I'm a drummer but also own a PR and media company. The reason Rick's vids are great-- besides the information that he provides--is that HE'S A DAMN GOOD SPEAKER. Too many drum vids have people dribbling on for days with information that has little to no importance to the purpose of the vid, or they mumble. Rick has excellent diction, has prepared his thoughts and sticks to the point. Good job mate.
He also has well edited videos. Although there are a few chop edits in there they aren’t nearly as noticeable as most videos people post here. Most are so chopped up it can be very distracting to watch. Yours are very well done sir.
I have been a professional drummer for almost 25 years, so I share the bewilderment of the Bonham enigma, Lol....my greatest learning curve in cracking the "Bonzo code" was the incredible dynamic of his foot!! THIS is one of the most important ingredients when it comes to grooove...the foot pedal action must have a range of hard, medium, soft, ghost hits etc. This man's foot was sooo free and dynamic..Combined with innovative mic combos, this is a killer recipe for heavy rockin groove.
All that range, many times within a single measure. It is key! Bounce, boom, and flop is how I describe his bass drum play. Then, consider the restraint he employed on a majority of songs, staying on the groove with not so many cymbal strikes and fills, when he could have obliterated the kit at any given moment. He knew how to shuffle and sway within the rock framework.
Exactly and valley these double bass players are great in their own I never played double so I can not do what they do on 2 bass drums that being said if I practiced im sure I could do thise single strokes fast and make my solos sound full and fast but I feel plsunh without bass drum the drum patterns single bass drummers do are much more complicated then double bass players but what's unfair is people that don't play drums think they are better cause it sounds like alit more going in which it is but it's easy stuff compared to playing single and doing complicated patterns ect like you said his dynamics on his foot
Led Zeppelin was suppose to appear in Montreal in October of 1980. One week before they were to perform, John Bonham passed away. It was going to be one of my greatest life experiences ever. I was in college at the time and barely passed my semester. Til this day it still hurts to relive that tragic day . . . Thanks for the video Rick.
That sucks the big one man. Being in the presence of the greatest band ever, backed by the greatest drummer of all time. And then getting rejected a week before. I’m only in middle school but I’ve listened to zep and wished that Bonzo was still alive so they could have gone longer.
@@arnoldedmondson2529 it is a tough gig taking on this human existence. I hope your journey home is as smooth as possible. Soon you can thank Bonzo in person. He and all the great ones help make life here more tolerable.
My father engineered Bonzo's Montreux when he was running Mountain Studios in the 70s. He said that standing in front of Bonham 's kit was the best live drum sound he had ever heard bar none. And he engineered Cream's first album amongst others.
The most impressive thing I've ever seen John do was play the shorter versions of Dazed and Confused live in late 1968 and all throughout 1969. He was doing unreal fills and a super intense speed. He toned things down as the years passed, but in those very early shows, he was a madman behind the kit.
@@englishorchard-haze4708 Baker was from a different tradition - jazz & big band drumming. Always appeared to hold an antipathy to rock, even though he was in a rock band.
I was Bonham-obsessed for a while, so I'd like to offer some tips. Big drums definitely help, but an important thing to consider is that Bonham didn't muffle his drums with pillows, tape, etc. Get _really_ savvy about tuning your drums, get the right heads, and _stop muffling them_. Your kit will have more bass, and an altogether better sound without it. Also keep in mind that your drums sound _a lot_ different out in front of your kit, and in the mix of the band, than they do to you. Get heads that suit your playing style and target sound-not what your favorite drummer uses. Heads are so important to your sound, yet I see lots of drummers playing on old ones or ones that don't suit their playing style. Additionally, remember that resonant/bottom heads are just as important as the batters/tops, so replace those every other time you replace the batters. You might not like the sound of your drums if you take the muffling off of them-at least not right away-but your band and your audience will notice. Your toms and bass drum will put so much more bass in the mix, and therefore will be more noticeable. The more you play without dampening and the more attention you give to tuning, the better you'll sound.
What you said about drums sounding different next to them vs mixed, is spot on. I've always wondered how can a raw kit sound like utter sheit and sound so good mixed. Not the same with e.g. guitars.
@@taunokekkonen5733 Absolutely. A guitar amp either sounds good or bad, and most of the time the room or stage doesn't have a major effect on it. Drums are very strange, hell, even those older wooden stages (or a drum riser) can make a kit sound totally different. If you want a good practice sound for at home, muffle your drums if you like, but at practice sessions, go wide open and _tune those drums!_
Hardest part of that beat is that all you have to do is nail the basics of it: the basis shuffle beat and all the hard stuff is really ghost notes that you have to just not think about. Those are things that will naturally happen when you get comfortable with the basics of it's shuffle beat. There are some great videos of Purdie explaining this
And you should be. Allthough he wasn't technically proficient hebeas self taught so hevwas limited but made the absolute best at what he could do I've been playing over 30 years and I still can't do his triplets like he can and as fast
this is absolutely right: John was the drummer with the outstanding rockdrum sound of all times - and since the rockbusiness is nearly dead he will be there at the top fo all times.
I'm a guitarist and found this fascinating. More info in one place than I've ever heard. BTW, I absolutely love the drums in "When the Levee Breaks.". They move my soul
I found that learning other instruments gives one fascinatingly different perspectives on even the same track. I started with bass, then learned drums, then started picking up elec and acoustic guitar...it really gives you insight into all the other parts and dynamics/interplay.
The kick drum squeak in "Since I've been loving you" sounds so awesome, it works more like an effect on the track. Everything that Bonam did was mystical and a delight to the ears
My Drum teacher was JOHN BON ! EVERYDAY IN MY ROOM FOR 3 YRS. HAD TO BUY THE BON DAWG KIT ! COST A FORTUNE AT THAT TIME. I DRUMED FOR 40YRS. PROFESSIONALLY ! THANKS JOHN ! WILL NEVER FORGET YOU !
I cried like a baby the day Bonham died. I was the biggest 11 year old zep fan on the planet and geared up to spurn my parents prohibition and take the trip from Staten Island to Madison Square Garden to see them in 1981 with my 15 year old sister. When her friend called with the news, I insisted she was joking about 14 times before I realized she wasn’t. Then the tears began streaming, as did the round the clock zeppelin tributes every September 25th since, as well as my career as a drummer... R.I.P. BONZO
@@NoLefTurnUnStoned. thank you. It is great that almost 40 years later his legendary stature has not faded at all, but in fact has grown considerably. He is still regularly being voted as not only the greatest rock drummer in history, but one of the best drummers in any genre or era. It would have been great to see him develop even more skills into his old age. But alas, instead we must be grateful for what he gave us in those 12 years!
@@marknolker8811 yes, and for me it’s one of those memories so etched in my mind that I can remember it as if it were yesterday. And then to lose John Lennon a few months later and Bon Scott a few months earlier…. ‘‘Twas a tough year for rock and roll music all around. But by far, Bonham death the most tragic. Only 32. Best drummer on the planet. They were set to release Wearing and Tearing and Bonzo’s Montreaux as a rare single in advance of having a new tour in the works that Page was determined would be a harder hitting Zeppelin than the 1980 jaunt through Europe. An insecure Bonham out to prove to the world, and himself, that he was still a force to be reckoned with. And if Coda was an indication, Ozone Baby and Darlene hinted at another unique Zeppelin album in the works with Ozone Baby offering a fresh sound and some amazing playing all around, and Darlene showing they could still belt out the old school rock and roll…. I could go on, but I’ll leave it at this. So yeah goddammit John you bailed on us way too soon and now we will never know what life would have been like with a few more Zeppelin albums. That is apparently for another timeline. One in which Richard Cole decides to check on you after waking up to take a pee at 3:33am and finding you snoring on your back, gently pushes you over onto your side….
@@Alfred_-vp9ys Yes, I can. In fact, I do deny that. His drum tech and the band's live sound engineer make his spastic, generic pounding SOUND good, but can't make up for a complete lack of technique or skill. He's no different than Nikki Sixx on bass.
It's a common misconception that he was a big hitter. He did of course hit big from time to time but he was very consistent at hitting the right area of the drum.
He wasn’t actually a very hard hitter. He choked way up on his sticks and let them rebound quite a bit. Ask a tympanist how to get a big sound. Hit it in the right place, and let it breathe.
@@joegiotta7580 Very true, and he clearly did not get a new kit every year. He was known to take good care of his drums, and was particular about them.
