Learn how to play this classic drum beat from the song Toxicity by System Of A Down, performed by the great drummer John Dolmayan. This drum groove occurs during the verses.
“Toxicity” Free Video Drum Lesson
View the video on YouTube HERE – Learn How To Play Drums Song Toxicity Video Drum Lesson (System Of A Down & John Dolmayan)
“Toxicity” Drum Notation
Why It’s Great
System Of A Down are famous for mixing heart felt melodies with a rock sensibility and this track is no exception. Drummer John Dolmayan gives another stellar performance, this time in the time signature of 6/8.
How To Play It
Occurs during the first verse at 0:38. The whole song, apart form one small section towards the end, is played in the time signature of 6/8. This can also be thought of as playing in triplets, as essentially the music can be counted in groups of three.
John plays steady eighth notes on the hi-hat and lays down a fat backbeat on beat 4 of each bar.
Bars 1, 2 and 3 are played exactly the same as each other, including the extra snare drum that falls in between the hihats on the ‘+’ of beat 5. The bass drum is played on beat 1, the ‘+’ of beat 3 and beat 6. A snare drum ghost note is also played on the ‘+’ of beat 2, in between the hi-hats.
Bar 4 uses a rather clever idea where the drum beat seems to turn itself around at the end. John replaces the snare drum played previously on its own on the ‘+’ of beat 5 with two thirty second ghost notes, played with just the left hand. These ghost notes fall just before the bass drum on beat 6 which is then followed by a new snare drum note on the ‘+’ of beat 6 right before beat 1 of the next bar. This is a really cool and effective idea played with grace and control.
Check out more drum lessons for System Of A Down below…
- “Chop Suey” – Drum Beat Notation Drum Lesson
- “Chop Suey” – Full Song Video Drum Lesson
- “Toxicity” – Full Song Video Drum Lesson
Browse all FREE drum content by clicking HERE.
Alternatively, get access to 100s of FULL-SONG Video Drum Lessons, Song Charts and eBooks by becoming an Online Member below…
Please email rob@drumstheword.com or contact me through the Contact Form if you have any questions at all.
