I finally understand Ringo!

[swarfrat]

I'm no expert but I think Newbeat is right. I've played a bit with the Yellownoise drum isolation tool. It can be helpful in unburying parts to learn but it loses the hats and isn't magic, nor would it pass for an isolated part. And the originals probably wouldn't sound this good if they were available. (And that's assuming they weren't destroyed in the bouncing process.)

 

[rhythmace]

While I love Ringo's playing, I think I prefer the early stuff mostly. At least from a playing point of view. Sure they got creative later on and released some of the most iconic albums of all time. I just think as a band, the four of them were the perfect compliments to each other. Ringo played exactly what was needed and (IMO) the Beatles would never have been as good with anyone else. It was the whole picture for me. Ringo has this great personality, charm and wit that jelled perfectly with the other guys. Do guitar players argue about George's guitar playing like this too? I love George and his songs are some of my favorite Beatle songs. He was certainly no Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton on the guitar but again he was exactly what the Beatles needed. It was an absolute blessing that he blossomed into such a great songwriter. If he had just played lead guitar would guitar players rag on him as much as some drummers rag on Ringo?

George loved Chet Atkins, and played a lot of "chord" leads with finger picking sound. I still don't think that lead guitar in "All My Loving" was right for the song, but it was good enough. Just sounds too country and western. I don't think that George's lead playing deserved any digs. He was great as time went by. John was an underrated rhythm guitar player. Ace

 

[wflkurt]

George loved Chet Atkins, and played a lot of "chord" leads with finger picking sound. I still don't think that lead guitar in "All My Loving" was right for the song, but it was good enough. Just sounds too country and western. I don't think that George's lead playing deserved any digs. He was great as time went by. John was an underrated rhythm guitar player. Ace

I'm certainly not bagging on either one as I love what George did as much as I love what Ringo did. I just see a lot of people that think Ringo was just lucky to be in the right place and anyone could have been better. Of course I don't believe that for a minute. I'm just wondering how guitar players view George's playing?

 

[rhythmace]

It was a rumor, early on, that Ringo could not play a roll, so for a long time the average Joe thought he was not good. I am an amateur guitar player, and I consider George a very good guitar player. Once again, that band was a group of artist, that did not strive for speed or flash. They were creative. Ace

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

Huge Beatles fan. When people ask me what my favorite band is, I don't mention the Beatles because they're my honorary number one. Huge Ringo fan. He's simple but so clutch and talk about right place at the right time. This clip, though, really did nothing for me. Pretty rudimentary playing.

I googled "Ringo Starr isolated drum tracks" and found a bunch of them. I think the two clips below really highlight his creativity and swinging feel of his play....Tomorrow never knows, Come Together, Back in the USSR, Taxman, Birthday....many better examples, too....

Not to nitpick but Ringo didn't play on "Back in the USSR" or "Dear Prudence" on the White album. He was pissed off in Italy at the time. Paul played drums on those tracks. Also "Martha My Dear" was all Paul.

 

[David Hunter]

It was a rumor, early on, that Ringo could not play a roll, so for a long time the average Joe thought he was not good.

Not true. Ringo was considered the top drummer in both the Liverpool and Hamburg club scenes at the time - a seasoned pro making good money with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes before he was offered the slot with The Beatles.

 

[rhythmace]

Not true. Ringo was considered the top drummer in both the Liverpool and Hamburg club scenes at the time - a seasoned pro making good money with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes before he was offered the slot with The Beatles.

I was talking about here in the States. I didn't know about "the average Joe" in England. Though I suspect the fans loved Pete Best too. Ace

 

[Stickclick]

Here is the Lovely Rita recording, so you can hear the drums with the rest of the band.

I think for this song, for that time, Ringo created a good drum arrangement.

 

[DrummerJustLikeDad]

To the OP who finally understands Ringo, I get it.

Understanding Ringo CAN be difficult, especially when you don’t know all the vocabulary words.

Try this: “Atouk alunda Lana. Atouk zug zug Lana.”

 

[equipmentdork]

No but when you listen to the song the cymbals are difficult if not impossible to hear in some cases. So I question the accuracy of this "isolated drums" video as per everything. Bass drum sound, cymbal sounds etc. As I said, not sure the method used to isolate the drum parts. Until I am satisfied I call not true on any critique of the drums sound wise. This album was recorded with a 4 track recorder. How were the drums removed from the mix? If it was some type of EQ method then you're not hearing what the cymbals and drums actually sounded like during recording, anyways.