I had the honor of working with Andy Johns back in 2001 for 9 months, what a trip it was and I learned so much from him. We also polished off quite a few bottles of Zinfandel lol
I think Robert Plant said it somewhere in an interview that the best mixer for John Bonham was himself. He said that Bonham had such feel and control over what he was playing with the volume etc. that he was actually mixing the sound while he was playing which is amazing. I don't think many drummers could do that in the studio. So a lot of the magic as you said comes from John Bonham's playing and his feel. That is something very hard to emulate.
first song I taught myself on bass lol. Well that and Floyd's "Money" of course. In the basement of my Grans' house...drove the poor old woman nuts lol 🤭🎸🎼💪🤘
Actually I pointed it out to a friend who was a drummer and he told me that it was the high hat, but I was skeptical. Always thought it was the kick drum. It has a “swing “ to it
same here, its a mystery to me, different tunings etc . For myself and my band mates we are really having a hard time finding a drummer, a good one anyone at all in fact towards that discipline. People wonder why rock is dying, well on a practical level, full drum kits are not very portable, space for practice is at a premium (we do have that at least) The peasants as we are, we have to learn how to tune and play propane tanks, and polished rocks before can move onto traditional instruments we can might one day afford :)
His drum tones are frikkin huge man.. the kick drum and snare tones are what is so in your face.. John was one of the greatest drummers ever.. if he was still alive today it's hard telling where he'd be.. that dude was phenomenal..
As a bad drummer, but with enough knowlegde about drums, I say this video is amazing!!! The fact you brought the real important stuff in a way everyone can understand is what makes you an amazing producer. You nailed it, Master Beato...
I’m no drummer so I don’t know about kits, or techniques, etc but I know what I hear. And when I hear Bonham I hear something different. Something special.
I've been drumming for 57 years and John Bonham was one of my idols. Loved the video but the first kit John recorded on was a green sparkle Slingerland kit given to him by the drummer from the Yard Birds. If you look at the lugs on the picture you use you'll see they are Slingerland lugs, not Ludwig. From the second album on he used Ludwig drums. Great video about a monster player! Keep up the good work Rick.
At a time when many folks are just turning to sampled sounds to get those vintage kits, it's so refreshing for Rick to go back to the source: The gear, the mic placement, oh and the drummer's ability! Another great video Rick!
That first drum outfit kit pic at the 2:42 minute mark, which is green sparkle is actually a Slingerland drum set. The pic is from 1968 and Bonzo used a green sparkle Slingerland in 1968 on both of their tours - Europe and the UK. Bonham most likely used that same Slingerland in the studio on Led Zeppelin I. He played his first Ludwig in Denver on Dec 26th, 1968 and it was most likely a rental outfit.
As it appears to me, you are so knowledgeable about music that you can take something complex and break it down for a moron like me. I appreciate your insight. Some of the artists and songs and aspects of those songs that you explain, from your perspective, really makes me see how much you love and appreciate music that you lend your expertise to your subs. Thanks a lot. Seriously.
I've seen and heard John Bonham 2 or 3 times live in my teenage years at Edmonton and Calgary when he was with Led Zeppelin in 1968 or 9 +. I was mesmerized, and still am by his mastery of the traps.
Great vid, good overall information. Just a couple of clarifying points: 1) The Ludwig kit that Bonzo ordered after touring with Vanilla Fudge was a double-bass kit spec'ed just like the one Carmine Appice had. (There's at least one photo out there that survives which shows Bonham behind the full kit.) The other guys in Led Zeppelin found it obnoxious and forced him to abandon the second bass drum. 2) His long-time drum tech Jeff Ocheltree states that Bonham always used wood kits in the studio (with the Emperor/Ambassador head combination), even though he used the Vistalite and stainless steel kits live. His "Trust Your ears" video is excellent and is an outstanding reference for the Bonham sound, and gets into the real nitty-gritty of the tuning. 3) This is nit-picky, and I'm sorry for my OCD: The snare was a 402, not a 404. The 404 was only 5.5" deep while the 402 was 6.5" deep. The 402 Supra-Phonic wasn't made from aluminum per se; it was an aluminum alloy made for Ludwig which they named "Ludalloy". 4) You will NEVER achieve that snare sound unless you play rimshots on your backbeats. EVERY time. Thanks Rick!
The LM400 is the 5.5” and if there was a typo I don’t remember it about the LM402. Jeff Ocheltree worked with Bonham at the end of his career long after the time so he can only speak for that period.
Referring to point #3 - Rick correctly SAID it was a 402 - 6.5"x14" snare. I didn't hear him refer to it as a 404. BTW the supraphonic Ludalloy 5.5"x14" model is LM400 not 404. 404 is the acrolite. - totally different shell.
Hi Rick. A crucial element to his sound is his technique he used a jazz style grip which is very light so the sticks resonate (you can see this on Moby Dick Royal Albert Hall where his index finger is off the stick). Keith Carlock does something similar you'll notice how different his drums sound.
Great video. Especially for the advice at the end to learn to play as well as Bonham. Too many people buy thousands and thousands of dollars of equipment but spent $10 on instruction and 5 minutes a week practicing. The instruments don't start playing themselves at a certain price point.
I agree. You can spend multi-thousands on the best drums and cymbals money can buy, but if you are not willing to put in the time and effort to learn the craft, the drums alone will not make the drummer. Yet take a drummer who has put in the work to truly learn the art, and he/she can make a mediocre drum set sing.
Being John Bonham is being as relaxed as John was and as aggressive as he was at the same time. You play as late as possible, as DEEP into the groove as you can, and you give it everything you’ve got. This works for every other instrument, as well. I’ve heard of Steve Gadd and Neil Peart- they were awesome- John Bonham was the greatest rock drummer of all time because of his gut, instinctive FEEL Deep feel.
Amen, I only learned to appreciate Bonzo's talents when I was far gone from my youth and no longer listening only to Rock and Roll as loud as I could stand. Jimmy Page might have been one of the greatest guitarists in the world. And Robert Plant might have been one of the greatest vocalists. But it was Bonzo's drums that set the tone for Led Zep.
Starting to learn the drums at age 11, the moment I heard Bonzo play, my approach to playing was instantly changed. When I heard him play triplets with the bass drum I was never the same again.
Rick it's like you’re reading my mind and making videos based on things I want to learn! I was just wondering how I was going to approach tuning and micing my new kit and this is awesome! Thanks for the knowledge and the inspiration to make more music and videos of my own!
I appreciate diversity, so branching out with topics like drumming keeps it very interesting. I would support a subseries exploring different musical instruments and their history/the key musicians in a Beato mini documentary format for instance. A lot of us know very little about percussion instruments or the oboe or bassoon for instance and we should!
Go to the DW video tuning drums, it's the actual manufacturing location the guy will walk you thru step by step for both toms and another for the snare excellent tuning advice.
I have this kit. I like Remo coated Ambassadors on the 402 snare. I use black dots. I essentially tune as low as possible to get plenty of BOOM and a bit of bounce. Jeff Ocheltree (Bonham's drum tech) said you could tune JHB hi med or low on his video. jmo
One thing to note - John had an amazing ability to hit the snare and kick hard, but feathered the cymbals. This allowed for the drums to be louder in the mix with more compression without making the cymbals swell too much. Listen to his delicate hi-hat work. Great video Rick. Thanks!
Yes ....So Cool Rick...if I didn't know better...I would Think you were a drummer. After over fifty years of drumming I still have my 1969 Ludwig set. The reason for the rims being made thicker was we were all breaking them....Great job again...Thanks Rick for all you do...Ron Castro
Rick, those isolated drum tracks are awesome, especially Whole Lotta Love, what a great one Bonham was! Also, great way to sneak in a Led Zep video without getting blocked!
" Bonzo's Montreux " still blows me away to this day & if ever someone was thinking of taking up drums within a band environment I'd point them in the direction of this track along with many other great drummers who put their craft to vinyl & this is coming from a fellow groove junky with me being a bassist as I can't get enough of drumming that knocks you side ways, whether it's Buddy Rich/Stewart Copeland/John Bonham to one of my personal favourites Steve Jansen, who in my opinion doesn't get the recognition he deserves, well apart from the fans of his work of course... There are so many phenomenal musicians that have become almost an urban legend since music died away & I'd like to think one day it will come back, but for now all I do is watch my favourite bands who still tour, there's not as many as there used to be but at least I have some to listen to... I can't believe that in 2019 we talk of music within band form or as a solo artist is a forgotten art form that's gone the way of the dinosaurs... Sure we have great musicians on UA-cam but are they really doing anything with their talent, I think not, if forever asking for subs & likes is the future of music then I'll pass... Time to dust off the vinyls & blow my windows out & no doubt get complaints from the neighbours, just like I did in days gone by... ....
Another fascinating exploration "behind the sound" -- Rick, it's amazing how you can make fairly technical material accessible and, more importantly, interesting. Really enjoyed this look at the Bonham drum sound; it enhances my appreciation all the more.
4:19 in, that’s Zep playing at Kooyong Tennis Stadium, Melbourne on Feb 20, 1972: how do I know? I was there, about 8 rows from the front at ground level. Those four horizontal wires above and behind Bonzo are tram lines on Glenferrie Road…Amazing concert. And yes, he played Moby Dick!
