easy lesson
The Money Beat
Snare on 2 and 4, kick on 1 and the '&' of 2 — a common groove in popular music. Once it is in your hands you can play along to thousands of songs.
Play it yourself — keyboard or your own kit
Eighth-note hi-hats with the snare backbeat on 2 and 4.
Add a kick on beat 1.
Add a second kick on the '&' of beat 2 (step 6). That small syncopated push is what gives the money beat its forward motion.
GrooveSteps practice notes · Updated 2026-10-18 · How these examples are made
What to focus on
The added kick on the 'and' of 2 makes the foot work independently of the main quarter-note count. Hear that offbeat as a deliberate position between 2 and 3, rather than as a rushed second downbeat.
Build a short practice session
Say 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and. Tap the kick positions alone, keeping the voice on every subdivision. Add the snare, then the hats. Repeat the second beat and its 'and' if the extra kick pulls the snare away from 2.
Listen, check, then progress
Keep the offbeat kick separate from the following beat 3. A useful variation is alternating one bar of the basic rock beat with one bar of this pattern. The hi-hat should remain unchanged through the switch.
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 100 BPM or lower the control until you can follow each part.
| Voice | Count positions |
|---|---|
| kick | 1 · 2 & |
| snare | 2 · 4 |
| hihat | 1 · 1 & · 2 · 2 & · 3 · 3 & · 4 · 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
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