Kick Drum Rule for Better Beats

The "Kick Drum Rule" ensures your drum beats not only groove, but also stand out from the crowd!
►FREE Music Theory Book: HackMusicTheory.com/Books
►Hack Drum Beats PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/Drums
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99% of producers in popular music these days program drum beats that sound like every other producer’s beats. This is mainly because they use the same handful of kick drum patterns. In fact, many producers even import one/two-bar drum loops as the foundation for new songs. But, when we try to write creative music on top of a generic one-size-fits-all foundation, we will never reach the artistic heights we can by writing our own original drum beats!
And original drum beats don’t just form a unique foundation for your music, they also weave themselves into your other layers and actually influence what you write for those other instruments. To prove how a creative drum beat can bring your music to life, we’ll use a super boring chord progression for our example. In fact, this is one of the most overused progressions in popular music. But, after we apply our Kick Drum Rule to the drum beat, you’ll witness a total transformation as this predictable rubbish is turned into a vibrant and captivating section, all thanks to the drums!
So, what is our Kick Drum Rule? Well, before we get to that, we need to do a quick overview of the drum kit and each element’s function.
There are four elements to the drum kit: cymbals, snare, toms, and kick. The main function of the cymbals is to connect the drum beat with the pulse of the song (i.e. 1/4 notes in the 4|4 time signature). The snare is the main injection of energy for a drum beat, so where you play your snare will determine how energetic the section feels. Toms add variety to your drums. And lastly, the kick drum brings the groove to a drum beat. And by the way, drum beats are also known as drum grooves or drum patterns.
We’re focusing on the kick in this lesson, but if you wanna go deep and learn how to use each of the four elements based on their specific functions, then read our new PDF: Hack Drum Beats. This PDF is your ultimate guide to writing captivating drum beats, and it also comes with MIDI file examples. If that sounds useful, you can download the PDF from the link above. Alright, let’s jump in! So, for our example we’ve set up eight bars, and as almost all popular music is in the 4|4 time signature, we’ll use it too.
So as you know, the kick’s function is to bring the groove to a drum beat. But what exactly is groove? Well, there are many different definitions, but we define groove as being a rhythm that contains a magic balance of on-beat notes and off-beat notes (i.e. syncopation). Unless you’re specifically going for a rigid four-on-the-floor drum beat, too many on-beat notes will make your drums sound stiff. On the other hand, too many off-beat notes will make your drums sound like a mess, so you gotta find that magic sweet spot!
As you’ll have noticed by now, the cymbals and snare are fairly limited in their possibilities. They have very specific functions, and they need to stick to those. For example, if you switched their roles and played the pulse on the snare and a backbeat on the hats, your drum beat would sound backwards and completely wrong to most people, like this. This limitation is not good news for creative people like you. However, there is one element of a drum beat where we can get away with almost anything. Yep, the kick drum!
And with that, it’s finally time to reveal our Kick Drum Rule, which is to write an interesting kick drum pattern at least four bars long. As the kick is the only element in a drum beat where you can express whatever you want (without it sounding wrong), don’t waste this golden opportunity for total creative freedom!
Now, there are tons of different ways to get artistic and express what you want through your kick drum pattern, but remember that its job is to bring the groove, so play around with a combination of on-beat and off-beat notes. Most importantly though, is to break free from those extremely limiting one/two-bar drum loops, so be sure your kick pattern is at least four bars long. Arguably the best way to inject a massive dose of creativity into your kick pattern, though, is to use a polymeter. If you’re new to the term “polymeter”, it’s just the fancy word for playing in two or more time signatures at once. If you want a step-by-step guide to creating a polymeter in your drums, that’s also in our new Hack Drum Beats PDF (link above).
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© 2020 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

[@HackMusicTheory]

►Hack Drum Beats (PDF) - Everything you need to know for making beats in one PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/Drums

[@apersunthathasaridiculousl1890]

:o

[@crescendo5594]

I wish more midi producers understood what percussion can do for music.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Absolutely agree, Cresc Endo! A warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@crescendo5594]

@@HackMusicTheory I would say mostly rock-oriented stuff, into metal. Mixed with orchestral pieces. Played guitar for about 20 years, and lately I’ve been working a LOT, so I make midi music on my cellphone to keep my creative ball rolling. The quality is somewhere between chip tunes and Renoise. But it’s fun to get the most out of the limited instrumentation and mixing tools. :)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Cool, thanks for sharing Cresc Endo! What are your favourite bands? By the way, while all our hacks can be put to use in any genre, you'll find heavier hacks in our Metal Music Theory playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN4CU-74EQ7NQnoDbHt8ZDH_ We're cheering you on in your music making, have a great week!

