Drum beat

A drum beat or drum pattern is a rhythmic pattern, or repeated rhythm establishing the meter and groove through the pulse and subdivision, played on drum kits and other percussion instruments. As such a "beat" consists of multiple drum strokes occurring over multiple musical beats while the term "drum beat"[1] may also refer to a single drum stroke which may occupy more or less time than the current pulse. Many drum beats define or are characteristic of specific music genres.

For the 1954 Western film, see Drum Beat.
This article is about many hits together. For one hit, see drum stroke. For marching hit patterns, see drum cadence.

Many basic drum beats establish the pulse through alternating bass (on the on-beats) and snare drums (on the off-beats) strokes while establishing the subdivision on the ride cymbal (thus its name) or hi-hat:

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { << \tempo 4 = 80-160 \bar ".|:" { cymra8 [cymra] cymra [cymra] cymra [cymra] cymra [cymra] }\\{bd4 sne bd sne} >>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { << \tempo 4 = 80-160 \bar ".|:" { cymra8 [cymra] cymra [cymra] cymra [cymra] cymra [cymra] }\\{bd4 sne bd sne} >>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 90 } }
Simple quadruple drum pattern, "Straight blues/Rock groove":[2] divides each of two beats into two.

This establishes a quarter note pulse in (quad)duple time: each measure is formed from (two groups of) two quarter note pulses, each pulse divided into two eighth notes.

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { << { \time 3/4 cymra8 [cymra] cymra [cymra] cymra [cymra] }\\{bd4 sne sne} >>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { << { \time 3/4 cymra8 [cymra] cymra [cymra] cymra [cymra] }\\{bd4 sne sne} >>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 100 } }
Simple triple drum pattern: divides each of three beats into two.

This establishes a quarter note pulse in triple time: each measure is formed from three quarter note pulses, each divided into two eighth notes.

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { << { \time 6/8 cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra }\\{bd4. sne} >>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { << { \time 6/8 cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra }\\{bd4. sne} >>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 100 } }
Compound [quadr]duple drum pattern: divides each of two beats into three.

This establishes a dotted-quarter note pulse in duple time: each measure is formed from two dotted-quarter note pulses, each pulse divided into three eighth notes.

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { <<{\bar ".|:" \tuplet 3/2 {cymra8 cymra cymra} \tuplet 3/2 {cymra cymra cymra} \tuplet 3/2 {cymra cymra cymra} \tuplet 3/2 {cymra cymra cymra}}\\{bd4 sne bd sne }>>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{\tuplet 3/2 {cymra8 cymra cymra} \tuplet 3/2 {cymra cymra cymra} \tuplet 3/2 {cymra cymra cymra} \tuplet 3/2 {cymra cymra cymra}}\\{bd4 sne bd sne }>>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 90 } }
Simple duple drum pattern but with triplets: divides each of two beats into three.

Compound triple meter is equivalent to simple duple meter with triplets on every beat.

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \time 9/8 \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra }\\{bd4. sne sne }>>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra }\\{bd4. sne sne }>>\break\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 100 } }
Compound triple drum pattern: divides each of three beats into three

This establishes a dotted-quarter note pulse in triple time: each measure is formed from three dotted-quarter note pulses, each pulse divided into three eighth notes.

A "fill" is played in between the regular strokes of a pattern and/or signals the end of a phrase:

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra [cymra cymra]}\\{bd4 sne bd sne8 sne16 sne16}>> <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{bd4 sne4 bd8 bd8 sne4}>>\break } } \layout { \context{ \Score proportionalNotationDuration = #(ly:make-moment 1/8) } } } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra [cymra cymra]}\\{bd4 sne bd sne8 sne16 sne16}>> <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{bd4 sne4 bd8 bd8 sne4}>>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 102 } }
Sixteenth note fill in a rock/popular groove played on a drum kit.[3]

Since a phrase is multiple measures long, a fill signaling the end of one would come at the end of the last in a series of repeated measures.

In double and half-time patterns the pulse and ride are either doubled or halved, respectively, occurring twice or half as often:


\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra16 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{bd8 sne8 bd8 sne8 bd8 sne8 bd8 sne8}>>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra16 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{bd8 sne8 bd8 sne8 bd8 sne8 bd8 sne8}>>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 100 } }
Double-time: the snare moves to the "&" beats while the hi-hat begins to subdivide sixteenth notes. Also, the eighth notes 'sound like' quarter notes in two tiny measures.
\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra4 cymra cymra cymra}\\{bd2 sne2}>> <<{cymra8 r cymra r cymra r cymra r}\\{bd4 r sne4 r}>>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra4 cymra cymra cymra}\\{bd2 sne2}>> <<{cymra8 r cymra r cymra r cymra r}\\{bd4 r sne4 r}>>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 100 } }
Half time: the snare moves to beats 3 of measure one and two (beats 3 & 7) while the hi-hat plays only on the quarter notes. Also, the quarter notes 'sound like' eighth notes in one giant measure.

A blast beat drum pattern features all drums on the eighth note subdivision or variants with one or more drum's pattern displaced by a sixteenth note:

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \tempo 4 = 180 \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{<bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 }>>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{<bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 <bd sne>8 }>>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 180 } }
Blast beat drum pattern
\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \tempo 4 = 180 \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{ bd16 sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne}>>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra8 cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra cymra}\\{ bd16 sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne bd sne}>> } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 180 } }
Blast beat drum pattern


This resembles a combination of double-time (bass-snare pattern) and original time (ride pattern).

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { \stemUp <cymra bd>8 cymra <cymra sne>^> cymra <cymra bd> <cymra bd> cymra <cymra sne>^>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { \stemUp <cymra bd>8 cymra <cymra sne>^> cymra <cymra bd> <cymra bd> cymra <cymra sne>^>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 120 } }
Delayed backbeat (last eighth note in each measure) as in funk music[4]

Despite the difference in notation, there is no difference in interonset intervals and this pattern is nearly identical to the first simple duple pattern except for the second onbeat being divided into two eighth notes and the second backbeat being delayed an eighth note.

The heavy metal gallop, named for a horse's canter, is based on a bass drum pattern of one eighth followed by two sixteenths.

This resembles a combination of double-time (bass-snare pattern) and original time (ride pattern).

\version "2.22.0" \header { tagline = ##f} \score { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"} \with { \numericTimeSignature } { \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra4 <cymra sne> cymra <cymra sne>}\\{bd8 bd16 bd16 bd8 bd16 bd16 bd8 bd16 bd16 bd8 bd16 bd16}>>\break } } \layout {} } \score { \unfoldRepeats { \drums \with {midiInstrument = "drums"}{ \repeat volta 2 { <<{cymra4 <cymra sne> cymra <cymra sne>}\\{bd8 bd16 bd16 bd8 bd16 bd16 bd8 bd16 bd16 bd8 bd16 bd16}>>\break } } } \midi { \tempo 4 = 120 } }
Heavy metal gallop drum pattern

See also

Sources
  1. Principals of Basic Drum Beats
  2. Berry, Mick and Gianni, Jason (2003). The Drummer's Bible, p.36. ISBN 1-884365-32-9.
  3. Peckman, Jonathan (2007). Picture Yourself Drumming, p.59. ISBN 1-59863-330-9.
  4. Mattingly, Rick (2006). All About Drums, p.104. Hal Leonard. ISBN 1-4234-0818-7.
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