Drums 6: Accents

High and low

How

Accent: lift the stick high, about 30 cm, and let it fall. Tap: stay low, about 5 cm. The height makes the volume, not muscle. Black boxes are accents.

6.1Accent on the beat

Loud on 1 2 3 4. Everything else is a low tap.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

Pass: taps stay quiet even after an accent.

6.2Accent on the and

Still the right hand, but now between the clicks.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

Pass: the accent does not pull you off the click.

Drums 6: Accents

Move the accent

6.5Walk the accent

One bar each: accent on the number, the e, the and, the a. No stop between bars.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

BPM

Pass: three loops, counting out loud.

Drums 6: Accents

Groups

6.6Three three three three two two

Accents every three strokes, then two twos to fill the bar. The sticking stays R L R L.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

BPM

Pass: you can tap your foot on 1 2 3 4 while you play it.

Listen

Play 6.6 on a loop and it turns into a groove. Accents are how one drum plays a melody.