Matt Cameron Breaks Down His Drumming on Soundgarden's "Spoonman"

"Cameron's snare plays a large role in his rhythmic work on the track, and begins the Drumeo session by swapping in the original Keplinger five-inch snare he used on the original recording. It was the first Keplinger Cameron purchased in 1986. "I haven't played it in years," he says, immediately giving it a workout during the song's 7/4 intro section as he begins his full playthrough, which precedes a more in-depth analysis with Drumeo host Brandon Toews."

""I just basically follow all of the guitar parts and accented the spots that I felt were important to bring out rhythmically," says Cameron of the intro. The verses also have some odd time signature juggling between 7/4 and 4/4, giving the groove a recognizable shimmy. "The break is a bar of four, so we do the 7/4 part, plus a bar of four," Cameron elaborated, "so it sounds a little odd. But that's how it goes.""

"Regarding the chorus, Toews points out that the song "levels out." "A typical 4/4 kind of groove where I'm essentially just following the guitar and the bass," Cameron says. If he's pocketed in the chorus, the song's percussion solo gives him a chance to break out, with Cameron describing it as a "whole different section unto itself." This is also the portion of the song that features spoon solos from the titular "Spoonman," the Seattle street performer Artis the Spoonman, who inspired the song."

Matt Cameron demonstrates his drumming on Soundgarden's 'Spoonman', starting with his original Keplinger five-inch snare that he purchased in 1986. He plays the song's 7/4 intro while following guitar parts and accenting important rhythmic spots. The verses shift between 7/4 and 4/4, creating a distinctive shimmy; the break adds a bar of four after the 7/4 section. The chorus settles into a typical 4/4 groove where drums follow guitar and bass. The percussion solo is treated as a separate section and features spoon solos by Seattle street performer Artis the Spoonman. Drumeo offers full lessons and a 30-day free trial.

Read at Consequence