Drum lesson – Drum beats for Beginner – Part 14 | Iconic drum beats

Learn Iconic Drum Grooves from Famous Songs

Welcome to Drum Beats for Beginner – PART 14, a free drum lesson built around the grooves that make some songs recognisable from the first few bars.

Throughout this series, you’ve worked on different rhythms and time signatures. In Part 14, you’ll put those skills into practice with grooves from real songs. Each example gives you a short passage to work on and a chance to hear how the drums shape the feel of the music.

What Will You Learn in This Free Drum Lesson?

• How to read and play iconic drum grooves from different musical styles
• How the kick, snare and cymbals work together to give each groove its character
• How accents, rests and small variations change the feel of a beat
• How to use drum sheet music and the original recordings together when you practise

Some grooves will feel familiar right away. Others may take a little more time, especially if the kick drum lands somewhere you don’t expect or the hi-hat plays a different pattern from the one you’re used to. Take them one at a time and spend a few extra minutes on the bar that trips you up.

How to Practise Each Groove

1. Listen to the original recording. Find the groove in the song and tap along to the pulse.
2. Read the drum sheet music. Look at where the kick and snare fall, then check what the hi-hat or ride is doing.
3. Loop the passage at a comfortable tempo. If a bar feels awkward, isolate it and add it back once you can play it smoothly.
4. Play along with the song. Listen to how your accents and dynamics fit with the rest of the band.

Once you can play the notes, listen again to the recording. Can you hear which hits stand out and which ones sit further back?

Download the Free Drum Sheet Music

Like every lesson in the Drum Beats for Beginner series, Part 14 is free. Download the drum sheet music, pick a groove from a song you know and see how much of its feel you can capture at the kit.

Level · Beginner
Topics · Iconic drum grooves, famous drum beats, drum sheet music, listening and play-along practice