Todd Sucherman Hears "Rope" For The First Time
If Foo Fighters invited Styx's Todd Sucherman to take the drum throne (R.I.P. Taylor Hawkins), we think he'd be ready.
Even if he'd never heard the songs before.
In what's quickly become a Drumeo tradition, we dared Todd to learn a song he's never heard. In this video, he plays "Rope" from Foo Fighters' 2011 album Wasting Light after just one listen.
Todd usually learns songs by ear and gives them his undivided attention when listening.
It's tough even for the pros to learn in real-time. But you get to see it happen!
Watch Todd learn a song on the fly. How do you think he did?
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:17 - Lesson Overview
00:01:45 - Active Listening
00:04:18 - Performance
00:08:44 - Song Analysis
00:09:26 - Todd's Process
00:10:34 - Outro
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►Website: toddsucherman.com/
►Instagram: / toddsucherman
►Facebook: / toddsuchermanmusic
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#foofighters #toddsucherman #drumeo
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So you guys already did a feature on him but I would LOVE to see you get THE MASTER Bernard Purdie on a modern track and watch him make it funky! Nothing crazy like Slipknot but something where he could change the vibe...Maybe "Outshined" by Soundgarden?
Todd you are a True Master! Your work is Amazing!
@@ObsidianLife a
Great video! Do Do What You Like please:) Preferably from Baker's Airforce, the Blind Faith version is cool as well and even better would be anything he did live.. with Cream or Graham Bond and all that good stuff.. literally anything 😅 There he also would have COMPLETE creative freedom to Do whatever he likes 🤟👹❤
What is the Drumeo for Guitar? Same quality
I think it’s possible that I’ve been under appreciating drummers for my whole life.
I feel like I can speak for all drummers, we appreciate this.
Not a Rush fan?
Hardest instrument to learn , I’ve been drumming 25 years and still learning
The traditional grip REALLY caught me by surprise. The power he can get with it is unreal. What a fantastic performance
It caught me so off balance how easily he moved it around. I honestly thought it would be extremely cumbersome and sluggish playing on a kit that big. Goes to show that I'm not a drummer, though xD
Have either of you ever watched any drummers before?
@@sjmclean0 no, I usually drool over the bassist. So hot. Jokes aside, I have, and I've seen drummers play with that grip before, but never with the dexterity or speed he plays with. Mind you, I'm not a MASSIVE drum-afficionato, so I've probably missed a lot.
@@SquareVikingtodd has a lot of live stuff posted....my favorite drummer.....so much power ....
i was drawn to it as well. I can't believe the power he gets @@SquareViking
Wow, he laid down that ride pattern during the chorus so perfectly
Taylor Hawkins and Todd Sucherman are both huge Neil Peart fans, and that's one of his signature little grooves. Pretty neat!
@@CluntWestrockwhat's the ride pattern called?
@@bad_azz_punk"The Spirit of the Radio" ride pattern
Yep, the way he just nailed that ride part straight away i was like wtf?
Oh yeah, how i LOVE that ride pattern. In every music that has a good ride, i will be in love. It's just runs so good with the rest of the instruments and the vocals.
I’m very rarely blown away. I’ve never seen this guy. Don’t know him. The second he started playing I was tuned in focused on him. Professional is an understatement. God level player 👏
Styx’s drummer, since 1995.
I love seeing pros learn, struggle and laugh thru tracks they're playing for the first time. It makes them so much more relatable than when seeing them tear thru songs and chops they've practiced and recorded millions of times. Much love!
Totally agree
i was thinking the same, really love this type of videos and Todd is one of my favourite, he is really a funny guy and an amazing drummer, he is the one who throws sticks at the guitarist at gigs 😂
He was having more fun, than he was trying to be serious about learning it.
Fucking right, i thought everyone liatening the first time a song was gonna nail it... He nails it anyway but in a more 'human' way, and I relate it too. Great video
Wouldn't call it struggling lol
Really cool of him to instantly say "No" when they asked if he'd like to do it again. No ego whatsoever.
Also, because it's more work!
