Download the sheet music here: bit.ly/2IbqduO Subscribe to my channel or I'll steal all your cymbals: bit.ly/2AyH1Fb Funk drumming is all about the groove...but you have to have some drum fills to throw in to spice things up occasionally. Here are 10 easy beginner funk drum fills that you can use in a variety of settings. And again, my apologies on forgetting to teach the last fill. I promise, it was not on purpose. In response to requests from some subscribers, I’ve been trying out a bit of a shorter lesson format. This was my second go at It and since it was not my normal workflow, I just dropped the ball. Leave a comment below and let me know which one is your favorite!
As rusty as I am on the drums 🥁, all of these funk grooves are easy, and I can play them today. Maybe not as precise as you, but similarly close! I can't play all of those, fancy paradidle fills, because I never really learned how properly when I learned to play in the first place. I was always known as a "straight playing", type of drummer!
It's nice that now you are now making these slimmer videos with the bare essentials, but continues to make other videos chatting about progress, confidence in drumming and the rest of the psychological game. Really appreciate both types of videos.
Hey Stephen, I just love that snare sound. I saw that you listed your drum head selection, but can you tell us how you've got them tuned? And what size snares do you have? I've been tuning my bottom head really tight lately, and backing of the snare tension. I still can't find that sweet spot where the snare response is both crisp and fat.
Then, again, the "pat boon, Debbie boon!", fills I always did those! And the; dadada, dududu, doomdoom, duhduhduh! Fills, were my favorite drum fills!! Come on! I'm an 80's kid!!
My goodness. I am 58 years old and this was my favorite music of my teenage and young adult life. This guy really knows his funk music history. I normally study more difficult fills from some of the other great online drummers. But the title of this video intrigued me. And I continued to remember the exact fills that he was mentioning in each song. Also, he knows how to explain, but not talk too much. I study online drummers all of the time. I just found this guy. He is excellent.
Theses fills are definitely funkafied . These will be great to break out with some of the funk grooves you showed us in an previous lesson. Now we have the grooves and the fills .these lessons are awesome and a great way to learn some new material. Thanks for the sheet music and bringing these to us . As always .my favorite is the Isley Brothers “Its your thing”. With that pat Boone Debbi Boone vibe
Man your thumbnails are the best. Came here for info on soul and funk which is my current venture in learning for gigging and as usual you nailed it. Man, that groove you played 1:45 sounded just like Sharp Dressed Man, ZZ Top. I hadn't figured them as a funk band but now I'm questioning my understanding of their influence and what they really are and where funk music really is in music since the 70's.
I absolutely love the intro to I Wish by Stevie Wonder, drums currently played by Stanley Randolph. He’s the man. I also really like the part of superstition when he does the multiple hi hat open-close hit accents on it whilst still keeping the kick and snare at the same groove. So neither are technically fills, but sorta are lol. Either way they’re both little things that are funky and groovy and definitely takes practice and all that good stuff. Also, I think the best part about you putting out the reggae and funk stuff lately and not just like your rock base is that it’s probably opening up many people’s eyes and ears more importantly to these other genres the always thought sucked most likely. I personally noticed when I started breaking down everything in my head of the band I could figure out like the band sounds dope, but it’s just the singer that doesn’t sound good and it’s throwing off the other members. So I think you showing us the backbone to these different genres shows that they’re all almost similar to a point when it comes to just fundamentals, but it’s also that just these grooves sound nice on just the drums and just bass then drums and bass. Then eventually drums, bass and guitar and a keyboard. Then eventually they’ll add the singer (that doesn’t suck this time) and they now understand all these fundamentals and how the actual grooves and beats all work and feel, so I think these types of lessons will broaden many people’s musical horizons.
I know you know this, but the song is Cutie Pie. The group is One way. You said it the other way around. Doesn't really matter, because your lessons are superb!
Hey if you can't get down to your own drum beat then your doing it wrong (what my dad always tells me). Any way love your videos bro. You help my skill grow and I watch you and push harder because I want to play like you do. Ik all drummers are different but your one of my favorites
Aaron Levy yep. That is the gate cutting off the initial Tom hit, and then opening again for the snare hit. Gates are great for cutting down on the extra noise ton mics cause in a mix when they aren’t being used. But getting them to be set perfectly so that they open and close exactly like you want them is almost impossible for Stephens lessons. Ideally we would go through and remove the parts of the Tom tacks that are just dead space - but that is very labor intensive. So the gate takes care of most of that but, every now and then, it does weird stuff like that. Haha
wow, this is really helpful. thanks a lot!! by the way, I realised that, the One way is the group name and cutie pie is the song name! One way sounds more like a song name though. ;)
Ahhh! Did I get those backwards?! This was one of 2 lessons where I was trying a shorter format...as you can see by me forgetting to teach the last fill, I made a few mistakes. I'll get better at delivering things more concisely...and not screwing up band names lol!