Lovely Rita was recorded on 2/23/67, according to "The Beatles Recording Sessions" book. Before they bounced it down, Ringo was on track three. That's my guess as to what we are listening to here, not an "isolation", which imo is so often misused in You Tube parlance. Listen to the opening few bars, which was either left out or is very soft in the mono and stereo mixes--no way to isolate that which is missing.


Dan

 

[Pounder]

Great video! Even though I think that Paul came up with the drum part on "Ticket To Ride" , Ringo actually played it. Ace

That’s something that John Lennon said, in an interview somewhere, Paul showed Ringo what to play on that tune.
If you’re going to be a great drummer you need to know how to play what your band mate/songwriters want to hear!

 

[JOE COOL]

there was ringo and the beatles... and then there was everybody else.
i only wish ringo chose gretsch... and im sure gretsch did as well.

 

[yetanotherdrummer]

I started drumming in 1966 and Ringo was a BIG influence on me. And so was Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker, Charlie Watts, etc.

If other people don't appreciate the drummers that influenced me, that's their problem, not mine.

 

[John DeChristopher]

There is so much I could say here. I'll try to be succinct.

* I really feel sorry for any musician -- let alone a drummer -- who can't grasp Ringo's towering genius behind the drums. That track oozes Ringo groove. Seriously. You can't hear that?

* He's got plenty of chops -- more than adequate for The Beatles. Sit down and play I Feel Fine up to tempo. Play the break coming out of the bridge of Tell Me Why -- up to tempo; snare and floor together, no flams! Geez, just try and cop that between-straight-and-swing feel that permeates everything he plays. Very few players can do that. Sit down and seamlessly play through all the time signature changes/dropped and added beats in She Said, Good Morning, and Happiness is a Warm Gun -- and make it groove while you're at it. There are dozens more examples.

* John or Paul come to you with a new song. You've got about an afternoon (less in the early days) to come up with a perfect, yet beautifully creative part for the song -- EVERY TIME! Bass and drums were almost always the first thing put down. No time to think it over, no time to woodshed, they're rolling tape NOW.

* Throughout The Beatles recording career, there were no click tracks. Yet producer George Martin often would cut up various takes and splice them together. The tempo's were always perfect. I couldn't do that now -- after playing for 50 some years. Ringo was nailing it every time at the age of 23-29.

* A careful listening of The Beatles reveals lots of little mistakes made by those other three guys (particularly in the early days). Not Ringo. I've only found one, and I'm not saying.

* Praise for Ringo is understandably nearly universal among professional drummers (I was in "the Biz" for 20 years, and had conversations about Ringo with lots of heavy cats).

I have no patience for Ringo naysayers. To them I say this: What would you change about Sir Richard's parts? Be specific.

Well said! I didn't get through all the comments, but I'll add that last week I did a Live FB chat and talked a lot about Charlie (it was the day after his amazing "air drumming" performance) and of course, Ringo.

And I challenged drummers to play "Help!". Sure, any drummer can play a half time shuffle, but I'm challenging the naysayers to make it swing and feel the way Ringo does. It vexes me every time.

This audio and video are out of sync, but you get Ringo's feel and vibe.

 

[rhythmace]

Johnny D, I can come pretty close. Notice how he gets the left hand up early for the back beat and it feels like he is pushing the beat with it and not lagging? Also the right hand is loose and has the swing beat motion with a lot of wrist and some lag. I love his singles in the intros. All fingers. Ace

 

[marc3k]

I started drumming in 1966 and Ringo was a BIG influence on me. And so was Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker, Charlie Watts, etc.

If other people don't appreciate the drummers that influenced me, that's their problem, not mine.

well said!

I really like Ringo's drumming with the beatles - and I especially like the way the drums sound in many recordings. I'm still blown away by his drumming in a day in the life. The drum sound is so great - the snare and the floor tom in these fills, wow

 

[Roadappledrummer]

While I love Ringo's playing, I think I prefer the early stuff mostly. At least from a playing point of view. Sure they got creative later on and released some of the most iconic albums of all time. I just think as a band, the four of them were the perfect compliments to each other. Ringo played exactly what was needed and (IMO) the Beatles would never have been as good with anyone else. It was the whole picture for me. Ringo has this great personality, charm and wit that jelled perfectly with the other guys. Do guitar players argue about George's guitar playing like this too? I love George and his songs are some of my favorite Beatle songs. He was certainly no Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton on the guitar but again he was exactly what the Beatles needed. It was an absolute blessing that he blossomed into such a great songwriter. If he had just played lead guitar would guitar players rag on him as much as some drummers rag on Ringo?

