How to Play a High Hat and Snare Drum

One way to learn to play drum kits is to break the different elements of the beat into component parts. Playing the high hat and snare drum together will increase your dexterity and coordination by teaching you to play two different sequences in rhythm.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Mark continuous eighth notes on the high hat. Think of eight notes as half beats. A four/four count would be "One, Two, Three, Four." Eighth notes would be "ONE and, TWO and, THREE and, FOUR and."

2. Play the snare on the second and fourth beat (think "one, TWO, three, FOUR.") This will require you two play both hands simultaneously on two of eight half beats.) Continue until you can play the sequence without thinking.

3. Mix up the snare beats. Try adding an additional half-beat after the second and fourth beats (one, TWO and, three, FOUR and.) Keep practicing, switching back and forth between quarter note and eighth note beats. Soon you will feel comfortable working different right and left hand sequences simultaneously.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice with a metronome, especially when you aren't playing the bass drum on the first and third beats. You might want to slow your metronome by half (from eighty beats per minute to forty) in order to keep marking the first and third beat. It's important to be able to keep time consistently.
• You don't need your kit to practice. All you really need are your thumbs (although some drummers practice with pencils.) Play eighth notes with your right thumb on your kitchen table or desk, and every second and fourth beat with your left thumb. Try to do this when no one's around, especially at work or in school.