In a hurry?  

Here are our top 3 beginner grooves:  

A beginner-friendly rock beat  

Pop beat for beginners 

16th note groove 

Elevate your setup 

Three essentials you might need to get started:  

Basic drum beats for beginners 

1. Beginner-friendly rock beat  

I started with this basic rock beat – it’s probably the most played groove of all time! It’s counted as 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-.  

• Start by playing eighth notes on the hi-hat  
• Add the bass drum on beats 1 and 3  
• Finally, play the snare on beats 2 and 4

2. Four-on-the-floor groove 

Once you’ve got the hang of the basic rock groove, you can try a four-on-the-floor groove.  

• Play the bass drum on all four beats 
• Keep a consistent eighth-note pattern on the hi-hat 
• Add the snare drum on beats 2 and 4 for a strong backbeat 

3. Pop beat for beginners 

This simple pop beat forms the backbone of many modern songs. It’s counted as 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-.  

• Start by playing 8th notes on the hi-hat  
• Play the snare on beats 2 and 4  
• The first kick will be on beat 1, and the second will be on the & of 3 

4. 16th note groove 

16th note grooves are useful to learn when you’re starting out. They’re counted as 1-e-&-a-2-e-&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-.  

• Play steady 16th notes on the hi-hat, using both hands to alternate 
• This sticking pattern will be RLRL or LRLR, depending on which hand is your dominant one 
• The bass drum lands on beats 1 and 3 
• The snare hits on beats 2 and 4

5. Disco for beginners 

If you’re after an upbeat groove, disco is perfect.

• Play a four-on-the-floor bass drum pattern and add the snare on beats 2 and 4 
• Open hi-hat on ‘and’. Close on the downstroke of the kick 
• Open hi-hat on ‘and’, then close on the down stroke of the snare 

6. Simple half-time groove 

Half-time grooves are often played in feel-heavy genres. You count this groove as 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-.  

• Play 8th notes on the hi-hat 
• The kick drum will land on beats 1 
• The snare will land on beat 3 

7. “Back in Black” (Chorus)  

A simple rock song to learn is “Back in Black” by ACDC. It’s like the beginner-friendly rock beat we discussed earlier.  

It’s counted as 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-.  

• Start with 8th notes on the hi-hat 
• Add your bass drum on beats 1 and 3   
• Your snare beats are on beats 2 and 4 
• To make this more interesting, you can start with a crash on beat 1 

This groove is 6 bars long. The 7th bar adds some extra bass drum hits.  

To play this bar:

• Play the bass drum on beat 1 as normal 
• Then play two 8th note kicks on beats 3 & 
• Finally, play the last bass drum on the & of 4 before ending with a fill 
• The hi-hats are played as 8th notes, and the snare drum is still on beats 2 and 4

To end the chorus, play the kick and crash together in unison, aligning with the words ‘Back’ ‘In’ ‘Black’. This is followed by a one-note rest, then a flam on the snare on beat 4. 

8. “December 1963” 

Another useful song to learn is “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. This song is handy to learn if you want to add texture to grooves.  

You count this as 1-e-&-a-2-e-&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-. 

• Start by playing 8th notes on the hi-hat. You will open them 3 times 
• In bar 1, play the open hi-hat on the & of 4 
• In bar 2, play 2 open hi-hats, one on the & of 3 and one on the & of 4
• During the first bar, your snare drum plays a backbeat on beats 2 and 4 while the kick plays four on the floor 

An additional kick is added in bar two. The first kick plays on the 1 and the second two kicks are played on the ‘a’ of 2 and beat 3.

There are ghost notes on the snare in bars 3 and 4. In bar 3, you play these on the offbeat.  

• 1st ghost note is on the ‘a’ of 2 
• 2nd ghost note is on the ‘e’ of 3
• Make sure you add a kick between these ghost notes to keep the four-on-the-floor feel

The fourth bar has an additional ghost note on the ‘e’ of 1.  

