Drum Lesson with Mike Johnston - Bass Drum Exercise

[payableondrummer]

the bass drum part and left hand parts are really easy for me, i get hung up on the right hand. any tips?

[DeBoltDrumming1]

teach us your foot technique please...............

[RHCPsammyflea]

so is mike doing slide technique?? cus before this video i was told he did heel toe? it seems that slide technique gets better speed tbh though ;) but could any one tell me, just to clarify thanks.

[H4rdboiled]

Looks like a very fun excercise! Starting at 60bpm here, hopefully i nail the golden tempo before summer!

[DrHowlingMad]

slide technique on the quick doubles with the bass drum right?

[RHCPsammyflea]

@DrHowlingMad i think so mate, but i thought for ages he did heel toe, but im wrong i guess ;)

[DrHowlingMad]

@RHCPsammyflea it really is slide technique,cause you can see his foot movin' forward and back, not startin in an up position or doin the "rocking motion used on on the heel toe.I've tried both techniques,and first i went more for the slide ,but when i wanted to go faster,i got clumsy,you know,sometimes doin 2 hits,sometimes1...So now i'm workin on the heel toe,although that before tryin the slide,i tried the heel toe,now im back on the heel toe.drumin is weird hahaha. cheers mate

[GDOGGBLINGBLING]

AT 110 BPM I SWEAR I COULD HEAR A PANTERA SONG!

[Bookster343]

@GDOGGBLINGBLING Becoming!

[sikdrummer100]

u da man mike!

[TheSavatom]

You're right Mike, that bad ass groove is the BOMBDIGGITY!! Couldn't wait to get home to practice the sticking, got my boss out of his office and in mine telling me to shut the hell up because I was beating on my desk.

Keep'em coming big dog.

[taheleboy]

That's rad man.

[bubdrum]

@drumteacher76 I finally know after all these years how you played the part in trip wire during your simon says days!!! Great Vids man

[TheChoket]

2:53 <-----hahaha True Story

[ianfereday]

Holy smoke thats cool.

[Arrona222]

Great exercicie! and yeup!! all is for fun! drums are fun!! =P jejeje

[DasJo]

Man, I love ya! It's allways a pleasure listenin and watchin your explamations. Hope to see more of you next year and i hope to see you in germany onetime! Greetz!

[buttzaking]

Great Stuff Mike. :) Love the lessons bro. :)

[AJ2240]

Love this lesson!! It's takin time to learn tho. lol

[cisrael468]

please teach us how to do the thing where u slide your finger on the rack tom head

ive been trying to figure this out forever lol

[tglaz1]

I'm kinda new to drums and I'm getting a kit soon, but I've noticed alot of drummers move their left leg alot even though the hi hight isn't doing anything like at 4:00. So what is this, is it just to help them keep in time?

[Deraek]

@tglaz1 Yeah, that's basically it

[DrummerZful]

@tglaz1 sometimes if you are playing to your favourite musics or when you play with your favourite groove or beat.. your left leg will move by itself.. :)

[TheMarchstick]

mike you're sick!

[rockbandmom]

That was awesome! I will definitely have to give it a try. Thanks Mike! :)

[liamrules55]

@Apostleman1 Ooo err missus. ;)

[Apostleman1]

How large is your port hole in you resonator?

[diegochangos]

Shaggyra beam, shaggyra boom, shaggyra ZOOOM!

[lildrmerboy2021]

dope i need to try that soon

[jk1802]

@ 2:15 I felt like the USC marching band should be coming into the studio...TUSK!!!

[DrumN00b]

Arrgh, I can't get my left hand to play those simple 8ths while doing the other stuff with my right...

[jrokruhlica]

Time to break out the fig newtons and get to work!

[drummerkingmike]

Only Mike Johnston can make a 10 inch tom sound like a Lamborghini passing by...

[izzyvulaca]

yo man as soon as my sax player goes home im having some fun!

sincerely,

Jazz Cat

[SAHBfan]

Great vid as always, but I find the sync (lack of sync!) on this vid makes it difficult to follow.

Probably more youtubes problem, but anything you can do to improve it?

[nebukenazar]

you are perfoect teacher...!!!

[leovienne0607]

When are you going here in the Philippines? :D

[9995655]

Hey man, I just want to say thanks for all of these videos. Its something you don't have to do and I appreciate it and I'm sure thousands of other drummers do too. So thanks Mike!

