The Ballad drum groove
The pattern, step by step
One cell per sixteenth note, sixteen cells to the bar — exactly what the hub's drum machine plays. Downbeats are shown in bold.
Ballade Lente
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
- Kick · 2 hits · steps 1, 9 · beats 1, 3
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 4 hits · steps 1, 5, 9, 13 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · quarter notes
Power Ballad
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
| Crash | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
- Kick · 3 hits · steps 1, 7, 9 · beats 1, 3
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · eighth notes
- Crash · 1 hit · steps 1 · beats 1
Where to start
Hi-hat in quarters, snare on 2 and 4, kick on 1. Four bars. Only then allow yourself ONE hi-hat opening before the chorus.
What the hands and feet actually do
At this tempo every hit is heard in full: a sloppy stroke has nowhere to hide. Hit softer, but hit accurately. The time between two strokes is part of the music.
The trap
Filling the silence. A slow ballad makes the drummer uncomfortable and the urge to fill is enormous. Do not fill. Count, breathe, wait for the 1.
Listen to this
To hear the Ballad groove in its element:
Nothing Else Matters (Metallica) · Every Breath You Take (The Police) · Someone Like You (Adele)
Neighbouring grooves
Play it right now
The Drum Hub's drum machine loads this pattern, plays it at any tempo and lets you edit it cell by cell.
Open the Drum Hub →Frequently asked questions
How do you play a Ballad groove on drums?
Hi-hat in quarters, snare on 2 and 4, kick on 1. Four bars. Only then allow yourself ONE hi-hat opening before the chorus.
What tempo is Ballad played at?
The usual range runs from 60 to 85 BPM. The hub's 2 pattern(s) are set to 70 BPM, 75 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Ballad straight or shuffled?
Straight: the eighth notes are even, with no delay on the offbeats. That is what the hub's pattern plays.
Which drummer should you listen to for Ballad?
Power ballads of the 1980s. Worth hearing: Nothing Else Matters (Metallica) · Every Breath You Take (The Police) · Someone Like You (Adele)