easy lesson

Start a Section with a Crash

Drummers mark the beginning of a chorus or verse with a crash cymbal on beat 1. Learn to drop a crash cleanly into the groove and your playing will instantly sound more musical.

Play it yourself — keyboard or your own kit

  1. First, the basic rock beat: kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4, eighth-note hi-hats.

  2. Now crash on beat 1 to announce the section. The crash takes the place of the first hi-hat and is struck together with the kick; the hi-hat carries on from the second eighth.

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