Drums › Grooves › Samba / Baião
The Samba / Baião 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.
Samba
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 8 hits · steps 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16 · 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
Baião
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 6 hits · steps 1, 5, 7, 9, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4
- 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
Where to start
For samba the weight is not on the 1 but on the 2: count "one-TWO" leaning on the second. Everything else in the body organises around that weight.
What the hands and feet actually do
The left foot marks the beats on the hi-hat while the right foot plays the surdo figure. That independence between the two feet is what takes longest to install.
The trap
Hearing samba as a slow 4/4. It counts in two fast beats: feel it in four and every accent will land an eighth off.
Listen to this
To hear the Samba / Baião groove in its element:
Mas Que Nada (Jorge Ben) · Aquarela do Brasil · Asa Branca (Luiz Gonzaga)
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 Samba / Baião groove on drums?
For samba the weight is not on the 1 but on the 2: count "one-TWO" leaning on the second. Everything else in the body organises around that weight.
What tempo is Samba / Baião played at?
The usual range runs from 100 to 130 BPM. The hub's 2 pattern(s) are set to 110 BPM, 115 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Samba / Baião 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 Samba / Baião?
Rio and the Brazilian Nordeste. Worth hearing: Mas Que Nada (Jorge Ben) · Aquarela do Brasil · Asa Branca (Luiz Gonzaga)