How To Develop Great Reggae Feel On The Drums 

*Soooooo, how does a dude with a Jamaican upbringing and over 300 drum videos...not have a SINGLE ONE on reggae groovin' up until now?!! I dunno, man. But I'll accept that 'L' 😫Hopefully this will make up for it 😄Reggae is more of a feeling than a genre. So if you're gonna rock a room, you gotta make sure it feels niiiiiice. Enjoy this lesson, y'all* 🇯🇲🥁#GrooveResponsibly #GrabThatTshirt

I'm not a drummer, I'm a bassist, but I used to play a lot of reggae. My impression is that Hi hat accents are a huge part of it, and using the push and pull technique on the hats helps a lot. Also playing the right kinds of fills. A lot musicians think reggae is easy so they dismiss it and play something "undisciplined" (as my reggae mentor would say). You sound good on the reggae!

8:43 ONE DROP 11:23 STEPPERS 13:08 ROCKERS

Reggae is SO FUN to play... I love when I'm in a cover band that's willing to play this type of music!

Dude, I'd like to see MUCH MORE reggae stuff from you. You've got the rhythm in your heart man.

I live in Hawaii where you can’t turn a corner without someone blasting Bob or Damian Marley and you will always hear groves like this coming from both new and old artists on reggae radio stations. The way you explain these groves are phenomenal and will help those (like myself) learn to play these groves on the kit better. Thank you

How to teach groove, always seemed impossible, but I think you just did it! I think the groove is in everyone, but if they are thinking about what to play or thinking 'have I got this groove'.. they can't have the groove. By teaching us how to get our body swinging (with the jazz ride patter) you show us where our groove is. Great drummer. Great teacher. And I love the pop sound you get out of your snare.

Great introduction to reggae playing, can't wait for your next reggae video! Maybe basic fills and accents?

You’re the best! That’s is the best instructional video on reggae grooves that I’ve come across on YT yet! It’s the only one I stick with it until the end - great way of reaching out and engaging your audience....now to learn it 👍

Holy moly thank you Rob!! Reggae is all I play currently. You’re the man!

Firstly, I appreciate you making a reggae groove episode, there are many,many rock-based demos and players out there who miss out. As a Brit living through the eighties we had some great exposure to a wide selection of reggae even in the mainstream, from original and inspired artists. My first band used the style to cover and create songs in our first set. As a drummer it’s got that essential feel and timing discipline, but also has ample room for expression and a personal, counterpoint touch.

Another great one Rob. Love watching them. They give me such inspiration.

one of the most helpful reggae tutorials thanks!!!!!! its really well explained and easy to follow

Dear Mr. Brown well done, best reggae vid I’ve ever seen. You get straight to the root, make it sound so attainable. Dave K

Thanks for putting these up! Some really great ideas!

A well earned LIKE - terrific lesson!

What a blessing that! With much practise and the right mindset, I man just might get this one going. Thank you for the clarity of explaining it's roots. LARGE UP

You got the feel and the sound! I’m learning and your approach is so great. Thank so much again.

That's great, it's clear and well explained, many thanks Rob, all the best for 2019

Great as always Rob!

Great video, thanks! I´m trying to program some drums for a demo and this really helped break it down. Cheers!

That's great you got back in touch with your Reggae roots, better late than never. Great video, thanks for sharing.

That was a nice one Sir. Really can't wait for some basic fills✌

Thanks and Blessings Rob, you are the Best!!!

Great video about how reggae should feel without getting overly specific on techniques.

Great sound bro..Thx for sharing Mr.rob brown!

I'm liking it... I'm liking it a lot! Thanks again Rob.

...thanks a lot!!! the best I found on the internet so far. and I've been looking for a long time ...

Thanks for making the groves so understandable.

Your drum beats are so good, And your teaching as well!

You’re right sir👌👌👌. Absolutely no faking when it comes to a reggae feel/groove. I know it when I hear the real thing… and there is NOTHING like it.

Thanks. Great quality! With this you fill a big gap/space on the drumming You Tube.

That's my genre. All I play, great video.👍👍👍❤💛💚

Hey Rob. I played in an original band for years in which the guitarist wrote a lot of reggae. I can honestly say I don't think I ever really got to be an expert or even good at it, but got by somehow. This explanation really makes sense to me and gives me something to work on. I've got a chance to play so reggae coming up so this is great. First time seeing your channel. Thanks!!

oh wow. like the way you teach. teaching the actual concept than just teaching the groove. thanks mate!

