Learn to playLast Resortas made famous by Papa Roachon drums
The drum beat in "Last Resort" features a driving 4/4 punk-rock groove with steady eighth-note snare backbeats, and powerful kick-snare accents in the chorus. The fills are tight and explosive, emphasizing the song's raw intensity
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Last Resort. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Last Resort
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Intro
Start with double stops between toms and snare, mimicking the guitar riff. Continue that rhythm over to the open hi-hat groove.
Verse
Continue mimicking the guitar riff with the kick in the verse. At the end of this section, play fast double stops on the toms to lead into the chorus.
Chorus
Play snare on all 1/4 notes to start the chorus. After 4 bars, move to the hi-hat.
Verse 2
After the chorus, play a syncopated kick rhythm with crashes. Return to the intro groove on the toms, playing 1/8 notes on the pedal hi-hat.
Chorus 2
Return to the chorus groove on the ride, playing the 1/4 note snare pattern all the way through.
Outro
Ride the crash for the first 4 bars of the outro. Move to the open hi-hat, and play fills every 2 bars to bring the song to its climax. Finish on crashes with the guitar hits.
Combine and play
Combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Last Resort
with Melodics
Behind the track
Last Resort
by Papa Roach
"Last Resort" by Papa Roach combines aggressive nu-metal and punk-rock elements into a high-energy anthem. The music is built around a heavy, palm-muted guitar riff in E minor, with a driving 4/4 drum beat that keeps the intensity relentless. The song alternates between tense verses with syncopated rhythms and explosive choruses with open power chords (Em-C-G-D), creating a dynamic push-and-pull. The bridge features a chaotic breakdown with dissonant guitar squeals, adding to the song's raw, angsty vibe.
Jacoby Shaddix's vocal performance perfectly matches the music's intensity, blending rap-like verses with melodic yet strained choruses. His delivery ranges from rhythmic, percussive singing to full-throated screams, particularly in the cathartic bridge ("This is my last resort!"). The raw emotion in his voice—part anger, part desperation—makes the lyrics about mental struggle feel visceral and authentic. This combination of simple but powerful music and unfiltered vocal emotion helped make the song a defining hit of the 2000s rock scene.
Tips for learning Last Resort on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of Last Resort 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.
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FAQs
- Last Resort is an advanced difficulty song. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You will need command of syncopation, hi-hat pedal control, and ability to play fast fills.
- 91 bpm
- 4/4
- 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.