Steely Dan · 1977 · drums by Steve Gadd
Aja
From Aja. Expert · Straight · jazz
Tempo
117BPM
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Feel
- Straight
- Tempo band
- 90–120
- Difficulty
- Expert
"Work up to it" opens the tempo trainer at 87 and climbs to 117 in steps of four every eight bars. Members get the climb; everyone gets the click.
What the drums do
Eight minutes with a full drum solo in the middle, cut in one take: a floating groove through the verses, then the trading with Wayne Shorter's sax where Gadd fills across the bar lines. The solo section is the most studied on any pop record.
Expert: Years of work. Play it at half speed and be proud.
Steve Gadd
- Read the Steve Gadd feature →Who they are, how they play, and what to listen to next.
- Steve Gadd's drum rig in the Rig Vault →The kit, snare, cymbals and hardware, era by era — look for the 1977 setup.
- Log the sessionNote the BPM you got it clean at, and next time starts from there.
More Steve Gadd songs
Songs at about 117 BPM
Practise these together: one click, several songs.