In this post, I wanted to share with you what I believe to be my six most used drum beats. If you want to play in any modern day pop band, church setting, or studio session; you MUST KNOW these six drum beats. Now I am sure there are some of you who have your own ideas on what these beats should be, so keep in mind, this is just my opinion based on MY real world experiences. Feel free to comment and tell me your most used drum beats.
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Drum Beat #1 This drum beat is an absolute staple in my opinion. I don’t think there will be many of you that disagree with me. I have written just the basic version, but there are so many different ways you can play this groove. You can play it with the hi-hats open, with your right hand on the ride or floor tom etc. When I am teaching this drum beat to my students they always think it’s the easiest and they should spend the least time on it. I always challenge them to learn this groove so it becomes natural, and make it a part of you. Just like we breath without thinking about it, try to do the same with this beat. That’s when it will not only sound great, but feel even better; which is most important. Drum Beat #2 This beat has the same eighth note hi-hat pulse as the first one, with a slight variation on the kick drum. The difference in groove from the first beat to the second beat is huge. Played with the correct feel, this beat can make a song go from good to great. Most artists that I play with love this groove. If the song isn’t feeling good, I’ll just play this groove and it all locks into place. Do yourself a huge favor and practice this drum beat a lot! Drum Beat #3 This beat is kind of a mixture of the first and second beats. In this groove we are adding extra subdivisions on the snare drum. This beat also works well in conjunction with drum beat #2. Remember, these beats are written in their simplest form. Once you have the basic concept down, don’t be afraid to build and expand on the groove to make it your own. Another exercise I get me students to do is tell me a story while they’re playing these beats. Once you can talk and totally separate your mind from the ‘exercise’, it no longer becomes an exercise but rather becomes something you play or perform. Try doing this not only with this beat, but any other grooves you are working on. Drum Beat #4 This is the main jazz ride pattern, with the hi-hat foot written in. If you haven’t played a lot of jazz, then I recommend just starting with this exercise slowly, making sure everything is lining up perfectly. Don’t worry about speed, just concentrate on playing the beat correctly at a slow tempo first. Once you can tell your life story while you play the beat, then maybe you can try and speed it up and add different variations. Drum Beat #5 This beat is a Brazilian groove called a Bossa Nova that is not only fun to play, but is another must know beat in my opinion. You may never be required to play a Bossa Nova in a performance setting, but learning this groove will help you gain better independence between your feet and hands, making you a better all-around drummer. You can also add to this beat by playing the ride instead of the hi-hat, and adding an open hi-hat with your foot on beats 2 and 4. Drum Beat #6 This last beat is just a straight up shuffle beat, used primarily in a rock or blues setting. I have written it with kick drums on all 4 quarter notes, but feel free to break it up a little if the song you are playing requires something a little different. So like I said earlier in this lesson, these six beats are a must know! I would also love to hear what you thought of this lesson, or what beats you think are absolutely essential. Feel free to leave your comments below.
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Download The Free “Six Must Know Drum Beats” Sheet Music <—-
Note: For video demonstrations of over 1000 beats & fills I highly recommend you check out Mike Michalkow’s Drumming System. I had the extreme privilege of producing this all-in-one drum lessons solution.