Lesson for me is to be part of the band is important (im just use mobile phone cheat sheet recently... Time to quit it)
@@john_uthaibass that’s bad and your a bad person 🧐 (Jk ) 🤣 - wish to hell there was that tech when I was a young drummer. ( 80s-90s )
that’s great but i know for me at least it really helped to be able to hear the different drums and it’s easier to hear it than guitar idk but i’d highly recommend developing the skill of being able to hear it then play it @@john_uthaibass
@@beethovensouphow did you guys understand what the comment you replied to was trying to say I’m so confused it wasn’t even a sentence😂
Rope is one of the best Foo fighters songs, and one of Taylors best performances. RIP, a hero to every drummer of my generation ♥
Yes 😁
Agree
Never got into the Foo Fighters (more than just the hits) but after seeing this I downloaded the album this song is from and really enjoyed it!
So underrated man.
They don't have any good songs.
Todd is a force of nature. That first take was 95% album ready. Dynamic consistency was out of this world!
They skipped a few bits, probably mistakes, but yeah. It was impressive.
This shows one of the most important things about dealing with the unknown as a drummer: KEEP PLAYING.
So true. Play through the mistake and get back to the beat
actually, in Brazilian Portuguese, we say "segue o fluxo/segue o baile", meaning "follow the flux/follow the ball", both means exactly what you said: just keep going. that's what he did: he just went with the flow. AND that was amazing.
People will forget a missed fill...they won't forget when the drummer dropped out for two bars and the whole band turned around to stare at him LOL
@@josiasroig8622just so you know, if you’re agreeing with someone or adding to something that they said you normally don’t start with “actually”. That strongly implies you’re going to be correcting them or in disagreement.
@@kamikazemelon787 I played in a band with a drummer who would just drop out for several bars at a time when he lost the rhythm he was meant to be leading... as a bassist it was infuriating.
Todd plays with undeniable authority. He sounds like he belongs even while making mistakes. Zero hesitation, every hit like he means it. So many lessons here being unsaid :)
It is incredible to see a top notch drummer navigate through a difficult situation and see how he handles mistakes and manages to play through them while keeping the beat going as if it was nothing. We can rewatch stuff like this over and over and there's always something new to learn!
well said.
Indeed, immediately played with the right intensity!
Perfectly captured.
I was going to write a comment but you nailed it for me! Man, Todd is a master and I applaud him and Taylor for creating that Awesome beat !! I like that tune!! Never heard it til now. Very cool 👍😎
The humbleness I see from these musicians on Drumeo is astounding. Like a scientist at a convention saying to an audience; ‘I’m sure there’s tens of people in the audience who is more knowledgeable on these subject’, they’re downplaying their expert skill out of respect for the original drummer. Then they proceed to kill it.
This guy is incredible and I have never heard of him. Talk about a professional! Humble, skilled, low key. Drummer's drummer.
He is the drummer for Styx, a studio drummer, and my favorite musical drummer with Neil gone. Check out his drum cam videos playing with them, they're great.
I put Todd through the ringer on this one and he CRUSHED it. You’re the man, Todd!❤
Thanks, Brandon! I didn't want to do it but it was FUN!
@@toddsucherman We are glad you did! Nice lesson.
kzhead.info/sun/rKlupLmnfYmwno0/bejne.html Make someone play this :D
@@toddsucherman dude! Killer!!!!!!
@@toddsucherman respect from Liverpool England Todd...it's a great effort... your groove is off the hook
Todd is such a class act. I did concert catering for years, and approached him in the catering line to chat about one of the instructional videos he had made where he's playing a sick custom set outside next to a river. He ended up having lunch with me and talking life, drums, and touring for about 2 hours. Turned out I had sold him a cymbal some years prior when I worked at the Clearwater Sam Ash. Small world, and no surprise he absolutely nails it.
That's really dope, thanks for posting
Nailed that 1st take WITH the traditional drum grip!!! Got to RESPECT the LEGENDS!!! 🔥🔥🔥
Epic. He killed it for the first take. You could tell he would nail it if he played it a few times. Powerful style. RIP Taylor
Super impressed with this dude! This ain't an easy song to learn in one listen. Todd's a super sympathetic guy man. Also dig the traditional grip
Traditional grip for the win bro
One the best left hands in the business
Sympathetic :-) :-) :-)
Ironically he had no problem with the hardest part of the song. : ) Yes, Todd is one of the greats, hands down.
