Education
Adele on Drums: A Guide for Function and Wedding Drummers
Oct
If you play in a function, wedding or cover band, you will be asked for Adele. Her songs fill dance floors, work for first dances and are known by every guest – which also means everyone notices when the drums don’t sound like the record.
Adele’s records use live drummers who play for the singer: warm grooves, stomping kick patterns, swung feels and fills that lift each chorus without ever covering the vocal. This guide covers seven Adele songs, what the drums need in each one, and how to prepare them quickly for a gig.
The upbeat songs (for the dance floor)
Rolling In The Deep
Rolling In The Deep – the first single from 21 and a Grammy winner for Record and Song of the Year – is built on a stomping, four-on-the-floor feel that grows into huge choruses. The key is control: keep the verses tight and save your energy for the last chorus.
Rumour Has It
Rumour Has It has a stomping pop-soul groove with stops and attitude. Practise the stops with a metronome until they are perfectly tight – in a live band, the stops are what the audience hears.
I’ll Be Waiting
I’ll Be Waiting is one of the most upbeat songs on 21, with a warm, live gospel feel. It is a great set-lifter for weddings, and a fun groove to play.
The ballads (for the first dance and quiet moments)
Set Fire To The Rain
Set Fire To The Rain builds from a restrained start to a big, emotional climax. Plan your dynamics: mark where each section gets bigger so the final chorus has somewhere to go.
Skyfall
The James Bond theme Skyfall won Adele an Oscar. The drums build with the orchestra and use a swung sixteenth-note feel – practise it slowly with a metronome so the swing stays consistent.
Chasing Pavements
Chasing Pavements, from her debut 19, is a soulful pop ballad with tasteful dynamics and clean fills – great for drummers learning to play for the singer.
Sweetest Devotion
Sweetest Devotion, the closing song of 25, has a warm, gentle groove. It is all about touch: soft, even strokes and restraint.
How to prepare Adele songs fast for a gig
- Map each song. Use the sheet music to mark intros, stops, builds and endings – these are the moments where function bands go wrong.
- Practise the dynamics, not just the groove. Play each song once at full volume and once at half volume, keeping the same feel. Function gigs often need you to play quietly.
- Learn the endings. Many Adele songs end with a big hit or a held chord. Know exactly where, so the band finishes together.
- Use the sheet music on stage. A printed PDF or a tablet on a stand means you can play songs you don’t perform every week without guessing.
Get all seven songs
The Adele Ultimate Drum Collection includes the Adele songs in the store at 30% off the single prices – a ready-made Adele set for your band. You can also browse all Adele drum sheet music or explore other function favourites such as Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk.
Frequently asked questions
Which Adele song is easiest on drums?
“Chasing Pavements” and “Sweetest Devotion” are gentle and clear. “Rolling In The Deep” is also approachable but needs good control of dynamics.
Are these the album versions?
Yes – every song is transcribed note-for-note from the original recording.
Can I read the sheet music on a tablet at gigs?
Yes. The PDFs work on any tablet and can also be printed for a music stand.
Get the Adele collection, or order a custom drum transcription of any song your band needs.
Drum sheet music from this article
Buy any 3 songs and get a 4th free. Can't find a song? Order a custom drum transcription.
