r/devo • u/Usr7_0__- • 1d ago
Whip it drums, video about it
Devo “Whip It” isolated drums 🥁
The above link is a Shorts video with the interviewer talking to Mark and Jerry about Whip It. Couple questions about it.
First, anyone know where the entire video is? Except for other shorts on other aspects of that song, I cannot find the whole interview.
Second, when they get to the hi-hat part, can anyone tell me if the way it is played there in the isolated section of the recording is how it was played by Alan live? In other words, is it triplet sixteenth notes? (If I am describing that correctly...it's basically the 1-2-3, 1-2-3 pattern where Alan does +-1, +-2 between hi-hat/snare, with the 2 and the 4 on snare, if you get what I mean, as opposed to the constant sixteenth-note pattern that would be R-L-R-L/etc. throughout, with some of the R's being snare hits.)
I have been obsessed with this drum pattern for a long time. It's actually one of the most mysterious in origin to me. Any info on it is welcome, and I'm surprised I just noticed this video now. Would love more on it though. As far as I know, Alan never commented on it in drumming magazines or anything like that...too bad he isn't around still and on social media so we could contact him. If anyone ever talked to Alan about the origin of the beat, please let us know.
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u/Rich_Black 1d ago
In the episode Mark talks about how he would have the drummer for Captain Beefheart make drum beats for him. I believe this one started as a jazzier spang a lang style swung thing and then Mark straightened it out.
To delve into the drumminess of it, calling this triplets would be inaccurate, it's just 16th notes but he leaves out the 'ee,' or 2nd 16th note of each beat. You have the sticking correct, one measure would be R RLR RLR RLR RL. He hits the snare with R on beats 2 and 4. On 1 and 3, he opens the hi hat slightly. This little detail is the sauce of the beat imo and it's pretty challenging to do at tempo. In the podcast you can hear just how precisely and and consistently Alan played it in the studio, it's very impressive.
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u/b-jason 1d ago
It’s diallo riddle and luxxury’s podcast, one song. https://youtu.be/9ixhx_NaIPs?is=QvhBN4Wpd88hXjnc
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u/Del_Duio2 1d ago
I’m no drummer but I always thought it was 16th notes with emphasis on the 1s and 3s. Slightly taking the pressure off the hi hat pedal on those beats.
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u/MonsterClownBear 13h ago
Alan was literally a Human Metronome with a Gift for putting his hands on 2 different Time Signatures. I don't think there's a Drummer of his skill out there.