my favourite Lopeth rhythm pattern

[dwoakee]

Has anyone else noticed this? There is a nice little rhythm pattern that appears on every Opeth record with Lopez on drums. It goes like this:

||:d_d_dd|Sd_d_d|d_d_dd|Sd_d_d:||

where d is for bass drum, S for snare and _ for a pause, all eighth notes. I noticed this first on GR. It's in Baying of the Hounds starting at 3:15 where the first heavy section is over and the song cools down for the first time.
On Deliverance I found it in Master's Apprentice starting at 8:38. It goes on for about half a minute and then the bass drum beat is moved to a cymbal. That variation is kept till the end of the song.
But, as I said, it appears at least once on every record since MAYH.

I like that rhythm very much. And though it is actually quite simple I have never conciously noticed it in any other music. Also, I wonder whether this is a genuine Lopez contribution or if Mikael came up with it himself.

 

[illidurit]

that's the double paradiddle iirc

 

[Arjen W.]

Yeah, it's used a lot. It's known as the 'Lopez beat' around here.

 

[FuneralPortrait]

Well.. yeah, it's pretty obvious. I'd say its probably a Lopez contribution. Definitely sounds like an 'opeth groove' now, got that whole 6/8 thing going on. I haven't noticed it in any other music.. that I can remember anyway

 

[Mr Samsara]

Here.

 

[dwoakee]

that's the double paradiddle iirc

yeah, pretty close. I looked it up on german wikipedia. They say the double paradiddle goes like

RLRLRR LRLRLL

Thus, if we take the R for bass drum and the L for a pause and insert an S for the extra spicy snare drum then the Lopez beat would be:

RLRLRR SRLRLR

Definitely sounds like an 'opeth groove' now, got that whole 6/8 thing going on.

That's one of things I love about Opeth. That there are so many ternary rhythm structures. In my perception this adds an elegant flow even to the most brutal section.

 

[Scarlett Letterman]

I first fell in love with that rythmic pattern on hearing Master's Apprentice, especially how Martin rides the bell in that section. It just fits perfectly with the guitar riff. One of my favourite moments on any album.

 

[martyrs_price]

Dont know about the technicalities of drumming but "When" is fucking awesome. Lopez is the shit.

 

[Treitan]

I know most of you guys loath the grand conjuration but I think the drums in that song are phenominal. Deliverance also has shit hot drumming toward the end of the song.

 

[:Wreath:]

cool beat, whatever it's called

 

[Treitan]

Also at 7:42 on When.....wicked!

 

[Kir-ir-Bannog]

after the paradiddle on GoP...its fucken awesome.

 

[Braighs]

A better example of this is the Irish band Primordial.
Especially the track "Spirit the Earth Aflame".

 

[dwoakee]

Also at 7:42 on When.....wicked!

maybe we can make a list of all appearances of the Lopez beat? How about it?

 

[Mr Samsara]

maybe we can make a list of all appearances of the Lopez beat? How about it?

how about you click the link in my last post?

 

[all_sins_undone]

wht is intelijence?!11one

 

[dwoakee]

how about you click the link in my last post?

Oops ... good idea, really. Sorry, I was so busy wondering what PWND means (figured it out by now), that I completely did not see that link. Thanks a lot.

 

[Satyros]

its parapara didel!
with ghost notes :|

RLRLRRLRLRLL

 

[OpethNZ]

that all comes from lopez's jazz influences

 

[Satyros]

its realy seample