Kenny explaining his technique. Live at the Drummer's Reality Camp at the Los Angeles Music Academy July 2011. www.lamusicacademy.edu www.drumchannel.com www.neweternityproductions.com
Man, how easy he switches from singles, to doubles to superfast paradiddles. Really awesome. My first Tama Swingstar came with a video with Kenny, Mike Portnoy and John Tempesta. Good old days. 😀 Kenny rocks.
Rich Crockett His skills can't be discussed, however, his stick technique can be. Unless you're willing to put a lot of muscular force into your patterns, this way of holding the stick is not efficient and gives you less bounce. This is pretty much the same way Gavin Harrison holds his sticks and if you look at Gavin's hands, they are full of calluses and blisters, which is what you don't want.
Long time ago you made this very stupid comment my friend. Dont mea to offend you. Aronoff is drummer for any and every gig. Thats his skill. Also his energy and coolness play a role. Yeah I am sure Mike Mangini can blow him out of the water on specific techniques. But overall he is the man to call ...
I had the pleasure of sharing 2 days in the studio with Kenny. He's really that guy. Totally genuine and not afraid to say or do anything. He's so much fun to be around and really makes you a better musician.
At age 60, Kenny is too busy playing gigs to care what the internet thinks. It doesn't matter what you think of his clothes, his style, his baldness, his wallet chain or whatever. He gets hired because musicians and producers want what he does. Maybe you should take some time to figure out why they're not calling YOU.
Such a Self-Centered Career and Lifestyle though.Does He have a Family (Wife and Kids) to support? Always looking for the next Job etc.Away from home and Family.Pension, Health Insurance on and on.Especially for those who have not and will not achieve the Status Kenny has.Reminds me of a kid that NEVER grew up Long as they can play their instrument everyone else is on the back-burner!
I'm a working drummer (on cruise ships), and I may never end up being as well-known as Kenny Aronoff. But I like his vibe as a teacher in this video. He's not all ego. He's just friendly and sharing his knowledge. I suppose if I ever got well-known I'd be hated by many who don't like my playing. No problem.
I like ideas about how much the grip can be altered to meet different needs. I think I spent too long in search of some single 'best' grip/technique that I needed to perfect, when the better approach might be to explore different techniques, see what they're good for, then move between them as needed to do what I want to do. Watching this really reinforces that for me. Thanks, Kenny!
i wish the video was longer. It is interesting to hear a drummer talk about his progression. Some of us self trained drummers have been through similar periods of evolution in technique. I started out with zero technique, but, over time (and after hearing my friends tell me "you hit my drums too hard" and "your technique is terrible" I got the message. Honesty and humility are often in short supply (especially around instruments and cameras!), but he told it like it is.
K. Gives us the issues that affect the playing in that particular playing situation....He is a very physical drummer, built like an athlete and says he uses more of his body...K is one of the most sought after drummer for the great acts in the music business. His style is what is desired and admired. He is an all around percussion expert and would adjust to delicate playing if required....
Yeah, I didn't come here to care what this guy looks like. I came here to see this technique that he's spent his entire life developing. It's pretty damn good. The lesson is the Moeller technique. And playing with your core. Fingers vs wrist, and when to use them. And (maybe this wasn't as easy to catch for some of you, what with his tight pants and gum) listening to your band, being aware of their playing, and working to compensate when they're off. Listening. Get it? Wisdom.
Yeah, one thing I do with my students is I'll play something fast for them and immediately after ask them to pull the drum stick out of my hand. It comes right out. The point being that playing fast or intense does not mean a tighter grip.
i seen KENNY at a MODERN DRUMMER PRESENTATION at MONTCLAIR ST. COLL MONTCLAIR NJ n his technique especially how he played snare backbeat with his rite hand. this makes for a really powerful back beat, i admire KENNY as much as any drummer that is daring enough to put himself on the big stage, ive seen hundreds of big time players n KENNY is world class
played on more hits, than you realize. what a career. became one of the biggest "A" call studio guys... along with being included on more than a handful of 'rockstar' first-call' tour duties. charmed, to say the least. solid, play-for-the-song' kind of cat. it's what got him the gig....
this clip has some good nuggets of wisdom from a guy out there living this stuff every day. it would have been cool if there was more. Not sure why there's so much dumb in the comments, but then again this is UA-cam.....