Its funny, I’ve mostly played reggae for the past 5 or 6 years and through all that time it took me to finally get it down and become decent at it was “FEELING THE VIBE” lol. Its so true when you say you have to FEEL what you’re playing. I love Reggae and its my favorite genre of music to play, so glad I listened to so much Reggae as a teenager because now at 23 i feel like i can just hear a Reggae song and know the baseline of how to play it already. It comes with a heap of listening and practice though.

great great great video. we need more of this!

Ive been a Subscriber of yours for quite some time. Love the Content you bring to RU-vid! I'm 57yrs old, been playing drums since 1990. I've never in my life listened, or played Reggae until Nov 2022. Even to the point, that I have Favorite Artists now. But didnt exactly know how to get the feel. Then I seen this Video...... Thanks "Beat Down"! 😎

Great advice Rob, will be practicing these groves❤

Had to put on my headphones for this, you need that kick and bass in there. Cool grooves, man, you got those hi-hat patterns and that's what swings it - brilliantly explained, too. All the best, Rob

The live set had a _sweet_ "Walking on the Moon" vibe tucked up in there. Smooth!

Don't know what it is with rob brown.. but has that simple way about him when explaining something which only some people can do...other great instructors on the tube,,,but he just keeps it real for the learner

Simple but yet super effective lesson, thanks !

Big up brother Brown outstanding always peace

Real eye (ears) opener !! Thank you !

When you started of with that swing, I did not know where you were going with it... I hearing Tony Williams. Then when you went to the hats I was, "now I hear it". WOW, I think I've been playing that last one in a hard rock/metal tune that my band plays!

Rob Brown, always knows how to break it down. Very helpful! THANK YOU man!!!!!!!!!!

Great lesson man really not too many lessons on reggae best one ive seen so far

Que massa ! Rob , falou profundo ! Reggae é mais que um conhecimento técnico . Me inscrevi no seu canal . Valeu 👍

Jamaican born, new drummer here. Thanks for this!!! I will be practicing!

I've been looking at different vids on how to get this groove down but yours helped the most One Love🤙

THANKS FOR SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

"Hey Kid" I'm not mad at you, You still have it..I like those grooves, and feeling those vibe.. I'm going to trying and learn those pattern of songs and instrument and see if I can learn to play some drums..thanks

Dang...always there with a video when I'm curious. Great as always.

Great video! Thanks !!!

Great stuff Rob

Finally, a legit Reggae instruction vid! Much RASpect, my yute. I don't know where you're located but I'm a guitarist in the NYC Reggae scene, toured with The Meditations, Burning Spear, Easy Star, etc. Good lesson and interpretation.

bro this is awesome! ya da man

More deep and useful knowledge from RB, with no-BS.

Yeaahh.. natural mystic man, thanks for tutorial 🥁🙏👍

As a young boy drummer, before I decided to join the band in the 6th grade to formally learn percussion, I was deeply intrigued by Stewart Copeland (The Police). "Walking on the Moon", "Man in a Suitcase", "Canary in a Coalmine", "Masoko Tanga" and other songs they did. Through them, reggae grooves hit me early on and gave me a good feel and understanding. Of course, I heard Bob Marley, which further solidified my understanding of reggae music. Yes, the popularity of rock drumming, and the jazz I learned in school built my playing style up as well. Due to my reggae influence, whenever I do fills or something like that, I seem to always do them with an abstract reggae approach instead of the straight-forward standard (which bores me). I love to 'bark' hits with the combination snare/splash cymbal smack. Rob, I do appreciate what you are doing with this channel. Thank you for this.

really good instructor, great video

Best intro ever! Thanks!

very informative thanks

Gracias Rob Thank you!!!

I would have to agree with the others you need to do a couple more of these Reggae grooves vids, I grew up listening to Bob Marley and loved it! I even play bass to it but when I was first learning drums I tried to play to it but didn't have the groove for it. Now I wanna give it a go!

Thank you for sharing this video! I really need that sound of your snare and the style when you hit it. Know what to practice! Just like they say ina JA. jah bless!

gorgeous finish on those drums! the gold hardware is a nice contrast to that beautiful wood grain and the burst finish

Rob = Top! So inspiring ;)

Everybody love a little reggae. From Texas To Jamaica with love

Rob you are a real good teacher

The difficult thing for rock drummers is not the swing hi-hat, it's to play bass and snare at the same time on the third pulse. Maybe some starting drummers will choose to learn reggae first, but i guess the majority of us who end up here have been playing rock for years and find reggae diffucult. I am now dedicating a lot of hours just to learn the basic pattern in "Waiting in Vain" (Bob Marley). A good video for me would be one with some advice about the esencial reggae fills to use in order to return to the pattern without falling on the first pulse, like we do in rock rythms. By the way, when I needed help with "Synchronicity II" and "Can't Stand Losing You", your videos where the best ones I could find. Thank you very much!