9. “Creep” 

Next on our list is “Creep” by Radiohead. This is counted as; 1-e-&-a-2-e-&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-.  

To play this groove: 

• Play 8th notes on the hi-hat  
• Play the snare on beats 2 and 4 
• The first kick is on beat 1 
• The second kick is on ‘a’ of 2. (it lands in between the hi-hats) 
• The third kick is played on beat 3 
• The Last bass drum is straight after- on the & of 3 

You’ll play 3 kicks back-to-back. Some bars have a kick on the & of 4 to lead into the next bar.  

10. Espresso 

“Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter is counted as 1-e-&-a-2-e-&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-. 

• The beat is the same as the “rock beat for beginners” except bar one has an extra hi-hat on the ‘a’ of 4.  
• Bar 2 has an open hi-hat on the & of 4
• Bar 3 is the same as bar 1 
• Bar 4 has a kick on the ‘a’ of 2 and beat 3, and an open hi-hat on the & of 4

11. “We Will Rock You” 

If you want to learn a tom-heavy groove, we’d recommend “We Will Rock You” by Queen.

This will be counted as 1&2&3&4.  

• Floor tom and kick on 1 & 
• Hi-hat on 2 
• Floor tom and kick on 3 & 
• Hi-hat on 4

12. “Thinking Out Loud” 

“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran is a great song to warm up to, I use it quite a lot before rehearsals and gigs.

It’s counted as 1&2&3&4& and is 8 bars long.  

• Play 8th notes on the hi-hat  
• Add a bass drum to beat 1
• Next, play a snare on beat 2 
• Follow this with a kick drum on the & of 2  
• Play another kick on the & of 3 
• Finish the bar with a snare on the 4th beat 

The last two bars are played on the kick and in unison with the vocal melody.  

• First bar – kick on beats 1, 2, 3, and 4 
• 2nd bar – kick on beat 1, 2, & of 2
• Rest on beat 3, kick on 4, snare on & of 4

13. “Californication”  

Last on our list is “Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. It’s counted as 1-e-&-a-2-e-&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-.  

• Play 8th notes on the hi-hats 
• Then add your kick. The first is on beat 1 and the second is on the & of 3 
• Next, add your snare’s backbeat. These hits land on beats 2 and 4. 

Next, play ghost notes on the snare. These beats land on: 

• The a of 2 
• The e of 3 
• The a of 4 

The ghost notes always land in between hi-hat hits, and they’re quieter than the backbeat hits on beats 2 and 4. 

FAQs 

What are the most common drum beats? 

The most common drum beats include the rock beat, the blues shuffle, and the funk groove. These foundational rhythms appear across many genres and are essential for any drummer. The rock beat features steady eighth notes on the hi-hat, while the blues shuffle adds swing, and funk emphasises syncopation. 

What is the easiest drumming style? 

The easiest drumming style is basic rock drumming. It relies on a steady four-beat structure with a strong backbeat on the snare, making it accessible for beginners. With simple coordination between the bass drum, snare, and hi-hat, rock drumming helps new players develop timing and control. 

What should a beginner drummer learn first? 

A beginner drummer should first learn proper grip, posture, and basic drum beats. Developing stick control and hand technique ensures better rhythm and endurance. Mastering the basic beats, counting in time, and simple drum fills builds a strong foundation for more advanced playing. 

Final thoughts 

Learning basic drum beats is a great way to improve your timing, coordination, and confidence. Focus on keeping a steady rhythm and playing with a relaxed feel. Once you’re comfortable, experiment with dynamics, tempo changes, and fills to add variety. Take your time, keep practising, and soon, these beats will become second nature!

If you want to learn more, check out some of our other posts: 

5 Easy Drum Rudiments and How to Play Them

8 Easy Drum Fills for Beginners

How to Read Drum Music Notation – Everything You Need to Know