led zeppelin - Rock and Roll drum solo Lesson and breakdown 

The really amazing thing is this has to one of the most broken down few bars in rock history and 22 year old Bonham probably played it off the top off his head without giving it a second thought. Now that’s talent.

great breakdown, but the triplets after the six 'hertas' were lead with his left, not his right.

You are very good! On the record, if you listen close, the five hertas end with two base hits (the first in unison with the floor tom). And the Bonham triplets are lead with the left hand -- played descending. (British drummers typically play this lick left-lead.) But, I can't play it that way and play it the same way as you demoed (but not nearly as well). Great job and great lesson!

I am a 62 year old female drummer finding myself in a very good classic rock band. I've played mostly gospel and standards my whole life with a little disco and pop thrown in early on. Thanks so much for this amazing lesson on that solo. I should have it down in a year or two :-)

Great players are not always great teachers. You are, no doubt, both. Thanks...

First video I've seen on this. It's perfect... thanx.

Hi Geoff, I just wanted to say thank you so much for making this video. I had to learn this song for an audition with a band. I usually learn songs by hearing them & then playing them, but with this solo I just could not figure out for the life of me what Bonham was playing in the solo at the end. I probably watched this video like 20 times, & slowly but surely I learned the solo, which made me ace the audition! Without this video, there is no way I would've been able to play it as on the spot as I can now. So thank you so much!! You're an absolutely amazing drummer & teacher! ~Sarah

Brilliant explanation Geoff. One of the best I’ve heard in 40 years of playing. Have this as an audition piece next week with a classic rock band. Thanks

He leads with his left hand during the triplets on the second part. Rack tom, floor tom, kick, snare, snare, kick. repeat... Same thing in dazed and confused at the end of the long solo. It's a signiture lick of his leading with the left hand.

It's hard to find that person/video to simplify a beat your trying to learn. You've broken it down well. Thank you

This has to be the best video breakdown I have seen yet on the Rock and Roll ending. Your the best Geoff

Awesome. Finally an excellent break down of a classic Bonham fill that I never quite got. Thank you.

Really helpful on breaking down the signature licks of this Bonham interpretation

Well done, sounds a bit weird on well tuned toms though.

a, 4 &e, 1 &, 2 &, 3 &a, 4 & (&e of first 4 beat is 32nd note singles) Then he speeds up the six runs down the toms (as fast as he can go)... second half triplets leading with left hand on rack tom. Then he plays 2e a, e& snare accents, with the 2e the second snare hits out of the triplet being 16ths (instead of triplets) not a flam. I spent most of my life, since 1980 on drumset, making this way more complex than it really was. It's just fast and bombastic in that Bonham feel nobody can duplicate. The whole thing isn't really in time. But teaching it in time at first is good.

The first two rolls around the toms could be a three note roll bc after that it's a little faster (assuming he's staying on the meter) and the other four being a four note roll. I have heard it slowed down and it does sound like a four note roll on all six but it could be effects too.

@geofffry I guess changing the snare out would be the fastest solution. :) If you can solder, you can make an XLR lead a dedicated "phase reverse" by swapping pins 2 and 3 on one side of the cable. It's free! (assuming you have access to a soldering iron). Looking forward to more educational videos. You rock.

Very very good drum lesson, I particularly appreciated the sample of the original song that you put now and then to help us figure out how john plays it.

Geoff thanks so much for taking time out to break all these drum patterns down. Much appreciated !

@soundofmind cheers.. not changed Mic setup yet.. just snare :) I can't reverse phase on current device-preamp so need to add something in the chain or mess with distances from head.. think changing snare out is quicker for now :) g

Gracias, gracias, gracias por enseñar esto sos un capo total...

your english is good. and thanks for the comment. Geoff

Excelente Geoff, muy buena explicación, GRACIAS!!!! ya me suscribí a tu canal, obviamente!!! Awesome, very good explanation Geoff, THANKS!!!!!

Thanks so much. Just learning this now with my band. You are a great teacher.

Great instruction! Breakdown is excellent, and imbedding original song is perfect. Don't like hertas - wish he did quads...

@vitocannizzaro your english is good. and thanks for the comment. Geof

The best lesson !!!!

I love the sound sound of your kit; its got classic rock written all over it. Love the video too, great job of teaching it.

Very good video.You explained it really well.Sounds great through headphones too.

@geofffry Geoff great job for the solo please it seems to me that the groove is a paradiddle with the first strike on the hi hat and bass drum. It's true. Thank

Thanks and those toms kick ass!