I don't think guitar players or any other musicians argue over the technical brilliance of other players like we drummers do. I've never heard another guitar player put down David Gilmour for playing so few notes in his solos....if anything they love the genius in how the notes were perfect even if there were not a lot of them..Drummers (myself included) tend to get fixated by speed, complexity and independence. Flash is everywhere on youtube and so many amazing players show off that it's easy to forget there's a place (in fact lots of places) for a groovy, great sounding drummer who stays in his lane and enhances a song. Ringo did that and became a God BECAUSE other musicians know that. Sometimes we drummers forget though....

 

[rhythmace]

You know, I don't get Vinnie. I don't feel the need to express it though. Wait..........I just DID! Ace

 

[RhythmGJ]

I’ll wade in carefully here. I appreciate chops guys, and I appreciate song guys. And I didn’t read the whole thread here, but two comments stuck out (one serious, and one tongue-in-cheek, I hope).

Someone said “you fellas must be trippin.’”
I beg to disagree. I will expound more shortly.

Someone else said (jokingly I believe, speaking of playing for the song) “maybe being good at drums is a waste of time.” My friends, I submit to you that playing for the song, and playing to the gig (whatever that is for you), IS being good at drums.

I have been a professional drummer and percussionist, a private and classroom teacher, and I also fronted a band for a decade and hired and worked with other drummers that entire time. I can tell you that from my POV, if you are not playing a fusion gig or doing a solo Terry Bozzio thing, you will get a lot more gigs playing the groove, playing with the bassist, and playing for the song than you ever will doing 64th-note sextuplet licks around the kit. It’s just true.

Ringo exemplified that. He may or may not have had more in his bag of tricks, but what he *did* bring, he brought in full. But fully in service to the songs.

When I think of other deceptively “simple” players who came up with perfect, elegant parts to songs, I often think of them as “The Ringo of _____.” One example is Alvin “Seeco” Patterson from Bob Marley & the Wailers. Nothing he played was *technically* difficult, but it was always musical and exactly what was needed.

Ringo taught me about swinging too, even on “straight ahead 8th note rock grooves.”
Watch him play those old songs; his hi-hat hand is dancing on those cymbals, and he makes even a simple groove *swing.* That is a competency in and of itself...

Long live Ringo.

GJ

 

[langmick]

I was also late to appreciating Ringo, Phil Rudd as well. Try playing along to Abbey Road. It will put a smile on your face. He has a groove as unique as Bonham or Charlie. It's round and you can feel how solid he was, the bass drum is right there, snare secure and confident. There are some tricky parts, perhaps cut and spliced I don't know. But he played with creativity and snuck some cool mess in there, he tied the parts together. The White Album also has some interesting, and tricky, grooves.

On 20 August, Lennon and Starr were working on overdubs for "Yer Blues" in Studio 3, and they visited McCartney in Studio 2 where he was working on "Mother Nature's Son". The positive spirit of the session disappeared immediately, and engineer Ken Scott later claimed that "you could cut the atmosphere with a knife".[43] Starr abruptly left the studio on 22 August during the session for "Back in the U.S.S.R.",[78] feeling that his role in the group was peripheral compared to the other members, and upset at McCartney's constant criticism of his drumming on the track.[79][80] Abbey Road staff later commented that Starr was usually the first to arrive at the studio and would sit waiting in the reception area for the others to turn up.[81] In his absence, McCartney played the drums on "Dear Prudence". For "Back in the U.S.S.R.", the three remaining Beatles each made contributions on bass and drums, and the drum part is a composite of Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison's playing.[81] Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison pleaded with Starr to reconsider. He duly returned on 5 September to find his drum kit decorated with flowers,[35] a welcome-back gesture from Harrison.[82]

Those fills, a short little tricky tune, a bit proggy.

Man those beats are humongous, love the fills and the little turnarounds.