YOU GOT TO SOUND LIKE A THUNDER!!! ...and it's the best power workout ever... best sound signal from a pad!!! ...HE is a drummer!!! ...others like him? Will Hunt and Tommy Cluffetos.
Amen brother..u got that right. I remember hours of slowing down records(remember those things?) to 16rpm to transcribe parts/licks. We had no videos,DVD's,or internet. You had to work to get the information.
That is a very good point and I haven't thought about it like that before. Kenny Aronoff has also definitely mastered his style. I'm not sure I would say that this is a silly debate, more of an interesting discussion? Also I would say that these guys have disrupted an essential quality of a domain in a permanent way. I would be interested to see a style swap, Aranoff playing the stuff Ari, Bill or Eric play and the other way round.
I will stick up for the guy. He is a very good drummer in actuality ( not such a good presenter). The point he was trying to make is to be fluid. Gene Kruppa, and Buddy Rich were masters of fluidity and taught on the subject extensively. In fact, I'm you can find some video's here on youtube (if you care to learn). Not such a great clip on the subject, but I understood it. Maybe because I understand the mechanic's??
I didn't mean your debate was silly. I more meant the general idea in this thread where styles were being compared for points. It's not really an idea I personally put stock in. Maybe it's true. Who really knows. When I think of innovation, I think of just a handful of people per generation -- true paradigm shifters. With that definition, the innovators are few and far between. We live in an age of technical innovation, so I think the word itself is close to people's lips.
Achieved this, maybe a glimpse of what it might be like but I am definitely not idolizing Kenny Aronoff. All I mean and maybe it was shortly worded, is that Kenny Aranoff has got so good at fulfilling a purpose that he can enjoy his music and the benefits? Also I have to make it clear that I am not saying I like this guy or his playing. However, I may have some grand realization that actually no, the word 'master' is a fictional word. Which is fine if you define mastery as being measurably...
I don't know. Ari, Bill, and Eric are all jazz drummers, and specifically they play improvisational, free, or unstructured music. Each plays in an idiom whose basis is creative flow. Each is an astounding musician, but none is an innovator. Innovation means they would have disrupted an essential quality of their domain in a permanent way. They invent but do not innovate. Aronoff is clearly an exemplary musician with total mastery his idiom. It's apples to oranges in this generally silly debate.
Ah okay. For points? Sorry I don't really understand what you mean by that. Like a competition? That is true. I think I would probably regard a lot of people as innovators, However I would agree that the 'best' or 'most influential' innovators like Davis or Parker etc have probably changed the direction of a movement more than Ari Hoenig has for example. If you regard Miles Davis as an innovator, which I believe him to be and not one person had heard his music, would he still be an innovator?
Interesting debate going on here. I think the guy is a great drummer, plays well and has clearly practiced and knows his shit. However I would rather read about Ari Hoenig, Bill Stuart, Eric Harland and many other over this guy in drummer magazines. Would people say that Kenny has innovated in any way? I would say not really but I am very ready to admit that I am wrong.
(not this) there is no way of monitoring how to be perfect and it would be stupid to try to. So I guess it may be fair to say that Elvin Jones had mastered swing playing? Or perhaps that Keith Jarrett had mastered his style or something along those lines? Obviously they can improve the speed of their runs or improve their rhythmic ideas or stuff like that, but they are at a level that provides so much self satisfaction that anything they learn now is just a bonus? I am not saying I have...
I think he has some interesting things to talk about in this video - always feeling the backbeat from your 'core', loosening the front part of the grip for big accented notes - yet some people just urinate and moan about whether he's good enough or not...? Enjoy your UA-cam victories - Kenny is probably too busy gigging to worry about it....
you still don't get it bro,Aranoff is solid and plays what the music mandates.Phil Rudd is solid as fuck..not that technical(albeit) but he grooves and plays behind the beat a bit giving the music a bluesy groove feel.Aranoff tends to play on top of the beat but he's solid.he's not weckyl or vinnie or buddy,for that matter but to say he sucks is completely out of line.especially coming from a keyboard cowboy like your self:P..I have no beef bro..just opinions.Have a nice weekend:)
James Agostino What he's actually doing is using his pinky finger as a fulcrum point and gripping more towards the back of the stick instead of using the fulcrum up front and gripping the stick a little forward for more bounce. When you play like this, you have to use more wrist, because you have less bounce. The bounce you lose gives you more leverage though. But you have to know what you're doing with this grip, otherwise you'll end with calluses, like Gavin Harrison does.
