ido1957
9K Gold Member
Saw him in several videos playing with Clapton recently. I like his style.....
Rimshot
New member
Join the club! There are lots of members. He is the solid groove master. Some people call Charlie Watts "The Rock" because he holds a solid beat that's dead on. Steve Gadd does that and so much more. He creates some of the most innovative grooves around. He has worked with a ton of great musicians (a lot of them are musicians that I can't stand, but Gadd gives them his touch). He doesn't crowd up the music with a lot of flashy fills (he can do them just fine), he holds the beat with a whole lot of style and perfect tone.
G
Greg_L
Banned
Bo-ring to the extreme.
Manslick
Road
Check him out on Chic Corea's Friends album.
BentRabbit
New member
G
Greg_L
Banned
Yeah, I know, I've heard it all before. I suck, I'm lame, my shit is basic and stupid, blah, blah, blah. All because I don't blindly worship old guys that play old shit that doesn't excite me whatsoever. I don't like Ringo or Buddy Rich either. Oh my! Blasphemy!
BentRabbit
New member
lol au contra-ire oh gifted one 
You are one of the most talented players/recorders I've heard... Starting off on guitar and moving to drums, all the while handling each with skillz most folks only wish they had.
Maybe someday you will see what the boring old guys actually bring to the table... If not, no biggie... Your stuff will still kick ass...
You are one of the most talented players/recorders I've heard... Starting off on guitar and moving to drums, all the while handling each with skillz most folks only wish they had.
Maybe someday you will see what the boring old guys actually bring to the table... If not, no biggie... Your stuff will still kick ass...
X
Xdrummer
New member
I've been following Gadd since the mid 70's - and he has worked with a lot of talented people in many genres (although I agree with Rimshot - I'm not a fan of many of the artists he has worked with).
Many of his grooves are very innovative. The groove he played on Paul Simon's 50 Ways - should by itself qualify him as one of the most inventive groove masters (and the grrove to Chuky's In Love by Rickie Lee Jones is also worthy of special mention).
He always seems to find the right part to serve the song - often parts that most other drummers would never think of.
Many of his grooves are very innovative. The groove he played on Paul Simon's 50 Ways - should by itself qualify him as one of the most inventive groove masters (and the grrove to Chuky's In Love by Rickie Lee Jones is also worthy of special mention).
He always seems to find the right part to serve the song - often parts that most other drummers would never think of.
G
Greg_L
Banned
lol au contra-ire oh gifted one
You are one of the most talented players/recorders I've heard... Starting off on guitar and moving to drums, all the while handling each with skillz most folks only wish they had.
Maybe someday you will see what the boring old guys actually bring to the table... If not, no biggie... Your stuff will still kick ass...
Lol. You are too kind. Thanks.
I don't know why I don't get off to uber-skilled drummers. I just don't. I can't relate. It's not accessible to me. I'll never be able to, or want to play like that, so it means nothing to me. I don't admire technical virtuosity on any instrument. I'm more interested in how someone works in the scope of the whole song. Some dude simply bashing away 4-on-the-floor in a driving rock song sounds better to me than light-tapping ghost notes and polyrhythmic paradoodle flamacues in elevator music. I think flashy over-drumming or wanky guitar noodling fucks up more shit than it helps. I'll listen to Phil Rudd all day long. I can't name one song that Steve Gadd played on.
Rimshot
New member
Greg, I really don't give a crap whether you like Steve Gadd's playing or not. You are far from the final answer on who is a good drummer or musician. It is your taste, that's it.
I personally am bored to death by the plethora of 4/4 pounders that do nothing more than wallop drums and break cymbals (but then that's just my taste)
Lots of people seem to like that.I respond favorably to Steve Gadd because he's always thinking creatively. Yes he has incredible technique, but that's not what I hear when I listen to him play. I hear an inventive and creative musician that is always thinking and adding something new and NOT cliche' to a song. Yeah, he plays with musicians that I will run away from listening to (Paul Simon for example), but he actually improved a lot of Paul Simon's saccharine music.
G
Greg_L
Banned
Exactly, so STFU. I wasn't talking to you.
Rimshot
New member
Supercreep
Lizard People
Greg, you can learn a ton from Gadd. His drumming is relatively simple and accessible. It's not like watching Weckyl or anything. Gadd makes stuff look easy because he is so relaxed.
G
Greg_L
Banned
If you know of him playing anything that doesn't belong in a dentists office or a retirement home, then I'm all ears.
Rimshot
New member
I don't know........... I really can't stand Journey and I'm not a real big fan of the Dave Matthews Band, but I can still admire the great musicianship of Steve Smith and Carter Beauford.
Rimshot
New member
Here's a good example of what Steve Gadd does. It was at an event that was a tribute to Buddy Rich and three drummers shared the stage: Dave Weckl on one end and Vinnie Coliauta on the other and Steve Gadd was in the center, I'm a big fan of Vinnie Coliauta and he has incredible technique, Dave Weckl is a great technical drummer but his style is a bit too light and high for my tastes, These two opened with some patter and exercises but it wasn't until Steve Gadd came in and laid down the groove that these two suddenly started to shine. That's what Steve Gadd excels at. Being understated, serving the music and making other musicians look good.
Supercreep
Lizard People
You're not going to be playing old fart songs, you're going to be checking out ideas for adaptions of techniques you can apply to your own. Here are some I found useful.
Triplets:
YouTube - Drums Steve Gadd Triplets.wmv
Basic paradiddle groove:
YouTube - Steve Gadd - the basic paradidlle grove
Aja drum fills demonstrated:
YouTube - Steve Gadd - Aja Drum Fills!
Supercreep
Lizard People
Makes me want to sell my drums and take up whittling.
G
Greg_L
Banned
I have no idea who those guys are.
Supercreep
Lizard People
Carter Beauford is a scary good drummer with Dave Matthews Band. I hate him because he is absurdly good. A little too much technique for my tastes, but a great drummer. Steve Smith is an old-time studio and stage favorite with a long resume.