Lesson two · the grid

Count what you play.

Rhythm notation is a map of time. You do not need to read a staff before you can read a beat—you only need to know where the spaces are.

Quarter notes

The four main beats. Start here when you are finding the pulse.

1 2 3 4

Split each beat in two. This is where a steady hi-hat often lives.

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Four spaces per beat. Funk, fills, and fast patterns become easier to place.

1 e & a

The habit

Your voice gives the hands a shared destination. If you cannot say where a hit belongs, slow the tempo until the space becomes obvious.

Next move

Use a slow click and leave room between the beats. Good time is not about filling every space; it is about knowing exactly where the space is.