THE KIT · TIME FEEL 4 · 4/4

The 16th-Note Feel

This is the same rock beat, but the hi-hat plays sixteenth notes: four notes per beat instead of two. It gives the groove a busier, driving sound heard in funk, pop and a lot of rock.

The bass drum and snare parts are the same as before. Only the hands get busier.

Open this feel on the kit →

Reading it

Sixteenth notes have two beams instead of one. Each group of four fills one beat.

Everything else reads as before: snare in the third space up, bass drum in the bottom space.

Counting

Count 1 e & a, 2 e & a, 3 e & a, 4 e & a. Say it “one-ee-and-uh”. The snare lands on 2 and 4, exactly on the numbers.

The four steps

Each step changes one thing. Get each one comfortable before moving on.

1. The basic beat with 16th hats. Bass drum on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4.Play variation 1 →
2. The bass drum adds the & of 3.Play variation 2 →
3. The bass drum moves to 1, the & of 2, and 3.Play variation 3 →
4. Add a snare on the a of 4. It pushes into the next bar.Play variation 4 →

Common mistakes

• Tensing up the hi-hat hand. Loose wrist, small strokes.
• Letting the snare hand stop the hi-hat hand. At fast tempos, alternate: right hand on 1 and &, left hand on e and a, and the right hand moves to the snare on 2 and 4.
• Speeding up. Sixteenths love to rush, so keep the metronome on.

Practice plan

5 min	Sixteenths on the hi-hat alone at 60, counting out loud.
5 min	Add bass drum and snare (step 1).
10 min	Steps 2 to 4 at 60.
5 min	Add 5 BPM each time you play a step clean four times in a row.

Always start slower than you think you need to. Speed comes from playing it right many times, not from playing it fast once.