No more. No less. That's something all musicians should strive for. It applies to any instrument. But drummers in general have a preoccupation with keeping time. It's not totally wrong, but somewhat misguided. Approach the kit as a composer. An improviser. A MUSICIAN. Choose what to hit and when with purpose. Don't just keep the beat. PLAY the drums. That's why Ringo is among the greats for over 50 years now. In that way, he wholly deserves to be.
I love Bonzo. One of the best rock drummers of all time. Period. End of discussion. But he had a jazz background. His drumming often mimicked or played off of the guitar riffs. Not many drummers play that way. I'm not a jazz snob, some of it I don't even enjoy listening to, but drummers who can do jazz and swing and stuff make the best rock players. Mitch Mitchell is like that too. If you listen to much Hendrix and pay attention to the guitar and drums, they're tight together and talking to each other, playing with one another. I love that stuff.
And think about their schedule. Non stop/ record/ play live / T V shows / travel / 28 gigs in 30 days. A Hard Days Night indeed. Less is More. Service the song. And a very good atitude.
It never fails that the best drummers are the ones who seems to appreciate Ringo the most! That´s why I´m really proud that I once got a nice gig to France because as the manager said: ”You play like Ringo”! Of course I don’t! I am not even close! But still that was the best remark I have ever heard and it made me so proud! Ringo and The Beatles are the reason I started to play drums! Ringo is the best, and the highest payed drummer in the world. But even so he is still kind of underrated!
It was curious that Ringo didn't adapt a kit for a left-handed player. His drum patterns were so unique and tailored to the songs, it's incredible! A huge influence on the skins.
I am going to give you Ringo's secret since you touched on one. I feel fine is a Cuban groove and can go into a BRazilian groove. Ringo was influenced by the sailors going all over the world and bringing music from all over the world.apparently in Liverpool the only kid who really wannted to learn drumming was ringo "And I love her" is again a Cuban Bolero and he played it to perfection, I feel fine was a Guracha etc. AT the beginning what he may lack in chops he more that made up in repertoire (and so the rest). He played aceptable keyboards and was probably the only drummer in R&R who play drums as a percusionist playing the melody and not the groove. How do I know this. A music professor from Liverpool and by the way , most of the lyrics to Eleanor Rigby were written by Ringo.. ASK HIM ! 😎
The other thing to note here is that a common thing that happens to many bands when they get their first record is that the drummer quits the band or is fired during or immediately after recording the first album. And the reason that happens is because drums are a difficult instrument to record and most drummers aren't actually good enough to record on the instrument. Timing needs to be rock solid and hits need to be precisely controlled to not cause issues with dynamics or bleed. Back in the day (especially in the Beatles' time, before click tracks), the producer would have to talk with the band and explain that the drummer wasn't good enough to record the album. They'd bring in a session drummer. At which point the drummer would either quit or the band would fire them and hire the session drummer. Nowadays, in order to not break the contract the company signed with the whole band, producers will modern digital tech to quantize and edit the crap out of drums. And it's really common for them to use the real recording simply to trigger a sample that plays in it's place. But this problem has happened with many, many famous bands. The Beatles were one of them. George Martin did not think Pete Best was good enough a drummer and that ultimately persuaded the band to get Ringo, who was always an excellent recording drummer. And he could keep such excellent time that George Martin and Abbey Road's engineers were able to splice different parts of songs together without tempo mismatches - Despite not having the ability to simply quantize the drums and Ringo not even playing to a click track.
I was listening to some songs tonight, just paying attention to Ringo. I'm not a musician, but I was thinking that he was staying out of the way of the song, just putting in emphasis. When there's a lyric or a change that needs attention, Ringo draws your attention to it.
I appreciate the comments on Ringo...I think he himself would consider other drummers to be more technically skilled (I recall reading his comment about his own rolls skills being sub-par)...but it does not necessarily matter...he loved playing drums, and many people have enjoyed his drumming...he inspired generations of drummers...Hippocrates - as smart/insightful as he may have been in ancient times - probably did not know as much about the medical field as they do today, and yet the Hippocratic Oath is still a cornerstone of the medical profession ...I consider Ringo the father of modern drumming...
