medium lesson
Playing in 6/8
In 6/8, a bar has two main pulses, each divided into three eighth notes. This lesson uses six steps and loops directly back to the start, so there is no extra silent beat. Count ONE two three FOUR five six; the BPM control counts the two dotted-quarter pulses. Build the hi-hat, add the kick, then let the snare mark the second pulse.
Play it yourself — keyboard or your own kit
Feel the 6/8 pulse on the hi-hat. Play six steady eighth notes across the six displayed steps and count '1-2-3, 4-5-6'. The accent lives on counts 1 and 4. The loop returns to count 1 immediately after count 6.
Add the kick on the two main pulses: count 1 (the first step) and count 4 (the fourth step). These are the two heavy beats of the bar, each beginning a group of three. Foot and hand land together on both.
Add the snare on count 4 (the fourth step) to create the backbeat that answers the kick on count 1. This call-and-response between kick on 1 and snare on 4 is the heartbeat of the 6/8 ballad. Count out loud '1-2-3, 4-5-6' and keep it slow and rolling.
GrooveSteps practice notes · Updated 2026-10-18 · How these examples are made
What to focus on
Feel two large pulses per bar, each holding three small counts. Saying ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six keeps the two groups clear without turning the rhythm into straight 4/4.
Build a short practice session
Play the six hi-hat notes and stress counts 1 and 4 with your voice. Add the kick, then let the snare answer on count 4. The example loops after the sixth step; there is no unused tail of a sixteen-step bar.
Listen, check, then progress
The final count 6 should lead naturally back to 1. If the loop seems to pause, keep counting the small subdivisions through the boundary. Compare this lesson with the 6/8 ballad groove using the same dotted-quarter BPM.
Read the final example without sound
This loop has 6 steps, with 3 steps per main beat. Each pair of numbers below identifies a main beat and its subdivision (for example, 2.1 is the start of the second main beat). Start at 90 BPM or lower the control until you can follow each part.
| Voice | Count positions |
|---|---|
| hihat | 1.1 · 1.2 · 1.3 · 2.1 · 2.2 · 2.3 |
| kick | 1.1 · 2.1 |
| snare | 2.1 |
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
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