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Bill Powelson's School of Drums
The Basic Dance BeatsBack. . . to the 'Drum Lesson Menu'. . .
The bulk of modern music is based on these few simple beat patterns. Learn these beats and play any song. Playing with music will come NATURAL, and you will be playing by 'ear' once you have mastered these rhythms. AS A BONUS, you'll be learning to read DRUMMING-NOTATION TOO, the absolute, easiest possible way. It is amazingly easy to become a drummer!
This is the fastest, easiest possible, way to learn. Don't let the other complex, boring and confusing, methods intimidate you. There isn't an easier or better way on earth to learn, than the way I'll be showing you for free, in the next 10-minutes.
The following page will provide you with the basic beat patterns needed to play ANY SONG, regardless of your personal taste in music.
As you study and learn these beats, notice that a mathematical pattern becomes evident between the speed or tempo of the beat, and the number of cymbal (hi-hat) notes being played. Slow songs require more fill notes on the cymbal and fast songs require less. (Hairstyles and bodyart have nothing what-so-ever to do with any of this, haha.)
No matter what style of music you listen to, you'll be playing along, the very next time you turn on your radio, or listen to your favorite CDs.
Simply repeat the beats 'as if' you were on a real drumset. Pound on the desk or anything near-by, and pat your right-foot on the floor for the bass-drum. MEMORIZE THESE BEATS, and by tomorrow, you'll be playing along like a natural PRO. (Better make a bookmark now! You'll want to come back again and again. There's much more to learn, but it's all this easy.)
IMPORTANT TIP!
Make a bookmark and get a printout of this page. Learn each beat separately . . . drum away on the computer desk, or as you sit, tapping on the arms of your easy-chair, watching tv.
Shortly after that, no matter what songs play on the radio, you will discover that you can listen for the drums, then join in, and play along . . . almost like magic. When that begins to occur (and it will), come back to this web site and we will proceed with the heavier stuff.
MEMORIZE THESE FIVE BEAT PATTERNS!
Dance beat #1:
16th 'SLOW ROCK' 4/4Approximately 15 songs per 100 will utilize some form of this basic beat.
I am assuming that you can read and understand these patterns. If you are experiencing difficulty then return to the previous lesson and learn to READ DRUM NOTATION. Go over that lesson until you understand it, then come back.
HINT: On top of the 16th rock example you will see the counting procedure. It often helps to say the actual words "one,ee,and,aah,two,ee,and,aah" and so on. You will be saying "and" with each "+" that you see. Pat your foot as you say "one" and tap your left hand as you say "two". Follow through and keep it going. Try it! If it helps then use it.
Dance beat #2: 6/8 'BLUES'
Approximately 12 songs per 100 will utilize some form of this basic beat.
Writing conventions dictate that most of these patterns may be written several ways. For example, the above pattern could be written as 'Triplet 2/4' or even 'Triplet 4/4'. Don't let that issue confuse you. The beat will sound the same, no matter how it is written.
Dance beat #3: Eighth 'ROCK' 4/4
Approximately 45 songs per 100 will utilize some form of this basic beat.
We studied this beat in the previous lessons because it is the most often used. It is included again here so that you can see how it falls into the tempo scale of primary dance beats. This is a medium tempo beat. Remember, faster tempos (speeds) require less notes on the cymbal.
Dance beat #4: 6/8 'SWING/SHUFFLE'
Approximately 20 songs per 100 will utilize some form of this basic beat.
Swing/shuffle is the nightmare of them all and will be much easier to learn if associated with a song. Notice the eighth rests on the cymbal line. Think in groups of three but omit the middle cymbal of each group. . . (what a nightmare).
IT IS MUCH EASIER THAN THAT! Find a familiar song in the shuffle category and let it play as you study this beat. Listen deeply to the song and feel the rhythm. Move ahead if you are having problems. It will seem much easier after you have been playing a while longer.NOTE: These patterns may be written many various ways. Only the most simple forms are being shown here.
Dance beat #5: Quarter note 4/4 or 'QUARTER ROCK'
Approximately 2 songs per 100 will utilize some form of this basic beat.
This is a dance beat with many nicknames. It may be called Quarter rock, Doubletime, Cut time, Jazz, Breakdown, Uptempo, Quicktime, Polka or others that I haven't mentioned. If a song is fast . . . really fast, then this is the beat to use.
LEARN MORE . . . about this complete, 'online' 125-lesson course in drumset techniques. Make a commitment to your own future happiness! Sign-up and get started today! `
NEXT LESSON . . .
Basic Dance Beat #6: Waltz * This beat category belongs on this page but there is too much to say about it. The Waltz beat has a page of its own.HELPFUL LESSON: Holding the Sticks, Tips for Lefties, Attacking the Pedals. Go here only if you want to address these nagging questions and arguments, from my perspective.
FUTURE LESSONS . . .
Rudiments, Rolls and Fills: Yes! In my half-century career as both a working drummer and teacher, I've found some AMAZINGLY EASY ways to teach it all. I'll have you playing all the rudiments, rolls and fills in the blink of an eye! Stick with me! It'll all come, in due time. I have MANY MORE killer tricks in store for you!My goal as a teacher, is to shave 35-years off your learning-curve, while developing your techniques to absolute perfection within a matter of weeks or months. It's all in the method!
50-years and 2,000 private students have fine-tuned this original teaching-method to a sharp razors edge. You will not find a better method than this, anywhere on the planet! You've just seen the tip of the Iceberg, There's plenty more, and it is all this easy!
Why not enroll? You'll be helping to keep this website afloat for others, and rid yourself of these dumb, annoying ads too, haha! :>)
Copyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved.
Hear the Basic 16th ROCK Beat 
