The Correct Way To Play “Hot For Teacher” (Alex Van Halen)
We recently dissected Alex Van Halen’s legendary drum intro from Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher,” and now it’s time for you to learn to play it on your own kit!
In this lesson, Brandon Toews breaks the intro down into four sections before guiding you through a full practice-along workout at three different tempos.
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Chapters:
00:00 – Lesson Overview
00:36 – The First 6 Bars
03:49 – Adding The Kick Drums
06:49 – Adding The Rototom
11:33 – The Double Bass Shuffle
14:14 – Workout Explanation
14:36 – The Full Intro: 50% Speed (Play-Along)
20:19 – The Full Intro: 75% Speed (Play-Along)
24:08 – The Full Intro: 100% Speed (Play-Along)
27:00 – More Drum Lessons!
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#Drumeo #VanHalen #HotForTeacher
@DrumeoOfficial
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Who's adding this one to their practice list? 👀🥁Keep the practice session going with thousands more lessons on Drumeo: 👉 http://www.drumeo.com/trial-yt
@christyler1647
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Best tutorial on this I have ever seen.
@myname-f5e
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
If you change your playback speed I. YouTube when he's playing the 128bpm it almost sounds like album speed lol
@imelda512atx
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
I don't play drums and will probably never play drums…..
But this was entertaining anyway. Thanks ❤
@PNW_Car_Mods
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
As a kid of the 70s and into the 80s, this song will always have a special spot in my music bank. Life long Van Halen fan!
@vitocicciari2877
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Alex we love you!! Please visit Drumeo!!
@eXiLe824
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
6:18 reminds me a bit of the intro to The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson
@FreddieM-p8r
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
got some "I Want Candy" vibes in there 🤣🤣
@TheBergie1869
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
dooood, the triplet eight notes over the end of the measure into the beginning of the next is DIABOLICAL
@eddjordan2399
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
no no im not learning that
@kursedan
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Amazing! Thank you for the lesson. Alex was a legend in that album. Peace ✌🤘
@mikeseewald7954
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Who music
@adigiurgiu7312
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
It's rarely the case that you'd actually need a PhD thesis for a few dozen seconds of drum intro
@blackrza002
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lNt9oz9Gjc&list=RD1lNt9oz9Gjc&start_radio=1
@GameOverAus
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Marilyn Manson – Beautiful People they musta used the 2nd-4th bars sections, its almost identical albeit at a different speed
Otherwise was hanging out for Eddie's guitar to kick in TORTURE….
@user-om8lj3ng2x
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
내가 좋아하는 곡이다❤
@ToddDeHart-xs8ev
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
So…the intro is supposed to mimic a Harley Davidson Idling.
@alexandermesiti
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Great teach! Playing this part finally feels attainable.
@mzwmeathook3691
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Its like if sing sing and quadrent 4 had a baby.
@feedthechunk9836
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
I'd like to see the out takes for this recording. I'm guessing there were a couple.
@RobbieFitzgerald
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
At full speed, it sounds like a machine gun.
@scottwade820
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Is it just me or when he’s playing at 128 bpm the Simons pads and bass sound like Beautiful People by Marilyn Mason?
@SullyJankoDrums
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
“Today we are finding out how many times can Brandon play the Hot For Teacher intro in 28 minutes”
@rex67673
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
SUMTIN DONT SOUND RIGHT! 6FWD 3REVERSE 4 FWD
@bradalanfoster
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
i was literally just wondering how he did that intro like 3 days ago
@BrandonToews
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Have fun!🥁
@han1075
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
I hope Alex sees this! Great job!
@DigestiveBiskit
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
me following along, getting it, WTF 100 to 178 WTF MAN
@Yupppi
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Let's go.
Honestly this intro feels like a similar challenge to learning a Meshuggah guitar part. Your goal is not to play the whole song like you would a song. Your goal is just to remember the section's rhythms right once as you play.
Also I can't get over the lighting on this one, I seriously thought for a while that Brandon had very Austrian moustache.
@10kMR
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
I love how it’s a 28 minute video for like a 30 second intro😭
@BrianH020
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Check the thumbnail guys, it says "Beakdown" 😂
@KB_Joys
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Great job
@lifespanofafry1534
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Do I need AI for this?
@TheSateef
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
what's with the 4 kick drums and what's the things on the front heads?
@johnnyplaysmusic01
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
please do a video about box car racer. song watch the world woulde love to see. like everyone talk about blink 182 but what about bcr
@jamesapisano384
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
That is cool as shit! Woot!! Awesome.
@Tommy-p1t7g
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
Why is it so debated? Can't someone just ask Alex? 😂
@warren_r
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
"That's a lot of Octobans!" — Bill Bruford, probably
@sleepteam
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
If this man buries his beaters, then I will continue to do so!
Great job, this is insane.
@AndICanTalk2
July 1, 2026 at 3:56 am
@drumble Tim I would love to see you do a video where you learn this. It would be amazing to see the MC of one channel learn what the MC of another channel is doing. Love both channels so much.