I always thought that the sticking for the "tomorrow never knows" drum part on the rack tom was a "2 stroke left/right", and not a 2 stroke with the same hand (left) like Greg did in the beginning of this video....
Ringo had a knack, talent, gift for creating the perfect beat, groove, feel for THE SONG. As opposed to playing the most complicated, difficult, busy thing possible.
Bryan ... Beautifully put : "playing the most complicated, difficult, busy thing possible" .. and how many drummers do this ? .. and how tiring is it ? A great comment.
And McCartney was exactly the same on bass. A rhythm section made in heaven
Ringo playing is simple, tasteful and always interesting. A master of the craft in my book.
Exactly. Anyone dissing him should try coming up with perfect drum parts to all the hits he played on. ✌️
Yeah. People think speed is everything. But I believe that pace is
Simple? No
It amazes me how performers are equated with composers. His so-called "fills" are not just performances. They are compositions. Not techniques, but carefully crafted creations.
Ringo made it look simple because to him it was...
However, there lies his skill.
Ringo is a great musician
Ringo laid down the drum/rhythm section, made the drums sing, and with originality. And that he's left handed makes his style distinctive.
The Beauty of Ringo is his knack for simplicity and feeling the song out. He's not afraid to let his natural tendencies take over and was the master of drumming outside of the box.
The whole Abbey Road album is a drum showpiece in my opinion. He's a fantastic musician.
YES. Come Together. Something. Oh Darling. The End.
Agreed. His drumming enhances the song.
Absolutely. Church.
He's amazing on Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt. Pepper's too.
Damn straiiiiight!!! Makes me chuckle when i hear people slag Ringo off because it tells me instantly that they're full of shit and just ignorant to what any decent musician/songwriter instinctively hears and feels, a songwriters dream and he has it locked down like nobody ekse. You always know pretty much when it's Ringo. I think its true to say that its not always what a master musicuan plays its what he doesn't play and just serve tye song. I FUCKIN LOVE RINGO 😊
Brilliant lesson from a great drummer who’s actually worked with and studied with Ringo!
Glad you enjoyed it, even better, he plays in Ringo's band. :)
This dude is just awesome. Such a positive and inspiring attitude.
Glad you enjoyed his lesson Mike!
I agree I was so into his discussion
about drumming Ringo style just cool man loved it
Come Together alone set his Status as the Top 4 Drummers in the Beatles.
@Pelom Pelon huh
LOL
I hope that you are not saying that he's the Beatles' 4th best drummer.
@Mr. CoolGuy it's impossible
@@Kermit_T_Frog sounds about right to me
Here's my 3 reasons why!
1. Rain
2. She Said, She Said
3. Tomorrow Never Knows
I've played/ loved all of those..:)
An excellent list. Even Ringo himself was surprised at how good his rhythm for Rain turned out.
His brilliance was laying down just the beat the song needed...no more and no less. It perfectly served the song and what the other musicians were doing. If some consider that "lacking" in some manner then how I wish I could be that "lacking."
The right man at the right time.
My old band did a She Said, She Said into Tomorrow Never Knows medley. Always fun to play those on the drums.
Boys
Long tall sally
I think it’s tremendous that as a drummer (I’m a guitarist/songwriter) you took the time to highlight just how monumental Ringo was and is as a elite drummer!! His feel, swing and PLAYING for the SONG and LYRIC as a drummer is unmatched STILL.
Think “Rocky Racoon” the gun shot on snare..LOL!! BRILLIANT!!
But I think there’s one thing you missed about his playing that you should mention if and when you do a video about him again and that is:
His unbelievable ability to create drum parts that are so musical and iconic, you could name the song without the music, just his drums!!!!!!
“ Ticket To Ride” “Come Together” “I Feel Fine” “Revolution” “Get Back” and on and on!! Who does it better than Ringo? Great job singing Ringo’s praises, he the most underrated drummer ever.
BTW, you talked about his part in “In My Life.” Yes he’s done it in “Anna” but he’s also done it more famously in “All I Gotta To do.”
If you think I’ve made some valid points, let me know with a thumbs up.
