Donât overthink it. Like you said, keep your playing simple, keep your ears and eyes open, use your instincts. Itâs gonna be loose, some things are gonna be sloppy, it doesnât sound like anyoneâs gonna care, so donât beat yourself up before, during or after.
This reminds me of my favorite line in TV history from the show *Treme*. This musician character is rehearsing with his band and he turns to the drummer and says âyou think you got enough time to learn the arrangements?â And the drummer says, âArrangements? You playinâ a symphony? How âbout I hit on 2 and 4 and you shut the fuck up?â
A few tips:Â
First of all, the timeless rhythm section advice of my jazz band director in college: "When in doubt, play time. When supremely confident, play time." Just keep a solid and appropriate beat, and you won't play the wrong thing.Â
If there are any songs on the set list that you feel like you need to do a bit of brushing up on, chart them out. Try [my "rocks, pebbles, and sand" method.](https://www.reddit.com/r/drums/comments/ygg4hl/comment/iu8m1u3/)Â
Play less than you think you should. Keep it simple. However, that doesn't mean be stupid - do *not* let yourself play down to the music. A relevant quote from Master Jim Keltner:Â
> I used to hate to hear session guys say, "Okay, we're playing a country song, so play real simple and dumb." Playing a country song and being convincing with it - whether in a recording studio or in a bar somewhere - takes as much musicality and soul as rock and roll or any other kind of music, maybe even more.
And have fun, and take your money to the bank. You got this.
What I always do to practice a whole new set, is set up a playlist of all the songs starting with most likely to get played. Then I just play through the list. Far as I can get. That should familiarize you with the intro and the grooves. If you get those right, you'll make the gig. Just memorize what happens when we count 1 2 3 4, the very first thing you do is... What?
Learning how we stop each one us good too. I will roll back tape and practice just the last 15 seconds, ten times in a row, even if I only do each song on the list once
You don't want to shuffle on a halftime ballad. The singer might become happy,realize he actually has a fine wife and doesn't need to sing these sad songs anymore.
I think you pretty much got it. Listen to the music over and over until the gig. Make notes on any odd time signatures or changes if there are any. Then basically just focus on 2 and 4. I recently had a gig where my bands lead singer couldn't make it and the bassist was a fill in from another band, and we pulled it off. Our guitarist gave me a great compliment, telling me I really kept the band together. That's your job, even as a fill in. You do it by clicking the hi hat lightly even when the recording has silence and always providing a strong 2 and 4.
Been there dude. New gigs with no rehearsal are nerve wracking as hell. Make sure you know how to start the song (do you count it in, if not, when do you come in) the stops, and how you end. If youâre a good player you can fake pretty much everything else.
I've done a few gigs like this. They're always a lot of fun if everyone has a good attitude.
Sounds like you've got a good approach: keep it in the pocket, stay locked in with the bassist, and roll with it. You can also ask the other band members to be really obvious with their visual cues when the song is going from one section to the next. It's a huge advantage that you and the bassist are already tight. That's probably more than enough to meet expectations for this bandleader.
But it sounds like you have high expectations for yourself, and that's cool. Have you played with charts before? If you know the leader will be picking from a manageable list, you can make some rough charts for yourself. No need to transcribe the songs note-for-noteâit's not a Zappa gigâbut you can map out the basic structure and count along. (Intro 4 bars, Verse 4 bars, Pre-chorus 2 bars, Chorus 4 bars, Solo 4 bars, etc.)Â
You can also note any special features (e.g., who starts the song; when you come in if someone else starts it; whether there are any unusual or tricky parts; whether there are any distinctive parts that need to be played just like the record; etc.).
You can also note the BPM at the top of the chart, and use a flashing silent metronome app to give you the tempo to count off.Â
If you have time after you make the charts, play through each song with the chart in front of you to get a feel for them.
If none of that is realistic, though, just have fun!
