Disco Drum Pattern

What makes this pattern tick

Disco is four-on-the-floor plus a backbeat plus the pumping hi-hat: closed on every beat, open on every "&", so the hats breathe in and out twice per beat. That open-and-shut motion is entirely a foot movement — the stick keeps playing steady eighths while the left foot lifts and drops on the pedal. It is the best exercise there is for hi-hat foot control.

What each drum plays

Read the notation from the top down: cymbals above the staff, drums inside it, feet underneath. Full details in the drum notation guide.

How to count it

Count 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a out loud, one syllable per grid step. The numbers are the 4 beats, “&” is halfway through a beat, and “e” and “a” are the sixteenths either side of it. Every note in this pattern lands on one of those syllables — if you can say the count while you play, you are not guessing.

The count row under the sequencer highlights the syllable you are on as the loop plays, so you can check your counting against the playhead rather than against your ears.

Suggested tempo progression

This pattern is written for 118 BPM and rated beginner. Work up in stages rather than jumping straight to the target — the sequencer remembers whatever tempo you leave it at.

1. 70 BPM — slow enough to watch every limb. Play it until nothing surprises you.
2. 95 BPM — where the groove starts to feel like music rather than an exercise.
3. 118 BPM — the working tempo. Hold it for two minutes without drifting.
4. 135 BPM — faster than you need, so the target tempo feels easy when you come back to it.

Make it your own

The sequencer above is a copy, not the original, so change anything you like — toggle cells on and off, mute a voice to hear what it was holding together, or solo the kick to check your foot. Reset puts the pattern back. If you want the same idea in a different style, the closest neighbours are Breakbeat Drum Pattern and Lo-fi Drum Pattern, or browse all 20 patterns.