Learn to playSmoke On The Wateras made famous by Deep Purpleon drums
The drum beat for "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple is steady and driving, featuring a simple rock groove with a snare on beats 2 and 4, supporting the iconic riff.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Smoke on the Water. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Smoke On The Water
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Intro
Begin with 1/16 notes on the hi-hat, bringing in the snare, then the kick. Fill on the snare leading into the verse.
Verse
Move to an 1/8 note groove on the hi-hat. Watch for the fills in bars 8 and 16. Use a six stroke roll (RLLRRL) to play the last fill.
Chorus
Play the 8 bar chorus on the open hi-hat. Note the shift to half time in the second half. Return to the two-handed hi-hat groove to lead into the solo.
Guitar solo
Play 1/16 notes on the snare for the solo, watching for the kick variations and fills. Build up with 1/16 note triplets played with alternating hands into the outro.
Outro
Return to the open hi-hat groove with intricate fills for 4 bars, before returning to the two-handed hi-hat groove to ride out. Finish with a syncopated fill.
Combine and play
Now combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Smoke On The Water
with Melodics
Behind the track
Smoke On The Water
by Deep Purple
The musical composition of "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple is a hard rock masterpiece, centered around one of the most recognizable riffs in rock history. Built on a bluesy four-note power chord progression, the riff anchors the song with a raw, driving energy. The rhythm section lays down a steady, solid groove, while Jon Lord’s Hammond organ adds texture and richness. The song's arrangement is straightforward yet powerful, emphasizing clarity and impact.
Ian Gillan’s vocal performance is commanding and emotive, delivering the storytelling lyrics with a mix of grit and melodic control. His phrasing captures both the rebellious tone and the drama of the narrative, complementing the song's rock-driven intensity.
Tips for learning Smoke On The Water on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of 'Smoke On The Water' 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
- Smoke On The Water is an advanced difficulty song. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You need command of double stroke rolls, fast single strokes, and a solid command of groove and timekeeping.
- 112 bpm
- 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.