Nice videos..! Hey I love the bass sound here, and your cymbals are gorgeous, but that's a very strange snare sound. Too low for my tastes but to each his own. Cheers
its not really related to this video but i have a question im on the lesson 1 sticking pattern tool box series my question is are stocking patterns the same thing as a drum rudiment? do they mean the same thing? love your videos thanks so much!
Well, drum rudiments are a type of sticking patterns. But they are sticking patterns that have been discussed by NARD (National Association of Rudimental Drummers) and hvae been added to the official drum rudiment list. So no, sticking pattern is not the same as a drum rudiment. But a drum rudiment is a sticking pattern. I hope that makes sense.
@@StephenTaylorDrums alright so a sticking pattern is nothing more than just the pattern of hits your doing with your sticks? hence the name sticking patterns?
Hey Stephen: Are you familiar with the band the 1975? Although their music isn't for everyone, I've noticed that some of their tracks have unique beats/fills that are interesting to learn. It would be great if you do a "1975-drumming inspired video
Iain Sutherland lol...I could NOT believe I forgot to teach the last one 2 TIMES in a row. I’ve been trying out a shorter lesson format and this was my second go at it. Rather than refilm the whole thing I just decided to put it out as is. I’ll learn how to do my job one day!
Why is it i watch all your videos brother and say to myself , "that is so cool i am doing that next practice" .. then get to next practice and do the same old fills and crap that has become my staple ....
Ticonderous1 I don’t know...lack of planning? Put it down on paper ahead of time. Plan first, then execute. What are the 2-3 things you’re going to work on in that session? On paper, show up on time, work the plan. Then you avoid falling in to the trap of playing the same old stuff.
@@StephenTaylorDrums Thanks Big Guy , i will start to think about what i am wanting to get out of my next practice and work on that ... that is why you are Da Man !!! great advice as always..
People, that is not funk, nor is this guy a funk drummer. Funk is played with swing. If you want to play funk then do not listen to tutorials by rock drummers!
I don’t tune my drums based upon the style of lesson im teaching. I would be retuning every day. Interesting and useful are two completely different discussions. I didn’t choose these fills because they were the most interesting. I chose them because I have used them repeatedly in live settings with funk and they recur repeatedly within the style of funk on multiple recordings. They are simple drum and useful drum fills that are in the language of that music.
@@StephenTaylorDrums oh ok. to be honest I was not in a good mood nor did I notice the fact that it said EASY in all caps. It's nice that you're reaching out to more beginner level audiences too. I'd like to see some advanced, but not too difficult fills and/or how to approach and learn them. I'm having a lot of trouble fitting the kick drum into my fills and I would like to see a video on that if you have time for it. Thanks in advance, and i apologize for being a little stubborn
Don’t mind at all my friend. I’ll see what I can do. Search through the drum fill lessons on my channel as well. I have quite a few up there in that vein.
Download the sheet music here: bit.ly/2IbqduO
Subscribe to my channel or I'll steal all your cymbals: bit.ly/2AyH1Fb
Funk drumming is all about the groove...but you have to have some drum fills to throw in to spice things up occasionally. Here are 10 easy beginner funk drum fills that you can use in a variety of settings.
And again, my apologies on forgetting to teach the last fill. I promise, it was not on purpose. In response to requests from some subscribers, I’ve been trying out a bit of a shorter lesson format. This was my second go at It and since it was not my normal workflow, I just dropped the ball.
Leave a comment below and let me know which one is your favorite!
Thanks, us beginners have to play songs that kind of drone on, it's nice to learn how to insert some pizzaz.
Play 7779311 by the time
As rusty as I am on the drums 🥁, all of these funk grooves are easy, and I can play them today. Maybe not as precise as you, but similarly close! I can't play all of those, fancy paradidle fills, because I never really learned how properly when I learned to play in the first place. I was always known as a "straight playing", type of drummer!