The more I listen to all the classic Beatles hit songs the more I realize EVERY one of them has a signature Ringo "riff" to them--his ability to come up with a unique groove that fit the song perfectly was extraordinary! You cannot imagine ANY of those great songs without Ringo's creative hooks as an essential part of them--just amazing!!
I have played alongside some truly great drummers in my musical life.
One of the best of those got me on to the fact that there are hardly two Beatles songs where Ringo even plays the same fill.
Every single song is unique. Not many drummers can be so open and fluid and adaptable whilst maintaining having the ridiculous pressure of mega stardom upon them
Well said
Lovely tribute to Ringo. I agree that Ringo was really creative and didn't need to be fast or anything. His grooves are so distinctive and you know which Beatles song it is after one measure. You can't say that about many other drummers. Ringo was exceptional; perfect for the Beatles too.
Funny how people bash Ringo as not being that good a player. The man has tremendous feeling and timing. Some people just don't get it.
I never understood the negative comments whenever I'd tell some of my musician friends how much I loved Ringo's playing. Thanks for this Greg!!
Once Ringo joined the Beatles the chemistry was complete McCartney not being a true bass player brought a unique melodic style to the bass John happy to chunk away on Rhythm and George Harrison became more tasteful with his leads each passing year but Ringo with being a lefty on a right-handed kit was extremely hard to duplicate.
Yea, two lefties in a four man band, one can’t help thinking that will affect the groove
Ringo ALWAYS plays for the song, with such a distinct feel....
No, that's a placebo. Ringo in fact didn't play on most of their stuff. Quincy Jones often hired better drummers to re-do Ringo's parts. For instance Bernard Purdie played on 21 of their songs.
@@vasilias2230 Uh, ok.....So George Martin was a mannequin propped up in the corner, right?
@@bobgreen1236 haha, no. In fact George wrote most of the beatle's hits while they were touring. I was talking specfically about when Qunicy was producing. Even though George did often hire session drummers over ringo, according to him
@@vasilias2230 Where did you hear this?
@@bobgreen1236 from George Martin Himself. Also based on the fact that their "simple" stuff has been sued for copyright by the likes of Chuck Berry and other British artist. And the more complex stuff (based on what the beatles say of their musicianship, which is that they suck) couldn't have been written by them, bc knowledge of that would require a classical education, of which martin had.
Ringo was the best rock drummer in the UK at the time he joined the Beatles and THAT is a fact. Watch live shows of him with the Fab Four in the the 1960's. The man was killing it on the drums.
When I 1st heard "Boys" as a kid and those fills....I was blown away. No one comes up with that stuff. except Ringo. He's just great.
Especially while he’s singing 😮.
Thank you, it drives me crazy when people misunderstand how revolutionary Ringo is. He's the father of modern drumming.
Ringo is wildly overrated.
@@joeg4707 how do you figure?
@@MarkMikelVideos Ringo is the most successful and famous average drummer. Buy hey, more props to him.
@@joeg4707 how can you call him average when he has created some of the most iconic drum parts in history? Has every average drummer done that? What's your criteria for a better than average drummer?
@@MarkMikelVideos He was gonna say John Bonham, but thankfully he learned his mistake
You absolutely nailed it when you said Ringo was and is a game changer. It is so nice to see his drumming recognized. His drumming parts were so essential to the song composition aspect, which was a huge bonus to the Beatle's songs. One of the smartest things the Beatles did was grab Ringo and then they really became the Beatles. They instinctively knew something was missing to complete the square.
I'm not musical at all, but I'm so happy to hear those who know the craft praising Ringo. He is criminally underrated.
I play drums because of Ringo after seeing him playing with The Beatles on TV back in February 11, 1964.
Feb.9, 1964...Ed Sullivan...
Add me onto the list of millions who picked up drumsticks in nineteen hundred and sixty four.!!
You have to consider the times. For example, Charlie Watts wasn't spectacular, but he was the right fit for the Stones.
Back in the 1960's...it was about the songs. Later on it was "Hey...Look At Me!!!"
Watts said toJagger 'You're my singer'
Ringo wasnt flashy. He has feeling. The best to fit a drum groove, but even in the day some drum.ers were badass, look at Rich ou Roach those guys were sick.