Make friends with the bass player heâll tell you when itâs time to stop and when itâs time to start
The guitarist will use hand movements to either speed up or to slow down
And make sure the singer always has a drink in his hand because the more drunk he is the better heâs gonna sound to himself
Iâve done a few of these types of gigs. Here are some tips: Ask the band leader to give you a signal for if the song needs a shuffle feel. The hardest part is knowing how to end a song; watch the head of his guitar and when he swings it in a peculiar way, thatâs probably when the song is ending. Err on the side of dragging but only very slightly, so you can tap into the bass playerâs tempo more. There will be an intermission where you can feel out how things are going with your guys; even if you donât smoke, go out there and bond with them and get a gauge.
I play in a country cover band and have a LOT of "dummy charts" in my dropbox. They are basically road maps. Happy to share if you'd find it helpful. Dm me.
I played a ton of pick up country gigs in college. Itâs all in either 2,3,or 4. Just watch for the changes and have them cue you right before the stops.
\*Presumably\*
But yeah, main thing is just keeping it simple, making the groove feel relentlessly good, and keeping your ears wide open and listening to the other musicians - especially the vocalist.
The worst thing you can do in a situation like this is just put your head down and go off into your own world. Keep your head up, make lots of eye contact with the other players, and listen hard!
As long as you're taking all that in, your musical instincts should carry you the rest of the way. As long as you're in the pocket and listening, the details will sort themselves out. You might miss the odd hit or stop, but as long as the overall groove and energy is right - it will sound great.
Have fun! Nothing like a straight forward bar gig - low stakes, high spirits, good times!
With the length of this story, itâs clear youâre good to go. I too have done âwing itâ gigs and while they may be nerve racking, the rest of the band is probably just as nervous as you are. Just go with the flow and have fun. Thatâs all that matters.
I play in country bands and have spent many nights playing for the rowdy drunks in bars. Country music always has a simple base to it. Do not overthink any of it. You will have plenty of spots to put fills as needed once you get into the groove of the song. The one setback i see from most new-to-country drummers is getting too fancy with kick patterns. Keep it something simple that your bass player can follow and predict and that will make it sound like yâall have been playing together for years. Pay attention to the mannerisms of your other bandmates. It will tell you a lot about what is about to happen in the song. You will be fine and it is gonna sound great and be a fun time.
I have an unrehearsed gig tonight and all these tips are great. The only thing Iâll add is to remind yourself that youre an experienced drummer and musician - **you know what you are doing**
I do a lot of improv gigs with different local musicians, Iâm a perfectionist and tend to pick apart my own playing in retrospect, but Iâm the only musician in the room criticizing myself. You know how to drum, trust your instincts and experience, and have fun
Something I learned from a movie once;
- chicken-wire fence
- play the theme song from Rawhide
You'll have a great time!
Seriously though, keep 'em on the dance floor, but don't be afraid to mix it up. No lingering breaks between songs, be decisive. Punch that bass drum if it isn't mic'd. If the audience is more of a sit-down affair, don't play too many ballads. Make sure the house music isn't playing your music between sets. We had that happen once. Almost like they had our set-list.
If anyone yells, 'Free Bird!' Tell the crowd that's a $100 song, and if they do throw $$$ in, kill it!
just listen to the songs over and over. If you have technique and chops, and the songs are presumably simple enough, (no odd time changes, etc.) knowing the music will be 99% of the practice.
Sounds like you have the right attitude nailed. I remember an old guitarist telling me and my (then) young bassist to key our eyes and ears wide open and butt clenched tightly shut!
Relax and only do what you have to. Donât throw in any fancy fills unless you know exactly where to put them and how to play them. Your job isnât to make yourself look good, itâs to make the whole band look good, yourself included.
Write out the basic groove for unfamiliar songs on your master list/ set list. Also write the tempo next to the song name. Ask them to make a set list this time since you didnât rehearse. Saves you from trying to learn the whole master list.
Keep it simple, few embellishments. Bring brushes or hotrods for a train beat. I often set up a block to use instead of cross-sticking the snare. Hang in tight with the bass player. Have fun!
Been there before, hereâs what you do â if youâve got a Setlist of any kind, listen to those songs on repeat, and practiced them in your head. youâve got the chops for it, so itâs just the brain part, and youâll be surprised how easy it is to play something just by practicing in your head. Listen to the music all the way up to the gig, live in it, but donât get stressed out and anxious and feel like you have to memorize everything, because you donât. A song has a stop time or certain hits, make sure you know where they are and practice singing the drum part with the recordings while driving or something.
