If you really want to take your drum playing to a higher
level, then you may consider playing half time groove beats. This is a technique that can change the entire
feel of a groove or song.
Learning how to play half time beats is not that difficult at all. The only thing you need is to cut the pulse
of the beat in half. But of course, it takes a lot of practice for a drummer to master this technique. If you want
to apply half time grooves, then you should consider some these points.
Half time beats are not about slowing down
There are a lot of drummers that slow down their drumming upon hearing half time groove beats. This is a big NO.
Half time is about cutting the pulse into half. This means that the pulse of the beat is cut down in half to get a
half time beat.
This is true for most beats but oftentimes, there will be some changes in the bass drum pattern as well but only for a little. The
biggest thing you have to remember, though, is to not make it the beats complicated. Stick to the pattern of the
song and apply the beats.
Keep the tempo
If you will apply half time on the drums, always be cautious about the tempo. Most half time groove beats
involve the hi hat or ride cymbal for keeping the tempo. An important reminder is to know that when you are
switching, your right hand will not change at all.
Transitioning
Transitioning to and from half time beats can be quite tricky but it can be done in many different ways. To make
things easier, you may apply a quick drum fill or play a simple crash cymbal. Being creative is also important.
This will help you a lot in playing half time groove beats. Experiment on some areas of playing half time groove
and apply it to the song. But be sure to keep the timing and tempo of the song to not ruin everything.
Practice
This is the best tip from playing half time beats. You can also listen to some songs with half time beats and
get some experience from it. This is not an easy thing to do because you will only be listening to a particular
song with drums being played in half time groove and beats.