The snare stays on the two and four, and the hi-hat can be played on the quarter notes (1 2 3 4), or on the 8th notes (1+2+3+4+). This fill is the same as the “two and four” beat, except we add a bass drum hit on the “+” of one and the “+” of three. ” Again, this can sound different depending on which music you play it with. It’s in thousands of songs including Queen’s “ We Will Rock You. There are many simple drum beats but this one is perhaps the most recognizable. Most crashes/accents fall on the one and the cymbal lands with the bass drum. When you play this beat, play your crashes on the “a” of four with a snare hit instead of a bass hit. Most common is a “four on the floor” bass drum pattern, with a skipping-type hat pattern. You can play this drum fill with various bass drum and cymbal or hi-hat patterns. This will create an illusion of a slow tempo, but it fits into the music at the same speed. Don’t play the two and four on the snare in this beat, just the three. It’s also the most common way to play a half-time feel. This drum beat is very common in reggae music. Notice how all of these easy drum beats have numbers in their titles? That’s because drumming always comes back to counting, especially when you’re learning a new beat or song. When you work your way up to 120 bpm, you’re ready to play this drum pattern with music. You can do this at speeds as slow as 45 beats per minute (bpm).Īs you progress, increase your speed by five bpm at a time. Start really slow so you can train your muscles and your ears. You want the beats to line up perfectly for a nice, fat sound. Flaming is where one strike falls just before or after another. To make this beat sound clean and powerful, make sure there’s no flaming. The snare or backbeat still falls on the two and four.
Your hi-hat or ride cymbal lines up directly with the bass drum on all four beats. This beat is like the two and four, except you play the bass drum on all four beats.
SEE ALSO: How to Read Drum Sheet Music 2. You’ll notice that even the same simple beat can sound very different depending on the song. The most classic example of this beat is in “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson. Listen to the music and try to add to the feel and power. The trick is to stay in the pocket and play with precision and enthusiasm. This is one of those drum beats for beginners that can be played to almost any song on the radio, as well as many more complex songs. The bass drum fills in on the one and three, while the hi-hat or ride cymbal falls on all four beats. The snare falls on the two and four (this is also called the backbeat). This is the first of many drum patterns that students learn, and it comes fairly naturally. Are you ready to start jamming ? Let’s get to it! 5 Simple Drum Beats for Beginners 1. The “Two and Four” Drum Beat