How to Play "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin on Drums : Drums for "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin: Pt. 1

[MrDiggittt]

This is completely wrong - there is no soul in this - Bonham was basically a funk drummer which is why "rock" drummers have trouble with getting the feel right.

Having said that- is this guy even a drummer ?

[wabbithunter100]

his bassdrum sounds like my floortom..

[TYMCGOUGH]

No.

[chiefsupers]

he looks half fucking dead.....get some life in ya.....or some vodka or super tennents

[MrTORKEO]

your an unpassionate musician and i mean that in the most disrespectful way... play with some heart man.

[GWTFDrummer]

How accomplished do you think this guy felt after learning this simple beatt?!

[camelFlo94fan]

teriblle

[paintballer2630]

Have you ever heard of ghost notes? There a beautiful thing...

[crazyandyman1]

your misssing some toms....and a few cymbals

[bigjim10011]

best drum beat in rock n roll history.

[scratbox]

I had to like this. That carpet is amazing.

[dichotomism]

John Bonham ate bass drums that size for breakfast.

[MyNameIsBucket]

You forgot a fuckload of gated reverb to make the drums sound 100x more epic than they actually are.

[edgeyzfr1350]

i want a set this big. I only have sticks and a practice pad. I wonder if I could consolidate to just one stick?

It does really take a couple more items to play these songs. I think expertvillages vids should be of a higher quality of teaching than your videos represent. I have to thumbs down with everyone else on this.

[edgeyzfr1350]

i want a set this big. I only have sticks and a practice pad. I wonder if I could consolidate to just one stick?

[tikidevil]

I hate McDonalds!

[DivergentRunoff]

THIS beat is the quintessential rock beat? You said it was Smells Like Teen Spirit! WHICH ONE IS IT??

[LOPO390]

:D



[jackwontknow1]

very minimalist i see; no feeling either.

[XDrUmErBoY512X]

this is probably the only man that knows something on expertvillage

[gabbalabbawoop]

@XDrUmErBoY512X erm...you were taking the piss right? xD xD

[IAmtheBallrus]

0:19 that face is the face a of a champion

[ayyyspeegle]

@IAmtheBallrus hahaha

[gabbalabbawoop]

the first bass drum hit is NOT a double, it's a single, but because of the reverb on the orginal song it sounds like a double.

[fuhkinay]

@gabbalabbawoop Yes, you're correct. The first bass drum beat isn't a double. Everybody seems to not get this. When Zeppelin recorded it, Bonham's kit was in a hallway with really tall ceilings. There was one mike about 10 ft away and another about 20 ft up. There's an interview on YT where JPJ confirms this. Some people double the kick drum beat to mimic the reverb. OK if you do that, then you need to double the snare drum beat too because it has the reverb, too, not to mention the hihat!

[gabbalabbawoop]

@fuhkinay yep, you're spot on, it was a manor they recorded in, and they had one mic on the 1st floor, and one on the 2nd floor..they jsut put them out of phase a little bit to give that sound :)

and all before the days of reso head holes xD

[fugazipythons]

hey man someone stole the rest of your kit

[gregtopia]

This is the saddest thing on youtube.

[HyacinthLion]

Expert village should be forced to change their name

[manka6]

Good lord, tune your shit and play with some FUCKING POWER.

[chillin244g]

And we've reached the age where computer geeks who think they can calculate sixteenth notes destroy our passion.

[hatusage]

F**k off you guys!! He's trying to make music accessible to everyone. Shame on you all... music isn't about recreating beats exactly as they are played.

All the haters...let's see YOU playing the beat......any takers?

[208stroker1]

@hatusage agree totally.

[rakuencallisto]

@hatusage

actually it's one of the most SIMPLE drum beats to perform.

If you need to be "taught" this, you're still in first grade of drumming.

No offense to these "expert village" guys, but I could play this song with more feeling the first month I picked up drums.

[gabbalabbawoop]

@hatusage challenge accepted :)

i know he's making it accessible, but the thing is, he's teaching it wrong, and if you have a bad teacher, you get bad techniques.