“Play like Bonham”...yeah, right.😂😂 I’ve been a fan of his kit sizes for a long time and his Vistalites are my holy grail. Many are afraid of big drums thinking they’re too much for the music. Fact is, tuning matters a lot and big drums actually give you more freedom of sound than a smaller one would. Rock on people!!🤘🏻🤘🏻
@@drummer7456 I've always thought about getting bigger drums. I like being able to play everything but I want to have clarity for small subtle funky type stuff. Do u think these sizes would be good for me. Bonham and bill ward play 24 14 16 18 I believe and the got a great sound for their jazzy subtleties.
As a kid at the time I was blown away by Zeppelin and had the first 2 albums. Even though I’m not a musician I knew there was something different and special about the drumming. He was unique.
All that is so Rick but one of the high points of his sound was his wrist action. I don't think anyone did that before or since. Thanks for the vid! When questioned about his sound, he said 'if you're going to hit it, hit it hard!'
Hey Rick! Firstly, thank you so much for sharing your musical knowledge here! Incredible info! Im a working drummer/teacher here in Ventura Ca. I really appreciate being able to share your info with students and peers! Also wanted to offer a couple of insights into the Bonham sound. You are right on the money w/ most of what you share (especially the importance of playing like him and i would add, studying his influences (Earl Palmer, Clyde Stubblefield, Buddy etc)) On his wood and steel kits he actually typically used coated ambassador heads for the reso. side Also his early ordered Ludwig kits featured 10×14 and or 12×15 rack toms to be correctly specific. Some of the info i shared is coming from Bonham's former tech Jeff Ocheltree so i hope he would remember correctly. Thanks again brother!! Rock on!!! 🎶
Master of the "kick-drum based" triplets! Slipping them in all over the place. And the most improvisational shuffle known to man. And Jimmy, and whoever else was running production, knew that you never, ever turned his source down. It was defining for Zeppelin!
My favourite part of his drumming is the kick sound, the way it thumps with such power but almost instantly stops. As someone who knows bugger all about drums & drumming it was really interesting to learn about that felt strip that helped make that sound happen. I don't think many people name it as having one of the best drumming tracks by Led Zeppelin, but my personal favourite song to hear Bonham on is 'Kashmir'. You can hear that incredible kick sound I'm talking about again & again on that song.
it's those thumping kicker doublets at the end of each measure. They punctuate each so precisely yet are not in the same time signature as any of the other parts! "Strings", bass, guitar are all in a different time sig. It's frickin' genius and still sounds fresh and massive even today... 🎼🎸💪🤘
His sound is actually diverse in the exampled recordings at 1:55. I think it was his "style" that is most notable to drummers and I think the classic "Bonham sound" most people associate to him are the drum sounds like Fool in The Rain and of course When the Levee Breaks which has been sampled and sliced ad nauseam. If you notice, all the tracks people mainly associate as the Bonham sound have some reverb that makes the drums sound especially full and boomy and or other studio tricks. The sizes and heads, tuning, etc, also mattered greatly of course, but it really shows how much engineering and mixing plays a huge part too. The fact remains the same that his kits and heads actually changed a lot from LZ1 to Coda so his sound had to change from that alone. Maple kits to Vistalites to Stainless Steel, and Emperors to Black Dots, etc... So there really is no single definable "Bonham sound"...unless you just want to use a blanket rule of "use big drums, tune em' high and run wide open".
I get a little flustered when I hear the debate if who is better, John or Neil. Why does one have to be better? I think there both at the top. I think they are the best in the songs they played in. That's what is so perfect about music. Great video Rick.
Rick, One thing that makes the different brands sound different, is the bearing edges. Slingerland stuck with a round over edge up through the point where they switched to no re-ring 5 ply shells, Rogers used a Sharp Bearing edge, Ludwig used a similar edge, and Im sure youve seen the difference in the Gretsch shells (You havent even noted them in this video) Also, Lots of Ludwig stuff was pretty bad.. The QC was iffy because they were trying to pump so many drums out after the Beatles craze... Ive had out of round Ludwig drums with poor edges etc etc.. , So JUST getting a 3 ply ludwig kit might not exactly get someone the sound they are after..
Because of the Beatles craze, they were selling thousands of Ludwig kits. To keep up with the demand they began making them out of mahogany, poplar and mahogany which were much cheaper in construction and sound.
Rick Beato there a guy named Terry on UA-cam ( “Bonzoleum” ) That is a treasure trove of information about John Bonham and his drums, you should check him out
+Rick Beato Ludwig made shells that were mahog/pop/mahog in the 50s as well. mahog/pop/maple was very common in the 70s too. I have an early 70s kit with those shells. many kits were made with mismatched shells in one kit because shell layup wasn't important. Some shell interiors were painted at the factory to hide that, in my opinion.
Rick, amazing information. I'm 68, a former drummer, however, I appreciate all your vids from acoustic guitars, keys, drums etc, as well as your 'best of' vids!. You bring back many great memories and exactly why I loved playing and listening to music. The recording information on JB, is a great insight on his sound, that I've always appreciated over the years. I also found the info on the 'hoops' interesting as well. "Who'da thought"? LOL! Thank you! Jim
Rick, please do a video series on your top 25 favorite rock albums and why you love them. I find your enthusiasm and insight the most interesting (entertaining) aspects of your videos. Keep up the good work! Scott in NY.
I saw Zeppelin on their first NA Tour- I had the same Ludwigs, same size,same heads,felt strip,tuning etc- I still remember the sound he got from them.....!!! He hit them so hard but his playing made that kit his own-
Absolutely agree- the band was delayed at the border- the PA was basic- it was the first tour promoting the first album and the second albums tunes in the set list and it took them a while to settle in- but still amongst the dominating command and power I heard ghost strokes, and dynamics and the speed had to be from a light wrist- this was all noticed after the shock of watching the bass drum front skin shudder with every kick of the triplets in "Good Times,Bad Times"- the first tune they did- one bass drum- one pedal-at full volume- it was incredible to a young drum student.
Christopher Seaton agree. Look at Peart. Stiff hands, elbows arms. He's done because of that. And whole technically very impressive, he was never a big feel guy...as I see it. Saw them 4x anyway, tho.
What an amazing analysis! I loved how you explained how the drums are constructed, tuned and miked. I wish you had gone a little more beyond technology to talk about why that particular set up was important for John Bonham’s particular playing. My hypothesis is that Bonham needed the resonant drums, the high tuning and the mic placement because, very often, he played (or paralleled) the melody. His drumming is like close harmony. He’s doesn’t just play the drums, he sings them. The setup you demonstrate seems designed to give him his proper place in the choir.
Fool in the rain is one of my favorite drum grooves of all time. That shuffle is legendary. Bonham is probably the most influential drummer of all time
Those are the best scores. I once saw a really old kit at a yard sale. $300 for the whole kit. It was a vintage junky looking Japanese kit with mismatched cymbals but had a 60's Ludwig Jazz Festival snare with it. I asked if they would sell just the snare and they said "no you have to buy the whole kit". The snare was worth more than the kit so I bought it. Turns out it had K Istanbul hi-hats that I did not notice, vintage Paiste Formula 602 crash and ride along with cheap cymbals. I sold the Japanese kit for $200 on eBay. The Istanbul hats for $700, each Paiste for $150 and the Jazz Festival snare for $350. I'm glad I went through the hassle of getting the whole kit.
B D Now you see...I just can’t do deals like that. If I come across something with value, I HAVE to keep it! If I had a dollar for every time I’ve picked something up with the intention of flipping it for profit and ended up adding it to the collection...well let’s just say if have a lot of extra dollars. That id probably use to go buy something that I intend to flip but end up keeping for myself. Guys, are we POSITIVE you can’t take it with you when you die?? I mean like 1000% sure?
Great video. I have actually played on Bonham's original Vistalite set when it was temporarily located at the Nashville Percussion school I attended. Dream come true.
It doesn't matter what "kit" he played. His own son Jason said on a "Howard Stern" interview, that John could play with a toy drum kit and get a unique "Bonham" sound. It's the way you hit, the angle you hit, the bone density, on and on...Two people can play the same kit and sound completely different.
Bonham used a Slingerland kit on the first album. The picture at 2:42 was colorized from black and white, so it’s only a guess that it was green, but I’d heard elsewhere that Robert Plant remembered it being blue. But that’s a Slingerland kit, not Ludwig. Also looks like a 5 1/2 inch snare, not the 6 1/2 Supraphinic he used from LZII onward. Also, his first Ludwig was ordered with two kicks. There’s video of Carmine Appice saying that he called his Ludwig rep on Bonham’s behalf and brokered the endorsement deal, and the rep sent the same setup for Bonham. You can find pictures and promo videos of Bonham playing with two kicks. But it didn’t take long for the rest of the band to convince him to remove one kick, which left him with the classic one kick, one tom, two floor toms setup that we all recognize.
