12 Of The Hardest Songs To Play On Drums (With Videos) (2023)

It's great to hear drums in songs that have a combination of flavor and great complexity. Being able to play them is even better. Learning to play difficult songs on the drums will increase your skills while having a lot of fun.

This article examines some of the songs in different genres that are considered difficult to play and hard to single out. However, if you try hard enough, you will eventually be able to play them with relative ease.

Use: This article is NOT intended to be the definitive guide to the most difficult songs to play on the drums. Of course there are MANY other songs that are difficult to play on drums. Music difficulty is also very subjective for each musical instrument.

1. The Dance of Eternity - Theater of Dreams

A true marvel of sound in the progressive metal genre is "The Dance of Eternity" by Dream Theater. The tricky part of the song is using multiple bars by Mike Portnoy and co. Don't get bogged down in 4/4 time signatures.

The track features many complex time signatures, making it a daunting task for many drummers. Well, "The Dance of Eternity" isn't made up of massive, fast beats and fills. But the complexity of the song is hidden in the many bars and fluid movement throughout the change without noticeable repetition.

2. A Villa Strangiato - Rush

The quintessential rock song "La Villa Strangiato" by Rush is the perfect child of the extraordinary brilliance of the guitar, bass and drums. The bass and guitar riff, followed by an onslaught of powerful percussion under the skillful leadership of Neil Peart, is a true milestone in rock history.

The track is a spiraling journey of several odd meters, speed, drop and impressive rhythms. The precision and meticulous controls as well as the technical details make music a serious challenge. "La Villa Strangiato" is the epitome of Rush's instrumental prowess.

3. Moby Dick-Led Zeppelin

"Moby Dick" is the ultimate track that assaults and indulges your ears as it takes you through the emotions of disgust and joy.

Learning to play this song can make you feel frustrated and want to pull your hair out. But what's a challenge if it doesn't take you out of your comfort zone? Zeppelin's "Moby Dick" only features the band members at the beginning and near the end, while the rest of the song is the drummer.Juan BonhamThe divine performance of.

The solo percussion part is a 15 minute spectacle of precise drumming and intricate rhythm patterns at an astounding speed. Bonham's brilliant, almost surreal hand and footwork on this solo should be a staple for aspiring drummers.

The energy and passion this hard rock track exudes, combined with Bonham's brilliant craftsmanship, including his two and a half minute hand percussion, create some of the song's best moments.

4. Ticks and leeches - tool

Simply put, Tools star drummer Danny Carrey's drum section on “Ticks and Leeches” is a technical extravaganza and extremely challenging.

The music is mostly in 7/4 time with high speed in 16th notes, making it somewhat of a learning curve for aspiring drummers. The drum sections start slow and build at lightning speed, with polyrhythms and syncopated patterns between hands and feet.

This requires stamina and skills to reap the benefitspolyrhythmic patternsand gently tap odd meters.

5. Bleeding - Meshuggah

Swedish band Meshuggah's progressive metal offering is the song "Bleed," which treats listeners to a mind-bending drum pattern. Although the music is played in 4/4 time, the speed of Tom Haake's double bass is a completely euphoric experience.

The intricate polyrhythms, extremely demanding footwork and perseverance needed to pull off this ultimate sonic insanity are every drummer's dream. Tom Haake is a monster on the drums on this track due to his extreme limb control and fast drumming speed.

6. Goliath - Mars returns

Extremely loud and hard hitting, Mars Volta's genre rock track "Goliath" is a hard hitting version. The song features heavy, loud, and almost violent drum patterns.double bassRhythms that will have you reeling from the aftermath.

With dizzying sounds and multiple rhythms filled with compound and varied bars, the track is undoubtedly a learning experience.

7. Sedation Deprivation - Nerve

Whether it's the technical grooves, the fills, the breakneck speed, the intense polyrhythms, the epic dynamic controls, or the broken beats, this song has all the elements that make each track challenging and difficult to play or practice. “Sedation Deprivation” is a track that at first seems easy to play given its effortless flow.