Buddy rich even finish a solo while having an heart attack. What a fuckin legend hahaha
Same goes for Levon Helm and Mick Fleetwood.
Watts is better than spectacular. He’s iconic.
I have always love Ringo's playing and it's always amazed me how under rated he is by people who think a hundred double bass drum licks per bar makes you a great drummer. Ringo's feel and taste is below no one. I really like the Tom Petty drummers story. it's the same beat just with a different swing. I saw Gregg play live with David Lee Roth in 1986. he's got lots of chops, but still loves Ringo. the only thing I wish is that I could see Ringo play some Beatles songs without a second drummer. if McCartney had a tour with only Ringo I would see it in a heart beat. but Ringo is almost 80 and he never practices. and he probably hasn't played a Beatles song from beginning to the end with all the exact fills since over 50 years ago when he first recorded the songs. so he probably only remembers the beats but not the exact fills. or even where the fills are, and Pauls drummer has every nuance down pat. even though when he plays the exact same beat and fills he still doesn't sound like Ringo playing it.
That's what makes music so great it doesn't have to be the exact to still be bloody Awesome it's all great stuff
Changing a Ringo beat or fill is like changing a chord or lyric in a Beatles song. What he played was THAT important.
Somebody get this man a lozenge! Ringo deserves more credit than he gets, thanks for doing this.
Dave Clark was once asked if he had one wish, what would it be. His answer? He wished he was as good a drummer as Ringo Starr.
Ringo doesn't just play the drums, he plays music on the drums. Ringo creates a drum part for each song just like percussion parts are written for orchestral compositions. Each song is not just a beat, it's a drum part, just like a vocal arrangement or a guitar part.
Wow... I've listened to the Beatles since they came to the US, and I guess I never realized how instrumental (no pun) Ringo was in changing so many things we just take for granted today! Thanks!
Like me, he's left handed, but plays right handed.
Unfortunately that's where the similarity ends.
Bun e. Carlos as well!
I play a righty kit open handed, cause i'm a lefty too
Hwd71, you're like a sheep in the herd repeating what other people say. Ringo Starr is not left handed. He leads with his left hand when he does rolls that's it. He plays on the hi hat and ride cymbal with his right hand like any right hander would. He also writes right-handed. It's a myth that is left handed. The reason he says that is because he's got an odd habit of leading with his left hand to do rolls that's the only thing he does left handed. And that's because it's a shity drummer I doesn't know what he's doing. He uses that as an excuse for his shity drumming
@@gurnblanstein9816 right fucking on! You and Quincy Jones share the same opinion. Also ringo didn't play on most of the records. Even Bernard Purdie said he played on 21 of their songs. He's a brand, not a musician
Me too!
The transcripts in Hal Leonard's book the "Beatles Drum Collection" really demonstrate how talented Ringo is.
One listen to Strawberry Fields tells you all you need to know about Ringo's greatness.
And here I thought I had a SCOOP! When I found out he was left handed, it explained A LOT. And NOBODY had HIS FEEL. That's why they will ALWAYS BE THE FAB FOUR!!! WE LOVE YOU, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!!!
I've watched this video 3-5 times just to see the love and admiration that Mr Bissonette has for one of my heroes. I still enjoy Ringo solo work, because it is made with love, this sound silly but it is true.
Not silly at all. True. Ringo’s devotion to peace and love has always shown through, from the earliest days, and definitely in his drumming. Musical magic doesn’t just come from nowhere… you have to have it in your soul…he has it and it came through on the Beatles songs and it is still coming through today.
What makes him so great:
Talent
So grateful for this video!! So great to hear from the man who plays with him, who most likely knows him and his playing better than anyone…having played alongside him for so many years!
His voice makes my throat itchy
Ha ha ha that's funny
Ringo was a big inspiration for me. I love his feel & fills. His right hand on tunes like Long Tall Sally & All My Loving really swung.
He was/is...a huge inspiration for all of us!!!
Well said. Ringo is my favourite drummer . He didn’t just play drums, he helped shape the songs into great songs. To me the drumming became an instrument as important as Pauls bass playing. He’s the greatest.
His greatness is measured by singing any Beatles song. After singing the lyrics you always find yourself singing the drum fills too.
