What is a quarter note in drumming?

A quarter note gets one full beat. In 4/4 time there are four quarter notes per bar. Playing the hi-hat on every quarter note gives you a steady, simple pulse often called a 'four-on-the-floor' feel.

What is an eighth note in drumming?

An eighth note is half the length of a quarter note — there are 8 eighth notes in a 4/4 bar. Eighth notes on the hi-hat are the most common pattern in rock drumming and give grooves a steady, driving feel.

What is a sixteenth note in drumming?

A sixteenth note is half the length of an eighth note — there are 16 sixteenth notes in a 4/4 bar. Sixteenth-note hi-hat patterns create a fast, urgent feel common in funk, punk, and uptempo rock.

How do you count eighth notes on drums?

Count eighth notes as '1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and'. The numbers fall on the beat (downbeats) and 'and' falls exactly between beats (upbeats). Each syllable equals one eighth note.

How do you count sixteenth notes on drums?

Count sixteenth notes as '1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a'. Each group of four syllables (1-e-and-a) fills one beat, and each syllable equals one sixteenth note.

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Learn›Note Values

Drum Note Values

Note values tell you how long each hit lasts relative to the beat. Mastering quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes unlocks every groove pattern you will ever play.

Note	Symbol	Duration	Per bar (4/4)	Count out loud
Quarter Note ♩	♩	1 beat	4 per bar in 4/4	Say: 1 — 2 — 3 — 4
Eighth Note ♪	♪	½ beat	8 per bar in 4/4	Say: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Sixteenth Note		¼ beat	16 per bar in 4/4	Say: 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

♩

Quarter Note ♩

4 per bar in 4/4 · 1 beat per beat

A quarter note lasts one full beat. In 4/4 time, you play exactly 4 quarter notes per bar — one on each beat (1, 2, 3, 4). It's the baseline unit: when you tap your foot to the music, you're usually feeling the quarter note pulse.

Feel

Steady and grounded — like a slow march

Practical use

Kick drum on all 4 beats creates the driving '4-on-the-floor' feel, common in dance music and classic rock.

♪

Eighth Note ♪

8 per bar in 4/4 · ½ beat per beat

An eighth note lasts half a beat — twice as fast as a quarter note. Two eighth notes fit in one beat. In 4/4 you get 8 per bar. Eighth notes are the foundation of most rock drumming, especially on the hi-hat.

Feel

Energetic and forward-moving

Practical use

Hi-hat on every eighth note is the most common rock pattern. Count each note as 'one AND two AND three AND four AND'.

Sixteenth Note

16 per bar in 4/4 · ¼ beat per beat

A sixteenth note lasts one quarter of a beat — four fit in a single beat, and 16 fill a full bar. Sixteenth notes create dense, fast grooves and are essential for funk, hip-hop, and metal drumming.

Feel

Dense and intense — high energy

Practical use

Sixteenth hi-hat drives punk and uptempo rock. In funk, mixing sixteenth notes with ghost notes on the snare creates complex grooves.

Putting It Together — Basic Rock Beat

In a standard rock beat, you play eighth noteson the hi-hat while the snare (beat 2 & 4) and kick (beat 1 & 3) provide the quarter-note pulse. This layering of note values at once is what makes drumming so rhythmically rich.

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