Basic 4/4 rock beat with basic fills, piece of cake for him
I love how he systematically take the cues from the bass fills. And that ride thing he adds on the chorus is beautiful. Also, when he misses, he gets back so quick. That's impressive.
The ride pattern in the chorus is in the original song
@@alexzalesny2414 Oh, I guess I have to listen to it again, then. Thanks for the info.
The ride pattern is an homage to Niel Peart, drummer of Rush, it was one of his signature patterns, Taylor said he was honouring Peart with it, and Todd here also recognised it.
@@alexzalesny2414: Taylor head openly admitted in interviews that the ride pattern was a tribute to Neil Peart.
@@inkjorbas pretty sure he split his royalties for the song with Neil too
He's such an amazing rhythm keeper. Instead of playing unsure, he just pauses and comes right in on 1, playing a 100%. What a an amazing drummer to play with!
I haven't seen many people play drum set with a traditional grip. Also, it's insane he did that after one listen.
I met Todd at DFW airport in Dallas a few years ago while he was eating lunch at Shake Shack, and he stopped his meal to talk to me and say hi. Dude is not only an incredible musician and drummer, but also a great dude. I will always be a fan and supporter of his and he totally killed this song after one listen! Love this dude!
C'mon man, I'm eating! 😂 Thanks, Kyle! Cheers-
He certainly is. Greg Bissionete is another great drummer and a super nice guy.
I wish content like this had been around when I was trying to learn to play. Seeing the fumbling, the mistakes and even the entire learning process that each of these looked up to and admired professional musicians go through in their own individual way would have gone a mega long way in keeping me in the game and motivated. What a great take on a killer song.
You got me with the meepo avatar
@@AlmirSevero1 Meepo’s got six hands, hell of a drummer i bet.
Aww. I hope you go back to playing drums. In my opinion, it's not a competition and comparing yourself to literal professionals is not the best way to start any new venture. Get back to it!!
@@moozoo82 Well 10 hands if maxed out
@@metallsnubben and that’s how you know i stopped trying to learn dota and started learning drums. :)
imagine how fast it is to put together a show with such a talented musician. No tensions. No insecurity and then only the fun remains
Within the first 20 seconds of Todd's rendition, I stopped watching & just started reading the comments, letting the music play in the background. He nailed it so well, it felt like I was just listening to the song while wanting to see what other viewers thought of his excellent performance. It was so good, I literally forgot I was watching a dude play this live on his first attempt.
Neil Peart was such a huge influence on sooooo many drummers including Taylor Hawkins. RIP to both of you!!
The drum section in the chorus is straight out of The Spirit of Radio. Beautiful implementation by Taylor.
I was thinking the same :)
Thanks dude Edit: i am Neil peart
@@TeeTeeRB can’t forget YYZ!
@@Ludzig Then you're dead.
I love that he called out that Neil Peart beat, such an iconic groove
I have to show my love for Drumeo for these videos! I am not a drummer but man do I love watching professional musicians share their journey with us in real time! Humans are awesome man, just too awesome!
right!!!
Agree
Same! It's mesmerizing to watch each drummer go through their own process and nail it or create surprising beats. Love this content!
are you an alien?....u said you humans...?
@@billkenny5938 Have you seen how humans have been acting? Aliens is a good description at this point in time. :)
This "first time" series is the best thing Drumeo could've ever done... It's amazing to watch how the great masters work and think, and it's great to see how very different they are from each other. There's like a thousand different ways of being a good drummer, you just gotta find your own.
Todd is a legend. Out of all the drummers I've heard and watched, Todd's playing makes me smile the most. The joy of music just shines through. That's a great thing to give to people.
He and Gavin Harrison give me hope for a drumming future long after I’m gone.
Nicely said.
Didn’t or doesn’t he play with Styx?
@@RobertSmith-lw2bx: He still does. Gotta be 30 years already.