It's nice that now you are now making these slimmer videos with the bare essentials, but continues to make other videos chatting about progress, confidence in drumming and the rest of the psychological game. Really appreciate both types of videos.
Thanks...trying to get a little variation in the You Tube game this year
That snare sound is Funky
Thanks Jocqui
Hey Stephen, I just love that snare sound. I saw that you listed your drum head selection, but can you tell us how you've got them tuned? And what size snares do you have? I've been tuning my bottom head really tight lately, and backing of the snare tension. I still can't find that sweet spot where the snare response is both crisp and fat.
Then, again, the "pat boon, Debbie boon!", fills I always did those! And the; dadada, dududu, doomdoom, duhduhduh! Fills, were my favorite drum fills!! Come on! I'm an 80's kid!!
My goodness. I am 58 years old and this was my favorite music of my teenage and young adult life. This guy really knows his funk music history. I normally study more difficult fills from some of the other great online drummers. But the title of this video intrigued me. And I continued to remember the exact fills that he was mentioning in each song. Also, he knows how to explain, but not talk too much. I study online drummers all of the time. I just found this guy. He is excellent.
Thanks so much my friend. I appreciate the kind comments
Always a great dissection of the coolest beats!
Cool! Will you make an advanced funk drum fill lesson, please?
Declan Wright I’ll see what I can do
Thanks man!
Thanks stephen you got my creative juices flowin again! Especially with that fill at 2:35
That snare just sings!
Theses fills are definitely funkafied . These will be great to break out with some of the funk grooves you showed us in an previous lesson. Now we have the grooves and the fills .these lessons are awesome and a great way to learn some new material. Thanks for the sheet music and bringing these to us . As always .my favorite is the Isley Brothers “Its your thing”. With that pat Boone Debbi Boone vibe
Gary C. Man, the Isley Brothers were just killer
Bla khu bla khu bla khu Black! One of my favs
This is awesome! I will be in the Funk soul disco performance group at School of Rock this summer!🥁
Classics. Digging that beefy snare sound for these
Thanks!
Awesome vid
Ludvik Hestbek thanks! Glad ya dig
Man your thumbnails are the best. Came here for info on soul and funk which is my current venture in learning for gigging and as usual you nailed it. Man, that groove you played 1:45 sounded just like Sharp Dressed Man, ZZ Top. I hadn't figured them as a funk band but now I'm questioning my understanding of their influence and what they really are and where funk music really is in music since the 70's.
Hi sir,
I am your big fan.
It's very cool & very beautiful lesson
Pls share more..
Brick House!! It’s so simple and yet so funky. Go, Walter Orange!!
Love your videos, Stephen!!
Your drumkit sound is really goood
Your drums have that 70's funky sound & they sound GREAT! Great lesson.
Thanks Bill!
Thank you so much for this! Great teaching style
That rack tom tone is GORGEOUS!!
Thanks!
I absolutely love the intro to I Wish by Stevie Wonder, drums currently played by Stanley Randolph. He’s the man. I also really like the part of superstition when he does the multiple hi hat open-close hit accents on it whilst still keeping the kick and snare at the same groove. So neither are technically fills, but sorta are lol. Either way they’re both little things that are funky and groovy and definitely takes practice and all that good stuff.
Also, I think the best part about you putting out the reggae and funk stuff lately and not just like your rock base is that it’s probably opening up many people’s eyes and ears more importantly to these other genres the always thought sucked most likely. I personally noticed when I started breaking down everything in my head of the band I could figure out like the band sounds dope, but it’s just the singer that doesn’t sound good and it’s throwing off the other members.
So I think you showing us the backbone to these different genres shows that they’re all almost similar to a point when it comes to just fundamentals, but it’s also that just these grooves sound nice on just the drums and just bass then drums and bass. Then eventually drums, bass and guitar and a keyboard. Then eventually they’ll add the singer (that doesn’t suck this time) and they now understand all these fundamentals and how the actual grooves and beats all work and feel, so I think these types of lessons will broaden many people’s musical horizons.
As always you're a great teacher and I enjoy watching your instructive videos I'm learning a lot more and more!!😃💯✊️
Those hats are so nice!
These fills are pretty funky 😉
I know you know this, but the song is Cutie Pie. The group is One way. You said it the other way around. Doesn't really matter, because your lessons are superb!
Love your videos because they're so easy to play to, please keep up the great work!
