The Waltz & Jig 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.
Valse 3/4
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
| Ride | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · |
- Kick · 1 hit · steps 1 · beats 1
- 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
- Ride · 4 hits · steps 2, 6, 10, 14
Valse Élégante
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Open hi-hat | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Ride | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
- Kick · 1 hit · steps 1 · beats 1
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Open hi-hat · 2 hits · steps 3, 9 · beats 3
- Ride · 4 hits · steps 1, 5, 9, 13 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · quarter notes
Jig Irlandaise
| 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 · 4 hits · steps 3, 7, 11, 15 · offbeat eighths
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · eighth notes
Where to start
Count "ONE-two-three" out loud, heavily on the one. Play the kick on the one and the snare on two and three. That is the whole waltz.
What the hands and feet actually do
A jig counts in 6/8, not 3/4: six eighths grouped in two packets of three. The difference between the two is exactly what separates a waltz from a Celtic dance rhythm.
The trap
These grids are written on sixteen steps like all the others, for lack of better: it is a drum-machine approximation, not a musical truth. On a real kit, count in three.
Listen to this
To hear the Waltz & Jig groove in its element:
Le Beau Danube bleu · Norwegian Wood (Beatles) · The Irish Washerwoman
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 Waltz & Jig groove on drums?
Count "ONE-two-three" out loud, heavily on the one. Play the kick on the one and the snare on two and three. That is the whole waltz.
What tempo is Waltz & Jig played at?
The usual range runs from 140 to 190 BPM. The hub's 3 pattern(s) are set to 160 BPM, 180 BPM, 180 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Waltz & Jig 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 Waltz & Jig?
Vienna and Ireland. Worth hearing: Le Beau Danube bleu · Norwegian Wood (Beatles) · The Irish Washerwoman