Top 5:
1:The End
2: A day in a life
3: Rain
4: I feel fine
5: She said She said
Ringo made an awesome son, Zak, WHO is the current drummer for my favorite band, The Who.
Maybe you already know this, but the Who's most famous drummer, Keith Moon the Loon, was Zak's godfather, and got him into drumming! (Ringo actually didn't want his son getting involved in the music business, at first.)
@@lizzychrome7630 Strange but true
When I first started playing, I never appreciated how good a player Ringo was. For me, he is the first groove based drummer I recognize. Now I try to get my students to appreciate what Ringo did to change our mutual musical world. Thanks Greg for being such a cheerleader for your friend and our source of inspiration.
Thanks Greg! Fell in love with Ringo all over again!
What a great point that many people do not realize. Many front vocalist performers have also been drummers which really adds an extra level of phrasing to their chops.
No drummer has played with Ringo longer than Gregg. This is great insight!
I’ve been raked over the coals by friends for stating that Ringo is one of my favorite drummers of all time. They just don’t get it. Yellow Submarine is one of the best, in my opinion. The overall groove/sound of the snare is amazing.
"Don't flam with Ringo." Now that's pressure.
Ringo is so amazing! Definitely on my bucket list to go see him. ✌️❤️️
How many of us have been told when we get a little choppy, " hey, play some Ringo". Love Ringo!
Great songs usually have great drum parts a great song comes together perfectly
my favourite Ringo quote: "I'm the focking click" to Jeff Lynn when recording Free as A Bird
She Said, She Said, Rain, A Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, Tomorrow Never Knows, Come Together, Ticket to Ride and I Feel Fine are Ringo's best drummings. It's not a coincidence that they were all Lennon songs: he said in an interview he preferred playing John's music.
John was more open to tempo changes
Very awesome input. "Never let your drums get in the way"
What I love about Ringo is that his drum parts are often like little melodies in themselves. I catch myself kind of singing the beats to songs like Come Together, Ticket to Ride, Tomorrow Never Knows, A Day In the Life or the solo from The End.
ça fait vraiment plaisir de voir toutes ces vidéos qui rendent hommage au jeu de Ringo et montrent en quoi il est un batteur singulier. Il a parfois été dénigré et pourtant les particularités de sa technique ont contribué de façon majeure à l'originalité des Beatles.
Uplifting in so many ways. I realize Ringo Starr has given me some kind of standard for what I listen for in a drummer. I learned to dance to Beatles music.
I love people that are so passionate about what they are doing. Amazing
he's amazing, but so underrated!.
and I think he was what saved them live. they played live without hearing themselves becaues of all the screaming. the only reason they could play perfectly was because of how solid ringo is.
Ringo plays to the song. He’s left handed playing a right handed kit. He’s so musical I can usually Identify a Beatle song just by hearing the drum part!
Thanks for this, Greg. Ringo IS criminally underrated. The true "musicality" of the Beatles is underrated, too. Drives me crazy when people dismiss them as "just a pop band". So good to see an ambassador like you. Thanks for all your great work, as well. ✌
Ringo played for the song.... he wasn't all that showy off much, but played to suit the song and played very interesting and nobody played before kinda rhythms😊👏anyways, he's my fave drummer💙
I'm a fan of drummers, Vinnie Paul, etc.. ringo absolutely was a master. The ride cymbal and snare on "in my life" his use of ride cymbal in "hey Jude" at the beginning, just beautiful. You mentioned "in my life" his drumming in that song is untouchable.
About a year ago Sina Drums released a video titled "What makes Ringo a Great Drummer". That video has 1.8 million views and about 8K comments. Comments run about 98% positive, but there are still a lot of anti-Ringo people out there. However, very few of them are drummers.
And how could you possibly know that
XDXDXD
Gregg’s enthusiasm is so infectious.
The best drummers are always the ones that play what the song needs. They aren't fill crazy and super flashy...they're humble. I like that he mentioned Tom Petty's earlier drummer. I always dug his style of playing. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Very insightful.
When an artist leads in their field over 60 years they should not simply be admired, they must also be studied for the innovation they have brought to the genre.
Ringo is both a generous and complementary drummer. His nuance and wisdom showed early in his career because he was willing to listen and learn from seasoned artists.
