Eighth Note Drum Beats
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Learn How To Play Eighth Note Drum Fills!
Here's where things get a little more complicated. Turn to the eighth note beats page and let's take the lessons up a notch. With eighth notes, a single line connects the notes. Quarter notes do not have that, so that's one way to tell what notes you are playing when you read sheet music. When we counted quarter notes it was easy: one, two, three, four. Eighth notes play two notes for each beat, so to count them we say 'one and two and three and four and'. When you go through these beats, remember that you don't have to add everything in at once. You can start with the hi-hat just the hi-hat, until you get comfortable, then add in the bass, and when you are ready, the snare. Be sure to play with a metronome and count the beats out loud. It's very important at this stage of your development to have a firm understanding of timing.
Beats 1-5 feature the hi-hat on every eighth note. Because of this, your hi-hat hits can drive your counting.
Learn how to play sixteenth note drum fills in the next drum lesson!
