Things You'll Need:
- Bass drum (26 by 14 inches) Chrome Supraphonic Series 402 snare drum Ludwig 29-, 30- or 32-inch tympani drums Paiste cymbals Paiste symphonic gong (38-inch) Rack tom (14 by 16 inches, 15 by 12 inches) 2 floor toms (16 by 16 inches, 18 by 16 inches) Twin congas
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Step 1
An example of the famous "Green Sparkle" kit, one of many that Bonham used in his career.Get accustomed to using your right foot and right hand to play fast triplet rhythms, which is Bonham's trademark--one used on numerous Led Zeppelin classics, such as "Good Times Bad Times," the driving opening track from Led Zeppelin's first album. Practice slowly at first until you can build up to the proper speed. Realize, too, that brute force is half the battle. The tricky part is mastering the dexterity and control that also characterized Bonham's work in Led Zeppelin.
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Step 2
Lead drum breaks with your right hand. Keep your left hand playing "ghost" strokes, or brief, understated notes, on the snare drum. For an example of this approach, listen carefully to Bonham's work on "Fool In The Rain," built around a half-shuffle--one of the most recognized drum grooves around. The ghost strokes add a sense of fluidity and motion to the track.
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Step 3
Restrain the urge to splash every cymbal onstage. Frequently compared to cymbal-mad drummers like the Who's Keith Moon, Bonham went on record behind a different preference. "I've never been into using cymbals overmuch. I use them to crash into a solo and out of it, but basically I prefer the actual drum sound," Bonham said, in a quote on Alex Reisner's fan site (see Resources below). Bonham's frequent use of his hands to play classic solos like "Moby Dick" appears to underscore his point.
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Step 4
Bonham lets fly during a 1975 concert.Build rhythmic tension by holding the eighth notes on your high hat slightly behind your snare and bass drum. This approach helps to give a greater weight and power to the grooves that you're trying to create. Tension and release is a critical part of Led Zeppelin's best music, particularly on epics like "Achilles' Last Stand." Without understanding this basic principle, your performances may lack fire and passion.
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Step 1
Like his peers, Bonham always made time for simple pleasures.Always keep the beat in mind. A careful listen to Bonham's style reveals him to be firmly rooted in the classic soul-funk grooves of Motown and Stax, as well as the fiercely swinging style of jazz greats like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. What makes Bonham unique is his adaptation of those listening styles into heavyweight benchmarks of Led Zeppelin's style, such as "Whole Lotta Love," or "Immigrant Song" (see Resources below).
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Step 2
Bonham, right, with his bandmates before their 1979 Knebworth show.Play only what the song requires. Although rightly celebrated for his power and brutality, Bonham's restrained side--which can be heard on keynote tracks like "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp," for instance--gets less attention, but is just as relevant as performances on drum solos like "Moby Dick." Listen carefully to the various studio albums and live recordings that exist, to determine what approach works best for each song.
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Step 3
Make unusual time signatures your business to master, since Led Zeppelin never shied away from them. A case in point is the 1975 epic, "Kashmir," which balances a floating 3/4 groove against the more basic 4/4 tempo that Bonham upholds for most of the song. Other examples include the 9/8 feel of "The Crunge," Led Zeppelin's own soul-funk tribute, and "The Ocean," which balances two bars of 4/4 time, followed by one bar of 7/8 time. As with Bonham's signature triplets, practice slowly until you get the basics down.
Comments
hypercussion said
on 8/27/2009 This was an extremely well written article that captures the major points one should consider when studying and attempting to emulate Bonham. I'm a pro drummer who has spent my life following Bonzo and covering his work and style and in my opinion this article could not have been better written. The only possible suggestion I would make is to add some information on tuning. Bonham's trademark sound was due to a combination of factors as you cite and certainly one was his tuning the bottom head of his drums slightly higher than the top to get killer tone and resonance, yet the huge size of his drums provided plenty of thunder. I have the Ludwig replica green sparkle kit and I believe it's tuned almost exactly to the same pitches as Bonzo's kit he used on many albums. Again nice job!