Foundation Beats Part 1: 8th Note Variations

In this lesson—which is primarily aimed at beginners—I will present 5 simple beats which I call "Foundation Beats". I call them Foundation Beats because they are very basic beats upon which many other beats can be built. Of course, there are many more 8th note Foundation Beats, but these first 5 variations will give you a good start.

I guarantee you've heard most, if not all of these beats when listening to the radio or your favorite CDs. Try to listen for them in the future. I bet you'll be surprised at how many songs contain these (or similar) beats!

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As always, I recommend counting out loud and playing these beats slowly, at first. When playing these beats, avoid "flamming" between any two voices on the drum set; make sure your bass drum and snare drum hit at exactly the same time as your hi hat. Since the hi hat is played with your leading hand—and is played on every 8th note—it can be used as a reference for the placement of notes played on the bass and snare.

Once you feel comfortable with one or more of these beats, try putting on a CD or the radio and playing some of these beats along with the music. It's fun, and it can really help to develop your ears and your sense of time. Have fun and stay tuned for future "Foundation Beats" lessons.