Why Stewart Copeland Needs to Be on Your Drumming Radar

Copeland’s Influence on Me as a Drummer

Stewart Copeland is a drummer who completely changed the way I look at the drum set.

Like others, I first noticed Stewart Copeland’s unique style while listening to “Roxanne” by The Police. I could tell immediately that this guy was doing something completely different than anyone else. Confident, I sat down at my kit and tried to replicate it—and quickly found out that I had a lot of practicing to do.

I quickly became interested in Copeland’s playing style, so I started listening to more of the Police, and I ran across “Walking on the Moon” shortly thereafter. That track completely sealed it for me; Copeland was officially cemented in my personal top 5 list of influential drummers.

Here is Copeland playing in studio “Walking on the Moon” with the drum track turned up, and the bass in the background, and no lyrics.

But why does he matter for your playing today? Let’s break down what makes Copeland a master, and how you can apply his mindset to your own practice sessions.

Branch Out: The Power of Listening Wide

It is incredibly important to listen to music outside of your favorite popular tunes. You have to branch out, because there is an entire world of great drummers out there in a lot of different genres that you might not be listening to yet.

Copeland is the perfect example of this. He was born in the U.S. to a father who loved jazz, and a classical-loving mother, but he grew up in Egypt, Lebanon, and England. Because of this, he was absorbing a massive blend of Middle Eastern music, jazz, Latin, and eventually punk rock and reggae.

When he co-founded The Police in 1977, he didn’t just play standard rock beats. He fused all of those global influences together. This is what gave The Police their signature reggae-rock sound. If Copeland had only ever listened to one style of music, we wouldn’t have the awesome drum influence that he is today.

Stewart Copeland’s Drum Set and The Sound

Copeland (who is actually a left-handed drummer playing a right-handed kit) never wanted to sound like everyone else. During a time (late ’70s and early ’80s) when most rock drummers were tuning their drums to sound deep and heavy, Copeland went the opposite direction.

He tuned his signature Tama toms and his Pearl snare drum incredibly high to cut through the music. He also experimented constantly with gear, using things like ice bells and long, tube-like drums called Octobans to add melodic layers to his playing.

He thinks like a composer, carefully orchestrating every single part rather than just keeping time. He rarely waits until the end of a standard 8 or 16-bar phrase to throw in a fill—he places his accents exactly where the music needs them.

Studying the Techniques That Made Copeland So Unique

Copeland is a master of polyrhythms and syncopation.

• Polyrhythms are simply where multiple rhythms are played simultaneously to create intricate, complex patterns.
• Syncopation is all about placing accents on the unexpected off-beats.

Instead of just playing straight down the middle, Copeland uses these techniques to make the groove feel unpredictable, energetic, and completely unique.

How to Practice Like Stewart Copeland

If you want to pull some of this Copeland magic into your own playing, here is what you can focus on:

• Blend Your Genres: Try combining different styles into a single groove. Take a reggae-style hi-hat pattern and mix it with a punk rock snare accent. See what happens when you merge two different music worlds together.
• Work on Your Dynamics: Copeland’s playing can go from soft and delicate to powerful and explosive in a split second. Set your metronome to a slow tempo. Practice your single strokes on the snare, starting as quietly as possible, gradually building to full volume, and bringing it back down. Control is everything.
• Experiment with Your Setup: You don’t need a massive kit to get creative. Try adding a cowbell, a tambourine, or a splash cymbal to your setup. Find new textures and colors to add to your beats. Copeland was an innovator on the hi-hat. Pay close attention to how he plays the hi-hat when listening to “Walking on the Moon.”
• Try a Polyrhythmic Warm-Up: Start simple. Play quarter notes with your right hand, and eighth-note triplets with your left hand on the snare. Gradually increase the tempo while keeping it locked in.

Stewart Copeland become a legend by bringing his own unique background to the drum throne. Start listening to new genres, push your boundaries, and get to work on finding your unique sound.

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