Learning how to play drums with the world’s most popular drum beat
Congratulations on getting this far and understanding a few of the basic elements of drumming. If you’ve been following along so far, hopefully you’ll feel that learning drums is not as hard as you thought it was! It’s time to make things a bit trickier now by testing your three-way co-ordination with the most popular drum beat of all time.
Congratulations on getting this far and understanding a few of the basic elements of drumming. If you’ve been following along so far, hopefully you’ll feel that learning drums is not as hard as you thought it was! It’s time to make things a bit trickier now by testing your three-way co-ordination with the most popular drum beat of all time.
Helpful to know: A drum beat is not the same as a beat of music. A drum beat is typically played across many beats and is just another name for a repeated rhythm played on the drums.
|
In this next drum beat:
The right-hand plays constant 8th notes (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and).
The left-hand plays on beats 2 and 4.
The right foot plays on beats 1 and 3.
The new addition (the right hand) represents the hi-hat cymbal, which is a key part of most drum beats.
Here’s how it looks visually:
The right-hand plays constant 8th notes (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and).
The left-hand plays on beats 2 and 4.
The right foot plays on beats 1 and 3.
The new addition (the right hand) represents the hi-hat cymbal, which is a key part of most drum beats.
Here’s how it looks visually:
Try this: Start by seeing if you can play 8th notes with your right hand. Simply count ‘1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and’. Every time you say a number or an ‘and’, tap along with your right hand.
The next step is to add the bass drum. While keeping your right hand going, see if you can play a right foot on the 1 and 3. That means that you’ll play four hi-hats (right hand) for every bass drum (right foot). You’ll be playing a right hand and a right foot at the same time on beats 1 and 3.
This is the start of learning co-ordination, and it’ll probably make your brain ache a little!
If you think you’ve got it, try the hi-hat with just the snare drum. Play your constant 8th notes (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and) with the right hand and play on beats 2 and 4 with the left hand. That means that both of your hands will be tapping on beats 2 and 4.
This will probably take some practice while your brain learns these new movements. Like riding a bike, you have to wobble and crash a few times before you learn how to remain steady.
The next step is to add the bass drum. While keeping your right hand going, see if you can play a right foot on the 1 and 3. That means that you’ll play four hi-hats (right hand) for every bass drum (right foot). You’ll be playing a right hand and a right foot at the same time on beats 1 and 3.
This is the start of learning co-ordination, and it’ll probably make your brain ache a little!
If you think you’ve got it, try the hi-hat with just the snare drum. Play your constant 8th notes (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and) with the right hand and play on beats 2 and 4 with the left hand. That means that both of your hands will be tapping on beats 2 and 4.
This will probably take some practice while your brain learns these new movements. Like riding a bike, you have to wobble and crash a few times before you learn how to remain steady.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
If you think you’ve got that part down, the next step is to try bass, hi-hat and snare all together.
A quick reminder of how that works: Right hand (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and). Left hand (Beats 2 and 4). Right foot (Beats 1 and 3). If you’re starting to get the hang of it, congratulations! You’ve just learnt the most popular drum beat of all time. Do you feel ready to try this in a song? ‘Billie Jean’ is a classic example of this iconic drum beat. It’s set at quite a fast tempo, so you may struggle to keep up at first. You can slow down the track on YouTube to practise at a slower tempo - just click the gear icon and select 'playback speed'. The biggest challenge for you on this song is to not get distracted by what the other instruments are doing, or to follow the vocals. Just lay down the drum beat and keep it as solid as possible! |
|
SEE IF YOU CAN GET THROUGH THE WHOLE SONG
IN ONE GO!
It may seem repetitive, but the point of a drummer is to lay down the beat and groove for everyone to follow!
Here is a short playlist of songs that are fun and easy to drum to.
If you have any suggestions for other fun and easy songs to drum to, let Mr. Leadbeater know and he can add them to the playlist!
[email protected]
[email protected]