Rock drum beats
Kick on one and three, snare on two and four, eighth notes on the hi-hat: the beat under most rock songs. Press Play and the drums keep going until you stop them. Pick a tempo below or set your own anywhere from 50 to 220 BPM.
How a rock drum beat works
A rock beat is built on the backbeat: the snare on beats two and four. Lock your strumming or picking hand to the hi-hat eighths and let your accents land with the snare. When the backbeat feels heavy and even, the band sounds tight even if the parts are simple.
How to play along
Guitarists: play down-strokes on the beat and up-strokes on the "and" so your hand moves with the hi-hat. Bassists: sit on the root with the kick drum and leave space where the kick rests. Singers: breathe on the snare, not in the middle of a bar.
The rock grooves on this page
Basic Rock is the plain version. Back in Black Pocket is heavier and lays back behind the beat. Smells Like Teen Spirit adds tom accents and a louder, driving hi-hat.
Common practice tempos
Start with 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140 BPM. Each tempo has its own page with the right groove already selected, so you can bookmark the one you are working on.