easy lesson
The Tom (Surf) Groove
Move the timekeeping onto the floor tom instead of the hi-hat for a deep, driving, tribal surf-rock sound. Think 'Wipe Out'.
Play it yourself — keyboard or your own kit
Play steady eighth notes on the floor tom.
Add the kick on beats 1 and 3.
Add the snare on beats 2 and 4 for the full surf groove.
GrooveSteps practice notes · Updated 2026-10-18 · How these examples are made
What to focus on
A tom-led groove puts the timekeeping voice lower in the kit. Its longer sound can conceal small timing errors, so keep a clear spoken subdivision while learning it.
Build a short practice session
Practice the tom row alone, then add kick and snare. Compare the same rhythm on a closed hi-hat and on the tom. Keep the snare backbeat easy to hear instead of making every tom note equally loud.
Listen, check, then progress
Listen for the next downbeat through the tom resonance. If the sound becomes crowded, lower the tom volume before changing the pattern. A simple fill can lead back into the tom groove without adding extra time.
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 · 3 |
| snare | 2 · 4 |
| floor | 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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