[trevwagner094]

@hatusage its really easy, i dont even play drums and can play it better than this guy

[daddysevenpointfiver]

dude quit music school while you're ahead

[louisalive]

that's not how he plays it...

[weareewancameron]

is that a fucking celtic top

[minoradio]

下手にも程がある

[Felderoth]

Dude word to the wise, don't put videos on youtube.

[Diggatron3000]

John Bonham (R.I.P) spent hours tuning his bass drum to get the sound of it for this track.

I'm not disrespecting this guy at all but this beat is nothing but pure genius. The first time I heard it, it gave me goose bumps

[ralfietv]

He should have started out with a much easier song but trying immitate bonzo and his sound is like tryin to immitate hendrix and his sound. It just ain't ganna happen.

[coltsuperocean10]

Are you that girl from the White Stripes? Does your boyfriend play too?

[Sincopare]

As noted before, Zep recorded this in a castle stairwell. I remember reading that Bonzo was at the top of the stairs and the recording equipment was at the bottom of the stairs a flight or two down? No electronic treatments, just natural invention.

[coltsuperocean10]

@Sincopare It wasnt a castle at all! It was a large country house called Headley Grange. There are a few vids on youtube about Headley Grange, check out Jimmy playing mandolin in the garden in "It might get loud" film

[jjdecks]

Horrible and weak. Yes you know theory but don't consider playing big boy sounds..Go back to high school and play with the high school band...Ps Go buy some video's on John...please!!!!

[bigjim10011]

best drum beat everrrrrrr

[MrGeorge138]

he looks like Yossi Benayoun

[Nursesaids]

0:18 I actually want to murder him.

[PuReAdD1cT]

Just goes to show "ExpertVillage" will put their name to ANYTHING......

138,756 videos of pure garbage

ROFLcopter

[valeriogchannel]

i think that expert village is a troll

[1991cdj]

that is terrible

[xmatish]

When The Levee Breaks is said to be a song with hardest line of drums ever which was performed by Led Zeppelin. That's the reason why that song wasn't presented frequently during concerts. How is it possible to present what's all about in 3-minute movie on YT? -.-

[Eckstacee]

Dude, you look like the drummer from the yeah yeah yeahs.

[matttee13]

Are you a robot?

[djalexmac]

Is he a fckin Celtic suppoter?!! Rangers RULE

[drummer9042]

this has no feeling. it sounds totally lifeless like a robot or sumthin

[madmikeastoria]

Oh yeah.john just turned over in his grave REMOVE THIS VIDEO!

[madmikeastoria]

Your wrong !The bass is only supposed to be hit once in every bar.I've been playing that before you were born.Listen to the studio version.

[pipdang2468]

I didn't know the beat was so complicated that people needed to make videos on how to play it..

[2710dw]

Why would you EVER make a beginner video while playing in Trad. Specially on a rock song like this where a rimshot and flammed backbeats give it it's style. If you're gonna play Trad at least tilt your drum the correct direction.

[SissysDad]

Give someone a training drum set and a green and white jacket and they think they can teach Bonhams style. This doorknob should listen to the same song recorded different days and he would see John never played it the same way every time. That was his style. He played what he felt and that can not be taught.

[christianconefery]

@SissysDad true that

[Elmore3141]

You're missing some ghost notes on the snare drum. Also, playing this song with a loud rock band, you almost HAVE to use matched grip for maximum power on the snare drum, hitting rimshots on the back beat.

[coolee30]

nice drumss! :D

[add37j]

Rhymin and stealin!!!

[cheessniffer]

IMA STAB THIS MAN

[TB492]

It's the most simplest beat. It just sounds a bit more complex because of the echo effect. duh.

[bishopdante]

OMG no way what the hell! N00bvillage! Useless. Terrible

[duufus69]

is this guy kidding??

[alexjavad]

I think if you take the time to create something, you've done something with your life. To destroy or demolish something merely results in chaos which will ultimately consume your humanity, your joy and love. I think this guys tight. Fuck the haters! You could all easily turn that energy into something productive for you, your families, and your community.

