Love Is Stronger Than Justice - Sting - The Drum Ninja

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Ninjas! In this lesson we'll be learning how to play Love Is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificant Seven) by Sting which was the second track on his 1993 release (fourth studio album) Ten Summoner's Tales. The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 1993. In 1994, it was nominated for five Grammy awards, winning Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance ("If I Ever Lose My Faith in You") and Best Long Form Music Video. 

Love Is Stronger than justice features the stellar drumming of Vinnie Colaiuta who really made a statement with a rock solid 7/8 groove that switches seamlessly into a quirky country shuffle on the chorus. He also opens up a little in the outro and offers a little taster of what he's truly capable of. 

Verse
The verse groove is in 7/8 and features a sixteenth note pattern played with the right hand on the hi-hat. The snare lands on the three and the seven while the bass drum lands on the one, the and of four and six. Vinnie being Vinnie adds his own special sauce with little splashes, hi-hat fills, and opens throughout the track. He does, however, keep the groove at all times! 

Chorus
During the chorus Vinnie plays a very clean shuffle that doesn't move around or vary at all. It's played on clean hi-hats and plays off of the country vibe of the tune. 

In Vinnie's own words about the track, "The idea was to make it very repetitive and simple. Again, it's that over-the-bar ride cymbal, where the ride cymbal is playing sort of quarter notes. The pattern is real static. That's what he (Sting) wanted. What that does is solidify that seven so strong that it creates more of an contrast when that sort of hillbilly chorus comes in."

Now Kill It! DN