[GregoryGraveyard]

this beat is cool

[thathenryguy]

HAHA no.

[milesmetkodrums27]

Cool idea: Instead of playing RRFFR F, try RFFRR F. Gives it a little inverted roll feel.

[MetalReign999]

Hey Mike i really enjoy your vids man, they've really helped me out so i would just like to say thanks, and also what is the music at the start and end of this vid?

[juanpi1691]

Mike please do a video teching how to do that whale sound please please

Bty your awsome

[remmurd97]

mike why the wing nuts? i thought u hated them

[KevinGoes2Kollege]

Mike, is that an iPad mounted to your left? You savvy son of a gun!

[ihaveabox]

When are you going to teach us how to do that tom thing with ur hand where u make the ummmph noise

[tragainist]

Omg a footcam haha finally

[metalheavythrasher]

hey mike. i just got a new drum kit and every time i hit my 10" tom, my snare starts rattling extremely bad. can you please help

[alanandblackhorses]

mike greetings from mexico, but I would like to know if your products are sold in Mexico as your books and drumsticks

and one more request, I would like you to do more videos like this because I think that's what most common problems in a drummer.

your videos are the best MIKE lml,

[gunfighterdrummer]

Thats a WrAP!!

[liamrules55]

fresh crepes

[johno9921XC]

Dude Mike, ur looking kind of tired. I know you love to give give give, but don't forget to save some time for yourself.

p.s. keep up the great work!

[TooGoodMann]

Mike, I lost my youtube account a bit ago, and when I created a new one,I completely forgot to re-add you as a subscription. I remembered you like two days ago, man, I've missed too much. Thanks as always for the sickness.

[SuperPbizzle]

Love the video and I am gonna take this and run with it :D

[neeh000]

you rock!

[ButtahFish]

Mike touches me in places that improves my drumming.... Thanks Mike!!

[DAYDRUMMER]

@ButtahFish Gross LOL

[savooli]

If ive been playing my bass drum heel down for a few years, should i keep doing that or should i try heel up as well? is heel up better for speed?

[PRDrum5]

nice gliss ;)

[shepdude666]

Mike's new lesson has made my day!

[rossvanzyl]

I feel like rhythms like this only work if your floor tom and kick drum sound similar, or are tuned very well. My floor tom sounds way too ringy or way too dead. Always sounds awkward. Anyone else?

[picwent]

Hey Mike, would you be able to upload a tutorial on how you tune all your toms, bass, snare etc etc? I think it would be highly appreciated by not only me, but a lot of the viewers too :)

Peace,

P.S I'm buying myself a pair of your sticks and book finally, so excited!

[ggpop]

o__o my spring tension is at 20? Is it wrong?

[drumteacher76]

@ggpop: It doesn't work like that exactly. It's right if it feels right and it's wrong if it feels wrong. The one thing I would say is that most drummers have their tension a bit above 50% so you might want to head in that direction so that you feel comfortable on anyone's kit.

Hope that helps,

Mike Johnston

MIKESLESSONS COM

[ejp93]

@drumteacher76 Hey mike I know you don't really like the foot cam but I've got to say it really helped me figure out a base for me to work with. So thanks!

[kkkeikurono]

Mike how's that stack you have on your left side composed of? x filter with? ty

[drumteacher76]

@kkkeikurono: It's a 12" Byzance Traditional Splash on top of a Generation X Trash Hat Bottom.

Hope that helps my friend,

Mike Johnston

MIKESLESSONS COM

[SevenMSG]

hey mike! how about the spring tension on the bass pedal? soft or hard? thanks!

[drumteacher76]

@SevenMSG: If 0 is completely loose and 100 is completely tight then I would say that mine is at about 70. Medium tight.

Hope that helps,

Mike Johnston

MIKESLESSONS COM

[drummaddict29]

if you dislike this . you better have a video better than mike! ^_^

[NOSFERATUalu]

you look like a frikkin robot running on turbo at final stage of that beat :D wish i was that consistent

[samyevz]

i dont even get 10 seconds into your videos and i favorite it straight away!

[sixup55]

Why the switch from dw5000 to dw9000 pedal??

[drumteacher76]

@sixup55: It's not a switch, I have always played them all. I have a different pedal on every one of my kits so that my foot never gets used to anything. I don't ever want to hear myself say "Well I could do it if I had MY pedal" LOL. Ludwig Speed King or DW 9000, either way... let's dance!