[@crescendo5594]

@@HackMusicTheory That’s a tough one to answer. I grew up as a child of a 70s kid, so I was listening to my dad’s albums like Zeppelin, Boston, Floyd, and all the rock stuff of that era, and at the same time my mom was gifting us ELO, The Beatles, and Elton John. Then I heard Metallica’s Master of Puppets, and it’s probably the one time in my life my mind was blown, thinking “Music can be brutal AND beautiful?” From there I strapped on my metal and prog boots. In short, I love anything with a strong melodic or rhythmic framework. I even enjoy some Taylor Swift music. Hehe Sorry for the novel, but that’s such a fun question to answer. I’ll definitely check out all of your songwriting playlists!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha, awesome, Cresc Endo, love the storytelling! We're loving the new Leprous single, epic as always :)

[@k_rimi3.455]

I have always loved Timbaland and Neptunes drum patterns, i think they have been the best in the mainstream

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Blaster Jaxx, thanks big time for stopping by and connecting, we truly appreciate you being here in the HMT community! Hope this finds you and your family all well in these challenging times. Stay safe out there, and we really hope to see you again in the next video :)

[@mattparkin7224]

Timbaland's production is unreal. Kind always enjoyed Beep That 911 by Missy Elliott - I think it's a perfect example of his out there style

[@audreyazwell]

Timbo is crazy with it fr

[@3WL2]

That's the VA sound, we have some legendary producers here. Pharrell , Timbo, Missy, Teddy Riley.

[@dafingaz]

There's something in the VA water we've been drinking. LOL

[@AJ-fe8om]

Sick lesson. The second version has also got a synthy bass groove added...

[@wolfieodimm9151]

i love how this channel focusses on being distinct instead of being predictable and generic like everyone else. keep it up!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey thanks wolfie! We really appreciate you being here :)

[@LocketInThinePocket]

I'm not even a musician, I just make music as a hobby, but I will definitely be trying this out! Thanks!

[@HackMusicTheory]

That's awesome, Locket in Thine Pocket, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Happy New Year, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@Zheeph]

The difference between one and the other is just how good you feel you are. As soon as you feel you got good at it you'll probably want to make it a profession :)

[@kindauncool]

You should upload your stuff

[@captweirdbeard]

Your final example sounds much more like a rock/metal groove than anything I would expect from electronic music. Especially how you use fills to tie the loop together to keep things moving (elaborate fills are rare in electronic music for some reason). The drumming is one of the big reasons I love metal music. There are so many interesting patterns that super talented people are able to come up with and play. The blast beat is a great example of a pattern that pretty much exclusively exists in metal. If anyone here is curious about metal drumming, some big names to check out are Thomas Haake (Meshuggah), Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth/Soilwork/Scarve), Danny Carey (Tool) and Baard Kolstad (Leprous). Just a few examples, metal drumming is an endless rabbit hole. Dare to dive in, it's worth it i promise!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Fleshfeaster, thanks for watching and connecting, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! We love metal too, and this lesson is actually inspired by Tomas Haake, so great ear :) Ray grew up playing in metal bands, and he's worked with many great metal musicians, like Devin Townsend. By the way, at the end of all our new vids you'll find a what we call "The Djend", where Ray lets his hair down:) Leprous is one of my favourite bands, and we did 3 theory videos based on their song “Alleviate”. You'll find those vids and all our other metal music theory lessons (including a couple on Tool) in this playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN4CU-74EQ7NQnoDbHt8ZDH_ Take care and we hope to see you again soon for more music theory hacks! Kate

[@jimsaintamour2]

This was really cool! I’ve been a drummer for almost 4 decades and this helped even me out. Thanks!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Wow thanks big time, Jim, we're absolutely thrilled to hear that! Thank you for stopping by, we hope you have a lovely week :)

[@kademoore4258]

I feel like having a last name like Harmony absolutely makes me think you already know what your talking about 🤣😅💯 ✌

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha, love that! And it doesn't hurt having decades of music theory teaching experience either 😀 Thanks so much for stopping by Kade :)

[@eustahijelifetips]

This is what makes old edm sound real good, too much repetition today, the old generation were masters of their craft and make some serious grooves, thanks for the clear and easy video, should help lots of people in their music journey

[@wwlittlejOfficial]

Actually old EDM (and other styles of electronic influeneced music, even pop, rap, R&B...) was EXTREMELY repetitious as compared to today. the reason why is the older sequencers they used like the Alesis MMt-8 were notoriously limited, as compared to a modern DAW which is damn near limitless. if u find modern EDM drumming repetitious, you're listening to the wrong stuff, lol.