Hey if you can't get down to your own drum beat then your doing it wrong (what my dad always tells me). Any way love your videos bro. You help my skill grow and I watch you and push harder because I want to play like you do. Ik all drummers are different but your one of my favorites
Isaiah Martin thanks so much Isaiah. That really means a lot
@@StephenTaylorDrums no problem man
Fantastic Stephen. Always looking for fills the particular genre. 👌👍
Ron Deangelis thanks Ron...glad it helped!
Excellent, thank you :)
That snare sounds amazing!
Ryan Herbert thanks Ryan!
Dude that sound is sick!
objuancannoli thanks!
Ok....I can play these now. Thx!
Am I ready to gig weddings?
Great snare tone!
dangarcia93 thanks!
Muy bueno....Saludos desde Argentina
Wow. Just amazing. Thanks a ton for them. 😊
Darrel Viegas you bet Darrel
Hi kindly share your snare tuning tips for that sound
That 10" is cranked! And I'm not even mad LOL.
BTW, clever, clever with the missed #10 fill. 😂
Hello Stephen. Best regards from France.
Hey!
@6:48 That tom ring.. stopped, and started again.. It caught my ear.
Aaron Levy yep. That is the gate cutting off the initial Tom hit, and then opening again for the snare hit. Gates are great for cutting down on the extra noise ton mics cause in a mix when they aren’t being used. But getting them to be set perfectly so that they open and close exactly like you want them is almost impossible for Stephens lessons. Ideally we would go through and remove the parts of the Tom tacks that are just dead space - but that is very labor intensive. So the gate takes care of most of that but, every now and then, it does weird stuff like that. Haha
God i must be deaf. I cant notice. Hope my sound is as good as think. Thanks for the anxiety
@@philmcracken6590 haha all this stuff is really subtle. Have to be listening on good speakers to really hear it.
I don't know. They're all pretty good. I like them all.
You're great. New Italian subscriber.
Thanks Lorenzo, glad to have you hanging with us!
Thank you 😊🙏
EgaR_ Seum666 you’re very welcome
Hey my Nashville neighbor, Awsome lesson!
Just wanted you to know, I finaly found a drum teacher, in SpringHill, Tn
Love your uploads.
Larry Dicus Very cool! I actually live in Spring Hill as well.
@@StephenTaylorDrums
Sweet. It's at Boomers drum shop.
wow, this is really helpful. thanks a lot!! by the way, I realised that, the One way is the group name and cutie pie is the song name! One way sounds more like a song name though. ;)
The band is one way and the song is cutie pie. :D
Ahhh! Did I get those backwards?! This was one of 2 lessons where I was trying a shorter format...as you can see by me forgetting to teach the last fill, I made a few mistakes. I'll get better at delivering things more concisely...and not screwing up band names lol!
@@StephenTaylorDrums I appreciate your tutorials and your honesty.
The opening fill for "Play That Funky Music White Boy" is simply 2 Debbie Boones. Hey Stephen, what Aquarian heads do you use?
Neat. I like funk :)
That was hilarious.😂
Dr Funky on the drums
No Pat Boone Debbie Boone ?😢
Just kidding awesome lesson. I really like the fact that you link the groove or the fill to a song!
Is the sheet music still availablew? not getting in my email. Great job Stephen
I think that the first one sound a lot like the one on Bailando Solo by Los bunkers, a funk band from Chile
I can't seem to master the one at 2:40
Hey man
Did you tune your rack tom higher?
Austin Music a touch yes. It was giving me a weird overtone where it was
Ha, had the same thought. It's a bit pingy :D Great lesson!
Nice videos..! Hey I love the bass sound here, and your cymbals are gorgeous, but that's a very strange snare sound. Too low for my tastes but to each his own. Cheers
Hi Stephen, the sheet music link seems to be broken.
its not really related to this video but i have a question im on the lesson 1 sticking pattern tool box series my question is are stocking patterns the same thing as a drum rudiment? do they mean the same thing? love your videos thanks so much!
Well, drum rudiments are a type of sticking patterns. But they are sticking patterns that have been discussed by NARD (National Association of Rudimental Drummers) and hvae been added to the official drum rudiment list. So no, sticking pattern is not the same as a drum rudiment. But a drum rudiment is a sticking pattern. I hope that makes sense.
