Jazz · medium · 140 BPM
Jazz Ride (Swing) Drum Beat
The foundational jazz ride cymbal pattern: a quarter-note pulse with the swung skip note before beats 2 and 4. The hi-hat is clamped with the foot on 2 and 4 to anchor the time. This is the spang-a-lang that defines straight-ahead and swing drumming.
Press play to hear it, then open the full machine to edit, loop, and play along with your own kit.
What this teaches
Teaches the swung ride-cymbal pattern with the foot hi-hat chick on beats 2 and 4.
More grooves
GrooveSteps practice notes · Updated 2026-10-18 · How these examples are made
Listen for this
Listen to the ride phrase independently, then add the other voices without straightening its feel. The grid is a programmed approximation, not a recording of a jazz cymbal performance. For an explicit three-part subdivision, compare the 12/8 example at a relaxed tempo.
Practice the arrangement
- Start with the sparsest row. Count every subdivision, including the silent positions.
- Add one voice at a time on your kit, or listen to the full loop and clap just one part. Keep the main pulse unchanged.
- Play four loops at a comfortable tempo. Change one note, then compare the variation with the displayed pattern before adding another.
Read the final example without sound
This loop has 16 steps, with 4 steps per main beat. Count each beat as number, e, and, a. The table lists the occupied positions; every unlisted position is a rest. Start at 140 BPM or lower the control until you can follow each part.
| Voice | Count positions |
|---|---|
| ride | 1 · 1 a · 2 · 2 a · 3 · 3 a · 4 · 4 a |
| hihat | 2 · 4 |
These positions describe the programmed example, not an artist recording. Playback uses synthesized sounds. A real performance also involves touch, dynamics and phrasing.
Keep practicing
Build a practice routine · Read drum notation · Browse the lesson path
Found a mismatch between the explanation and the player? Send a correction with the page address and the step or count that needs attention.