James Agostino That depends. He's not really getting in the way of the stick or absorbing the impact himself, so he's halfway into there. I don't know how heavy his sticks are (either the Promarks he's using on the video or his current Vic Firth signature sticks) to tell. But you can see that him and Thomas Lang both play from the wrist and you can see how muscular their arms are because of that.
I guess I would say that his style is playing tight simple stuff? Then again that isn't really a style and a bunch of people can do that. But he has made a pretty good career out of it. Saying that, Justin Bieber has made a career out of being whatever he is, I'll leave it up to you to describe him! I would agree, no graduation but I think 'mastery' can be achieved. Have you seen or heard of Kenny Werner? He talks about this subject a lot. You may find it interesting....
So yes, I guess I am pretty young, yes I guess really, in the grand scheme of things, I haven't been in things anywhere near as long as a lot of people. When I come to think about it, most people are older than me. Secondly, yes, I did claim that Kenny Aronoff has 'definitely has mastered his style'. I look at this and you really have to ask the question, if you want to, you can call me a pretentious fart sniffer or whatever, of what mastery is. Obviously no one can be 'perfect' as this....
Kenny is a master and we are all students. How fortunate the drum world is to have such a great player and teacher.
Truly a great drummer, technician and teacher too!! Just a nice guy!!
Man, how easy he switches from singles, to doubles to superfast paradiddles. Really awesome. My first Tama Swingstar came with a video with Kenny, Mike Portnoy and John Tempesta. Good old days. 😀 Kenny rocks.
Anyone who doubts Kenny's skills I'd like to see your doubles and paradiddles. Let's see how you match up. Aronoff is the real deal.
kenneth santana go check his stuff out, he plays the shit out of them. seriously good bra.
Rich Crockett His skills can't be discussed, however, his stick technique can be. Unless you're willing to put a lot of muscular force into your patterns, this way of holding the stick is not efficient and gives you less bounce. This is pretty much the same way Gavin Harrison holds his sticks and if you look at Gavin's hands, they are full of calluses and blisters, which is what you don't want.
***** If you're breaking sticks, have blisters, etc. either you're using the wrong tool for the wrong job, or lack technical facility.
Crimson Sunrise what if you break your neck?😧
Long time ago you made this very stupid comment my friend. Dont mea to offend you. Aronoff is drummer for any and every gig. Thats his skill. Also his energy and coolness play a role. Yeah I am sure Mike Mangini can blow him out of the water on specific techniques. But overall he is the man to call ...
The part with the 3 rudiments without traces Is incredible !! What a badass of Technique..🤓
Kenny, you are the MAN! Phenomenal player, and teacher.
I had the pleasure of sharing 2 days in the studio with Kenny. He's really that guy. Totally genuine and not afraid to say or do anything. He's so much fun to be around and really makes you a better musician.
At age 60, Kenny is too busy playing gigs to care what the internet thinks. It doesn't matter what you think of his clothes, his style, his baldness, his wallet chain or whatever. He gets hired because musicians and producers want what he does.
Maybe you should take some time to figure out why they're not calling YOU.
Nicely put
Preach it brother! Right on!
Such a Self-Centered Career and Lifestyle though.Does He have a Family (Wife and Kids) to support? Always looking for the next Job etc.Away from home and Family.Pension, Health Insurance on and on.Especially for those who have not and will not achieve the Status Kenny has.Reminds me of a kid that NEVER grew up Long as they can play their instrument everyone else is on the back-burner!
Is anyone finding fault with Kenny? He up there with best. On the shortlist.
Kenny always plays clean notes, I appreciate that guy
Great drummer, and a great guy for sharing what he knows!