[@PauLtus_B]

@@wwlittlejOfficial I think you're missing the point. Yeah, you can do about anything but generally people use the same patterns.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey, thanks for watching and connecting, Josip! What kind of music do you make? Wishing you a fantastic week :)

[@eustahijelifetips]

@@HackMusicTheory my own shitty music and also helping others with production, just playing around with sounds and trying to bring others to other sounds to expand their taste, knowledge and just having fun with music Wishing you also a great week though

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing, Josip! Having fun is the whole point, right?! On that note, you might like our new video, which is all about this topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJquinV8oM5moas Take care and all the best with your music making, Josip :)

[@snow5772]

Wow, I already do the 4+ bar kick pattern thing, but I never thought about polymeter!

[@LuisSD80]

Woah. I wish I've found this channel 20 years ago. Brilliant.

[@HackMusicTheory]

You're exceptionally kind, my friend, a heartfelt thank-you for being here in the community. Ray :)

[@NedJeffery]

I have a sudden urge to make tea for someone.

[@MatusFinchus]

My first experience of you guys was this evening. I'm in love with your tutorials, presentation (and tea!) Wonderful stuff!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Matt, a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community, we're happy you're here! Yes, tea! We'd love to know what your favourite kind of tea is, and/or what kind of music you make :) Have a great week!

[@MatusFinchus]

@@HackMusicTheory Thank you for the wonderfully warm welcome. :-) I'd have to say that I'm aspiring to produce music along the lines of Enigma / Delerium en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delerium I have just treated myself to a Roland MC707 and also their digital back catalog. I'm off work after some major leg surgery, so I have some time to enjoy your videos and put some of my learning into action! All the very best. :-)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Matt, thanks for sharing, sorry to hear about your leg surgery, we hope you have a brilliant recovery! Sounds like you're going to put your recovery time to good use :) We wish you all the best, and please do let us know how you get on with your recovery and music making! Cheers :)

[@MatusFinchus]

Thank you both. Such lovely people. All the very best. Matt. :-)

[@devanjones3994]

Oh my freaking God Finally someone explaining how to make actual drum patterns you've instantly got a subscriber 😭😭😭😭

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, happy to hear it was helpful to you, Devan, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :) ps. you'll find all our drum hacks in this playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN4ajXZ-dj8V9sosiTXVxwO_

[@devanjones3994]

@@HackMusicTheory honestly I don't really have a set genre of music that i like to make, I'm a singer so I make whatever I feel that comes from the heart ❤️

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing, Devan, we love that you make music from the heart and don't limit yourself with genre and style! You might like our "Truth About Genre" video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6OYmoqoi66LZsU All the best with your music making, Devan, we look forward to hearing more from you in the future :)

[@SpaceNigs]

Something I had to learn myself over the years but I'm glad to see a video on it helping other producers out

[@perfectpitch2506]

I'm so happy to see you guys back!! Hope yall are safe in lockdown !!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Perfect Pitch, it's so great to see you again! Thanks big time for stopping by and connecting, we're truly grateful to have you here in the HMT community, and we really really appreciate you being such a loyal viewer and watching all our videos (and saying such lovely things about our teaching). Hope this finds you and your family well in these challenging times. Stay safe, and we hope to see you back here on the next video :)

[@akshy471]

@@HackMusicTheory HEELLLOOO

[@mr.indahouse]

Man, i just turned to study music production and discovered you yesterday and my class work has improved too much, I don't know how to thank them, just let them know that they are great and help people too much

[@SamirPatnaik]

This is the first video ever I have watched in my life that breaks drown the purpose of elements in a drum set. Shocker!!

[@robwaooh]

Hey this quick lesson was awesome! Definitely subscribing. I’m a little new to producing and found myself writing standard kick patterns, then wondering why I wasn’t fully satisfied with the loop afterwards. I will definitely try the 4 bar rule to mix it up!

[@twotonecloudboxing1471]

I’ve been trying for ages trying to get the software to not make my drums sounds so stiff and robotic and I’m proud to say that will no longer be an issue thanks folks cheers 🥂.

[@appuser]

Wow! That makes so much sense! In a related note, I follow a rule of sprinkling syncopated snare ghost notes everywhere, especially leading up to a major snare beat... not sure why but it really sounds good. Maybe in your next video I"ll learn why that usually works out.

[@twotonecloudboxing1471]

Thanks for this guys the hardest part for creating music for me has been the DAW section And I’ve been trying for ages trying to get the software to not make my drums sounds so stiff and robotic and I’m proud to say that will no longer be an issue thanks folks cheers 🥂.

