Modern Reggae is Not What You Expect

One of my students wanted to double down on improving their reggae beats. It got me wondering 'What makes a really great reggae drummer'? A lot of drummers and online references talk about the classic beats (one-drop, rocker and stepper), but from my experience, Reggae drums are so much more than that.

Here's a selection of some of my favourite examples of the genre, where the drummer has added musical touches, without losing the DNA.

Bob Marley - Exodus (drummer: Carlton Barrett)

There's a couple of Marly examples here, not because it's the most obvious, but because Carlton Barrett is one of the most musical drummers of the genre. It's based on the stepper beat but check out those funky hi-hat variations. The swing feels gives the first set of accents a sense of momentum and then the final two accents on the last two quavers of the bar give it that off-beat push into the next bar.

Bob Marley, Exodus Drum Beat Transcription

Lucky Dube - Guns & Roses (drummer: Isaac Mtshali)

One of my favourite artists. The Taxman album in particular had a stellar lineup of musicians. I love the feel on the track Guns & Roses as it shows that Reggae drums don't have to be all about the off beat hi-hat. Isaac doubles down on the 4+ and the 1, adding a splash here and there as well.

Lucky Dube, Guns and Roses, Drum Transcription

Steel Pulse - Your House (drummer: Steve "Grizzly" Nesbitt)

Local lads from my home town of Birmingham, I managed to see them on the scene and they were always grooving like no other band. A variation on the stepper with 16th notes, but check out those crisp 32nd notes that Grizzly adds spice it up, while never getting in the way.

Steel Pulse, Your House, Drum Transcription

Bob Marley - Three Little Birds (drummer: Carlton Barrett)

Back to Carlton for another classic beat onThree Little Birds. He mixes up the hi-hat patterns over a one-drop. I love this one as it really trains up your one-drop bass drum. Try not to play the bass drum on 1 after that open hi-hat at the end of the bar, and you'll see what I mean!

Bob Marley, Three Little Birds, Drum Transcription

Steel Pulse - Rally Round (drummer: Steve "Grizzly" Nesbitt)

From the stone cold classic of True Democracy, Grizzly shows that Reggae drums are not all about the kick and the rim click on the 2 and 4. The bass drums on the 1 and the snare rim is going for a more afro-cuban feel.

Steel Pulse, Rally Round, Drum Transcription

This is just a small selection of my favourites, but hopefully they've made you think more about the musical side of what you can do with Reggae, while still keeping the key elements of the beat as the focus.

Cheers,

The Wellington Drummer