As Entwhistle said of Keith's drums on Qudrophenia, that they all sounded like biscuit tins.... was that Keith, or the producer, a certain Mr Townshend...
Music... so much never ending information! Rick you're the man! Thanks for sharing part of your life with us. God bless you and your family! Regards from Brazil.
Saw Led Zeppelin play at the first Atlanta Pop Festival, 4th of July weekend, 1969, on the infield of the Atlanta Motor Speedway (a better simulation of a solar oven has yet to be devised not using mirrors). Their first album had been out in the states since the end of March. During, I believe, Communication Breakdown, what appeared to be a seven-foot-tall, nude, prototypical hippie guy (wild curly red hair down almost to his shoulders, Ginger Baker beard, slack-jawed, glazed eyes, unsteady stance) wandered onto the stage and loomed over John, just staring as the drums pounded. Before anyone could come collect him, he fell fully across John, who never stopped stomping the kick. Finally, stage hands appeared and took the Ent-like fellow by the arms and legs. One, two, three... they swung him between themselves and cast him off the stage in a graceful arc and down about twelve feet onto the first few rows of revelers. I imagine that they all felt that the next morning. I was eighteen, got wonderfully sunburned and loaded to the meninges by the seemingly endless joints that came passing in each direction, and I have never forgotten Led Zeppelin's set.
Maaaaan. Epic. Love to hear the tales of the cool people in the gen before mine. My parents were too busy listening to...talk radio (dad) and Frankie V or Babs (mom).
I am not a musician but I love zeppelin!.....very interesting how many details go into creating a sound......Bonham was amazing.....all the years listening and I never realized what drew me to them but the drums were huge part of that....I had no idea back in late 70s but it makes sense now......
Jimmy page had a big influence on the sound of the drums as well as the rest of the band. He worked as a session musician for the years preceding his time in the yardbirds and it is documented that he learned the craft of production and took a keen interest in sound engineering at the same time. He knew how the small booths used in the studio could kill the sound of a larger kit and knew that the placement of the mics was key to a good sound.
Yee, Pagey was one of main (many) secret weapons that made Zep sound so damn huge in their studio work. Legend goes that it was him and engineer Glyn (or Andy?) Johns that came up with the idea of distance mic'ing Bonzo's practice set drums in the Headley Grange front hall, recording the echo between the mics. I like to point to "Dancing Days" as an example of Pagey's guitar engineering/multitracking genius- if you listen closely, there's *at least* 7 to 9 multitracked guitars...I always lose track coz it's such a mindf*ck lol! Jonesey was an amazing arranger as well, had a lot to do with their sound. Everyone always raves how great Zep was live...to me their live stuff is super sloppy...it's the studio work that's mind blowing...still! 🎸🎼💪🤘
I seem to recall an article by his drum tech years ago where he told of a conversation with Bonham about live vs. studio tuning. He said that his studio kit would be tuned lower since it was in a controlled environment. Whereas live he would tune up plus use nylon tipped sticks in order to help cut through the massive amount of sound generated by the band. I may be recalling this incorrectly but I’m pretty sure that’s right. Pretty close anyway.
NIKONGUY1960 I don't think you'd use Vistalites to record with. I don't know how many kits...? I'd do so with a maple kit any day. I LOVE maple anything. They're my favorite sticks.
I went to a drum clinic in Ct years back and Jeff Ogletree was there showing how he set up Bonham's drums... I guess he's the only one who ever set them up besides John himself...he told us a story of when some promoter sat behind Bonham's drums and started hitting some of them... Jeff said next thing you knew a beer bottle went flying by his head and almost hit the guy... John Bonham was sitting at the edge of the stage drinking a beer... I thought that was a great story... Love your channel.
Nice video! Just a note, 1971 Ludwig 3ply toms and bass drums were mostly Mahogany / Poplar / Maple The outer ply was the mahogany ply. It looks reddish and is darker then the other 2 plies. Mahogany inherently has lower tonal qualities, and was a big reason those drums sounded so good, recorded so well, and are highly sought after. (Mahogany was used extensively throughout the 60's on Ludwig drums. After 1972 Ludwig started to replace the mahogany with maple because of the cost of harvesting mahogany) Maple / Poplar / Maple became the norm until Ludwig went to 6 ply maple shells (no re-rings) around 1976
The detail of 1.6mm hoops is one of the most overlooked details of vintage drum tone. I have owned and played numerous Ludwig snares from different eras and the hoops are the one factor that distinguishes the drums from each other.
hi today's ludwig metal snares have gaskets under the lugs, the old ones don't, you have to remove those gaskets too in order to get the sound of the old ones, and why not, replace the strainer p-85 by a dunnett r4 for a really better fine tuning of the snare wires cheers
When he had the Maple Thermo-Gloss set up is when he also started using a Timpani Drum (23" Universal with Copper shell)and briefly a second 26" Bass Drum, and with Paiste a Symphonic Gong, then dropped the second Bass Drum and added a Machine Timp with a Copper Shell custom made only for him. Amazing he started and did the first Album with a standard four piece Kit with a pair of Cymbals and a Hi-Hat.
I'm a drummer but also own a PR and media company. The reason Rick's vids are great-- besides the information that he provides--is that HE'S A DAMN GOOD SPEAKER. Too many drum vids have people dribbling on for days with information that has little to no importance to the purpose of the vid, or they mumble. Rick has excellent diction, has prepared his thoughts and sticks to the point. Good job mate.
Thank you!!
He also has well edited videos. Although there are a few chop edits in there they aren’t nearly as noticeable as most videos people post here. Most are so chopped up it can be very distracting to watch. Yours are very well done sir.
Drummer Dude
Rick is the man on you tube..if I’m looking for something I go here !!
Nah mate. You pirates got it all wrong. All he does is talk. Stick to pr.
You got dam right
Dis main know wussup, yo!
I have been a professional drummer for almost 25 years, so I share the bewilderment of the Bonham enigma, Lol....my greatest learning curve in cracking the "Bonzo code" was the incredible dynamic of his foot!! THIS is one of the most important ingredients when it comes to grooove...the foot pedal action must have a range of hard, medium, soft, ghost hits etc. This man's foot was sooo free and dynamic..Combined with innovative mic combos, this is a killer recipe for heavy rockin groove.
All that range, many times within a single measure. It is key! Bounce, boom, and flop is how I describe his bass drum play. Then, consider the restraint he employed on a majority of songs, staying on the groove with not so many cymbal strikes and fills, when he could have obliterated the kit at any given moment. He knew how to shuffle and sway within the rock framework.
I think Bonzo like his foot pedal squeak too since they never edited that out.
Heel to toe he did
Exactly and valley these double bass players are great in their own I never played double so I can not do what they do on 2 bass drums that being said if I practiced im sure I could do thise single strokes fast and make my solos sound full and fast but I feel plsunh without bass drum the drum patterns single bass drummers do are much more complicated then double bass players but what's unfair is people that don't play drums think they are better cause it sounds like alit more going in which it is but it's easy stuff compared to playing single and doing complicated patterns ect like you said his dynamics on his foot
Led Zeppelin was suppose to appear in Montreal in October of 1980. One week before they were to perform, John Bonham passed away. It was going to be one of my greatest life experiences ever. I was in college at the time and barely passed my semester. Til this day it still hurts to relive that tragic day . . . Thanks for the video Rick.
Carmine Masi What a huge drag. 😕
I know exactly how you felt. I still remember that sense of loss too... and the end of Led Zeppelin
That sucks the big one man. Being in the presence of the greatest band ever, backed by the greatest drummer of all time. And then getting rejected a week before. I’m only in middle school but I’ve listened to zep and wished that Bonzo was still alive so they could have gone longer.
that is sad..i have copd waiting to die reading this ,im also an alcoholic,,smoked 45 years ..alcohol killed
Bonzo ..sad ..cigarettes kill to!
@@arnoldedmondson2529 it is a tough gig taking on this human existence. I hope your journey home is as smooth as possible. Soon you can thank Bonzo in person. He and all the great ones help make life here more tolerable.
My father engineered Bonzo's Montreux when he was running Mountain Studios in the 70s. He said that standing in front of Bonham 's kit was the best live drum sound he had ever heard bar none. And he engineered Cream's first album amongst others.
Hey lol
Amazing! I am very interested to know if he remembers what kit Bonham used? Did he have any pictures. Thanks!
What’s your dad’s name
@@renegonzalez1336 His father's name is John Timperley
Impressive...
The most important thing about getting John Bonham’s sound is being John Bonham.
It all seemed simple to do until he said that 🤔
Jason Bonham once said when he was a child that his dad could play his kid drums and it still sounded like John Bonham sound.
That's true
Exactly👍
Wait . . . whut? Are you sure . . .😐
The most impressive thing I've ever seen John do was play the shorter versions of Dazed and Confused live in late 1968 and all throughout 1969. He was doing unreal fills and a super intense speed. He toned things down as the years passed, but in those very early shows, he was a madman behind the kit.