Aside from his musicianship he's also proven to be one of the best band leaders for the Rock era.
Sept' 2018, my holiday in New England was coming to a close and staying in Boston. It was then I saw a sign out side the Wang Tharetre stating 'Ringos All Starr Band". Well a hundred dollars later and one of the best nights of my life. 👍👍👍
Groove, soul, rock n roll, rawness, music, that is RINGO!!!
Watching the new Get Back documentary I was amazed by how little direction was given to ringo.
He would listen to the other play a simple version of the song and just jump in and rarely ever be off
Ronnie Tutt, which was Elvis’ drummer in the 70s was not in the back. Plus he was one of the first to use a double bass in rock drumming
I believe Ronnie could drive The Beatles if he replaced Ringo, but I am not so sure Ringo would have made Elvis happen. Ronnie Tutt is under-rated and one of the best drummers of the era.
Albert Moyer Jr I definitely agree!
@@AlbertMoyerJr Ain't that the truth. Ron was blistering on double bass.
Even the redoubtable Buddy Rich said Ringo was "adequate," i.e., a good timekeeper. High praise coming from the mouth of one of the world's great, great drummers.
Ringo and Greg, 2 great Guys and fab drummers
Come Together- what a masterpiece of drumming and cool. Love Ringo.
Ringo just looks like he's having fun! It's great to watch and hear!☺️
Here's my unpopular opinion: a drummer's job is NOT to keep time. Any half-decent musicians have some semblance of an internal clock. So what's the purpose of drums? Feel. Texture. Groove. Whatever you call it. If you play eighth notes on hats vs. floor tom with the exact same tempo, for example, the whole feel and character is changed even with the bpm unchanged. Right?
Great drummers like Ringo are "feel orchestrators" for lack of better term. It's not simply what rhythms and patterns they *can* do, it's what they *choose* to do (or not do) while playing drums as an instrument within a song.
I'm not saying metronome practice and rudiments and stuff is bad. It's great. But when you sit down with a band to play music, keeping time is almost of secondary importance. Priority numero uno is listen to the song, think about what it needs, and leave your fingerprints on it to make it better. Every note should add to a song.
That's why "bad" drummers like Ginger Baker or Keith Moon still are held in high regard by non-drummers. Maybe they were sloppy, sure, but their creative input and impact on those bands cannot be ignored.
Ringo is one of many great examples of excellence so far as playing what he felt the song needs. No more. No less. That's something all musicians should strive for. It applies to any instrument. But drummers in general have a preoccupation with keeping time. It's not totally wrong, but somewhat misguided. Approach the kit as a composer. An improviser. A MUSICIAN. Choose what to hit and when with purpose. Don't just keep the beat. PLAY the drums. That's why Ringo is among the greats for over 50 years now. In that way, he wholly deserves to be.
Absolutely. A drummer's job isn't to replace a metronome, but rather contribute to the sound.
very well said and i agree 100%!
What’s your opinion of bonzo
I love Bonzo. One of the best rock drummers of all time. Period. End of discussion.
But he had a jazz background. His drumming often mimicked or played off of the guitar riffs. Not many drummers play that way.
I'm not a jazz snob, some of it I don't even enjoy listening to, but drummers who can do jazz and swing and stuff make the best rock players.
Mitch Mitchell is like that too. If you listen to much Hendrix and pay attention to the guitar and drums, they're tight together and talking to each other, playing with one another.
I love that stuff.
And think about their schedule. Non stop/ record/ play live / T V shows / travel / 28 gigs in 30 days. A Hard Days Night indeed. Less is More. Service the song. And a very good atitude.
It never fails that the best drummers are the ones who seems to appreciate Ringo the most! That´s why I´m really proud that I once got a nice gig to France because as the manager said: ”You play like Ringo”! Of course I don’t! I am not even close! But still that was the best remark I have ever heard and it made me so proud! Ringo and The Beatles are the reason I started to play drums! Ringo is the best, and the highest payed drummer in the world. But even so he is still kind of underrated!
Always wondered how the Beatles created that shower effect with the cymbals, thanks to you, now I know.