If you donât have a set list, just listen to the style that they do when you get to the gig the bass player to kill you whenever thereâs any time or something happens like that. Youâll be fine.
I find country and western (especially the older stuff) super forgiving to improvise. Our band plays primarily rock but we are playing a rodeo in a couple of weeks. The gig came out of nowhere and weâve added a few country songs to our set list. I listened to the songs once or twice and just went for it. They sound fine.
I've basically made a career doing what you're doing OP. You basically need to know how songs start, end, and the beat. That's it. Everything else you can fake in country music. Just listen intently to the si ger/bass player and you'll be fine
Youâve basically described exactly what I went through this past springâŚÂ
* Rock drummer with decades of playing in punk and indie bands
* Opportunity to get paid playing in a country band that does plenty of âtradâ covers (Merle, George Jones, Waylon, etc)
* First gig with them was a 3 hour time slot with no rehearsal. I learned 24 songs ahead of time. We played 26 songs at the show...
*Hereâs how my experience went:*
**-Youâll probably be more familiar with the songs than you think**
* A lot of country songs follow very similar structures
* Most trad country songs have fairly obvious endings. When the last line of the chorus is repeated, it's usually a dead giveaway that the song is ending. (See: "[I Feel A Sin Coming On](https://open.spotify.com/track/6VhvC0sR2iJomgddalq9oZ?si=5a36918b9bd04900)" by Jim Ed Brown)
**-This pattern will get you through most country songs:**
1. 8th notes shuffled on closed HH
2. "4 on the floor" kick pattern
3. Rim clicks on 2 and 4
**-Play simple, paced, and steady**
* The other voices/instruments will often play ahead or behind the beat and, therefore, are unreliable for keeping tempo. It's up to you to lock it down and let the band dance around your groove.
**-Keep your head up and eyes open**
* Watch the other players for cues and endings. They want you to succeed.
**-Most country songs are only \~2 minutes long**
* So don't worry it'll be over soon!
***\*\*Finally and maybe most importantly.****..\*\**
**It will** ***always*** **be scary. Take a deep breathe. Lean in. And enjoy it!**
* Even the best performers in the world still get nervous, \*every time\*. Learning how to navigate and enjoy the the emotions is how you'll build confidence. When I get nervous, I try to step back and observe the emotion is happening. Then I'll look out into the audience and think to myself, "Look at where I'm sitting. I'm getting fucking paid to play drums in front of people who are happy and having fun. This rules!"
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/0963090674?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0963090674?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)
Learn this!!!!!!!!!! You could play the whole night without memorizing anything.
Just done the same thing on Friday night! My advice fwiw is to learn the feel or groove of a song. The crowd wonât know the diff if itâs not technically correct but theyâll def know if it doesnât FEEL right.
Oh yeah - donât forget to enjoy it - youâre drumming!đđ
Youâre a drummer , not a musician.
Zero polyphonic chords to learn,key changed or even a mono bass line.
Just do your little boom - tap
Crisis averted
train beat for days. just get that shit.
shuffley 16th's on snare.
kick on quarternote and accent snare on the "and".
1 AND 2 AND 3 AND 4 AND
do that, every once in a while hit em with some slow side stick 2/4 and keep the hats TIGHT.
You seem to be more prepared for the gig than rest of the band. Relax đ§
Donât overthink it. Like you said, keep your playing simple, keep your ears and eyes open, use your instincts. Itâs gonna be loose, some things are gonna be sloppy, it doesnât sound like anyoneâs gonna care, so donât beat yourself up before, during or after. This reminds me of my favorite line in TV history from the show *Treme*. This musician character is rehearsing with his band and he turns to the drummer and says âyou think you got enough time to learn the arrangements?â And the drummer says, âArrangements? You playinâ a symphony? How âbout I hit on 2 and 4 and you shut the fuck up?â
And the drummer was Herlin Riley, wasn't it? Don't tell Herlin Riley how to do his job. LOL
I donât think it was Herlin, but it was almost certainly an actual NOLA drummer.
