newoldie
Silver Member
When do you play hi-hat beats with your foot? I keep the foot going on 2 & 4 around 90% of the time (when keeping time or brief fills/solos) for rock, pop, blues, jazz, etc. This is a long habit from originally learning to play from a jazz drummer.
If I'm using the stick to keep time on the hats, I'll stop the the foot from hitting but keep it going as a silent time keeper.
I've noticed other players in the band watch the hi hats up & down motion & also listen for the chick sound for time-keeping. I also feel more solid in playing a basic groove using this pattern for the above types of music.
Bonham can be seen on videos using the hi-hats for keeping time during some solos (perhaps faster than just 2 &4) and I think Joe Morello discusses hi-hat time keeping on 2 & 4 in his video. But it's hard to see most drummers foot in action on video since that angle isn't usually focused on.
Since I haven't seen much discussed on this topic, I'm wondering what other players do:
-if they don't routinely keep the hats going with their foot, due to coordination issues,
-intentionally vary the foot beats,
-keep the hats going on each quarter note vs. just 2 &4,
- don't think it matters as much what the foot does vs. the sticks.
Is hi-hat time-keeping on 2 &4 as universal as 2 &4 back-beats on the snare are?
[I'm not referring to metal or other genres where a double bass pedal(s) is used most of the time, or fusion where musicality is more varied].
If I'm using the stick to keep time on the hats, I'll stop the the foot from hitting but keep it going as a silent time keeper.
I've noticed other players in the band watch the hi hats up & down motion & also listen for the chick sound for time-keeping. I also feel more solid in playing a basic groove using this pattern for the above types of music.
Bonham can be seen on videos using the hi-hats for keeping time during some solos (perhaps faster than just 2 &4) and I think Joe Morello discusses hi-hat time keeping on 2 & 4 in his video. But it's hard to see most drummers foot in action on video since that angle isn't usually focused on.
Since I haven't seen much discussed on this topic, I'm wondering what other players do:
-if they don't routinely keep the hats going with their foot, due to coordination issues,
-intentionally vary the foot beats,
-keep the hats going on each quarter note vs. just 2 &4,
- don't think it matters as much what the foot does vs. the sticks.
Is hi-hat time-keeping on 2 &4 as universal as 2 &4 back-beats on the snare are?
[I'm not referring to metal or other genres where a double bass pedal(s) is used most of the time, or fusion where musicality is more varied].