To all of the haters: I challenge you to best Kenny's groove. This guy can play.
when Jim Cantore isn't chasing storms, he's playing drums. In all seriousness, I always loved Kenny's snare sound on the old Mellencamp records
I'm a working drummer (on cruise ships), and I may never end up being as well-known as Kenny Aronoff. But I like his vibe as a teacher in this video. He's not all ego. He's just friendly and sharing his knowledge. I suppose if I ever got well-known I'd be hated by many who don't like my playing. No problem.
How's COVID-19 treating your cruise ship job? Hope all is well.
@rileymacdowell
Thanks for asking...unemployed until further notice... but God's in control...no worries 🙏😊
I like ideas about how much the grip can be altered to meet different needs. I think I spent too long in search of some single 'best' grip/technique that I needed to perfect, when the better approach might be to explore different techniques, see what they're good for, then move between them as needed to do what I want to do.
Watching this really reinforces that for me. Thanks, Kenny!
This is a great sequence. I think any student drummer should have this video memorized
i wish the video was longer. It is interesting to hear a drummer talk about his progression. Some of us self trained drummers have been through similar periods of evolution in technique. I started out with zero technique, but, over time (and after hearing my friends tell me "you hit my drums too hard" and "your technique is terrible" I got the message. Honesty and humility are often in short supply (especially around instruments and cameras!), but he told it like it is.
Great drummer and you can tell he works hard to stay in shape. Chances are he's played on at least one or two tunes you love.
K. Gives us the issues that affect the playing in that particular playing situation....He is a very physical drummer, built like an athlete and says he uses more of his body...K is one of the most sought after drummer for the great acts in the music business. His style is what is desired and admired. He is an all around percussion expert and would adjust to delicate playing if required....
drumming is the new yoga
That's all people can comment on? The gum chewing? This guy has absolutely flawless technique
Of course the cameraman has to be loudly chewing gun -_-
+Specialist01 didnt notice at first, but now i cant hear anything else than gum noise :S
Specialist01 hh
@@ladoz666 so gross! (newly found video! ha)
Yeah, I didn't come here to care what this guy looks like. I came here to see this technique that he's spent his entire life developing. It's pretty damn good. The lesson is the Moeller technique. And playing with your core. Fingers vs wrist, and when to use them. And (maybe this wasn't as easy to catch for some of you, what with his tight pants and gum) listening to your band, being aware of their playing, and working to compensate when they're off. Listening. Get it? Wisdom.
Great Teacher, amazing drummer
Killer stick control, Damn!
Yeah, one thing I do with my students is I'll play something fast for them and immediately after ask them to pull the drum stick out of my hand. It comes right out. The point being that playing fast or intense does not mean a tighter grip.
GUM CHEWING AND SNIFFING. NIGHTMARE!
+Jazzmine E
damn u, didnt notice till i read your post. now i cannot watch it till end lol NIGHTMARE!
+Jazzmine E I am so sorry hahaha. But it was doing my head in so I felt I had to worn others.
Don't you mean WARN others?
You're right...DISGUSTING
I was just about to say this. Hoping I could ruin it for everyone but you beat me to it!
There's a reason gospel chop drummers are not the 1st call from a recording studio and this man is...
i seen KENNY at a MODERN DRUMMER PRESENTATION at MONTCLAIR ST. COLL MONTCLAIR NJ n his technique especially how he played snare backbeat with his rite hand. this makes for a really powerful back beat, i admire KENNY as much as any drummer that is daring enough to put himself on the big stage, ive seen hundreds of big time players n KENNY is world class
Very enlightening and helpful. Thanks for sharing.
played on more hits, than you realize. what a career. became one of the biggest "A" call studio guys... along with being included on more than a handful of 'rockstar' first-call' tour duties. charmed, to say the least. solid, play-for-the-song' kind of cat. it's what got him the gig....
STICK TECHNIQUE IS VERY UNDERRATED. GREAT LESSON KENNY
No one technique is wrong. As long as it works and does "NOT" cause or pose risk of injury, the technique is good.
this clip has some good nuggets of wisdom from a guy out there living this stuff every day. it would have been cool if there was more.
