Learn to playFreak On A Leashas made famous by Kornon drums
Learn Silveria's groove step by step: offbeat tension, open hi-hat funk, precise kicks and snares, melodic toms, and the explosive outro architecture.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Freak On A Leash. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Freak On A Leash
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Intro
Pick up on beat 4-a. Open the hi-hat at the end of each bar, and use a double stroke to play the 1/32 note syncopated snare ghost notes.
Verse
Pick up from the crash at the end of the intro. Play 1/4 notes on the pedal hi-hat, and return to the intro groove. Watch for the crashes.
Chorus
Use 2 hands on the ride to start the prechorus. Play the 1/32 notes as double strokes. Halfway through, move to the chorus, playing 1/8 notes on the pedal hi-hat.
Verse 2
Now combine a verse and chorus section, with variations.
Bridge
Move to open hi-hat and drop the kick for the bridge. Halfway through, match the kick with the guitar riff, and watch for the crashes.
Outro
Play a chorus section on the crash for the outro. Halfway through, add the tom melody from the pre-chorus, and watch for the tricky 1/32 note kicks.
Combine and play
Now combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Freak On A Leash
with Melodics
Behind the track
Freak On A Leash
by Korn
Released in 1998, 'Freak On A Leash' became Korn's highest-charting single and a defining moment for nu-metal as a genre. The song channels Jonathan Davis' real frustration with the music industry, and that tension lives in every part of the recording. When the original guitar breakdown got cut by a 4-1 band vote, Davis alone opposed it - and what he improvised in its place, that stream of wordless, guttural vocal sounds, became the moment experts would later describe as Davis 'giving voice to his inner basic feelings which are trying to resist being shaped or conditioned by utterances of others.' The band's gamble on keeping it paid off: the song won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2000.
Tips for learning Freak On A Leash on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of Freak On A Leash individually for precision mastery. With Melodics, you can slow the pace of the song and work up to full speed.
Tip 2: Review your performance
Identify growth areas: Listen to playback of your performance to learn where you need to develop your timing, technique & rhythm. Melodics provides instant feedback on your performance.
Tip 3: Practice makes perfect
Stay consistent: With regular, focused practice you'll see rapid progress when learning the song. Even a short session each day will make a huge difference.
- Get access to 100s of interactive lessons and popular songs
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FAQs
- Freak On A Leash is an advanced level song. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You will need advanced syncopation, good double strokes, and four way independence.
- 102 bpm
- 4/4
- E major
- New songs are released every week on Melodics! And we love to take requests - the best place for this is within our Discord community where you can also connect with other music learners around the world. Check out https://melodics.com/info/community.