[@nikita99m]

Nice to have you back! I was wondering - do you guys have a bundle deal for all of your PDFs? That would be amazing ❤️

[@RpgRiser1]

Niiice, this is actually something I've been using to create more interesting Djent grooves lately. Messing with the kick drum can give you some very interesting riffs.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Hiraeth, hope this finds you and your family well in these challenging times. Thanks big time for stopping by and connecting, we truly appreciate you being here in the HMT community! You've been with us a long time (a real OG subscriber!), and we're super grateful to you for that! Yes indeed, this is an awesome technique for Djent, and we're super happy to hear you've already been playing around with it! By the way, we recently added a new Djent PDF that breaks down how Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders) writes Djent and Thump riffs. If you're interested, you can check it out on our Djent page, here: HackMusicTheory.com/Djent Thanks again for being here, Hiraeth, and we hope to see you back on the next video! Until then, stay safe, and happy Djenting :)

[@yesaididit329]

Another great vid. Thank u. So happy to see you back.

[@Daverinoe]

I'm just getting started in learning how to create music, and your videos are super helpful! Thanks!

[@werekill]

This video is exactly what I needed, thanks! Great stuff here.

[@11panithilopas9]

I love your channel! This channel is super useful for a guitarist who doesn’t has a band.

[@MrTheog1989]

Great to see you two back at it. Love the content as always :)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks theo :) Hope this finds you and your family all well in these challenging times, and thanks big time for being here in the Hack Music Theory community!

[@SuperObvious]

I think this is my first time on this channel. Awesome video. Ive been a music producer and youtuber for a while and its always cool seeing good videos on music theory to help people out. Great video and well edited 🤓👍

[@Dwooswa]

unbelieveable how the song sounds fuller and richer by only changing the drums and not changing anything in the mix. drums are one of the most important aspects of songwriting

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Dwooswa, thanks for stopping by, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and have a fantastic week!

[@toph_us]

Happy to see another video from you two!! :) glad you’re back!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aw thanks Ryan my friend, it means the world to us that you're here in the HMT community. Thanks big time for stopping by and connecting! Hope this finds you and your family all well. See you over in the apprentice network :)

[@DeadliestEvil]

Always feel like I’m watching a school video back in 2001, good stuff lol

[@eXem333]

This is GREAT!!!🔥 I think we need to apply this and blend it in with song genre,mood and every thing else so it's perfect! Just waiting for your new video😀

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey thanks big time, Mashed Potato, really appreciate you stopping by :) Take care and see you again soon!

[@Table-Top]

Cool before and after at the end, got my foot tapping. (Ray, is it warm enough in Canada to be wearing a vest! ) Good to see you both back, missed your regular videos.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Table-Top my friend, it's so good to see you again, it's been a while. Hope this finds you and your family all well in these challenging times. Thank you sincerely for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we truly appreciate you! Regarding the temperature here in Vancouver, it's actually sunny and 21°C (70 Fahrenheit), so we're still enjoying some beautiful weather! Hope the sun is shining on you too, and we hope to see you back here on the next video :)

[@SnadMusic]

Watched these out a while ago. Now that I'm actually making some stuff I might just need to refresh on your videos. Tha ks for making these helpful and easy to understand tutorials!

[@lionardchristian]

Why only 144 k guys, u deserve a mill 🔥🔥🔥u guys are the best.keep uploading so u can grow more n more🌸🌸

[@guitanimus4275]

Oh man, thanks, thanks, thanks, this channel comes in the perfect moment, just when I start to compose...😉 (new subscriber here). One question about this lesson, in this kick evolution sometimes adquiere movements corresponding to a Tom or snare, whats the difference between WHO makes this move?. Thanks and congratulations for the channel!!!.

[@arnavsawhney]

I had a vague idea what this was but never knew how to put it into words. Subconsciously we all know the songs we like and the songs we love. Groove is one of the pillars of great music. Thank you.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear it, Arnav, thanks for stopping by, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@arnavsawhney]

@@HackMusicTheory Thank You. I performed keyboards in my school and dabbled in a college band. As of now I'm focusing on learning music production, composition and arrangement. All the best, you guys. KZbin is more dicey to get a good breaking due to competition from shorts, but you've ploughed on really well so far. Wish you great success.🙌

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, thanks so much for sharing, Arnav! We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week 🙏

[@7vensoundz851]

You legit helped me figure out the trick to the trade. I knew how to play on beat in my head but I couldnt play the creative beats i played in my head. Thank you for this much needed insight.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear it, #7venSoundz, thanks for stopping by and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@7vensoundz851]

@@HackMusicTheory My music is mostly hip-hop influence but my music is usually what inspires me. Thank you again and ill be sure to stop by when in need of more tips and guidance.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Cool, thanks for sharing, #7venSoundz! We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week :)

[@mikehill9385]

This is the first video I've watched. I've heard about your channel so much I almost subcscribed right at the beginning but the content had me hooked all the way until the end. When you said "We appreciate you" I remembered to like and subscribe. I appreciate you. Thanks for the content.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks so much for your kind words, Mike, and a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@rhuan3d]

This is the first time since I started studying music that something actually "clicked" on my mind. Been struggling with this for years!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Yay, we're so happy to hear this Rhuan, and a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@TurtleMaster326]

I don’t know why but I just started making tea while watching this…

[@HackMusicTheory]

Lol, that's definitely odd... Thanks so much for watching, Turtlemaster 326, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@Dorbell]

So did I, how strange

[@colinmccook1898]

I'm literally drinking tea rn... What's going on

[@Zetsuke4]

Sounds much better

[@notfastenough1726]

Just found your channel and love it already, wish I found it like a month ago, I’m too impulsive

[@jesuscastaneda7018]

excellent as always! all the best.