However, the track is a mixture of intricately composed elements that make it extremely difficult to master. It's a masterfully mesmerizing and mesmerizing track, with bass and snare shimmering with exuberance without assaulting your ears but with just enough subtle kick to shake your senses.

8. Rape - Flesh God of the Apocalypse

A perfect ode to death.Metal-GenreWith classic symphonic influences, "The Violation" is a serious headbanger. The track offers a powerful drum performance without engulfing the essence of the guitars and symphony under its thunderous sensory assault.

Blasting your senses with his double bass and relentless rhythms, drummer Franco Paoli's epic drum sequence is mesmerizing as he knows exactly when to hold his drums and when to let go. The double bass, orchestra elements etcexplosive Beatsat super speed make this track extremely difficult.

9. A Night in Tunis - Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers

Pioneering the hard bop style in the jazz genre, Art Blakey's track "A Night in Tunisia" has one of the most sophisticated and complex drum sections.

The quintessential track features a brilliantly constructed drum solo that effortlessly swings and flows through the track with great precision and control. Art Blakey's controlled but exuberant and youthful drumming is the essence of jazz music.

10. Sing, sing, sing – Gene Krupa

Gene Krupa single-handedly changed the way drums were played in the jazz genre. More than instruments setting the tempo, Krupa brought brilliance and extravagance to the drums. "Sing, Sing, Sing" is the latest testament to Gene's drumming prowess with just a modest 4-drum kit. Your strength in tom-toms,catch, and the cymbals add perfect swing to the track.

Furthermore, Gene's extended drum solo adds an extremely powerful and punchy swing to the track. This song will provide a great learning curve for aspiring drummers as Gene Krupa has been a huge influence on artists across many genres - Keith Moon, John Bonham and Buddy Rich all cite him as one of their inspirations.

11. The schizoid man of the 21st century - King Crimson

You've obviously heard of King Crimson or you're living under a rock. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a groundbreaking progressive rock song that combines an array of jazz elements and requires incredible precision and timing to get right.

What makes this song a test for drummers is their ability to handle the drum fills during solos, particularly the "mirror" part which is arguably the most difficult part. Not only do you need energy and strength, you also need to be exceptionally accurate and punctual. Playing this perfectly is a worthy match.

12. A besta and a prostitute - Avenged Sevenfold

For metal and bass fans, Avenged Sevenfold's "Beast and the Harlot" should be at the top of the list of hardest songs to learn on drums. First thesheer speedThis song is great. Now imagine you hold this pace for five and a half minutes.

The use of 155 BPM double bass, incredibly fast drum solos and the intricate pattern of hands and feet in the chorus is something no mortal drummer can pull off. While mastering the technique is one thing, you'll also need exceptional stamina to perform this piece from start to finish.

What makes it difficult to play a song on the drums?

The factors that make each drum song difficult are quite subjective, as what is difficult for one artist is easy for another given their ability. However, there are some technical details and criteria under which the song would be considered difficult to play.

Common time signatures are 4/4, but many difficult songs contain odd time signatures. Challenging songs can contain many changing time signatures.

Another dimension of difficult songs are polyrhythms, i. H. multiple rhythms are played at a similar tempo, which can be difficult to play together.

Some of the songs that are considered difficult and legendary are those played with unique beats and rhythms along with speed and incredibleLips. Aside from technical factors, the most important determinant of songs considered difficult is the precise control and skill of the drummer.

Diploma

The tracks discussed above feature a combination of fast percussive speeds, polyrhythms and complex time signatures from these legendary drummers across genres including rock, progressive rock, heavy metal and jazz.

They may seem intimidating and frustrating at the time, but this selection of songs will push you to the limits of your creativity and deep understanding of drumming. So, if you want to develop drumming mastery, then learning how to play these complex tracks will definitely help you.

Image submitted by:Rodrigo Della Favera aus Rio de Janeiro, Brasilien/CC POR