[pa7156]

those drums were recorded in a castle! Yes, a castle people! Sure The drum beat is relatively simple, but it's A) iconically original, and B) it's filled with the power of location based sound effects. A little thing called reverberation off of god knows how old castle walls!!!!

[sparks1976]

bonzo would be spinning in his grave if he could hear this shit

[alexjavad]

@sparks1976 I think this guy is more of a fan than you for learning it.

[sparks1976]

@alexjavad firstly i'm not a led zep fan and secondly he hasn't learned it - he's not even playing it properly

[EhFrank]

To get the full effect, you need to be playing it in a stairwell.  And to have talent.

[uwantmetoo1u]

It would be great if you could give credit to the original artists of this song - Memphis Minnie and Joe McCoy. I love how absolutely no one knows who they are and Zeppelin gets the credit. I guess history is known to repeat itself.

[smyth77]

lovin the celtic top!

[theSPECIALbrew74]

AH SHIT IF THIS AINT FUNNY ENUF JUS SEEN "EXPERTS" CLIP FOR TEEN SPIRIT. HAHAHAHA HES TRIN TO BE DAVE GROHL TOO. LMAO

[IKilledCookiemonster]

it's like you're really playing it without using any emotion. that's just one of the endless reasons why it's sounds toooo boring...

[JagrJr68]

why is there a piece of paper over "machine" on your rage poster?

[Saighton]

Being in time is a good start, but nice drum sound...

[p756]

You play this very well!

I build custom drums, and would be happy to build you a 28 inch diameter with a 24 inch depth Bass Drum.

John Bonham used a 26 inch diameter with a 14 inch depth.

towerdrums "dot" com

[oZo61]

Sorry kid, nice try though.

But until you can replicate the sound of an empty fuel oil tank being beaten with baseball bats by King Fucking Kong....forget it.

[Saighton]

@oZo61 Awww man, my neighbours are wondering what's so funny right now, because that EPIC comment made me laugh my arse off. hahahahaha.

[APC313]

what a dork. keep practing buddy

[ixcreme]

i dont like the way you teach this. you gotta play with your soul you gotta feel it, you got to know the sound and move with it

[JustinVanCuren]

gay

[Josabeech]

PETER PETRELLI PLAYIN TEH DRUMZ!

[Martyslartibartfast]

my metronome plays with more soul and guts than that

[MrObie94]

@Martyslartibartfast hahaha so true

[naal13]

this guy took the EPIC out of LeD ZEpPELiN ROcKS.

I only had two months of drum lessons and even I can play better than this.

And keep in mind that I would never have the honor of saying I was playing When The Levee Breaks.

[xThExRoVeRx]

Guys Beau ferchaud is the way to go. Don't watch this guy.

[Armistace]

That's not even the beat... *sigh*

[usblues100]

Take a pill! Its not like the kid is getting paid to play. He's just trying to show some beginners the basics on a cool beat. Everyone has to bitch about something on here.

[scott111193]

Don't watch this guy kids!!!!

[Mcezz606]

love how he says its simple at 41 seconds... yet he cant even play it...

[EverydayRapier]

this isnt totally right, they recorded it in a large hall so you hear the sixteenth notes as echoes

[bigjim10011]

that's great dude!

[bigjim10011]

i don't know why but i have a hell of a time trying to follow that!

[lemonysnick123]

@samconly1 wow, very ignorant comment.

[fanofprotopic]

good, but Bonham's tone is hard to duplicate.

[derwoody1]

bonham is so much feel. If you aint got the feel, it aint working at all.

[FreddoX1]

YOU SUCK!!

[funupher]

Wow, before you "teach" people how to play something, you should get it right...I wonder if this idiot is aware that it starts with one bass drum hit, not two. There an echo/reverb type effect on the drums, it's not two consecutive bass drum beats. If you don't know how to play something right, please don't post these annoying videos.