Agreed
I’ve been practicing this song for 2 years and Todd played it better than me on his first go 😬😭
Yeah, tell me about it... man, sometimes I think I will never get there.... lol
It's a very tricky song. Don't be intimidated, Todd is a skilled and very talented *professional* . Good luck with the song!
Bear in mind, he's practiced playing (similar and otherwise) songs in general for decades, he already has most of the puzzle pieces and just needs to put it together Like it's a lot harder to learn a language when every single word is new to you, but as you get fluent you can hear one new word in a sentence and you already know a lot just from the context of knowing the rest
This song is so hard it’s not even funny
Pro’s are pro for a reason
He actually played very close to the original part! And he sounds soooo good
There are very few drummers in the world that I enjoy watching as I do watching Mr. Sucherman
Listens to it once and nails a full take with the loudest traditional grip snare hits I've ever seen on a kit. Dude is a legend. "Do you want to try another take?" "No."
stewart copeland-esque with the grip, power, and energy
Any fans who haven't watched Todd play in his element, PLEASE DO. hes an absolute beast. His live drumming is the tip top notch. He's incredible.
I can tell just from the way he played this. Cool style
I used to work at the Memphis Drum Shop. Todd has been in for clinics and is such an incredible musician. Not to mention his drumming videos on loop for days at a time in the shop.
He has not been elected best rock drummer several times for no reason 😁
1000% what @theshapeexists said. He's one of my favorite drummers for a while now. Again, I agree... he's an absolute beast.
Styx has played live with him and he gives their music so much more body and grit and soul. Such an elevating player.
This series is so great. Really shows how much a drummer adds to a song and how different drummers really make a difference to a song.
Out of all the "fast as possible" series, this would be my fave. Seeing Todd be okay with "warts" and just playing through the song as quick as possible make things more natural and "realistic". We dont always have the luxury of time to learn heaps of material
Seriously impressive! All of T's drumming on Wasting Light is masterful. I think it's his finest work with FF's. For Todd to walk in and play it so damn well on the first go around is amazing to watch. I'm always blown away by watching pro musicians do their thing.
Wasting Light is my favorite Foo album I think, mainly because of the drumming haha.
There's something different about this album, it's magic, I dunno how to describe it. I'm a huge foo fighters fan and the songs in this particular album are the ones I always end up playing on my guitar or bass over the tracks. Can't get enough of wasting light.
@@innerarts4091 That's the power of analog recording, plus Taylor totally killed it the whole album
“Do you want to do one more take from the top?” “Nope!” Classic Todd right there. Thanks Todd for this, you are a long time fave.
Nope, that's it,.... I'm good. He nailed that song,... and his few mistakes,... no big deal he got right back on track in a couple counts. And mistakes because of tricky phrases or transitions he would nail to the wall by the 3rd take.
BOSS move
@@zephead2002 I'm not sure. He would probably need to go back to more listening. He played the song, and when he made a "mistake", he just moved on. No need to dwell on mistakes, just play music in the moment.
Did you expect anything less? Todd Sucherman is a living legend.
He had a swing and a snap to his playing that definitely reminded me of Taylor’s style. Awesome.
Love this song and love the Peart tribute in the chorus and the Roger Taylor roto-Tom cowbell phrase during the brief back and forth solo. Taylor had a real affinity and open love for his heroes and here he demonstrated that. A true life, legend who at his core was the ultimate fanboy who made it big.
Never heard this song before and immediately noticed the Peart ride pattern. Pretty sick actually.
Nice catch on the Peart ride pattern. Rip to legends
Right? I think we've all taken bits and pieces of Neil's playing thought the years, such a huge influence for so many drummers. ❤❤❤
I love that you caught the not-so-subtle nod to Neil Peart in the chorus with the ride cymbal work. That was a signature of his, and he said in a couple interviews that he really dug that Taylor threw that in there. As a huge Rush fan, that just made me like the Foos even more.
Spirit of the Radio!
@@christophertheiss8877 You mean "The Spirit of Radio".
LOL! How embarrassing! I would have noticed that about 3 beers ago. I'm now going to listen to my favorite Rush album, 1221.