[@turtleCalledCalmie]

Thanks for this video, and all others you've made. It's funny how even a simple genre like lofi chill is complex to make. And how creating whole tune is sooooo much different work than just learning to play instruments is. I can noodle on guitars for hours, after 15years of playing but making whole song, and to make it not boring is totally different and new skill that is probably gonna take like next 15years to make something I would be proud of. Doesn't prevent me to post drafts on YT tho but I always have a feeling that others people music is so much better than my own in all aspects, I guess that's self confidence thing haha. Wish you all the best

[@HackMusicTheory]

A warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community, killme! Thanks for sharing a little bit about you and your music. And you're right it's all about learning how music works (i.e. music theory) and how to apply it to your music and then practice, practice, practice! We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week :)

[@lenneke_]

As a drummer I really learned from this, so thank you ❤️

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear it, Lenneke, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you play? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@lenneke_]

@@HackMusicTheory Happy to be here! 😄 I play from pop to jazz to old school rock, with my band. I just do it for fun, and we make next to covers our own songs. Appreciate the effort of you making all these video's, absolutely amazing ❤️

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing, Lenneke, it sounds like a lot of fun!! Have a great week, and we look forward to hearing from you again in the future 🙏

[@nandakoryaaa1401]

Hi Kate & Ray! You're back!!! So glad to hear (and see) you!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Andrei my friend, it's awesome to see you again!! Thank you kindly for stopping by and watching, we are deeply grateful to have you here in the HMT community. It means the world to us that you always take the time to connect! Really hope this finds you and your family all well in these challenging times. Stay safe my friend, and we're already looking forward to hopefully catching up with you again on the next video :)

[@gomesdiogo]

great stuff for electro, thanks a lot

[@JUSTTOMMY]

This is the exact tutorial I've been needing in my world for so long you guys. Thank you for doing these videos. They've helped me tremendously. Keep up the great work :)

[@johncostopoulos7741]

great tutorial as always

[@zaneghiskhan]

Wow, as someone brand new to learning a DAW and music theory, I really appreciate how easy it is to digest the information. Making an otherwise daunting new endeavor into one where the process is the discovery, thank you!

[@user-Jonji]

Ahora me doy cuenta que he aprovechado esa oportunidad de oro siempre. Me encanta desglozar libertad y creatividad en el kick.

[@johnghadimi]

Another great video and loving the information in the Beat PDF. Everyone should get it!! BTW, the "generic" beat is literally the groove to Depeche Mode's "It's No Good". No disrespect to the producer, Tim Simenon. :)

[@TheMitchellHarris]

Thanks Harmonics - always enjoy your blend of musical wisdom and friendly warmth. Regards from a Fellow Tea drinker 🍵

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks for your kind words, Mitch, we really appreciate you being in the Hack Music Theory community :) What's your favourite tea?

[@TheMitchellHarris]

@@HackMusicTheory - I love Earl Grey, Japanese Green /Brown teas (Sencha, Matcha, Bancha) , Chinese Oolong, pretty much all teas. Don't drink coffee. Your Kick Drum lesson, and bass 80/20 lessons really helped me understand how to improve my beat making, so thanks a lot to you both (cute couple ;)

[@thenetimp]

Glad to see you guys are all ok, hadn't seen anything from. you all in a while...

[@HackMusicTheory]

Whoa!! It's absolutely awesome to see you again, thenetimp, it's been a couple years since we last chatted! Really hope this finds you and your family all well in these challenging times. We can't thank you enough for being with us here in the HMT community for so long, you're an OG subscriber :)

[@thenetimp]

@@HackMusicTheory It has been a while, I've been here though in the background. I have to admit when we hadn't seen an update in a while I was a little worried, glad to see my worry was misplaced.