Brilliant breakdown and teaching method, superb.

Thanks for sharing. Im still prcticing using e drums.

John Bonham would have spent years at the drumkit learning rudiments. To all you young drummers out there learning this. If you learn rudiments you will be a great drummer.

Damn and here I always thought there were doubles on the kick...thanks man. Can't wait to get this down.

Nice job. Seems pretty close to me! After all these years I finally had to learn this song for a band and figured I better do Bonham justice on the ending.

this is one of the best drum lessons i've seen on youtube, thank you!

Hey,this video is fantastic.Brilliantly explained and awesome sound too.Thanks,I shall go and try this myself.

You're great man,good work. No one could explain that better than you,thanks a lot it help me so much Sorry for the english

Excellent interpretation. Sounds spot on. Thank you.

You're really a great instructor!

great lesson. thankyou.

Thanks for this man, this is perfect. I'm playing this in a gig this Friday...now I'll nail it!

Great job, I will work on learning this solo, I'm still a beginner though. So it will take a little while.

WOW!!! THANKS GEOFF!!!!!!!

Thanks for the lesson...you answered (and demonstrated!) a question I had on the herta bit

For forty years I played wrong! Thanks a lot!

Hey Geoff great video and thanks for taking the time to break down the solo. Your explanation really makes it very clear. Cheers mate.

Thanks Geoff. Watched so many videos for this but your`s is the best. Cheers

Best sounding drums so far! Did you change any of the mic placement?

Question.... Does it matter in the “herta” what toms are struck first (snare), second (hi tom), third (floor tom), fourth (bass drum). Snare always first, but then can you hit hi tom then bass drum, then floor tom?

@q3playing thanks I think its called "Phonetic" Rhythms

Dang bro great instructor. Wish you lived in Vegas. Do you do any webcam lessons?

thankyou so much! best drum lesson i ever took. watxhed it twice and now i can play it! what prgrm did u use 2 slow it down? i need 2 get that.

That's AWESOME BABY !! I'm on the road right now but when I get home I'm gonna learn this. I'm jonesin' to work on it. Great explanation and you also play very well by the way. Keep up the good work.

could you show us the transcription? very nice lesson!

THANX! Very well analysed Geoff.

5:35 best part of lesson

Geoffrey, Love your tutorials. I like the way you use english phrases to explain the rhythms. That makes internalising them much easier. I believe this is a common technique. Is there a name for it?

Wow mate, this is great. I've got a performance coming up and this is super helpful! Thanks a lot for working this out!

Thank you very much, you do look very easy

Thanks for the video,now i know how it's played. Wes

Nice job Geoff! Very well explained too. 👍

@PercussiveSpeech dude! that was amazing. dont criticize him for leading with a different hand.

Nice lesson buddy !

Good afternoon. Please make an analysis of the Deep Purple “Flight of the rat” drum solo Thanks.

Great work!!!!!!

Nice job of breaking the parts down. But somehow I think Bonham just played what rhythms popped into his head.And that was the beauty of his playing.

GREAT VIDEO...VERY GOOD LESSON..

Perfect! Now I get it! Thank You!!!!! Grazie!

Thank you so much ... saved my bacon

Your snare sounds great!

Thanks a lot for posting this video, love your drums and how you play. I really needed this video man, keep up the great stuff!

The best vídeo all!!! Now i learned!!!

Great breakdown great vid. Thanks much.

Lead the last 2 triplets with your left and watch how it falls into place.

so perfect ending...helpful..

Thanks that was awesome and so helpful!!!

Thanks!!!

muito obrigado pela aula... sensasional

@xxxkomodoxxx yes just a single iron cobra

Well done!!

Great lesson. Thanks!

Great! Thanks!!!

Thanks for the lesson! Awesome!

Great tom sound!!!

Thanks Geoff, you legend!

Hey man - thanks for breaking this down and posting this!! I just posted a video of me playing this (slower), after I watched and learned from yours. Great work!

Coffee coffee pineapple coffee XD

very good!!!

are you using just one single pedal bass drum?

Could you maybe do the intro fill to Sober from Tool? Thanks

Perfect, thanks.

Very clear!

I'm a guitarist and I laughed at the coffee pineapple part :P Great work though ^^

This is great! Can I talk you into doing the opening pattern of "Would?" by Alice in Chains?

Thank you ! Helpfull !

Very helpful 👍

well done. Thanks.

are you switching from camera sound to studio sound?