How to Play a Backbeat on a Bass Drum

Learning to play the drums requires skills, musicality and practice. There are many beats and sounds that can be obtained through a bass drum, including a backbeat. Once you have mastered the backbeat, you can intertwine it with other beats to create new sounds.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Get comfortable with your drum set and the hand positions for the sticks. The particular grip you use for the bass drum is not important, as long as you are comfortable and able to play the bass drum from the position in which you're sitting.
2. Stroke the bass drum several times to make sure the sound is right. Do this with all of the drums, since you will be incorporating them with the bass drum while you play a backbeat. If anything is out of tune, correct the problem.
3. Play the bass drum on the fourth beat. This should line up with the fourth stroke with the right hand. The left hand will be playing alone on its own counts. Add the backbeat on the snare, and follow it with a left stroke. This is a stroke played with your left hand on the snare drum.
4. Add the fourth stroke of the right hand to this first stroke with the left hand. It should be one stroke on the snare with the left hand, and the fourth stroke on the bass with the right hand. Practice this slowly a few times, then pick up the tempo and increase the sound combinations.