[@JasonKeisling]

Great stuff as always! Glad you're doing well.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Jason my friend, so lovely to see you again, thanks big time for stopping by and connecting! Hope this finds you and your family all well in these challenging times. Thank you kindly for being such a loyal subscriber, it means the world to us that you've been with us for so long! Stay safe, and we really hope to see you back here on the next video :)

[@IV4bushironin]

Very helpfull, I've started again after quitting for two months, I'm still new to production but I've noticed that having two different tempos at the same time makes the kick a lot more charismatic

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for stopping by, Ivan_IV, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? We're cheering you on in your music making journey, and hope to hear from you again soon, take care!

[@briancase6180]

Ok! Very useful and succinct. Thanks for this.

[@muhammadrezahaghiri]

Hello my friends! Long time no see. How are you doing? I love messing around with kick drum and the bass to get a great groove. sadly I can't spend that much time on music anymore, as I'm busy with doing coding and stuff for almost 10 hours a day. If I find a free time, I may start noodling on my guitar to come up with some cool progressions and patterns to create a song. Hope see you soon, again!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Muhammadreza my friend, it's absolutely wonderful to see you again! Thank you sincerely for always stopping by and connecting with us, your presence here in the HMT community means the world to us. We're happy to hear that you're staying busy in these difficult times, but we're sorry to hear that you aren't finding the time to make music, that sux! Hopefully your work/life relationship will balance out soon and you can get back to your multi-genre creations. We always love hearing about your latest fusion of genres! Stay safe my friend, and thank you kindly once again for being here. We're already looking forward to catching up with you on the next video :)

[@marcoevans2155]

I dug you guys teaching style right from the get-go. Subscribed

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks so much Marco, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@keejay12]

Stumbled onto this video and im glad I did. Learned something today especially kicks being the groove in the beat.

[@HackMusicTheory]

We're glad you did too, ThankYouBlackIce, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@keejay12]

@@HackMusicTheory thx alot man. I make hip hop, trap, R&B and UK Drill mainly. Ive tapped into trapsoul and afrobeats but i just want to elevate and do it all and do it well

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, thanks for sharing, ThankYouBlackIce! We absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6OYmoqoi66LZsU. We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week :)

[@keejay12]

Ima def check it out thx man

[@AKWBeats]

Glad to see you guys back.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks, AKWBeats, we really appreciate you being here in the Hack Music Theory community! Take care and we hope you have a lovely week :)

[@stcreativ9090]

as always thank you for taking the time of exlaining this with examples :)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear these videos are helping you out, stcreativ90! We're wishing you a lovely weekend :)

[@lofilukelukoala8121]

Tea is almost ready

[@HackMusicTheory]

Excellent! What kind did you make us?! Thanks for stopping by, Luke :)

[@varietypa...5606]

This kick pattern is a bass player nightmare ))

[@GreenhamGuitar]

No wonder I've forgotten to have tea! Where've you two been? :-D Great tips as always! Some genres really are defined by their beats, but even then, the kicks (and toms) generally have so much room to play.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha, love it! What kind of tea do you drink?! Thanks big time for stopping by, David, we really appreciate you being in the Hack Music Theory community :) Take care, Kate.

[@NewGoldStandard]

Thanks for sharing this, there are some really useful tips here. Programming realistic (or even interesting) sounding drum patterns is a real art form, so it's always nice to hear a fresh take or idea.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, thanks for stopping by, NewGoldStandard, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make?

[@megagygon9262]

VERY glad to hear from you ! "a MAGIC BALANCE of on-beat notes and off-beat notes" : i like that expression, it's the almighty and eternal quest in music ! ;-)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Mega my man!!! Awesome to hear from you, as always. Really hope this finds you and your family all happy and healthy. Thanks big time for stopping by, it always puts smiles on our faces to see you here! Looking forward to hearing the next version of your bubblegum-rock track over in the apprentice network, so please keep us posted :)

[@ProdNevali]

I was searching for a video like this!! Thank you 🙏🏼

[@HackMusicTheory]

Glad it was helpful, Eyeworks, thanks for stopping by! What kind of music do you make?

[@ProdNevali]

@@HackMusicTheory hiphop/trap music 😃

[@whylie2029]

I've seen them ALL. Your channel is beyond helpful. I will be supporting.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Yay, you're the best 🙏

[@kevindominguez9989]

Helpful and super clear. Ty

[@fantasia0kent]

DAMN!!!! You sing it. I love your view. I'm so glad I checked you out. At my age I'm not sure if I'll get back into drumming again. but at this moment I'm doing some internet surfing. And this has been the best video I've checked out tonight. I LOVE, your view on drums. I'll take you back to ... um ... 1974-1980, sounds about right. Your view is close to my view of the drum set back then. I thought the kick drum was under used. My base peddle had 2 springs and I wore slip on shoes so I could slip my right foot out and play in my stocking foot. So that I could have freedom to move. So, I could play 8th and 16th notes and rests on my kick drum. There is a time and place for simple rhythms on the kick drum, nothing wrong with simple; a simple beat can be all you need. But there are times you need to get wild, like a song from my time, Stephen wolf sang, "Born To Be Wild". The kick drum can really spice things up. In the lingo of my time, "I dig it baby, call out a fire alarm on the kick drum, preach it man, preach it". I hope people listen to you. And I've book marked this video. Who knows, maybe I'll be back some day.