Dude ur hilarious man! Supergreat man! Really learn from your videos cuz u just get real with it . I'm just high over here laughing and learning my drum skills!

Insanely helpful!

Great addition to the collection of informative videos. Even if it did take you 300 previous videos to make lol better late than never? I recently was asked to play with a Reggae band at Ginnie springs in 2 months and my thought was to tune my toms high and purchase a piccolo snare. However hearing you has saved me time, money, and frustration with learning a different style of playing. I may not have a Yahmaha PHX kit (which yours is beautiful and sounds amazing). But I do have more toms than I know what to do with and they range from 6in to 8in, 10in, 12in, 13in, then my two floor toms 16x15 and 18x17... but listening to you i wont take half of them and ive tuned my 14x8 maple snare as tight as possible. Only i swapped out my snares for tama's hi-carbon super sensitive snare wires. Your videos are both inspirational and easy to follow. I thank you dearly for the time you take to create each video as Im sure you spend a good deal of time editing and then uploading. Im subscribed and got the bell notifications but i still reference your older content. If your not already you should be giving private lessons. Or teaching somewhere... the way you word things make it easy to understand. Even someone with very little experience in drumming would understand what your trying to teach. Please keep the videos coming!

Good lesson Rob, your right reggae drumming is about feel not to much playing around the kit and locking into the bass guitar playing. Carlton Barrett has to be my all time reggae drummer.

Funny I've never noticed that the hi hat part is an inverted trad swing. Ive always just played the shank groove as the accents on the hi hats, sort of swung ands. I've been doing this for so long too. I've been playing reggae since I was 12 and now I play in a hip hop reggae fusion band. Thats cool sir. Its always good to learn new things even if you already know what your doing . So see that explains the sly and robbie taxi groove . It's a obvious reverse trad swing edited. 🙏✌

So steady man!

my favorite style to play

Research, listen and observe! Thank you man

As a drummer, this helps me identify where I need to improve on my reggae feel for sure. 30 local gigs in the latter part of last year means practice comes thin for anything else outside of band work really. Even though you learn as you play pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone. Unfortunately, covid canceled our new years eve gig just gone. Our January break gives me time to practice on these grooves man, less is more as I'm always being told. Happy Days man ✌

Snare pop on the rockers groove is awesome!!

Awesome reggae videos. I'm in a band and they want me to learn how to play reggae feels on the drums. I am actually a country music drummer. Can't wait till the next video.

Nice video🤙🏼

Ummm...thank you sooo much...gotta dealtommorow night....much needed help...thank you...

Awesome ❤️😄

Very nice intro to reggae 🥁. It is straight up, simple and full of information to drummers wanting to attempt reggae. One thing though, that hihat triplet shuffle is missing. I am not sure if my explanation is clear but that is what gives it the authenticity swing. Most times you can tell when it is not an established reggae drummer, it is close but not there. What I am talking about is something they drop that in some unique places on the beat.

Tip for anyone who practices with a metronome and wants to improve their reggae feel: think of the click like a reggae guitar hitting on that upbeat. Play against the metronome, not with it like we're used to doing. Then try to find that sweet spot, the pocket, between the click beats. You can also switch back and forth between playing with the downbeat click and playing against the upbeat and it starts to feel like a game. Speaking from experience. Helped me a ton ✌

Hi Rob, this was great. You are so right that its about the feel. Could you do a video of this again but where you show the foot patterns as well - maybe as an insert. Cheers Owen

Rob!! my favourite video on youtube! #ReggaeToDiWorld

Thank you, dear friend!

Most beautiful groove in the whole wide world.

Thanks for the introduction Rob. I hear I've got my work cut out for me, good thing I love a challenge eh! PS, I won a trip to Jamaica in 1980, what a beautiful place.:)....I hope I can master the groove!

Nice one, I like it

Luv the rockers

Hi Rob thanks for explaining the three reggae grooves. Can you please make a video on the steppers and rockers fills. Thanks

As usual, continue to learn from you even after over 20 years of drumming

Hi Rob, great vid thanks man! Could you do a follow up on some simple variations/fills? Also, how about making your backing tracks available? Thanks so much!

it is good to explain slowly!!

Thank you Mr. Beatdown, sir