50 years later and people are still trying to get his feel and sound. That really says something.
There’s never gonna be another Bonzo
@@englishorchard-haze4708 what do you mean?
@@englishorchard-haze4708 Baker was from a different tradition - jazz & big band drumming. Always appeared to hold an antipathy to rock, even though he was in a rock band.
@@krednevalga1686 Not the Bonham , Baker wars again.....
@@BadRonald1 no my friend I was just telling the truth. Baker was an ass hole, I salute his drumming but his attitude was never a cool thing
I was Bonham-obsessed for a while, so I'd like to offer some tips. Big drums definitely help, but an important thing to consider is that Bonham didn't muffle his drums with pillows, tape, etc. Get _really_ savvy about tuning your drums, get the right heads, and _stop muffling them_. Your kit will have more bass, and an altogether better sound without it.
Also keep in mind that your drums sound _a lot_ different out in front of your kit, and in the mix of the band, than they do to you. Get heads that suit your playing style and target sound-not what your favorite drummer uses. Heads are so important to your sound, yet I see lots of drummers playing on old ones or ones that don't suit their playing style. Additionally, remember that resonant/bottom heads are just as important as the batters/tops, so replace those every other time you replace the batters.
You might not like the sound of your drums if you take the muffling off of them-at least not right away-but your band and your audience will notice. Your toms and bass drum will put so much more bass in the mix, and therefore will be more noticeable. The more you play without dampening and the more attention you give to tuning, the better you'll sound.
V he iu
What you said about drums sounding different next to them vs mixed, is spot on. I've always wondered how can a raw kit sound like utter sheit and sound so good mixed. Not the same with e.g. guitars.
@@taunokekkonen5733 Absolutely. A guitar amp either sounds good or bad, and most of the time the room or stage doesn't have a major effect on it. Drums are very strange, hell, even those older wooden stages (or a drum riser) can make a kit sound totally different. If you want a good practice sound for at home, muffle your drums if you like, but at practice sessions, go wide open and _tune those drums!_
I’ve read that Roger Taylor of Queen tuned his drums throughout a live concert.
we found that hydraulic heads really helped nailing down Bonzo's thump. 💪🔊
The groove of "Fool In the Rain" is soooo insane!
Oh yeah, when you hear it isolated it's glorious.
It's derived from the Bernard Purdie shuffle groove aka the 'Purdie Shuffle'.
yeah it's B.Purdie's beat
jeffrey jones Porcaro SAID verbatim "I stole that from Babylon Sisters and Home at Last (Purdie's half shuffle), along with Fool in the Rain." :)
Hardest part of that beat is that all you have to do is nail the basics of it: the basis
shuffle beat and all the hard stuff is really ghost notes that you have to just not think about. Those are things that will naturally happen when you get comfortable with the basics of it's shuffle beat. There are some great videos of Purdie explaining this
I know nothing about drumming but I know I’m in awe of Bonham’s performances.
And you should be. Allthough he wasn't technically proficient hebeas self taught so hevwas limited but made the absolute best at what he could do I've been playing over 30 years and I still can't do his triplets like he can and as fast
There are very few people that can record and engineer drums properly. It’s a real talent and I’m always in awe of those that can do it.
this is absolutely right: John was the drummer with the outstanding rockdrum sound of all times - and since the rockbusiness is nearly dead he will be there at the top fo all times.
I’m not a musician, but find Rick’s videos so interesting. Such a wealth of knowledge, generously shared 👍
His noises were just poppy and snappy without being heavy or loud. It’s just perfect.
I'm a guitarist and found this fascinating. More info in one place than I've ever heard.
BTW, I absolutely love the drums in "When the Levee Breaks.". They move my soul
I found that learning other instruments gives one fascinatingly different perspectives on even the same track. I started with bass, then learned drums, then started picking up elec and acoustic guitar...it really gives you insight into all the other parts and dynamics/interplay.
I'm not even a drummer - let alone a musician - and I found this video informational and fascinating.
The kick drum squeak in "Since I've been loving you" sounds so awesome, it works more like an effect on the track.
Everything that Bonam did was mystical and a delight to the ears
The greatest band, no question of all time.. Rip Bonzo
Bonham is born with the groove and feel into his system. Its not about the drums he used but its all about the drummer himself.
My Drum teacher was JOHN BON ! EVERYDAY IN MY ROOM FOR 3 YRS. HAD TO BUY THE BON DAWG KIT ! COST A FORTUNE AT THAT TIME. I DRUMED FOR 40YRS. PROFESSIONALLY ! THANKS JOHN ! WILL NEVER FORGET YOU !
I cried like a baby the day Bonham died. I was the biggest 11 year old zep fan on the planet and geared up to spurn my parents prohibition and take the trip from Staten Island to Madison Square Garden to see them in 1981 with my 15 year old sister. When her friend called with the news, I insisted she was joking about 14 times before I realized she wasn’t. Then the tears began streaming, as did the round the clock zeppelin tributes every September 25th since, as well as my career as a drummer... R.I.P. BONZO
Lovely comment. God bless!
@@NoLefTurnUnStoned. thank you. It is great that almost 40 years later his legendary stature has not faded at all, but in fact has grown considerably. He is still regularly being voted as not only the greatest rock drummer in history, but one of the best drummers in any genre or era. It would have been great to see him develop even more skills into his old age. But alas, instead we must be grateful for what he gave us in those 12 years!
I remember...I was 17 when he passed...I cried like I lost a member of my own family...it was so devastating to me !
@@NoLefTurnUnStoned. thank you and God bless you also my friend.
@@marknolker8811 yes, and for me it’s one of those memories so etched in my mind that I can remember it as if it were yesterday. And then to lose John Lennon a few months later and Bon Scott a few months earlier…. ‘‘Twas a tough year for rock and roll music all around. But by far, Bonham death the most tragic. Only 32. Best drummer on the planet. They were set to release Wearing and Tearing and Bonzo’s Montreaux as a rare single in advance of having a new tour in the works that Page was determined would be a harder hitting Zeppelin than the 1980 jaunt through Europe. An insecure Bonham out to prove to the world, and himself, that he was still a force to be reckoned with. And if Coda was an indication, Ozone Baby and Darlene hinted at another unique Zeppelin album in the works with Ozone Baby offering a fresh sound and some amazing playing all around, and Darlene showing they could still belt out the old school rock and roll…. I could go on, but I’ll leave it at this. So yeah goddammit John you bailed on us way too soon and now we will never know what life would have been like with a few more Zeppelin albums. That is apparently for another timeline. One in which Richard Cole decides to check on you after waking up to take a pee at 3:33am and finding you snoring on your back, gently pushes you over onto your side….
Bonham could get a usable sound out of a $100 yard sale special. The other side of the coin is Lars Ulrich and his $20k Tama customs.
Omgggg this comment makes me wanna laugh and cry simultaneously
St. Anger snare....
You mean the St. Anger garbage can lids? Great point.
@@Alfred_-vp9ys Yes, I can. In fact, I do deny that. His drum tech and the band's live sound engineer make his spastic, generic pounding SOUND good, but can't make up for a complete lack of technique or skill. He's no different than Nikki Sixx on bass.
Sounds like Bonham was such a big hitter he needed a new drum kit every year, at least he was a man who enjoyed variety
It's a common misconception that he was a big hitter. He did of course hit big from time to time but he was very consistent at hitting the right area of the drum.
He wasn’t actually a very hard hitter. He choked way up on his sticks and let them rebound quite a bit. Ask a tympanist how to get a big sound.
Hit it in the right place, and let it breathe.
@@joegiotta7580 Very true, and he clearly did not get a new kit every year. He was known to take good care of his drums, and was particular about them.
Jason has said he didn't hit hard but it was the way he held his drumsticks he could get that big sound with little effort
@@josephmonaco4503 Thank you!
I had the honor of working with Andy Johns back in 2001 for 9 months, what a trip it was and I learned so much from him.
We also polished off quite a few bottles of Zinfandel lol
I think Robert Plant said it somewhere in an interview that the best mixer for John Bonham was himself. He said that Bonham had such feel and control over what he was playing with the volume etc. that he was actually mixing the sound while he was playing which is amazing. I don't think many drummers could do that in the studio. So a lot of the magic as you said comes from John Bonham's playing and his feel. That is something very hard to emulate.
In My Time of Dying - The last 1/2 of the song is AMAZING!
first song I taught myself on bass lol. Well that and Floyd's "Money" of course. In the basement of my Grans' house...drove the poor old woman nuts lol 🤭🎸🎼💪🤘
You forgot the squeaky kick drum pedal you can't unhear on Since I've been loving you. Great video!
I thought I was the only one who could hear that! :-)
Used to be able to hear it. Now I'm old and listened to too much Led Zep.