Peace,

Mike Johnston

[remcult]

@drumteacher76 i like them a lot, they really are a big help. good thinking there. ive got to do whats necessary and let you know something you shouldnt hear enough of; youve kept drumming fun for me for years, and given me ideas about how to explore and enjoy it in new ways. thanks for what you do, and keep on doing it

[stationmaster12]

Cool!!! I just got rid of my double kick pedal too!!! How do you like that DW9000??? I love mine!

[LOLE1991KOVIN]

You have really cool T-shirts, on every f***ing video!

[KaptainKremmen]

2:53 I don't think I'm even that good :)

[philateliceun]

@KaptainKremmen everybody started somewhere at some point :P

[iKNOWdrumFU]

2:52

[remcult]

hey mike, what happened to all the old vids on your site? i used to have the whole series of double stroke workouts and all that, but theyre not available anymore

[drumteacher76]

@remcult: I'm actually re-filming them all in a higher resolution so they will look crystal clear on tablets like the iPad. Should have the double stroke workout done later this week. How do you like the previews?

Peace,

Mike Johnston

MIKESLESSONS COM

[joeyjuniorjunior]

@drumteacher76 hey, what kind of wood is your kit made out of

[drumteacher76]

@joeyjuniorjunior: Hey Joey, it's an all maple kit with a birch snare drum.

Hope that helps,

Mike Johnston

MIKESLESSONS COM

[ProGuitarTuition]

when you play it slow at the beginning it sounds so much like Tusk by fleetwood mac, maybe

[ProGuitarTuition]

@ProGuitarTuition hmm, others have noticed this too, wonderful, not just me then, sorry for repeating others



[willloveshisdrums]

Mike, you're just an inspiration, thank you so much. - Will

[WhySamuelWhy]

Hehe, makes me so smug about being an open-handed player

[drumguy3889]

Great stuff Mike! these are fun tips and tricks. I'm always passing them along to my students

[CalTamaDrummer]

Mike, What kind of drum mics do you use? p.s thanks for the lesson!

Caleb

[markthedrum]

The 50bpm that you played could be used to play Tusk by Fleetwood Mac hehe,.. Great video dude, love all your videos

[shraunbone]

@markthedrum I was just going to say that.

[markthedrum]

@shraunbone Great minds think a like lol great video I'll defo be practicin that

[ThaTyger]

Is it me or did you change the hand patern in the last speed change. Does sound like the hi-hat went half-time. Awesome lick though :)

[drumteacher76]

@ThaTyger: Nope, it was the same exact pattern, note for note. But you did make me a bit nervous so I had to re-watch it, lol.

Peace,

Mike Johnston

MIKESLESSONS COM

[ThaTyger]

@drumteacher76 sorry didn't want to make you nervous. I rewatched it as well and turned up the treble and the hits are there, it's just that they aren't that pronounced it seems. Looking forward to more youtube vids, might even check out your full lessons once my DW practice kit come in :)

[TheStockzzz]

play/explain the bass drum track from meshuggah - bleed. ;)

[davedadrumma]

great to see the kick-camera, thanks Mr. Mike.

[jantheman91]

Oh my gosh, a foot cam! My prayers have been answered!

[drumteacher76]

@jantheman91: LOL, well I figured since you guys gave a me a career the least I could do was give you a foot cam :)

Glad you enjoyed it Jan.

Mike Johnston

MIKESLESSONS COM

[Makkarash]

Love your lessons, Mike. Keep them coming. :)

[Metalcosmos]

One thing that break my brain up is stuff like that... It's kind a weird concept to me...

[MplsLam]

Mike you need an app for the iPhone/iPad like the Benny Greb drum trainer, but downloadable content. I'd use that so much for learning new things.

[roryando]

What size is that bass drum? U r great!

[Travisdrums91]

What kind of snare wires do you use ?

Thanks

[InsulineJunkie]

that looks like sssoooooooo much fun to play! :D thats the one thing i do when i write with the boys, ill never write anything complicated unless its demanded, i gotta have fun and that looks like such a rad time! GAH! wanna go home early from college and practice this!!!

[Leo040g]

O.o

[roryando]

U have tought me so much

[Drumderful]

Woo, now no-one can complain about the lack of a foot cam

[Funkysajmi]

so unusual to see your feet dude! but i love it.

[Drumderful]

Fantastic 

[joeyw1993]

why do i always get happy if i see a new vid of him:D

[airrizzle]

shakita bing shakita boom *whale sound