Not sure why there's so much dumb in the comments, but then again this is UA-cam.....
very wise. changed my life
YOU GOT TO SOUND LIKE A THUNDER!!! ...and it's the best power workout ever... best sound signal from a pad!!! ...HE is a drummer!!! ...others like him? Will Hunt and Tommy Cluffetos.
I was having a really bad day but him saying the golf player thing made me laugh my ass off! Thanks!
Amen brother..u got that right. I remember hours of slowing down records(remember those things?) to 16rpm to transcribe parts/licks. We had no videos,DVD's,or internet. You had to work to get the information.
Maynard Keenan plays drums?
This is really helpful. Thanks for sharing 😁
Superb player with awesome technique.
Did the Burinin' for Buddy gig, though..Where were all of you?
listen, kenny knows how to hit a drum!! cool guy
that causal paradiddle at hypersonic speed broke me
thanks for posting really interesting
That is a very good point and I haven't thought about it like that before. Kenny Aronoff has also definitely mastered his style. I'm not sure I would say that this is a silly debate, more of an interesting discussion? Also I would say that these guys have disrupted an essential quality of a domain in a permanent way. I would be interested to see a style swap, Aranoff playing the stuff Ari, Bill or Eric play and the other way round.
probably not laughing like a gut buster or anything,probably just an insipid smile on his face.thankful to be doin it
I will stick up for the guy. He is a very good drummer in actuality ( not such a good presenter). The point he was trying to make is to be fluid. Gene Kruppa, and Buddy Rich were masters of fluidity and taught on the subject extensively. In fact, I'm you can find some video's here on youtube (if you care to learn). Not such a great clip on the subject, but I understood it. Maybe because I understand the mechanic's??
Kenny is a super talented "THINKING" musician...
thank you this video was helpful ...
I love this guy !!!
speed music
volume music
I didn't mean your debate was silly. I more meant the general idea in this thread where styles were being compared for points. It's not really an idea I personally put stock in.
Maybe it's true. Who really knows. When I think of innovation, I think of just a handful of people per generation -- true paradigm shifters. With that definition, the innovators are few and far between. We live in an age of technical innovation, so I think the word itself is close to people's lips.
i didn't notice the gum until i read your comment haha
i love how we can hear the guy taking the video chewing his gum the whole way through the video
Geez thought I had the speed set to 2x on this vid, then realized he’s they fast 🙂
What an amazing response haha!
Very Tony Williams grip approach~~
Wow! Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... How do you do that?
Exactly what i was thinking....
Kenny is and will always be the best.
He has the Dustin Hoffman face.
dem glasses... yes!
DUDE STTOOPPP CHEWING GUM !!!
Cool insight
mfw people don't understand how huge this guys groove is, yall dont get it.
I clicked on this because it looked like Maynard on the drums.
nice tone!
How does he play like this but not hurt himself? I'm just talking about two and four, is he twisting his torso back?
Achieved this, maybe a glimpse of what it might be like but I am definitely not idolizing Kenny Aronoff. All I mean and maybe it was shortly worded, is that Kenny Aranoff has got so good at fulfilling a purpose that he can enjoy his music and the benefits? Also I have to make it clear that I am not saying I like this guy or his playing. However, I may have some grand realization that actually no, the word 'master' is a fictional word. Which is fine if you define mastery as being measurably...
I don't know. Ari, Bill, and Eric are all jazz drummers, and specifically they play improvisational, free, or unstructured music. Each plays in an idiom whose basis is creative flow. Each is an astounding musician, but none is an innovator. Innovation means they would have disrupted an essential quality of their domain in a permanent way. They invent but do not innovate. Aronoff is clearly an exemplary musician with total mastery his idiom. It's apples to oranges in this generally silly debate.
What’s the giant chain for?
Is Kenny Aronoff the real life Benjamin Button?
Ah okay. For points? Sorry I don't really understand what you mean by that. Like a competition?