[@yosoyelsupremo]

Thank you guys for spreading this information, always to the point, without the need to create long videos like others that last more than 20 minutes and everything can be explained in less than 5.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks so much, Alhex_HeGe, happy to hear you enjoy our approach :) What kind of music do you make?

[@yosoyelsupremo]

@@HackMusicTheory mainly Synthwave and some LoFi and EDM, I'm a beginner but thanks to your tutorials, I'm learning many fundamental principles of music 👍.

[@livinproof718]

Ty for all your tips

[@shutup5662]

Thanks These are the smaller elements we don't even notice 🎉🎉❤️

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear this one was helpful to you! Thanks for stopping by and connecting, we hope you have a great week :)

[@viridianloom]

Reaper Question: is there a way to quickly highly on beat and off beat midi notes? When programming drums I know one of the tricks to make them sound more alive is higher velocity on beat and lower velocity of beat, but I often end up manually clicking all the notes and it's tedious. If there's a way to highly everything with a shortcut and mess with the velocity that would be a massive time saver.

[@iceandblaze92]

Amazing lesson. Def checking out the pdf!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks so much Juan, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@iceandblaze92]

@@HackMusicTheory I’m interested in extreme metal but I’m currently taking composition lessons learning the fundamentals of composition and sonata form! Is the pdf good for writing better extreme metal drum parts. I’m def a sucker incredible Tom beats!

[@bismuththebi]

Just found your channel. This is so helpful and taught really well! Keep it up!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks so much Jaroshock, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@bismuththebi]

@@HackMusicTheory I make Indie Alt Rock music, and I’m also a singer, so I only produce my own music!

[@HackMusicTheory]

That's awesome, thanks so much for sharing, Jaroshock Tesla, and apologies for the late reply! We're cheering you on in your music making and wish you a lovely week :)

[@addictedtocraic]

Great to see you all again.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Great to see you again too, John! We really appreciate you stopping by, and we hope you have a lovely week :)

[@marksmusicCC]

Well done guys.. a simple 8 minute video and I found out just what I was doing wrong with my patterns.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks Mark, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! We're happy to hear this shed light on your drum patterns. What kind of music do you make?

[@marksmusicCC]

@@HackMusicTheory I am just a simple hack at home acoustic guitarist and I make some noise on a drum machine and a Casio keyboard.. Have been playing for around 40 years but it is only in the last 2 years or so I have been composing, or at least trying to .. I am fully self taught so channels like yours are a great resource.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome Mark, we're so happy to hear that you're working on composing your own music! Learning music theory is definitely essential for expressing yourself, so you're in the right place :) Take care and have a lovely rest of your week!

[@johncostopoulos7741]

Many thanks!

[@FlorianRachor1]

Wow, what an insane difference. Thanks a lot, that was a great lesson!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks so much Florian, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@FlorianRachor1]

@@HackMusicTheory Well, I‘m still trying to figure that out :), I‘m very new to making music. That’s why your PDF was additionally helpful. I play piano, not the drums, so I had no idea what the tasks of the drumlin pieces were. So now I know, thanks a lot for that.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing, Florian, we're super happy to hear that the Drums PDF was helpful to you :) We absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6OYmoqoi66LZsU. We really appreciate you being here, Florian, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week :)

[@stanleycara7266]

thank you guys i mean it .

[@haseebbeg7847]

This was very helpful! Thanks!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks, happy to hear it, Prophecy Gaming, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@chaisewallis7110]

This is why I listen to metal the most. Since most bands get very creative with their drums.. well actually in every part of the songs really. lol

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Chaise, thanks for stopping by, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What are your favourite metal bands? Do you also make metal? If so, you can check out our metal specific hacks in our Metal Music Theory playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN4CU-74EQ7NQnoDbHt8ZDH_ Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@chaisewallis7110]

@@HackMusicTheory Awesome, well a few of my favorite bands are Kingdom of Giants, Fit For A King, and Wage War. That list could go on all day though 😅 And sadly I am not good enough to make my own music, well idk music theory is the issue. This is how I came across this channel, I want to learn music theory even if it is painful lol I am just not sure where to start. I love music and honestly I want to do something not too many people do that I've heard. I want to make kind of like a dubstep or electronic beats using a DAW like FL Studios and then playing some cool metal riffs over it or even some chillstep with acoustic guitar over it myself. Also kind of skip the vocals unless I find someone online who will sing over it since I have a horrible voice 😂 but yeah that's my goal