[kafkakuntz]

@funupher

Yeaaahhh!!! You're right!! I'm a very bad ex drummer, but i have ears!!! And of course, this expertvillage does not the good pattern at all!!!

[ADAMKTN]

@kafkakuntz your grammar sucks just as much as this video does!

[Biotendo]

wow he killed it. no feeling.

[Coppola63]

i see that he is rivaling terry bozzio with that kit. and by the way expertvillage sucks

[thegreatNEb]

I don't want to be a hater...but you have a 10min allowance...why split them all up like this?

props for giving a lesson on a classic though. shame you couldn't have filmed it in a cathedral though :P

[banditboy6666]

Great Job

[redfordroadie]

Clear breakdown of a classic beat. Job well done.

[hawdonater]

pause the vid at 19 seconds :L

[Kakaxxx222]

hahhahahahaha ur cool :P

[Biotendo]

@hawdonater lol

[carmine105]

gtfo dude you killed it

[NixHex83]

Sorry but Levee probably has one of the biggest drum sounds ever...its not the beat that makes it awesome its the way it was recorded....That video was wrong is so many ways

[TheBenjamin879]

@NixHex83 i agree the drum beat is about 85% of the entire song

[cttrick18]

@NixHex83 they recorded it in a stairwell thats what makes it sound likes hes playing trash cans. its the best sounding drums ive ever heard

[prr1361]

Neil Pearts drum kit when he was 2 months old !

[JohnPetrucci251]

Wow, hold that drumstick like a man, you pussy.

[mikesharp23]

"uh uh it's like rock uh quintessential john bonham uhhh"

[mlcoo17]

Death comes from the sky silently dropping from the night on a parachute, a massive fuel air bomb detonates on Expert Village killing all the " Experts " and cleansing the earth of there " help ". This expert should be crushed between two school bus sized blocks of solid cast iron for :

1.claiming to play this song, the beat is simple, but without the feel it's just nerd boy on a drum

2. wearing that jacket while playing Bonham

3. playing Bonham on a Be Bop kit.

[kevykev38]

Kinda harsh don't ya think? What's right is right. You are wrong. Question is....Where's your video?

[Crusada54]

@mlcoo17 i agree with everything else, it's not to do with the size of the kit it's how you use it, bonham would monster that song on a bop kit

[vincevega0]

@mlcoo17 Peter Grant should have been here to beat the crap out of this guy.

[xsupernazix]

@mlcoo17 yeah you could probably play it better huh hahahaha

[mlcoo17]

@xsupernazix are you kidding? this is horrible. I could play this better in my sleep. This is basic drumming, nothing fancy. If you were an experienced drummer you would know what I am talking about.

[xsupernazix]

@mlcoo17 yeah your right..im more about guitar not drums..just that to me it sounded ok..haha cheers

[Michaelridesabike]

You use WAY too many toms.

[DSCRAPRE]

0:21 No, that is NOT John Bonham's When the Levee Breaks. Thats wierd guy with no feel's sodomy of John Bonham's When the Levee Breaks. Get it straight!

[pbmax]

Awesome bro...don't give up bro...hail satan bro...keep on rockin bro

[aczeppelindc2908]

total napoleon dynamite look at 0:18

...............wow! u must be the ultimate nerd of drums. YOU SUCK!!! ha ha ha, funny.

[Mo7Vsta]

that is a fuckin huge drum set

[gibbson90]

wow this song is waaaay too easy i really do not think it needs a tutorial at all. especially a 4 part one....what the fuck??

[RavenMadd9]

dig it bro!

[skitfel]

so ba d man

[chizzalien]

Oh man! What's the world come 2?

A world full of "experts"? Get a LIfe! Bonzo doesn't deserve this. RIP.

[chronic9292]

get a real drum set that thing looks so fuckin stupid as well as yourself

[papakeetee]

fucking no right to give lessons here jack ass 0 stars!

