Learn to playSoberas made famous by Toolon drums
The drum beat in "Sober" by Tool is intricate and powerful, featuring complex rhythms, dynamic fills, syncopated patterns, and precise timing, creating an intense and immersive groove.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind "Sober". We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Sober
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Intro
Open with a fill in the 4th bar, utilizing back to back six-stroke rolls - use the sticking R - L - L - R - R - L, with the first coming off the hi tom, and the second off the snare with the right hand doubles landing on the hi tom. Be sure to make use of Practice Mode here to slow it down.
Launch into the verse groove, opening the hi-hat on the '-&' beats.
Verse
Continue the verse groove here, watching for the crashes. The kick pattern changes in the last bar as you move into the chorus.
Chorus 1
Move to the open hi-hat for the first part of the chorus. Watch for the two tricky 1/32 note kick flourishes here, and use the left then right hands to play the crash leading to the ride section.
This step finishes with the first half of the bridge - use two hands to play the 1/32 notes on the hi-hat.
Chorus 2
Coming out of the bridge, build up on the toms and kick, before another tricky fill - play a single stroke 4 between the toms, followed by fast kicks and ending on the snare. Again, make sure to utilize Practice Mode to get the fill smooth and consistent. Move back into the chorus groove with some kick and crash variations.
Outro
Move to a displaced snare groove for the first part of the outro, before returning to the verse groove. Finish on the guitar riff hits using kick, crash, and snare.
Combine and play
Now combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Sober
with Melodics
Behind the track
Sober
by Tool
"Sober" by Tool features a dark, intense musical composition with a heavy, driving bassline and intricate, polyrhythmic drumming. The guitar work is characterized by its use of drop D tuning, delivering powerful, dissonant riffs and atmospheric textures. The song's structure is dynamic, shifting between quiet, brooding verses and explosive, aggressive choruses, creating a sense of tension and release.
Maynard James Keenan's vocal performance is raw and emotive, with a haunting, almost ethereal quality in the verses that escalates to a powerful, anguished intensity in the choruses. His delivery conveys deep emotional pain and introspection, perfectly complementing the song's dark and complex musical landscape.
Tips for learning Sober on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of 'Sober' 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
- Playing 'Sober' by Tool on drums is generally not considered easy due to several factors. While not suitable for beginners, intermediate to advanced drummers who are comfortable with complex rhythms and dynamic playing will find it a rewarding challenge. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- To play "Sober" by Tool on drums, you'll need to master a range of advanced skills: - Time Signatures: Understand and comfortably play in unconventional time signatures, particularly 6/8 and variations that may occur in the song. - Polyrhythms: Develop the ability to play polyrhythms, as Danny Carey's drumming often involves layering different rhythms simultaneously. - Syncopation: Execute syncopated rhythms accurately, which are prevalent throughout the song. - Dynamic Control: Control dynamics effectively, transitioning smoothly between the song's quieter, brooding sections and its more explosive, intense parts. - Intricate Fills: Perform complex and dynamic drum fills with precision, as they are a key feature of Carey's style in "Sober." -Double Bass Pedal: Utilize a double bass pedal for some of the more intricate and faster bass drum patterns. - Ghost Notes: Incorporate ghost notes to add subtlety and texture to your playing. -Stamina and Endurance: Maintain physical stamina and endurance to handle the song's intensity and length. - Focus and Consistency: Stay focused and consistent, especially during the song's shifting tempos and intricate patterns. Mastering these skills will help you effectively tackle the challenging drumming in "Sober" by Tool.
- 75 bpm
- 4 / 4
- D 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.