"It's So Easy" is the opening track on Guns N' Roses' landmark 1987 debut album Appetite for Destruction, one of the best-selling albums in history with over 30 million copies sold worldwide. The song established the band's raw, streetwise hard rock identity and remains a staple of classic rock radio.
Steven Adler's drumming on this track is characterized by a driving, straightforward hard rock groove that locks tightly with Duff McKagan's bass to form a powerful rhythmic foundation. At 150 BPM, the performance is energetic but controlled, making it an approachable yet authentic example of late-1980s hard rock drumming.
Unique Drumming Characteristics
- Consistent eighth-note hi-hat pattern driving the main groove throughout the song
- Backbeat snare hits on beats 2 and 4 with a punchy, dry tone typical of the Appetite for Destruction drum sound
- Straightforward kick drum pattern anchoring the quarter-note pulse with minimal syncopation
- Simple, purposeful fills used sparingly to mark song section transitions
Skills You'll Develop
- Maintaining a steady, confident hard rock groove at a brisk 150 BPM tempo
- Coordinating consistent hi-hat eighth notes with a solid backbeat snare
- Developing kick drum control and consistency within a straightforward pattern
- Learning to use drum fills economically and effectively at section transitions
- Building overall groove feel and pocket playing in a hard rock context
Drumscore
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