Love me some speedking
Actually I pointed it out to a friend who was a drummer and he told me that it was the high hat, but I was skeptical. Always thought it was the kick drum. It has a “swing “ to it
I think you can hear it during the triplets in Moby Dick, too. Been a while since I listened to it, but I remember hearing it in more than one place.
I had tickets to see Zepplin in cleveland before Bonham passed. I still consider that one of the biggest events Ive ever missed out on in my life .
Saw Led Zeppelin in LA in March, 1975 and June, 1977. And you are absolutely correct.
I had tickets for Montreal. Then he died.. .... Bummer.
I also was supposed to see them and had tickets border disappointment alright P Jam rip Jam stupid speaker
Led Zeppelin should always be held to a high standard
Im not even a drummer and I love this video.
but why did he not play the drums?
every great guitarist loves a great drum sound Rhett
Don’t have to be a drummer to appreciate a good drummer and his drum set.
Agreed
same here, its a mystery to me, different tunings etc . For myself and my band mates we are really having a hard time finding a drummer, a good one anyone at all in fact towards that discipline. People wonder why rock is dying, well on a practical level, full drum kits are not very portable, space for practice is at a premium (we do have that at least) The peasants as we are, we have to learn how to tune and play propane tanks, and polished rocks before can move onto traditional instruments we can might one day afford :)
His drum tones are frikkin huge man.. the kick drum and snare tones are what is so in your face.. John was one of the greatest drummers ever.. if he was still alive today it's hard telling where he'd be.. that dude was phenomenal..
As a bad drummer, but with enough knowlegde about drums, I say this video is amazing!!! The fact you brought the real important stuff in a way everyone can understand is what makes you an amazing producer. You nailed it, Master Beato...
I’m no drummer so I don’t know about kits, or techniques, etc but I know what I hear. And when I hear Bonham I hear something different. Something special.
I've been drumming for 57 years and John Bonham was one of my idols. Loved the video but the first kit John recorded on was a green sparkle Slingerland kit given to him by the drummer from the Yard Birds. If you look at the lugs on the picture you use you'll see they are Slingerland lugs, not Ludwig. From the second album on he used Ludwig drums. Great video about a monster player! Keep up the good work Rick.
I am not a drummer but love the way Rick explains the nerdy details. Excellent! Impressive is what it is.
At a time when many folks are just turning to sampled sounds to get those vintage kits, it's so refreshing for Rick to go back to the source: The gear, the mic placement, oh and the drummer's ability! Another great video Rick!
That first drum outfit kit pic at the 2:42 minute mark, which is green sparkle is actually a Slingerland drum set. The pic is from 1968 and Bonzo used a green sparkle Slingerland in 1968 on both of their tours - Europe and the UK. Bonham most likely used that same Slingerland in the studio on Led Zeppelin I.
He played his first Ludwig in Denver on Dec 26th, 1968 and it was most likely a rental outfit.
As it appears to me, you are so knowledgeable about music that you can take something complex and break it down for a moron like me. I appreciate your insight. Some of the artists and songs and aspects of those songs that you explain, from your perspective, really makes me see how much you love and appreciate music that you lend your expertise to your subs. Thanks a lot. Seriously.
I've seen and heard John Bonham 2 or 3 times live in my teenage years at Edmonton and Calgary when he was with Led Zeppelin in 1968 or 9 +. I was mesmerized, and still am by his mastery of the traps.
AchillesLast Stand and In The Evening...listen to the master that is John Bonham. Superb!
I can say with certainty, there will never be another Led Zeppelin!
Great vid, good overall information. Just a couple of clarifying points:
1) The Ludwig kit that Bonzo ordered after touring with Vanilla Fudge was a double-bass kit spec'ed just like the one Carmine Appice had. (There's at least one photo out there that survives which shows Bonham behind the full kit.) The other guys in Led Zeppelin found it obnoxious and forced him to abandon the second bass drum.
2) His long-time drum tech Jeff Ocheltree states that Bonham always used wood kits in the studio (with the Emperor/Ambassador head combination), even though he used the Vistalite and stainless steel kits live. His "Trust Your ears" video is excellent and is an outstanding reference for the Bonham sound, and gets into the real nitty-gritty of the tuning.
3) This is nit-picky, and I'm sorry for my OCD: The snare was a 402, not a 404. The 404 was only 5.5" deep while the 402 was 6.5" deep. The 402 Supra-Phonic wasn't made from aluminum per se; it was an aluminum alloy made for Ludwig which they named "Ludalloy".
4) You will NEVER achieve that snare sound unless you play rimshots on your backbeats. EVERY time.
Thanks Rick!
The LM400 is the 5.5” and if there was a typo I don’t remember it about the LM402. Jeff Ocheltree worked with Bonham at the end of his career long after the time so he can only speak for that period.
Referring to point #3 - Rick correctly SAID it was a 402 - 6.5"x14" snare. I didn't hear him refer to it as a 404. BTW the supraphonic Ludalloy 5.5"x14" model is LM400 not 404. 404 is the acrolite. - totally different shell.
Scott Asheton, baby.
Video name: "Achieving John Bonham drum sound"
Video content: "you can't" x12 minutes
Hi Rick. A crucial element to his sound is his technique he used a jazz style grip which is very light so the sticks resonate (you can see this on Moby Dick Royal Albert Hall where his index finger is off the stick). Keith Carlock does something similar you'll notice how different his drums sound.
What is this Jazz style grip you talk of? Is it German, American, or French grip? Sounds cool and if it helps my jazz...it helps my jazz.
I was just learning to play in the 60's but his snare sound got your attention and I still love it.
Great video. Especially for the advice at the end to learn to play as well as Bonham.
Too many people buy thousands and thousands of dollars of equipment but spent $10 on instruction and 5 minutes a week practicing. The instruments don't start playing themselves at a certain price point.
Pianos do..
antmiket you need huge maple sticks. They're fast on being light and LOTS of mass for BOOM.
I agree. You can spend multi-thousands on the best drums and cymbals money can buy, but if you are not willing to put in the time and effort to learn the craft, the drums alone will not make the drummer. Yet take a drummer who has put in the work to truly learn the art, and he/she can make a mediocre drum set sing.
Money doesn’t buy skill
Being John Bonham is being as relaxed as John was and as aggressive as he was at the same time. You play as late as possible, as DEEP into the groove as you can, and you give it everything you’ve got. This works for every other instrument, as well. I’ve heard of Steve Gadd and Neil Peart- they were awesome- John Bonham was the greatest rock drummer of all time because of his gut, instinctive FEEL Deep feel.
I'm glad you pointed out the difference in miking When The Levee Breaks. I love the drums on that song. Probably my all time favorite drum track.
I'm not a drummer but love listening to Bonham. I'm not interested in gear, but love hearing Rick talk about it ;-)
Amen, I only learned to appreciate Bonzo's talents when I was far gone from my youth and no longer listening only to Rock and Roll as loud as I could stand. Jimmy Page might have been one of the greatest guitarists in the world. And Robert Plant might have been one of the greatest vocalists. But it was Bonzo's drums that set the tone for Led Zep.
Starting to learn the drums at age 11, the moment I heard Bonzo play, my approach to playing was instantly changed. When I heard him play triplets with the bass drum I was never the same again.
Rick it's like you’re reading my mind and making videos based on things I want to learn! I was just wondering how I was going to approach tuning and micing my new kit and this is awesome! Thanks for the knowledge and the inspiration to make more music and videos of my own!
I appreciate diversity, so branching out with topics like drumming keeps it very interesting. I would support a subseries exploring different musical instruments and their history/the key musicians in a Beato mini documentary format for instance. A lot of us know very little about percussion instruments or the oboe or bassoon for instance and we should!
Go to the DW video tuning drums, it's the actual manufacturing location the guy will walk you thru step by step for both toms and another for the snare excellent tuning advice.
Pat Flanigan You're* reading my mind.
I have this kit. I like Remo coated Ambassadors on the 402 snare. I use black dots. I essentially tune as low as possible to get plenty of BOOM and a bit of bounce. Jeff Ocheltree (Bonham's drum tech) said you could tune JHB hi med or low on his video. jmo
One thing to note - John had an amazing ability to hit the snare and kick hard, but feathered the cymbals. This allowed for the drums to be louder in the mix with more compression without making the cymbals swell too much. Listen to his delicate hi-hat work. Great video Rick. Thanks!
Yes ....So Cool Rick...if I didn't know better...I would Think you were a drummer. After over fifty years of drumming I still have my 1969 Ludwig set. The reason for the rims being made thicker was we were all breaking them....Great job again...Thanks Rick for all you do...Ron Castro
good info ... I thought the heads / skins were the only weak point to replace
Seen Led Zeppelin & Bonzo in 1975 in Chicago what a memory
Rick, those isolated drum tracks are awesome, especially Whole Lotta Love, what a great one Bonham was! Also, great way to sneak in a Led Zep video without getting blocked!
