Drums · Grooves
The Basic Rock Beat
Hat on every eighth, kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4.
Lesson
The most-played beat in rock
Hi-hat on every eighth, kick on beats 1 and 3, snare on beats 2 and 4. Played at any tempo from 60 to 200 BPM, this is the engine of more songs than any other rhythm.
The breakdown
| Count | 1 | & | 2 | & | 3 | & | 4 | & |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hi-hat | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Snare | x | x | ||||||
| Kick | x | x |
Add limbs in order
- Just hi-hat. Eighth notes. Lock with the click.
- Add the kick on 1 and 3. Hi-hat continues.
- Add the snare on 2 and 4. All three at once.
If you stack all three at once and it falls apart, peel back to step 2 and rebuild.
What makes it feel good
The snare on 2 and 4 is the backbeat. Hit it firm — it's the loudest sound in the kit and the audience snaps along to it. The kick is more subtle; the hi-hat is barely audible from the back of the room. Don't bash everything at the same volume.