That is true. I think I would probably regard a lot of people as innovators, However I would agree that the 'best' or 'most influential' innovators like Davis or Parker etc have probably changed the direction of a movement more than Ari Hoenig has for example. If you regard Miles Davis as an innovator, which I believe him to be and not one person had heard his music, would he still be an innovator?
i didn't even notice the gum chewing until i read the comments
Interesting debate going on here. I think the guy is a great drummer, plays well and has clearly practiced and knows his shit. However I would rather read about Ari Hoenig, Bill Stuart, Eric Harland and many other over this guy in drummer magazines. Would people say that Kenny has innovated in any way? I would say not really but I am very ready to admit that I am wrong.
(not this) there is no way of monitoring how to be perfect and it would be stupid to try to. So I guess it may be fair to say that Elvin Jones had mastered swing playing? Or perhaps that Keith Jarrett had mastered his style or something along those lines? Obviously they can improve the speed of their runs or improve their rhythmic ideas or stuff like that, but they are at a level that provides so much self satisfaction that anything they learn now is just a bonus? I am not saying I have...
probably refering to the guy that shoots the video...:p
I find your comment somewhat confusing. Could you please explain what you mean by a 'fan boy fart sniffer'? Much obliged.
I think he has some interesting things to talk about in this video - always feeling the backbeat from your 'core', loosening the front part of the grip for big accented notes - yet some people just urinate and moan about whether he's good enough or not...? Enjoy your UA-cam victories - Kenny is probably too busy gigging to worry about it....
Maynard on drums.
Kenny is a ding dong gate his drumming and his technique
you still don't get it bro,Aranoff is solid and plays what the music mandates.Phil Rudd is solid as fuck..not that technical(albeit) but he grooves and plays behind the beat a bit giving the music a bluesy groove feel.Aranoff tends to play on top of the beat but he's solid.he's not weckyl or vinnie or buddy,for that matter but to say he sucks is completely out of line.especially coming from a keyboard cowboy like your self:P..I have no beef bro..just opinions.Have a nice weekend:)
para >>>didle =more of same
what kind of practice pad is he using here?
Thats America for ya' great free drum advice. And all people can say' is don't chew gum.
for some reason he reminds me of Kasey Jones for the Ninja Turtles
Couldn't give two fucks about the gum, I came here to learn about drum technique and that''s what I did...
hey, calm down there, mr. angry pants!
Is he coming off the snare when he hits or is he hammering? IE, not absorbing the shock...
James Agostino What he's actually doing is using his pinky finger as a fulcrum point and gripping more towards the back of the stick instead of using the fulcrum up front and gripping the stick a little forward for more bounce. When you play like this, you have to use more wrist, because you have less bounce. The bounce you lose gives you more leverage though. But you have to know what you're doing with this grip, otherwise you'll end with calluses, like Gavin Harrison does.
Interesting, so he must be letting go of the force right after stick hits the head.
Otherwise thats so much force to absorb which cant be good?
James Agostino That depends. He's not really getting in the way of the stick or absorbing the impact himself, so he's halfway into there. I don't know how heavy his sticks are (either the Promarks he's using on the video or his current Vic Firth signature sticks) to tell. But you can see that him and Thomas Lang both play from the wrist and you can see how muscular their arms are because of that.
I guess I would say that his style is playing tight simple stuff? Then again that isn't really a style and a bunch of people can do that. But he has made a pretty good career out of it. Saying that, Justin Bieber has made a career out of being whatever he is, I'll leave it up to you to describe him!
I would agree, no graduation but I think 'mastery' can be achieved. Have you seen or heard of Kenny Werner? He talks about this subject a lot. You may find it interesting....
I didn't know Maynard James Keenan was a drummer?
Sound Forge can edit out the chewing/sniffing. :^)
i didn't know that maynard j keenen is playing the drums :D
Where's the lesson at? All he did was talk a bit about the Moeller Method.
Kenny Aronoff technique = smack things really hard
My muscles won't let me do that
It's all in the jeans.
He needs to keep his head down during his golf swing.
holy shit paradiddle!
So yes, I guess I am pretty young, yes I guess really, in the grand scheme of things, I haven't been in things anywhere near as long as a lot of people. When I come to think about it, most people are older than me. Secondly, yes, I did claim that Kenny Aronoff has 'definitely has mastered his style'. I look at this and you really have to ask the question, if you want to, you can call me a pretentious fart sniffer or whatever, of what mastery is. Obviously no one can be 'perfect' as this....