@@christophertheiss8877 hahahha
Taylor Hawkins is by far my favorite drummer of all time. Such a tough act to follow but this guy absolutely nailed this song! 👏
5:31 - TOTALLY Sick that he caught that Hi-Hat opening effect that Taylor does after hearing it a couple seconds prior, but then adds it without skipping a fucking beat! If you know the original track, it's crazy he caught it that fast.
Todd is a master!
You know I thought that same thing, I love that part in the song and it goes with the bass slide. I was surprised he picked up something that intricate when I’d just be going for format and basic feel. Blown away
@@tyz16 totally!
Todd's initial pauses over Taylor's drum fills gives the song a new edge that I'm digging. Hearing that guitar lick without the drum part actually gives the next verse a bigger drop. I love it.
3 months later and I'm back to this after a Foo binge. Upon a second listen, I can hear Todd give the more subtler moments of the song his own spin. Fun fact, this video got me hooked on to Styx.
Mr. Sucherman has one of the most comfortable drum setups in the drumworld. From the very amateur to the most professional level drummer , if anyone have a sit in Todd's drum throne i believe that his drumming flows arround like mountain water paths .
4:54 my gosh the feeling of the track with the extra drums 🤦♂️ man so inspiring can feel the love and admiration for music in the room in that moment
It's like he said: the "strange" parts (as in never heard or played parts for each drummer) are the hardest because we tend to take time to internalize those details on the surface before we dive in too deep in the process of learning a song. If we're supposed to learn it and play it exactly like it was recorded, then it demands more attention and repetition. Apart from the obvious slips, which are understandably part of getting acquainted with the song structure, he absolutely nailed everything else: power, groove and time, as usual. Todd is a legend.
Even his mistakes are masterful. He doesn’t stop and start all over. He stays with it and keeps going. He’s always in time with the tempo. He also brings his own creativity and style to the track which is fun to listen to. Would love to meet this guy someday and pick his brain. Great job Todd!
man... those may be some of the best toms i have ever heard.
Todd is the best rock drummer out there. He’s phenomenal. Incredible precision AND power.
Just...incredible. If you're in the fortunate position of just getting to know Todd's playing, you're in for a treat. He's one of the all-time modern greats, a total master.
Why do I feel like this guy still doesn't get talked about enough? Ever since I heard Styx live album from 96 I believe I was absolutely blown away by his playing. He was the only one besides Neil that I couldn't get enough of. I didn't know someone could play so fast, precise and hard all at the same time.
Todd and Chad Smith both have a similar energy/intensity to their grooves. They really make you feel the music
Been watching this series and i am kind of blown away how a lot of these pros haven't heard some of these classic bangers. What is great is that we can now see their renditions of these bangers.
This is why I've always been amazed and intrigued by drummers. Their brains work in an exquisite way and it's so fun to watch it.
Supernatural level pattern recognition
Nailing the chorus on the first time round put a huge smile on my face!
I never am not a musician, so I will never understand the apologies ahead of these performances. The joy in watching is seeing these talented individuals create and play based on their own interpretation, it doesn't matter one bit if they are "accurate".
The section with the ride gallop thing gave me chills. Excellent job!!!
Todd is one of the few drummers I follow on social media so I see his drumming all the time. In everything I see from him, his quality of sound and pocket are fantastic. He did a great job of preserving both of those while going through this exercise. He should be commended for making an attempt on one listen. He is a brave man! Just added this song to my Spotify! Thanks for the introduction to this song.
The entire album which the song is from - "Wasting Light" is a masterpiece. Check it out :)
This had me grinning the moment Todd started counting in. Thanks Drumeo for the amazing content as always!
Yeah I had the same. For who is he counting?
@@harmvzon Himself! Counting how many bars until he's supposed to come in.
As a bassplayer I love the drive of this drummer. Perfect to lay a huge groove down. He has drive AND weight, which is rare.
Great Job, Todd. Taylor would‘ve loved this
I haven't heard Todd play before but this was amazing, such great feel and really did the song justice!