Yeah, copyright BS. Because.... Not enough money?
" Bonzo's Montreux " still blows me away to this day & if ever someone was thinking of taking up drums within a band environment I'd point them in the direction of this track along with many other great drummers who put their craft to vinyl & this is coming from a fellow groove junky with me being a bassist as I can't get enough of drumming that knocks you side ways, whether it's Buddy Rich/Stewart Copeland/John Bonham to one of my personal favourites Steve Jansen, who in my opinion doesn't get the recognition he deserves, well apart from the fans of his work of course...
There are so many phenomenal musicians that have become almost an urban legend since music died away & I'd like to think one day it will come back, but for now all I do is watch my favourite bands who still tour, there's not as many as there used to be but at least I have some to listen to...
I can't believe that in 2019 we talk of music within band form or as a solo artist is a forgotten art form that's gone the way of the dinosaurs...
Sure we have great musicians on UA-cam but are they really doing anything with their talent, I think not, if forever asking for subs & likes is the future of music then I'll pass...
Time to dust off the vinyls & blow my windows out & no doubt get complaints from the neighbours, just like I did in days gone by...
....
so true. Bands these days (I sound like my Dad !) are crap mostly
Another fascinating exploration "behind the sound" -- Rick, it's amazing how you can make fairly technical material accessible and, more importantly, interesting. Really enjoyed this look at the Bonham drum sound; it enhances my appreciation all the more.
4:19 in, that’s Zep playing at Kooyong Tennis Stadium, Melbourne on Feb 20, 1972: how do I know? I was there, about 8 rows from the front at ground level. Those four horizontal wires above and behind Bonzo are tram lines on Glenferrie Road…Amazing concert. And yes, he played Moby Dick!
“Play like Bonham”...yeah, right.😂😂 I’ve been a fan of his kit sizes for a long time and his Vistalites are my holy grail.
Many are afraid of big drums thinking they’re too much for the music. Fact is, tuning matters a lot and big drums actually give you more freedom of sound than a smaller one would.
Rock on people!!🤘🏻🤘🏻
Just got a '70s Ludwig set, 26,15,16,18 first time playing a 15. taking a bit to get used to but an awesome tone.
@@drummer7456 I've always thought about getting bigger drums. I like being able to play everything but I want to have clarity for small subtle funky type stuff. Do u think these sizes would be good for me. Bonham and bill ward play 24 14 16 18 I believe and the got a great sound for their jazzy subtleties.
As a kid at the time I was blown away by Zeppelin and had the first 2 albums.
Even though I’m not a musician I knew there was something different and special about the drumming.
He was unique.
He was a genius. That variation of John Bonham solo was remarkable.
All that is so Rick but one of the high points of his sound was his wrist action. I don't think anyone did that before or since. Thanks for the vid! When questioned about his sound, he said 'if you're going to hit it, hit it hard!'
Hey Rick!
Firstly, thank you so much for sharing your musical knowledge here! Incredible info!
Im a working drummer/teacher here in Ventura Ca.
I really appreciate being able to share your info with students and peers!
Also wanted to offer a couple of insights into the Bonham sound.
You are right on the money w/ most of what you share (especially the importance of playing like him and i would add, studying his influences (Earl Palmer, Clyde Stubblefield, Buddy etc))
On his wood and steel kits he actually typically used coated ambassador heads for the reso. side
Also his early ordered Ludwig kits featured 10×14 and or 12×15 rack toms to be correctly specific.
Some of the info i shared is coming from Bonham's former tech Jeff Ocheltree so i hope he would remember correctly.
Thanks again brother!!
Rock on!!! 🎶
Master of the "kick-drum based" triplets! Slipping them in all over the place. And the most improvisational shuffle known to man. And Jimmy, and whoever else was running production, knew that you never, ever turned his source down. It was defining for Zeppelin!
My favourite part of his drumming is the kick sound, the way it thumps with such power but almost instantly stops. As someone who knows bugger all about drums & drumming it was really interesting to learn about that felt strip that helped make that sound happen. I don't think many people name it as having one of the best drumming tracks by Led Zeppelin, but my personal favourite song to hear Bonham on is 'Kashmir'. You can hear that incredible kick sound I'm talking about again & again on that song.
Kashmir is#1 for me. That song definitely showcases his talent.
it's those thumping kicker doublets at the end of each measure. They punctuate each so precisely yet are not in the same time signature as any of the other parts! "Strings", bass, guitar are all in a different time sig. It's frickin' genius and still sounds fresh and massive even today... 🎼🎸💪🤘
His sound is actually diverse in the exampled recordings at 1:55. I think it was his "style" that is most notable to drummers and I think the classic "Bonham sound" most people associate to him are the drum sounds like Fool in The Rain and of course When the Levee Breaks which has been sampled and sliced ad nauseam. If you notice, all the tracks people mainly associate as the Bonham sound have some reverb that makes the drums sound especially full and boomy and or other studio tricks. The sizes and heads, tuning, etc, also mattered greatly of course, but it really shows how much engineering and mixing plays a huge part too. The fact remains the same that his kits and heads actually changed a lot from LZ1 to Coda so his sound had to change from that alone. Maple kits to Vistalites to Stainless Steel, and Emperors to Black Dots, etc... So there really is no single definable "Bonham sound"...unless you just want to use a blanket rule of "use big drums, tune em' high and run wide open".
This vid answers questions i've been asking myself for about 20 years.. Thanks so much Rick!
I get a little flustered when I hear the debate if who is better, John or Neil. Why does one have to be better? I think there both at the top. I think they are the best in the songs they played in. That's what is so perfect about music. Great video Rick.
Rick, One thing that makes the different brands sound different, is the bearing edges. Slingerland stuck with a round over edge up through the point where they switched to no re-ring 5 ply shells, Rogers used a Sharp Bearing edge, Ludwig used a similar edge, and Im sure youve seen the difference in the Gretsch shells (You havent even noted them in this video)
Also, Lots of Ludwig stuff was pretty bad.. The QC was iffy because they were trying to pump so many drums out after the Beatles craze... Ive had out of round Ludwig drums with poor edges etc etc.. , So JUST getting a 3 ply ludwig kit might not exactly get someone the sound they are after..
Because of the Beatles craze, they were selling thousands of Ludwig kits. To keep up with the demand they began making them out of mahogany, poplar and mahogany which were much cheaper in construction and sound.
Rick Beato there a guy named Terry on UA-cam ( “Bonzoleum” ) That is a treasure trove of information about John Bonham and his drums, you should check him out
+Rick Beato Ludwig made shells that were mahog/pop/mahog in the 50s as well. mahog/pop/maple was very common in the 70s too. I have an early 70s kit with those shells. many kits were made with mismatched shells in one kit because shell layup wasn't important. Some shell interiors were painted at the factory to hide that, in my opinion.
nice work. I met John in 79 and he was a gent.
Rick, amazing information. I'm 68, a former drummer, however, I appreciate all your vids from acoustic guitars, keys, drums etc, as well as your 'best of' vids!. You bring back many great memories and exactly why I loved playing and listening to music. The recording information on JB, is a great insight on his sound, that I've always appreciated over the years. I also found the info on the 'hoops' interesting as well. "Who'da thought"? LOL! Thank you! Jim
Rick, please do a video series on your top 25 favorite rock albums and why you love them. I find your enthusiasm and insight the most interesting (entertaining) aspects of your videos. Keep up the good work! Scott in NY.
I know absolutely nothing about drumming, but I found this video extremely fascinating! Great job, Rick.
Great video, I was looking forward to hearing you play the kit at the very end.
I saw Zeppelin on their first NA Tour- I had the same Ludwigs, same size,same heads,felt strip,tuning etc- I still remember the sound he got from them.....!!! He hit them so hard but his playing made that kit his own-
Absolutely agree- the band was delayed at the border- the PA was basic- it was the first tour promoting the first album and the second albums tunes in the set list and it took them a while to settle in- but still amongst the dominating command and power I heard ghost strokes, and dynamics and the speed had to be from a light wrist- this was all noticed after the shock of watching the bass drum front skin shudder with every kick of the triplets in "Good Times,Bad Times"- the first tune they did- one bass drum- one pedal-at full volume- it was incredible to a young drum student.
I'm jealous of anyone who got to see Zep live. Savor it!
Christopher Seaton agree. Look at Peart. Stiff hands, elbows arms. He's done because of that. And whole technically very impressive, he was never a big feel guy...as I see it. Saw them 4x anyway, tho.
What an amazing analysis! I loved how you explained how the drums are constructed, tuned and miked. I wish you had gone a little more beyond technology to talk about why that particular set up was important for John Bonham’s particular playing. My hypothesis is that Bonham needed the resonant drums, the high tuning and the mic placement because, very often, he played (or paralleled) the melody. His drumming is like close harmony. He’s doesn’t just play the drums, he sings them. The setup you demonstrate seems designed to give him his proper place in the choir.
