Not So Modern Drummer

Part of Keith’ unique groove style is his straight eighth note rock, funk, and pop kick/snare/hat grooves that are distinguished by strict, even accented eighth notes on the hi hat. This is very evident in his performances with Steely Dan of Hey Nineteen. It seems his default hi hat pattern is a very strict, consistent, long full stroke with the same velocity on every hit. This was always a trademark of James Brown’s drummers and was a signature of Ed Greene’s grooves in all his hit record playing. No “lope,” no-push pull feel, but every stroke the same height and sound. This has a tendency to make his groove feel intense and driving, with every hi hat hit crystal clear. At the same time he usually plays with only the tip of the stick on the hat; no shoulder, no shank hits.

Hey Nineteen

If the song calls for sixteenth funk, his default sixteenth note groove is played mainly in the snare drum underneath the straight eighths on the hi hat, The snare backbeats are usually rim shots with a very exact ghost note pattern in between, on the E& before, and the &A after each backbeat.

all hi hats FF and full stroke

16th Note Funk
snare

A signature technique that Keith uses when soloing is what I have nicknamed a “flurry.” It is an inverted double stroke roll of varying length punctuated by an inverted paraddidle in the bass and toms. This particular one is left hand lead which he uses often because it allows him to place the downbeat on the high tom. There are many variations but this is the basis of the technique. Something similar, a traditional paradiddle-diddle-diddle-diddle was brought to prominence first by David Garibaldi in his drum solos, but this is very different not only in the sticking but in that Keith doesn’t think or play in rudimental patterns. Rather he adjusts the sticking to orchestrate the musical phrases, textures, and tones he wants to play. I only use the rudiment names to clarify.