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2.1 | Reading Grooves

Each part of the drum set has a specific role in a groove. The kick drum marks the beginning of each measure and is matched by the bass instrument, the snare plays the backbeat, and the hihat or ride cymbal plays a stream of the groove’s subdivision. Drummers will often use the same one or two-measure groove for a song section or the entire song.

Kick: The largest drum of the drumset. The kick drum plays one to four other times each measure, often starting on beat one.
Snare: The snare drum usually plays on the backbeat.
Hihat: Two cymbals connected to a pedal. The hihat usually plays the base subdivision of the groove.
Groove: A pattern that the drumset plays over one or more measures.

Extra Practice

• Play along with this Pad Drumming Video →.

• Work on playing the basic backbeat groove on your legs using this Lap Drumming Video →.

Learn where the drums are on the MIDI keyboard with the image and with This Video →.

Setup the Soundtrap project.

• Add new track > Drum and beats track.

• Disable the looping function by double-clicking the purple bar over the timeline.

• Add a little reverb by clicking on the dragging the reverb knob to the right.

• Use the typing keyboard or MIDI keyboard to practice the basic backbeat groove with the drumless track Spotify Playlist.

  • Typing Keyboard: S = Kick Drum | D = Snare Drum | U = Hihat

• Record the basic backbeat groove using the drumless track on Soundtrap.

  • Press record and play four to eight measure of the groove with or without the metronome.

  • Check your work by clicking on piano roll and zooming in on your notes.

• Learn new drum patterns from the Groove Library →.

• Play along with pop songs using Groove Scores →.

• Write a groove with the Blank Beatmap Charts →.

• Setup Soundtrap with a drum instrument.

  • Add new track > Drum + Beats Track > click on instrument to view patches.

• Play a groove along with a song from the Sounds Without Drums playlist.