[rodcrippler]

hey, expertvillage, do you think you can also post the "how to play" drums on non-LZ songs like Yes' "Heart of the Sunrise", Genesis' "The Cinema Show", King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" or Frank Zappa's "Inca Roads"?

i'd appreciate that, those songs drumlines are effing impossible to get right!

[hithatrollz]

Trying 21st Century Schizoid Man would kill them! Lol thats way to hard for these "experts".

[rodcrippler]

dude, 21st Century Schizoid Man is the easiest of the ones i mentioned, "Inca Roads" is freaking hell to play!

[MrLeddick]

dude you should really listen to it and understand that bonham played that beat so simple it is the echo coming from the\stairwell and jimmy recorded like it sounds no double in it at all moron

[rodcrippler]

the guy in this vid said it himself: it's echo, not a double kick pattern but since it's more of a production matter than a technique feat, to capture the feel of the drumline it's better to do the doublkick, plus it's more challenging and fun dude

[gastonytHD]

Enigma sampled this beat to their song "return to innocence".

[Defenestrations]

LMFAO YOU'RE A FAGGOT.

But good tut.

[petrov32]

HOLY SHIT! its that guy from HEROES!!

[semiLivedj]

expertvillage must not have any experts in their village,maybe villageidiot or i know dumbasfuckvillage,quit polluting youtube just to get advertising royalties;[

[BBD4697]

0:19 i creamed my pants.

[spinsaver1]

that is a sweet set!!! i have always wanted a two piece...

[rudidower]

You want a two piece ? just take some drums away until you have two drums left. easy !!

[canoncheesestik]

nice drum kit

[petecatzsuxbad]

SORRY MR. BONNHAM!

[petecatzsuxbad]

LETS SEE YOU PLAY THE KICK DRUM PART!

[petecatzsuxbad]

SIMPLE?? YOU SUCK !

[bazookascrew]

Man, you play with soooo much soul and emotion. This is a lesson in itself!. I also like how you rush the tempo @ 0:06.

Awesome!

[Dalley100]

lmao, well spotted ;)

[opiekat138]

How can anything on a three peice be hard? XD

[LanceDirk]

Lol? Sometimes it is hard?

[mjsalerni]

this is an insult to the late great Mr. John Henry Bonham. how can you teach Bonham if you can't even get the "bonham feel/groove" yourself. Have you ever even listened to a Led Zeppelin album in your life?

[pawnshopguitars]

That's pretty cool man, I'm not a drummer, but to me it sounded good. And is that a Celtic top? If so, good taste!

[duquedupre]

That's a fucking horrible rendition...i would take the video down...lol

[ROVEDAJAKE]

john bonham was shurly no fag!... quit holding your stick like that... lol good lookin. it will help someone...nice job.

[TheHerbertBennett]

There is nothing but bad comments on this clip. this poor bugger.

but you have to admit he has a lovely white wall....

[pawnshopguitars]

I'd say it was more cream xD

[master3fight]

in the very begining ur playing it wrong the beginging of the messure has only 1 bass drum LOL AND UR THE TEACHER!!!!!

[1Oo1sabrinastar1oO1]

he needs someone to show him HOW to play that led zep drums i'm sorry but it looks so

[jimmydrummer]

great spellign

[Maverickbass1975]

Not good at all! The groove sounds labored and very weak. No feel Should really stop with these videos.

[nacholibre110]

hey jackass i don't think it was a fucking performance he was just showing the notes so stfu nd be grateful hes taking the time to do these videos

[psufb14]

your isolating every limb of your body. not easy at all

[Daregmakil]

He's not even playing the intro right. The first bass drum beat is NOT two 16th notes. It's the reverb and echo in the recording that makes it sound like that, but Bonham isn't actually playing it.

[CONCRETE13]

Hes trying to make it sound like the recording. Thats the point. Most drummers dont have the ability to add reverb and echo while playing live.

WTF is wrong with all you youtube fucks. Everyones a fucking critic, and noone can just say 'hey, thanks for the quick tutorial'

Fucking idiots.

[hahabark]

well the recording was recorded in a church, i dont think bonham had to try to add reverb or echo.