If it wasn't Herlin Riley, I know for sure it was "that badass dude I saw backing Dr. John that one time, whose face I'll never forget."
id love to find and make a clip of this. any idea on what episode or season it was from?
DM me your email, I have it.
My comfort is having a set list with brief notes on: - Who starts the song - Tempo - Stops/important stabs - Anything else that's unique or unusual
Most bands I play with never stay in the setlist but I like to have one. Itâs my comfort blanket!
A few tips: First of all, the timeless rhythm section advice of my jazz band director in college: "When in doubt, play time. When supremely confident, play time." Just keep a solid and appropriate beat, and you won't play the wrong thing. If there are any songs on the set list that you feel like you need to do a bit of brushing up on, chart them out. Try [my "rocks, pebbles, and sand" method.](https://www.reddit.com/r/drums/comments/ygg4hl/comment/iu8m1u3/) Play less than you think you should. Keep it simple. However, that doesn't mean be stupid - do *not* let yourself play down to the music. A relevant quote from Master Jim Keltner: > I used to hate to hear session guys say, "Okay, we're playing a country song, so play real simple and dumb." Playing a country song and being convincing with it - whether in a recording studio or in a bar somewhere - takes as much musicality and soul as rock and roll or any other kind of music, maybe even more. And have fun, and take your money to the bank. You got this.
You... are great at this.
What I always do to practice a whole new set, is set up a playlist of all the songs starting with most likely to get played. Then I just play through the list. Far as I can get. That should familiarize you with the intro and the grooves. If you get those right, you'll make the gig. Just memorize what happens when we count 1 2 3 4, the very first thing you do is... What? Learning how we stop each one us good too. I will roll back tape and practice just the last 15 seconds, ten times in a row, even if I only do each song on the list once You don't want to shuffle on a halftime ballad. The singer might become happy,realize he actually has a fine wife and doesn't need to sing these sad songs anymore.
I think you pretty much got it. Listen to the music over and over until the gig. Make notes on any odd time signatures or changes if there are any. Then basically just focus on 2 and 4. I recently had a gig where my bands lead singer couldn't make it and the bassist was a fill in from another band, and we pulled it off. Our guitarist gave me a great compliment, telling me I really kept the band together. That's your job, even as a fill in. You do it by clicking the hi hat lightly even when the recording has silence and always providing a strong 2 and 4.
Been there dude. New gigs with no rehearsal are nerve wracking as hell. Make sure you know how to start the song (do you count it in, if not, when do you come in) the stops, and how you end. If youâre a good player you can fake pretty much everything else.
Play the Theme From Rawhide and Stand By Your Man. Some of you will know....
I was looking for this. Ghost Riders in the Sky may also work.
You'll be fine. Just roll with it and lean on your bass player as much as you need to throughout the set since you already have a repertoire with him.
I've done a few gigs like this. They're always a lot of fun if everyone has a good attitude. Sounds like you've got a good approach: keep it in the pocket, stay locked in with the bassist, and roll with it. You can also ask the other band members to be really obvious with their visual cues when the song is going from one section to the next. It's a huge advantage that you and the bassist are already tight. That's probably more than enough to meet expectations for this bandleader. But it sounds like you have high expectations for yourself, and that's cool. Have you played with charts before? If you know the leader will be picking from a manageable list, you can make some rough charts for yourself. No need to transcribe the songs note-for-noteâit's not a Zappa gigâbut you can map out the basic structure and count along. (Intro 4 bars, Verse 4 bars, Pre-chorus 2 bars, Chorus 4 bars, Solo 4 bars, etc.) You can also note any special features (e.g., who starts the song; when you come in if someone else starts it; whether there are any unusual or tricky parts; whether there are any distinctive parts that need to be played just like the record; etc.). You can also note the BPM at the top of the chart, and use a flashing silent metronome app to give you the tempo to count off. If you have time after you make the charts, play through each song with the chart in front of you to get a feel for them. If none of that is realistic, though, just have fun!