Ringo IS the reason why I play drums ! We love RINGO !! 🥁❤️❤️
I was 7 in 66 too ! I think part of the magic is simply that the snare beat with Ringo is done with his dominant hand!
It was curious that Ringo didn't adapt a kit for a left-handed player. His drum patterns were so unique and tailored to the songs, it's incredible! A huge influence on the skins.
This guy's joy is infectious!
I am going to give you Ringo's secret since you touched on one.
I feel fine is a Cuban groove and can go into a BRazilian groove. Ringo was influenced by the sailors going all over the world and bringing music from all over the world.apparently in Liverpool the only kid who really wannted to learn drumming was ringo
"And I love her" is again a Cuban Bolero and he played it to perfection, I feel fine was a Guracha etc. AT the beginning what he may lack in chops he more that made up in repertoire (and so the rest). He played aceptable keyboards and was probably the only drummer in R&R who play drums as a percusionist playing the melody and not the groove.
How do I know this. A music professor from Liverpool and by the way , most of the lyrics to Eleanor Rigby were written by Ringo.. ASK HIM ! 😎
Ringo is one of my very, very few musical heroes. Seen him 3 times, with number 4 this summer.
The other thing to note here is that a common thing that happens to many bands when they get their first record is that the drummer quits the band or is fired during or immediately after recording the first album.
And the reason that happens is because drums are a difficult instrument to record and most drummers aren't actually good enough to record on the instrument. Timing needs to be rock solid and hits need to be precisely controlled to not cause issues with dynamics or bleed.
Back in the day (especially in the Beatles' time, before click tracks), the producer would have to talk with the band and explain that the drummer wasn't good enough to record the album. They'd bring in a session drummer. At which point the drummer would either quit or the band would fire them and hire the session drummer. Nowadays, in order to not break the contract the company signed with the whole band, producers will modern digital tech to quantize and edit the crap out of drums. And it's really common for them to use the real recording simply to trigger a sample that plays in it's place.
But this problem has happened with many, many famous bands. The Beatles were one of them. George Martin did not think Pete Best was good enough a drummer and that ultimately persuaded the band to get Ringo, who was always an excellent recording drummer. And he could keep such excellent time that George Martin and Abbey Road's engineers were able to splice different parts of songs together without tempo mismatches - Despite not having the ability to simply quantize the drums and Ringo not even playing to a click track.
Another real good thing about Ringo is that he leads with his left hand on a right handed kit which can have a huge effect on fill feels
RINGO!!!!Nothing more to say.....Except "Peace and Love"
I was listening to some songs tonight, just paying attention to Ringo. I'm not a musician, but I was thinking that he was staying out of the way of the song, just putting in emphasis. When there's a lyric or a change that needs attention, Ringo draws your attention to it.
The sound on this kit is freakin crisp babyyyyy
Greg, that Dixon drum kit is BEAUTIFUL. Great color!
Ringo - a great inspiration to so many of us 🥁🇦🇺🙏🏼
I love Ringo, and love you both in the All Starrs! Thanks for such a nice video.
I would enjoy another vid where you demo a LOT MORE of his work.
I am amazed by how he can make straight eitght note so incredible with his swing and dynamics
I appreciate the comments on Ringo...I think he himself would consider other drummers to be more technically skilled (I recall reading his comment about his own rolls skills being sub-par)...but it does not necessarily matter...he loved playing drums, and many people have enjoyed his drumming...he inspired generations of drummers...Hippocrates - as smart/insightful as he may have been in ancient times - probably did not know as much about the medical field as they do today, and yet the Hippocratic Oath is still a cornerstone of the medical profession ...I consider Ringo the father of modern drumming...
Ringo is the perfect evidence of: "A great drummer doesn't play great drums, a great drummer plays for the music"
I always thought that the sticking for the "tomorrow never knows" drum part on the rack tom was a "2 stroke left/right", and not a 2 stroke with the same hand (left) like Greg did in the beginning of this video....
Ringo makes great choices on how to play the song.
Ringo was (and still is) a genius on drums.
Thank you (Drumeo & Gregg) so much for sharing this knowledge about Ringo. Some I knew. Some I didn't. Terrific!!
You are very welcome. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Great report about ringo capabilities, i love his drumming 👍