Daily Beat #2: Sixteenth-Note Pop

Sixteenth-Note Pop was the Daily Beat for 27 September 2026: a two-bar Pop drum groove at 117 BPM, rebuilt by ear on a kick, snare and hi-hat grid. The grid itself is not shown here, so the puzzle is still worth playing.

What to listen for

Dry, tight and relentless. Count how fast the hi-hat is going. Smooth and polished. The 16ths are even and relaxed, the ghosts are tucked away, and the groove sounds effortless even though it is busy. Find the snare first, then place the kick around it and count the hi-hat last.

Where to hear this feel

Records in this family include Hall & Oates – I Can’t Go for That. They are listening suggestions for the feel, not transcriptions.

Practise the full groove

The Blue-Eyed Soul Groove page has the full library version of this feel: how to count it, how to practise it and a play-along at any tempo. Or set the metronome to 117 BPM and play along with the groove.

Play today’s Daily Beat

A new two-bar drum groove arrives at midnight your time. Listen, rebuild it on the kick, snare and hi-hat grid, and check your guess. You have five guesses, and a hint about the feel unlocks after three.