Mr. Brightside - The Killers | Drum Transcription Notes
Page 1 preview
This transcription was originally published on 15/6/20. It was updated on 21/6/21 to include a drum legend.
Ronnie Vannucci Jr’s drumming on Mr. Brightside can be summed up in a word — frantic! And given the speed of the song, it’s not one for the faint hearted.
There are parts of the song where you’ll be able to hear multiple drum parts — extra cymbals etc. So this transcription is an interpretation of the recording. Use your judgement and use the transcription as a guide. Deviate as you please. If you watch live videos of Ronnie playing, he rarely plays a song the same way twice anyway!
A couple of things to watch for:
Take your time when learning the verse groove. The open hi-hats and accents are technically difficult, especially at 148 bpm. Focus on how you play them before attempting to push the speed.
From bars 113-116 of the transcription you’ll see a snare roll. On the recording you’ll hear a snare roll as well as hi-hats and bass drums like in the previous bars. The roll is probably over-dubbed on the record, so to create a similar effect I’ve added splashed hi-hats played with the left foot throughout the roll. Difficult to play, but sounds good if you can get it up to speed!
If you’d like to be updated about future posts, you can sign up here. If you have any questions or transcription requests, leave a comment below.