BY STEWART JEAN, ANA BARREIRO, AND JEFF BOWDERS | FROM THE FALL 2019 ISSUE OF DRUM!
The lively and groovy music that is reggae most often uses a 1-drop drum pattern. One-drop means that beat 1 is not normally played or accented. While there may be a hi-hat note that occurs on the 1, the beauty of this rhythm is that the backbeat feels suspended until beat 3 allows for a release. The accented beat 3 is played loudly between the snare sidestick and the bass drum. This action allows for a lot of interplay on the hi-hat. Before you start to overplay on the ride or hi-hat, make sure you have a handle on the following standard patterns.
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PRACTICE TIPS
- These exercises can be played with straight or swung eighth-notes
- Play all patterns between 100-130 bpm