Different Kinds of Drum Beats

Drummers take traditional beats and modify them to suit the song.

Drumming is like no other form of musical expression. While your bandmates worry about harmony and melody, your only concern is the beat. As the drummer, your job is to dictate the tempo, rhythm and feel of the song. You influence the feel and mood of a song through your choice of beat.

Straight 4/4

This is a basic beat. The time signature denotes the number and type of beat in the measure. In the case of 4/4 time, there are four beats per measure and each beat is a quarter note. Although a rudimentary rhythm, this beat is distinctive in its simplicity. The introduction to Michael Jackson's smash-hit "Billie Jean" demonstrates just how powerful a simple "four-four" can be. In this example, the beat forms a solid base that supports the bass line.

Paradiddle

Use paradiddles to connect different sections of a song.

"Paradiddle" is an onomatopoeia. The rhythm of the word is also the rhythm of the beat. It is a repetitive two-handed beat that you can play anywhere on the kit. For example, strike the high-hat with your left hand and the snare with your right in the following pattern: "left, right, left, left, right, left, right, right." A paradiddle beat has the same syllables and phrasing as saying "paradiddle, paradiddle."

Latin Beats

Latin beats have a distinctive flavor and feel.

The Bossa Nova and Samba both have a distinctively Latin-sounding groove. In fact, the Bossa Nova is effectively a slowed-down version of the Samba. Both beats originated in South America as a dance rhythm. The bass drum beat lands on the first and last note of the measure, giving the beat a characteristic accent that picks up in the middle. This is because beat four of measure one is right before beat one of measure two.

Swing

Playing a swing on the ride cymbal gives the beat more flow.

The swing beat is typically associated with jazz and big band music, but it has its place in rock and roll, too. The opening bars of "War Pigs," by Black Sabbath and covered by Faith No More, feature a slow, almost lazy swinging beat. The beat cuts through the guitar chords and gives emphasis to the chord changes. Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin plays the beat in a distinctly more aggressive way, with fast tom tom fills. Bill Ward's original take favors a more sluggish and ominous groove. Swing beats are typically in ¾ or 6/8 time signature, with the accent on the "one." For example, a swing beat might be either "ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three" or "ONE, two, three, FOUR, five six, ONE, two, three, FOUR, five, six."

Sixteen Beat

Stewart Copeland plays open-handed to enable fast high-hat playing.

The sixteen beat takes its name from the high-hat pattern. While the bass and snare feel like they are in 4/4 time, the high-hat pattern is four times as fast. You hit the high-hat four times for each beat. Because of the rapid high-hat pattern, drummers typically use both hands to strike the high-hat, moving their right hand to hit the snare drum every second beat. Larry Mullen, Jr. from U2 frequently uses the sixteen pattern to add a feeling of urgency to his playing.

References

• CNX: Time Signature
• Tiger Bill: Mastering Single Paradiddles
• Rock Drumming System: Bossa Nova
• Study Drums: Swing

Resources

• Rock Drumming System: Learn How to Play the Money Drum Beat