Shared with a drummer I've played with for years, and thumbs up! Thanks, as always, Rick.
Fool in the rain is one of my favorite drum grooves of all time. That shuffle is legendary. Bonham is probably the most influential drummer of all time
I found a 1976 Supraphonic (w/case) at a garage sale for $10., and now use it every day.....
Those are the best scores. I once saw a really old kit at a yard sale. $300 for the whole kit. It was a vintage junky looking Japanese kit with mismatched cymbals but had a 60's Ludwig Jazz Festival snare with it. I asked if they would sell just the snare and they said "no you have to buy the whole kit". The snare was worth more than the kit so I bought it. Turns out it had K Istanbul hi-hats that I did not notice, vintage Paiste Formula 602 crash and ride along with cheap cymbals. I sold the Japanese kit for $200 on eBay. The Istanbul hats for $700, each Paiste for $150 and the Jazz Festival snare for $350. I'm glad I went through the hassle of getting the whole kit.
B D Now you see...I just can’t do deals like that. If I come across something with value, I HAVE to keep it! If I had a dollar for every time I’ve picked something up with the intention of flipping it for profit and ended up adding it to the collection...well let’s just say if have a lot of extra dollars. That id probably use to go buy something that I intend to flip but end up keeping for myself.
Guys, are we POSITIVE you can’t take it with you when you die?? I mean like 1000% sure?
the best deal i've heard yet
Great video. I have actually played on Bonham's original Vistalite set when it was temporarily located at the Nashville Percussion school I attended. Dream come true.
It doesn't matter what "kit" he played. His own son Jason said on a "Howard Stern" interview, that John could play with a toy drum kit and get a unique "Bonham" sound. It's the way you hit, the angle you hit, the bone density, on and on...Two people can play the same kit and sound completely different.
No doubt, I have played on all types of house kits and they all sound like me on my Luds.
This is incredible!! I thought I knew everything about Zeppelin but Rick is clearly the KING.
Bonham used a Slingerland kit on the first album. The picture at 2:42 was colorized from black and white, so it’s only a guess that it was green, but I’d heard elsewhere that Robert Plant remembered it being blue. But that’s a Slingerland kit, not Ludwig. Also looks like a 5 1/2 inch snare, not the 6 1/2 Supraphinic he used from LZII onward. Also, his first Ludwig was ordered with two kicks. There’s video of Carmine Appice saying that he called his Ludwig rep on Bonham’s behalf and brokered the endorsement deal, and the rep sent the same setup for Bonham. You can find pictures and promo videos of Bonham playing with two kicks. But it didn’t take long for the rest of the band to convince him to remove one kick, which left him with the classic one kick, one tom, two floor toms setup that we all recognize.
Rick gives great analytics in all facets of music! Another excellent breakdown that both pro’s and amateurs can learn from, and appreciate!
Achieving the Keith Moon Sound: throw your drums down a flight of hotel stairs (if you do it right it will sound AMAZING)
And put a bomb inside the kick drum like on Tommy Smothers show.
Substance D 😂😂
As Entwhistle said of Keith's drums on Qudrophenia, that they all sounded like biscuit tins.... was that Keith, or the producer, a certain Mr Townshend...
Actually i know a drummer, who's solos sound a bit like a drum kit falling down a flight of stairs.
@@S2Sturges p pop
Music... so much never ending information! Rick you're the man! Thanks for sharing part of your life with us. God bless you and your family! Regards from Brazil.
Saw Led Zeppelin play at the first Atlanta Pop Festival, 4th of July weekend, 1969, on the infield of the Atlanta Motor Speedway (a better simulation of a solar oven has yet to be devised not using mirrors). Their first album had been out in the states since the end of March.
During, I believe, Communication Breakdown, what appeared to be a seven-foot-tall, nude, prototypical hippie guy (wild curly red hair down almost to his shoulders, Ginger Baker beard, slack-jawed, glazed eyes, unsteady stance) wandered onto the stage and loomed over John, just staring as the drums pounded.
Before anyone could come collect him, he fell fully across John, who never stopped stomping the kick. Finally, stage hands appeared and took the Ent-like fellow by the arms and legs. One, two, three... they swung him between themselves and cast him off the stage in a graceful arc and down about twelve feet onto the first few rows of revelers. I imagine that they all felt that the next morning.
I was eighteen, got wonderfully sunburned and loaded to the meninges by the seemingly endless joints that came passing in each direction, and I have never forgotten Led Zeppelin's set.
Maaaaan. Epic. Love to hear the tales of the cool people in the gen before mine. My parents were too busy listening to...talk radio (dad) and Frankie V or Babs (mom).
percypape 😂😂😂😂
I am not a musician but I love zeppelin!.....very interesting how many details go into creating a sound......Bonham was amazing.....all the years listening and I never realized what drew me to them but the drums were huge part of that....I had no idea back in late 70s but it makes sense now......
Jimmy page had a big influence on the sound of the drums as well as the rest of the band. He worked as a session musician for the years preceding his time in the yardbirds and it is documented that he learned the craft of production and took a keen interest in sound engineering at the same time. He knew how the small booths used in the studio could kill the sound of a larger kit and knew that the placement of the mics was key to a good sound.
Yee, Pagey was one of main (many) secret weapons that made Zep sound so damn huge in their studio work. Legend goes that it was him and engineer Glyn (or Andy?) Johns that came up with the idea of distance mic'ing Bonzo's practice set drums in the Headley Grange front hall, recording the echo between the mics. I like to point to "Dancing Days" as an example of Pagey's guitar engineering/multitracking genius- if you listen closely, there's *at least* 7 to 9 multitracked guitars...I always lose track coz it's such a mindf*ck lol! Jonesey was an amazing arranger as well, had a lot to do with their sound. Everyone always raves how great Zep was live...to me their live stuff is super sloppy...it's the studio work that's mind blowing...still! 🎸🎼💪🤘
Was fortunate enough to see John Bonham in 76 in Chicago - ears are still ringing !:)
I seem to recall an article by his drum tech years ago where he told of a conversation with Bonham about live vs. studio tuning. He said that his studio kit would be tuned lower since it was in a controlled environment. Whereas live he would tune up plus use nylon tipped sticks in order to help cut through the massive amount of sound generated by the band. I may be recalling this incorrectly but I’m pretty sure that’s right. Pretty close anyway.
NIKONGUY1960 I don't think you'd use Vistalites to record with. I don't know how many kits...? I'd do so with a maple kit any day. I LOVE maple anything. They're my favorite sticks.
I like maple sticks, too. I use VF Bolero 2s and would like to try others. what kind do you use?@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823
I went to a drum clinic in Ct years back and Jeff Ogletree was there showing how he set up Bonham's drums... I guess he's the only one who ever set them up besides John himself...he told us a story of when some promoter sat behind Bonham's drums and started hitting some of them... Jeff said next thing you knew a beer bottle went flying by his head and almost hit the guy... John Bonham was sitting at the edge of the stage drinking a beer... I thought that was a great story... Love your channel.
Awesome information Rick! Thanks very much.
Nice video! Just a note, 1971 Ludwig 3ply toms and bass drums were mostly Mahogany / Poplar / Maple
The outer ply was the mahogany ply. It looks reddish and is darker then the other 2 plies.
Mahogany inherently has lower tonal qualities, and was a big reason those drums sounded so good, recorded so well, and are highly sought after.
(Mahogany was used extensively throughout the 60's on Ludwig drums. After 1972 Ludwig started to replace the mahogany with maple because of the cost of harvesting mahogany)
Maple / Poplar / Maple became the norm until Ludwig went to 6 ply maple shells (no re-rings) around 1976
The detail of 1.6mm hoops is one of the most overlooked details of vintage drum tone. I have owned and played numerous Ludwig snares from different eras and the hoops are the one factor that distinguishes the drums from each other.
hi
today's ludwig metal snares have gaskets under the lugs, the old ones don't, you have to remove those gaskets too in order to get the sound of the old ones, and why not, replace the strainer p-85 by a dunnett r4 for a really better fine tuning of the snare wires
cheers
Bonham and Buddy Miles... my all time favorites... Great videos... I do appreciate them! Thanks.
I'm like a sponge with your knowledge... please keep it coming! This was great schoolin'... baby, I'm not foolin'...
Great stuff Rick. Fascinating. Thanks for taking the time to put that together.
Pretty sure Zep II was engineered/mixed by Eddie Kramer, as was Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti, and Coda.
When he had the Maple Thermo-Gloss set up is when he also started using a Timpani Drum (23" Universal with Copper shell)and briefly a second 26" Bass Drum, and with Paiste a Symphonic Gong, then dropped the second Bass Drum and added a Machine Timp with a Copper Shell custom made only for him.
Amazing he started and did the first Album with a standard four piece Kit with a pair of Cymbals and a Hi-Hat.