Your first drum beat: the basic rock beat, counting and simple drum notation

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Almost every drummer's first real beat is the same one: hi-hat, kick and snare in a steady pattern that sits under thousands of rock and pop songs. Once it is solid, you have the foundation for nearly everything that comes after.

Counting first

Most popular music is in 4/4 time: four beats to a bar. Count them aloud: 1, 2, 3, 4. To split each beat in two (eighth notes), add "and" between them: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. That gives eight even counts per bar. Counting out loud while you play feels silly and is the fastest way to stay in time. Do it.

The basic rock beat, one limb at a time

Hi-hat: with the right hand (for a right-handed setup), play the closed hi-hat on every count: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. Keep it even and relaxed.
Snare: add the left hand on the snare on 2 and 4. This is the backbeat, the part people clap along to.
Bass drum: add the right foot on 1 and 3.

All together, per bar:

1: hi-hat and kick
and: hi-hat
2: hi-hat and snare
and: hi-hat
3: hi-hat and kick
and: hi-hat
4: hi-hat and snare
and: hi-hat

If it falls apart, drop a limb. Play hi-hat and snare until it feels automatic, then add the kick.

Making it a groove

Keep the left foot down on the hi-hat pedal so the cymbals stay closed and tight.
Balance the volume: the hi-hat should sit under the snare and kick, not over them.
Play along with a metronome, slowly at first. A steady slow beat sounds better than a fast shaky one.

Variations to try next

Change only the kick and the beat already sounds different:

Kick on 1, 3 and the "and" of 3.
Kick on 1, the "and" of 2, and 3.
Kick on 1 and the "and" of 3 only.

Then try moving the right hand from the hi-hat to the ride cymbal, or playing quarter notes on the hi-hat for a half-feel.

Reading simple drum notation

Drum music uses the same five-line staff as other instruments, but each line or space stands for a part of the kit rather than a pitch. In the most common convention:

Bass drum: a note in the bottom space.
Snare: a note in the third space up.
Hi-hat: an x-shaped note head above the top line.
Cymbals in general are shown with x note heads; drums with ordinary round ones.

The percussion clef (two short vertical bars) sits at the start instead of a treble or bass clef. Because conventions vary between publishers, good drum charts include a key showing which position is which part. Check it.

Note values

A quarter note (filled head with a stem) lasts one beat.
Eighth notes last half a beat and are usually joined in pairs by a beam.
Rests are silences of the same lengths.

The basic rock beat written out is a row of eighth-note x's above the staff, with kick notes on beats 1 and 3 and snare notes on 2 and 4 underneath. Once you can see that pattern on the page, you can read most beginner grooves.

How long it takes

Coordination between hands and feet is new for almost everyone. It is normal for the beat to feel impossible on the first day and natural a week later. Short daily sessions work better than occasional long ones. What was your first beat, and which song did you first play it along to? Share it in the comments.