Drums › Grooves › Ska / Rocksteady
The Ska / Rocksteady 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.
Ska
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Open hi-hat | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 4 hits · steps 1, 5, 9, 13 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · quarter notes
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Open hi-hat · 4 hits · steps 3, 7, 11, 15 · offbeat eighths
Rocksteady
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · |
- Kick · 4 hits · steps 1, 5, 9, 13 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · quarter notes
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 4 hits · steps 2, 6, 10, 14
Where to start
Play a simple pattern at 160 with the off-beats firmly accented, then play exactly the same at 85. You are hearing the historical shift between two genres.
What the hands and feet actually do
Everything sits on the off-beats: the guitar and keys hammer them, the drums merely keep the door. Ska demands stamina, rocksteady demands restraint.
The trap
Playing ska like punk. Jamaican jazz musicians invented it: it is played light and precise, not forced. That nuance separates the Skatalites from a marching band.
Listen to this
To hear the Ska / Rocksteady groove in its element:
Guns of Navarone (The Skatalites) · A Message to You Rudy (The Specials)
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 Ska / Rocksteady groove on drums?
Play a simple pattern at 160 with the off-beats firmly accented, then play exactly the same at 85. You are hearing the historical shift between two genres.
What tempo is Ska / Rocksteady played at?
The usual range runs from 80 to 175 BPM. The hub's 2 pattern(s) are set to 160 BPM, 85 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Ska / Rocksteady 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 Ska / Rocksteady?
The Skatalites, Studio One. Worth hearing: Guns of Navarone (The Skatalites) · A Message to You Rudy (The Specials)