@@StephenTaylorDrums alright so a sticking pattern is nothing more than just the pattern of hits your doing with your sticks? hence the name sticking patterns?
I wish it were Five Funk Fills, then Five Funkier Fills, but I'll take the full 10*, thank you ^^ hehehe (9 and... a hidden bonus fill? hehe)
Hey Stephen: Are you familiar with the band the 1975? Although their music isn't for everyone, I've noticed that some of their tracks have unique beats/fills that are interesting to learn. It would be great if you do a "1975-drumming inspired video
Trollstation123 I love that band. Their first EP was killin’. And yes, some extremely interesting drumming
2 fill .. gimme all your lovin' ? :o
Yay funk!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edit: Also, would you just look at the flushness of your snare to tom height levels?! Would you just look at it?!?!
Looked...approved ;^)
1:40
4:09
5:05
5:50
Can we talk about how that hi tom sounds like something someone made with an analog synth?
Yea, I've got her cranked up a bit trying out some different tunings
I don’t dislike it. Was just surprised by the sound
0:37 0:55 1:43 2:28
I can not download the sheet. Maybe the form doesn't work because I do not receive the email.
Sorry you had trouble getting that david. Email help@stephensdrumshed.com with what you need and we’ll get you that sheet music!
@@StephenTaylorDrums Thanks a lot. That's awesome !
Getting old sucks, brother!
🤣🤣🤣
Jim Cheseborough indeed lol
Still beats the alternative. 😉
“Cutie Pie” by One Way
You should take a bass player with you, it will be more clear to know the groove feel!
Next time just title the video 8 fills and then just give everyone a happy little extra fill at the end.
Iain Sutherland lol...I could NOT believe I forgot to teach the last one 2 TIMES in a row. I’ve been trying out a shorter lesson format and this was my second go at it. Rather than refilm the whole thing I just decided to put it out as is. I’ll learn how to do my job one day!
@@StephenTaylorDrums BONUS FILLLLLL
Honestly though i love this format of video, fun to drum along to on your lap.
Why is it i watch all your videos brother and say to myself , "that is so cool i am doing that next practice" .. then get to next practice and do the same old fills and crap that has become my staple ....
Ticonderous1 I don’t know...lack of planning? Put it down on paper ahead of time. Plan first, then execute. What are the 2-3 things you’re going to work on in that session? On paper, show up on time, work the plan. Then you avoid falling in to the trap of playing the same old stuff.
@@StephenTaylorDrums Thanks Big Guy , i will start to think about what i am wanting to get out of my next practice and work on that ... that is why you are Da Man !!! great advice as always..
Nooooo I was in school playing in an assembly instead of at home learning to play!
Play it cool, stay in school
That 10 inch pitched up too
Yea, she's punchy in this one
Can you do the gap burn rubber on me fill &?ray Parker junior more than one way to love a woman & delegation you & I
Play 7779311 by the time
Anyone else wonder why his rack tom sound like that!?!?
The song is "Cutie Pie" the artists is One Way. You had it reversed.
that snare hurts my ears
I gotta pee
People, that is not funk, nor is this guy a funk drummer. Funk is played with swing. If you want to play funk then do not listen to tutorials by rock drummers!
Generic channel support comment
I failed to be first... 😭
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Why can’t you do hard ones
You're an unselfish person to do what you do on your site.
Robert Delich thank you Robert 🙏🏼
Weird
Funk is feel not formula!!!!!!!
that snare makes me want to puke..
Ork Oh 🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
these arent interesting and idk what kinda funk you're listening to with that snare sound
I don’t tune my drums based upon the style of lesson im teaching. I would be retuning every day. Interesting and useful are two completely different discussions. I didn’t choose these fills because they were the most interesting. I chose them because I have used them repeatedly in live settings with funk and they recur repeatedly within the style of funk on multiple recordings. They are simple drum and useful drum fills that are in the language of that music.
@@StephenTaylorDrums oh ok. to be honest I was not in a good mood nor did I notice the fact that it said EASY in all caps. It's nice that you're reaching out to more beginner level audiences too. I'd like to see some advanced, but not too difficult fills and/or how to approach and learn them. I'm having a lot of trouble fitting the kick drum into my fills and I would like to see a video on that if you have time for it. Thanks in advance, and i apologize for being a little stubborn
Don’t mind at all my friend. I’ll see what I can do. Search through the drum fill lessons on my channel as well. I have quite a few up there in that vein.