drumbeat

A drumbeat is the rhythmic pattern produced by drums and percussion that establishes the tempo, meter, and groove of a piece of music. It comprises the sequence of hits, rests, and accents played by drum kit components such as kick, snare, toms, hi-hats, and cymbals, and can be performed live or programmed in a drum machine or software.

Common drumbeat patterns vary by style. In 4/4 time, the backbeat places the snare on beats two and four, creating a pronounced mid-tempo pulse while the kick drum provides the bass foundation on various subdivisions. In disco, funk, and much of electronic dance music, four-on-the-floor patterns place a kick on every beat, producing a steady, continuous pulse. Syncopation, off-beat accents, and ghost notes on the snare or toms can add variety and texture to a drumbeat.

Drumbeats are central to many genres, including rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop, metal, electronic music, and various forms of world percussion. They can be simple or complex, and may incorporate polyrhythms, triplets, or swing feels to alter the groove and feel of the music.

Performance and production approaches differ. Live drumming captures human nuance through imperfect, expressive timing, while electronic drums and drum machines provide precise, repeatable loops and programmable sequences. Sampling allows reuse of pre-existing drumbeats in new compositions. A drumbeat often serves as the rhythmic foundation for a song, guiding arrangement, dynamics, and transitions between sections.