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By Wesley Newton Published on: Wed May 11, 2022
Play a standard eighth note groove. Add the kick drum to counts 1-2-3-4, otherwise called the four on the floor beat. Next, open the hi-hat with your left foot and play the hi-hat on the & of 1-2-3-4. Experiment with broken 16th notes on the hi-hat as well.
Accomplished drummer and a Grade 8 in Drums with Distinction from Trinity College of Music, your teacher brings 2 decades of professional experience. He has played with iconic bands such as Groovemeister and Blushing Satellite at prestigious music festivals across the country and internationally.
Yes, it’s time for the disco groove! After reading this blog, stay rest assured that your playing would sound so much better as we learn to use the open hi-hat and the four on the floor beat technique. It’s time to have some fun!
The drums, more than an instrument, allows you to express yourself and most importantly, you get to have so much fun. As we edge closer to the end of the course, let’s have fun and learn something that can make anybody dance. Yes, it's time for the disco groove.
The disco groove primarily relies on the bass drum pattern, which is four on the floor (kick on every quarter note position). On the left hand, the snare drum pattern goes on counts 2 and 4 while the hi-hat should follow the standard 4/4 beat in 8th notes. However, when you open the hi-hat with your left foot and play the hi-hat on every & of 1-2-3-4, that’s when we give it the disco touch.
There is another way to master the disco groove in sixteenth notes. In this case, the kick drum pattern remains the same (four on the floor – kick drum on 1-2-3-4). The snare drum goes on counts 2 and 4. Here, instead of counting the beat as 1-e-&-a, we have the broken hi-hat pattern which is counted as 1-e-&, 2-e-&, 3-e-&, 4-e-&. Take it slow, keep this rhythm going until you feel comfortable.
The disco groove can also be played on the ride. Take the same kick drum and snare drum pattern and ensure you lock in to the time of the groove. However, on the ride:
1. 1 and e of 1 – larger part of the ride
2. & of 1 – bell of the ride
3. 2 and e of 2 – larger part of the ride
4. & of 2 – bell of the ride
5. 3 and e of 3 – larger part of the ride
6. & of 3 – bell of the ride
7. 4 and e of 4 – larger part of the ride
8. & of 4 – bell of the ride
To take it up a notch, during this groove, try to open the hi-hat with your left foot on every quarter note position.
Please remember that the pattern on the ride must be on autopilot so you don’t miss a beat. Take it slow initially. Play the ride first and get the hang of it. Follow that up with the kick on all four counts, and the snare drum on 2 and 4. Once you get comfortable with this, add the open hi-hat with your left foot that goes with the kick drum.
This is the disco beat. In the next blog post of this series, we do a recap of all what we have learnt from rudiments to fills to the shuffle beat and everything in between!
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