[@HackMusicTheory]

Woohoo, we're thrilled to hear that you want to learn music theory, Chaise, and we're pumped to be a part of your music making journey! We love hearing you're wanting to make creative and unique music, and we absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6OYmoqoi66LZsU. Here's our suggestions on how to begin learning music theory and then how to use it to make Chaise-style music! To begin with, we'd suggest, if you haven't already, downloading our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It'll give you a solid music theory foundation to work from, and it's a super fast and fun read! You'll find it here: HackMusicTheory.com/Books. From there, in order to get a feel for writing a section of music, we'd suggest you watch these 3 playlists, which are all series: 1. How to Write a Song: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN63jnHQaWD6M3-zuhtMjyMm 2. How to Write a Christmas Song (this is relevant even if you're not writing a Christmas song): kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN7u7BQRj6zD9FvCxTGbrnYw 3. Masterclass: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN5Poc5pUuvFlb7dqaJ37AFw While watching those playlists you may want to start making your own chord progressions and melodies. If you don't already have a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), here's a video of the top DAWs of 2021 to get you started: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpK1qWd-grGMa7M You'll also need Virtual Instruments (VSTs). If you're looking for some free VSTs here's a video with some options: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e36xp2SBibmebac. If you have a budget, we recommend Native Instruments as being the best value for money. Their Komplete Essentials is a great starting point, and only a small financial commitment: www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-11-select Then you might consider our Songwriting & Producing course, where you'll learn step-by-step how to make music with all the layers working together (you'll find it here: hackmusictheory.com/books). And with our holiday sale, it's currently 50% off ;) Then after some practice, when you're ready to make full songs, we'd suggest taking a look at our online apprenticeship. It consists of 17 hours of unedited video which captures every second of the songwriting process, from blank screen to finished song, while also teaching every single step and theory hack along the way. You'll learn how to start songs, make new sections for existing sections, transition between sections & finish your songs! You can find out more here: HackMusicTheory.com/Courses. And there you go, that would be our advice on how to get started making music!! Hope that helps, Chaise, we wish you all the best, and please do let us know how you get along with your music making! Take care and talk soon :)

[@BraulioPianoTutorials]

Excellent video. Definitely enjoyed the final version. Good explanation. I also downloaded the free book.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks so much Braulio, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Happy New Year, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@hmltn6770]

Super useful thanks 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@randyhalfway]

I've missed this channel! Love your videos. I wonder what you guys would make of Meshuggah🤔

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Randy, great to see you again, and thanks for your kind words! We love Meshuggah, their latest album is our favourite. Ray's been a fan since '98 and has seen them live many times. If you're still wanting to make that kind of music, you'll love our tech/prog offerings, especially Apprenticeship #2, which is the mother of all songwriting and producing courses! If you're curious you can check those out here: hackmusictheory.com/djent. Hope this finds you well and thank you for being in the Hack Music Theory community :) K

[@fvilxre.]

Loved the video!! For perspective I recommend checking out a genre called trap metal (artists such as Scarlxrd, 7xvn, Lil darkie etc.). As a genre it has the most unique drum patterns for everything. They use kicks like hi hat rolls, snares are heavy hitting, hi hats are fast and sound like instruments, open hats and percussions are also very common and give the song so much persona. I have made that type of music for a couple of months now and it's so easy to be different with that genre. As a 15 yo producer and artist I dont understand music theory that well but your videos have helped me alot on that. Much love to you and keep up the great work!!

[@user-dr7zu8yv1m]

Thanks a lot, I am so happy to find you guys, now I would make better music

[@HackMusicTheory]

We're happy you found us too, Карамель! Welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@VintageCanOfSoup]

sounds like com truise at the end there, i love it. great tips

[@aaronswearingen3708]

Great video! As a drummer, this is a great principle to practice and I will surely be more conscious of my kick patterns in my playing. Thanks for helping me stay sharp!! Hittin that sub button!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks Aaron! We're pumped to hear this will help you with your drumming, and a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community :D

[@Lmao-oo2wm]

This channel has a mad chill vibe, subbed!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey, thanks so much Lmao, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@rogeralleyne9257]

New to the site however impressive how you dispense information!!!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey thanks big time, Roger, we really appreciate you stopping by :) What kind of music do you make?

[@rogeralleyne9257]

@@HackMusicTheory I'm currently working on my chops to be a session player!!So sites like yours are very helpful when learning all you can about musical self expression!!!

[@eFiddle]

Kick is expressive, am going to try that, great channel.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, efiddle, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@JostSchwider]

Welcome back! 💜🤍🧡💙👍

[@cortster12]

I'm terrible with rhythm, this is very useful!