Learn to playYou Know I'm No Goodas made famous by Amy Winehouseon drums
The drum beat in "You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse features a laid-back, retro groove with a strong, steady kick, crisp hi-hats, and syncopated snare patterns, creating a soulful vibe.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind You Know I'm No Good. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
You Know I'm No Good
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Intro
Lay down an 1/8 note hi-hat groove. Watch for the snare double in the first bar.
Verse
Keep the snare pattern consistent throughout the verse, only adding a variation in bar 2 on beat 3-&.
Pre-chorus
Continue for 4 bars of syncopated backbeat groove. Perform a drag onto beat 1 of bar 5, moving into a straight 4 motown style groove.
Chorus 2
Return to the syncopated 1/16 note snare groove for the chorus. Watch for the 2 bar phrase in bars 3 and 4.
Break
The bass drops out for a drum break with the horns. In bar 4, play the snare softly on the upbeats as a fill.
Verse 2
Rest for the first 3 bars of the verse, coming in on beat 4 of bar 4. Continue through to the pre-chorus, repeating the straight 4 motown pattern for the final 4 bars of this section, and ending on a fill.
Chorus 2
Continue the syncopated 1/16 note snare groove. There's a short break in bar 8 - come back in on beat 3-& with kick, snare, and hi-hat.
Combine and play
Now combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
You Know I'm No Good
with Melodics
Behind the track
You Know I'm No Good
by Amy Winehouse
"You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse blends elements of jazz, soul, and R&B, featuring a groove-driven bassline, subtle guitar riffs, and a retro-styled horn section that adds depth to the arrangement. The drum beat has a laid-back, almost hip-hop feel, grounding the track with a cool, steady rhythm.
Amy Winehouse's vocal performance is raw and emotive, characterized by her distinct, smoky voice. She delivers the lyrics with a mix of vulnerability and defiance, using her vocal phrasing to convey the song's narrative of regret and self-awareness. Her voice effortlessly glides through the melody, infusing each line with a sense of authenticity and soul.
Tips for learning You Know I'm No Good on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of You Know I'm No Good 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
- You Know I'm No Good features tricky syncopation patterns and a deep, pocketed groove. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You will need good understanding of syncopation, deft snare control, and a strong sense of rhythm to play You Know I'm No Good.
- You Know I'm No Good is 103 bpm.
- Check above for answer
- 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.