Ride cymbal drum beat

The pattern

Each column is a sixteenth. x is a hit, a bold X an accent.

▶ Hear itPlays it twice at 96 BPM.

How to count it

Count: 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

Kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4, ride on every eighth. Said aloud: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

How to practise it

Coming from the money beat, the hi-hat and the ride change: the hi-hat is left out; the ride plays on every eighth.

1. Start with the ride on its own, on every eighth.
2. Add the snare, on 2 and 4.
3. Add the kick, on 1 and 3.
4. Count aloud and play it through as DRUMY does: 8 bars at 96 BPM, about 20 seconds.

What DRUMY judges

Each note is judged on when it lands, within 140 ms, and on which drum, not on how hard: the accents are drawn, not judged. All of what DRUMY judges.

• The ride groove’s hi-hat foot. The ride cymbal groove asks for the hi-hat foot on 2 and 4, but the exercise does not write it in, so nothing judges it. The pedal hi-hat shares the hi-hat lane, though: on a kit that sends the pedal as a note, each of those steps can count as an overhit.

Easy songs near 96 BPM

Easy songs at 95 to 96 BPM, picked for their tempo alone, not for this pattern.

You Rock My WorldMichael JacksonGood Old-Fashioned Lover BoyQueenDirty HarryGorillaz5/4GorillazRock And Roll Ain't Noise PollutionAC/DC

All easy drum songs →