The Half-Time 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.
Half-time
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 1 hit · steps 1 · beats 1
- Snare · 1 hit · steps 9 · beats 3
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · eighth notes
Where to start
Take a rock beat you already play and move the snare: one single hit, on 3. Change NOTHING else. You have just halved the perceived tempo.
What the hands and feet actually do
The whole effect lives in the empty space. Let the snare ring without covering it, and resist the urge to fill beats 2 and 4 — that is exactly what you must not do.
The trap
Slowing down because "it sounds slow". The tempo has not moved one bit: only the snare placement changed. Keep the hi-hat exactly where it was.
Listen to this
To hear the Half-Time groove in its element:
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) · In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins) · My Hero (Foo Fighters)
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 Half-Time groove on drums?
Take a rock beat you already play and move the snare: one single hit, on 3. Change NOTHING else. You have just halved the perceived tempo.
What tempo is Half-Time played at?
The usual range runs from 70 to 100 BPM. The hub's 1 pattern(s) are set to 90 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Half-Time 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 Half-Time?
Led Zeppelin, “When the Levee Breaks”. Worth hearing: When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) · In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins) · My Hero (Foo Fighters)