You should check out his Tears of Joy video...
check his shows with Styx, he've been their drummer since around 1996. Really an awesome drummer
check out his first drumeo drum solo. Its my favourite solo ive heard. The one on the matte black kit. Its amazing.
Check this one out from Todd, unreal: kzhead.info/sun/o7R9cdOqkIqEm2w/bejne.html
Todd has such a great presence on the kit, great drum tone. He got to a great standard on this song with one listen too, getting basically all the mechanics and feel, great ear. I'm sure if he played through two more times after a few listens it would be basically spot on
Todd fits in this song perfectly, even with a few apparent mistakes (to him) he just nails it. 👍🙏
What a tough song for someone to drum along to. But he NAILED it!
I'd like to see Todd do more heavy rock songs like this. He sounds great for it.
Grew up with Todd. Great memory of him playing a Rush tunes in the grade school auditorium note for note. Incredible talent!
Even though he’s playing approximately the same beat, it gives a whole new awesome sound to the song. Incredible
His ability to STOP, mid air, was amazing to me. I've seen him many many times in concert.
Man, watching this confirms these legendary drummers are human lol. Todd is the man, a total beast!
So sick, the pure joy when he hits the pocket with Taylor.....AMAZING!
That was amazing. Mostly his recovery... I can see him planning on going to half time but it's still straight time and his ability to listen and adjust is remarkable. Thats one thing I've worked on... Playing off the rails and listening to where a song is going by listening to the other musicians. Basically just playing songs on the fly that you've never heard before. Todd gives us a clinic... What a pro... So amazing ❤
He killed it... And more importantly he was having fun doing it🔥🔥🔥🔥
"I should know this song, there's a lesson..." There is always something to learn, great way to put it Todd!
I love this video because you can literally see him thinking really hard and the gears turning, listening and learning more through each verse/chorus etc. as opposed to a drummer playing a song from memory for the 600th time.
It’s amazing to see these distinguished drummers turn to performance mode and get zoned in every time!
I absolutely love what he did with the chorus, like it more than the original
So much power I love it.
This guy's dynamics and technique are flawless. Pretty great interpretation - beautiful kit!
Sucherman is drumLord So exciting!!! His hits on snare like gunshots 😮😮😮
Damn, this guy plays the drums like anyone who wishes they could play them would like to do so. I mean he fucking PLAYS those things.
I discovered Todd in the pandemic and he become one of my favourite drummers. he is amazing
I've watched this video twice and it's bright tears to my eyes both time. He did an amazing job capturing Taylor's spirit when playing the song. This is one of if not my favorite Foo Fighters song and even with his missteps he absolutely nailed it. Man how I miss Taylor. Great job sir! 🤘🏿🤘🏿
Same man
OH MAN HE SMOKED IT!!!! these are quickly becoming my favorite videos
Dude. He says nah I don't need no practice, let's go. So few mistakes on his first take, and played that with confidence. Killer performance.
So great a pro like Todd recognizing the influence from the Almighty PROFESSOR !!!!
Todd is a top notched musician (i know him from the modern drummer performance in 2008). When he sincerely says in the outro "I should know the song" shows all his humility and humanity
Todd's technique and overall feel is so, so effing good. What a beast.
I didn't know (don't know) Todd, but after watching this phenomenal performance i will research. As someone else said, he sounds in the right place even when to his ears he is wrong, almost like he foresees the mistakes and corrects on the fly. Amazing
I absolutely LOVE Todd! Watch him playing with STYX. His technique and feel are top notch in the industry.
He’s one of my favorite drummers, he’s a workhorse, like a metronome…just solid
This guy did fantastic! He sounds perfect.
What a phenomenal talent he is
Could not help but cheer Todd on as he was nailing it….. beautiful and clean sound- so much intent right there:) As an ex-drummer, I am loving this series xxxxx
Its truly astonishing how quickly he learned this song 🤯
Why do you make it look so easy?!! You're the best Todd!! Rest in peace Taylor 😪
Dang, bro. Just ran into this vid. Todd is an amazing drummer and we all knew this, but the way he instantly grasped the song… like holy cow. He killed that. I could watch him play all day.