Analyzing Drum Beats
Most drum beats require the use of three limbs and sometimes all four. To coordinate all the parts effectively, you need to be clear in your mind about exactly where in each bar each limb is playing. There is a simple system for identifying any note’s position in a bar by naming notes off the beat according to which beat they come directly after. The system works as follows.
Within a bar of continuous eighth notes in * time, there are eight possible places where notes could occur. The first beat is called one (1), the next eighth note is called the "and of one", then comes beat two, the next eighth note is called the "and of two", then beat three, followed by the "and of three", then beat four, followed by the "and of four" which is the final eighth note in the bar. These positions are shown in the following notation.
The following example is a common variation on the basic Rock beat. The snare drum plays the backbeat on beats 2 and 4, while the bass drum plays on beat 1, then on the and of 2, then on beat 3, then on the and of 4. Practice the bass drum part by itself at first and count out loud as you play.
Once you are confident with the bass drum part, try adding the cymbal part with the right hand. Then try just the bass drum and the snare drum. Notice how the snare drum answers the bass drum. Finally, put all three parts together and try playing along with a metronome.
