John Bonham

Re: Bonham fills

Yeah,
If you had ten of the most mentioned drummers play the beginning lick to "When the levee breaks", NONE of them would cop that sound and feel. He was one of a kind for that reason....the feel and the sound.
 
Re: Bonham fills

Check out the Special Features segment of the History of The US Beat DVD by Steve Smith. He breaks them down and plays them, to my ears anyway, pretty damn well. I agree that they do not seem overly difficult, to play. Just really creative and unique.
A smile to my face every time I hear any Zep song. Pure bliss.

edit ... I'm an idiot, what can I say. Been attempting to read some charts of Bonham's fills for the last few days. Extremely difficult for someone with my skills. Still, I look forward to the day that I can give it another try. The guy was an amazing drummer.
 
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T1 |...L....................
T2 |......R.................
T3 |..............RL..LR....
Sn |R........R..RL......LR..
Bd |.RR.RR.RR.RR....RR....RR
-----3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3-

Here's a little exercise i concocted to get my bonham foot triplets going. i start really slowly at 80bpm and increase by 5bpm every minute aiming to keep them neat up to 172bpm (at which tempo you will be playing the bass trips at the same speed as 'good times bad times' (86bpm). i also orchestrate the hand parts on other parts of the kit for variety.
 
rendezvous_drummer said:
Oops. I meant to say it's my favorite bonham groove. His patented groove would be in something like moby dick, whole lotta love wouldn't it?

They're great grooves indeed, and speaking of whole lotta love, as a band we have decided we would like to play this song, I know a lot of people think certain songs should never be touched, and if they are then they should be done as close to the original as possible. this is probably a huge can of worms as I remember the stairway thread that was knocking around a while ago which although was quite funny, was also rather cringe worthy.
 
Last edited:
NUTHA JASON said:
T1 |...L....................
T2 |......R.................
T3 |..............RL..LR....
Sn |R........R..RL......LR..
Bd |.RR.RR.RR.RR....RR....RR
-----3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3-

Here's a little exercise i concocted to get my bonham foot triplets going. i start really slowly at 80bpm and increase by 5bpm every minute aiming to keep them neat up to 172bpm (at which tempo you will be playing the bass trips at the same speed as 'good times bad times' (86bpm). i also orchestrate the hand parts on other parts of the kit for variety.

Thanks for this idea - it looks very useful.
 
can anyone explain his lick on "the crunge"? out of all of his grooves, that one is the most elusive in my opinion. i cant even think of how it can be transcribed.
 
odd times.



4/4
9/8
5/8

bpm = 90
......................|------------6x----|
C .|------------------|------------------|------------------|x---------------|
HH |----------X---x-xX|--X---x-x-X---x-xX|--X---x-x-X-------|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S .|--------------o---|gg----o--o----o---|gg----o--o----F-o-|----o-------o---|
Bd |----------o------o|--oo------o------o|--oo------o--o----|o--o----oo-o----|
Hf.|------------x-----|-x--x-------x-----|-x--x-------------|----------------|
...|1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C .|----------x-----|----------------|----------x---x---|x---------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x-------|*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x---------|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S .|----o-----------|----o-------o---|----o-------------|----o-------o---|
Bd |oo-o-o-o-oo-----|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo---o---|o--o----oo-o----|
Hf |--------------x-|----------------|----------------x-|----------------|
...|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C .|----------x-----|----------------|----------x---x---|x---------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x-------|*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x---------|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S .|----o-----------|----o-------o---|----o-------------|----o-------o---|
Bd |oo-o-o-o-oo-----|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo---o---|o--o----oo-o----|
Hf |--------------x-|----------------|----------------x-|----------------|
...|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C .|----------x-----|----------------|---------x|--x---------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x-------|*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x---|------x-x-X---x-xX|
S .|----o-----------|----o-------o---|----o-----|gg----o--o----o---|
Bd |oo-o-o-o-oo-----|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-o|--oo-o----o------o|
Hf |--------------x-|----------------|----------|-x--x-------x-----|
...|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |

...|------------5x----|
C .|------------------|------------------|x---------------|----------x-----|
HH |--X---x-x-X---x-xX|--X---x-x-x-x-----|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-------|
S .|gg----o--o----o---|gg----o--o----ooo-|----o-------o---|----o-----------|
Bd |--oo-o----o------o|--oo-o----o--o----|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo-----|
Hf |-x--x-------x-----|-x--x-------------|----------------|--------------x-|
...|1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C .|----------------|----------x---x---|x---------------|----------x-----|
HH |*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x---------|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-------|
S .|----o-------o---|----o-------------|----o-------o---|----o-----------|
Bd |o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo---o---|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo-----|
Hf |----------------|----------------x-|----------------|--------------x-|
...|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C .|----------------|----------x---x---|x---------------|----------x-----|
HH |*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x---------|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-------|
S .|----o-------o---|----o-------------|----o-------o---|----o-----------|
Bd |o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo---o---|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo-----|
Hf |----------------|----------------x-|----------------|--------------x-|
...|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

.................................................|------------5x----|
C .|----------------|---------x|--x---------------|------------------|
HH |*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x---|------x-x-X---x-xX|--X---x-x-X---x-xX|
S .|----o-------o---|----o-----|gg----o--o----o---|gg----o--o----o---|
Bd |o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-o|--oo-o----o------o|--oo-o----o------o|
Hf |----------------|----------|-x--x-------x-----|-x--x-------x-----|
...|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |


C .|------------------|x---------------|----------x-----|----------------|
HH |--X---x-x-x---x---|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-------|*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S .|gg----o--o----o-o-|----o-------o---|----o-----------|----o-------o---|
Bd |--oo-o----o--o----|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo-----|o--o----oo-o----|
Hf |-x--x-------------|----------------|--------------x-|----------------|
...|1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C .|----------x---x---|x---------------|----------x-----|----------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x---------|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-------|*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S .|----o-------------|----o-------o---|----o-----------|----o-------o---|
Bd |oo-o-o-o-oo---o---|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo-----|o--o----oo-o----|
Hf |----------------x-|----------------|--------------x-|----------------|
...|1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C .|----------x---x---|x---------------|----------x-----|----------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x---------|----x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-------|*-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S .|----o-------------|----o-------o---|----o-----------|----o-------o---|
Bd |oo-o-o-o-oo---o---|o--o----oo-o----|oo-o-o-o-oo-----|o--o----oo-o----|
Hf |----------------x-|----------------|--------------x-|----------------|
...|1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

.................................|-----------20x----|
C .|---------x|--x---------------|------------------|------------------|
HH |x-x-x-x---|------x-x-X---x-xX|--X---x-x-X---x-xX|--X---x-x-X-------|
S .|----o-----|gg----o--o----o---|gg----o--o----o---|gg----o--o--------|
Bd |oo-o-o-o-o|--oo-o----o------o|--oo-o----o------o|--oo-o----o-------|
Hf |----------|-x--x-------x-----|-x--x-------x-----|-x--x-------x-----|
...|1 + 2 a + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 a + 3 + 4 + |


 
Hey guys, modest drummer here but big Bonham fan. I just got on a web site- sessions.ledzeppelin.us. There are two outtakes from LZ 2- Whole Lotta Love drum take and Ramble On. These are different then the In Through The Out Door takes. Listen to how smooth he gets in Ramble On. Also there is an 'Out on The Tiles' instrumental which is fantastic. If you travel through the site you can listen to some live stuff. The 71' and Europe 73' will clue you in to how powerful this band was live. The opening of Immigrant Song in Japan is devastating. Check it out. Cheers.
 
BLAIZE86 said:
Hey guys, modest drummer here but big Bonham fan. I just got on a web site- sessions.ledzeppelin.us. There are two outtakes from LZ 2- Whole Lotta Love drum take and Ramble On. These are different then the In Through The Out Door takes. Listen to how smooth he gets in Ramble On. Also there is an 'Out on The Tiles' instrumental which is fantastic. If you travel through the site you can listen to some live stuff. The 71' and Europe 73' will clue you in to how powerful this band was live. The opening of Immigrant Song in Japan is devastating. Check it out. Cheers.

I tried the url: http://sessions.ledzeppelin.us, and it doesn't work. Could you post the real link?
 
Re: Bonham fills

John Bonham is freakin amasing.....no 1 should ever compair them selves to him cuz he is a GOD!!!!!!!
 
Ian, I apologize but I am w/o a doubt computer illiterate. The web site is mutli layered and I am having a hard time trying to find out where the exact spot on the site is. If you Google sessions.led-zeppelin.us , you should find it. It's worth your time just hearing WWL drum take along with, if you navigate, a live soundcheck of the Wanton Song where Bonhams fills are on target. Very rare. Very powerful.
 
Re: R.I.P. Bonzo

I hard to believe it has been 26 yrs. since John Bonham passed away,He made drums more fun and more of a challenge at the same time when I was learning his chops,made me stay single kick instead of double-kick like everybody else in the 80's.I just can't. help but what to wonder what he would be like today.I'm sure there's a incredible jam session in heaven today.I know he'll have a heineken waiting for me when I finally get there.

R.I.P. "Bonzo"

Bonzolead
 
Yes it was 26 years ago today, I shall honour him with a minute of silence. RIP Bonzo
 
R.I.P Bonzo. His legacy will foreever live on. Its been 26 years since that tragic day.

bonzo-court52375.jpg
 
Re: Bonham fills

Hey guys,
Had to chime on on this one.
Bonham is about the feel. You can play a back beat on the front side of 2 and 4 , dead on, or on the backside of 2 and 4. Bonham played on the backside. His recorded tracks always felt like he was about to drag the tempo, but he never did. All the grace notes in between the main notes created his feel. AND many of fills had the bass drum on the upbeat 8th note, not the downbeat 8 th note. IN other words he played on "e ah e ah e ah" NOT 1 & 2 & 3 &, if you get my drift. This made his fills sound different from everyone else. Big drums, big rooms, heavy hands, and a feel that came from passion for drums and music. He is still my fave, and the only guy I have even heard come close (besides Jason Bonham) is the cat who played on Plant's abum he did over in India. They did some Zep covers and added an India flavor and it is SMOKIN. The drummer is awesome as well and really captured the essence of Bonham on those tracks.
Nabster
 
Re: Bonham fills

Some of Bonhams grooves had a significant swing feel to them. Heart Breaker and Bring it on home come to mind.I think the ride in Heart Breaker was a studio effect, but the ride resembled a shuffle more than a straight sixteeth note ride.

He tended to blend straight time and shuffles together in some of his feels and played in between the two. I think this was, in part, some of his magic.
 
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