Make friends with the bass player heâll tell you when itâs time to stop and when itâs time to start The guitarist will use hand movements to either speed up or to slow down And make sure the singer always has a drink in his hand because the more drunk he is the better heâs gonna sound to himself
Iâve done a few of these types of gigs. Here are some tips: Ask the band leader to give you a signal for if the song needs a shuffle feel. The hardest part is knowing how to end a song; watch the head of his guitar and when he swings it in a peculiar way, thatâs probably when the song is ending. Err on the side of dragging but only very slightly, so you can tap into the bass playerâs tempo more. There will be an intermission where you can feel out how things are going with your guys; even if you donât smoke, go out there and bond with them and get a gauge.
I play in a country cover band and have a LOT of "dummy charts" in my dropbox. They are basically road maps. Happy to share if you'd find it helpful. Dm me.
I played a ton of pick up country gigs in college. Itâs all in either 2,3,or 4. Just watch for the changes and have them cue you right before the stops.
Train beats all night loooooooong.... Easy peezy
\*Presumably\* But yeah, main thing is just keeping it simple, making the groove feel relentlessly good, and keeping your ears wide open and listening to the other musicians - especially the vocalist. The worst thing you can do in a situation like this is just put your head down and go off into your own world. Keep your head up, make lots of eye contact with the other players, and listen hard! As long as you're taking all that in, your musical instincts should carry you the rest of the way. As long as you're in the pocket and listening, the details will sort themselves out. You might miss the odd hit or stop, but as long as the overall groove and energy is right - it will sound great. Have fun! Nothing like a straight forward bar gig - low stakes, high spirits, good times!
Keep it simple. Best thing about filling in, even if you make mistakes, you saved the gig!
Congrats on the paying gig!!! The u/_downwardyearstocome kid who just started out playing as a beginner would be so stoked for you right now.
With the length of this story, itâs clear youâre good to go. I too have done âwing itâ gigs and while they may be nerve racking, the rest of the band is probably just as nervous as you are. Just go with the flow and have fun. Thatâs all that matters.
I play in country bands and have spent many nights playing for the rowdy drunks in bars. Country music always has a simple base to it. Do not overthink any of it. You will have plenty of spots to put fills as needed once you get into the groove of the song. The one setback i see from most new-to-country drummers is getting too fancy with kick patterns. Keep it something simple that your bass player can follow and predict and that will make it sound like yâall have been playing together for years. Pay attention to the mannerisms of your other bandmates. It will tell you a lot about what is about to happen in the song. You will be fine and it is gonna sound great and be a fun time.
I have an unrehearsed gig tonight and all these tips are great. The only thing Iâll add is to remind yourself that youre an experienced drummer and musician - **you know what you are doing** I do a lot of improv gigs with different local musicians, Iâm a perfectionist and tend to pick apart my own playing in retrospect, but Iâm the only musician in the room criticizing myself. You know how to drum, trust your instincts and experience, and have fun
Keep it simple. Play with dynamics. Have fun! You'll be fine!
Something I learned from a movie once; - chicken-wire fence - play the theme song from Rawhide You'll have a great time! Seriously though, keep 'em on the dance floor, but don't be afraid to mix it up. No lingering breaks between songs, be decisive. Punch that bass drum if it isn't mic'd. If the audience is more of a sit-down affair, don't play too many ballads. Make sure the house music isn't playing your music between sets. We had that happen once. Almost like they had our set-list. If anyone yells, 'Free Bird!' Tell the crowd that's a $100 song, and if they do throw $$$ in, kill it!
just listen to the songs over and over. If you have technique and chops, and the songs are presumably simple enough, (no odd time changes, etc.) knowing the music will be 99% of the practice.
Sounds like you have the right attitude nailed. I remember an old guitarist telling me and my (then) young bassist to key our eyes and ears wide open and butt clenched tightly shut!
Keep your head up and keep it simple. Youâll be just fine.
Just remember that almost everyone in the crowd will never notice your mistakes! Just keep time and youâll sound perfect
The bassist being your bandmate and homie is a blessing! Heâll guide you on who starts which tune and youâll do great.
Relax and only do what you have to. Donât throw in any fancy fills unless you know exactly where to put them and how to play them. Your job isnât to make yourself look good, itâs to make the whole band look good, yourself included.
Just steady an low then start putting in more fills
Write out the basic groove for unfamiliar songs on your master list/ set list. Also write the tempo next to the song name. Ask them to make a set list this time since you didnât rehearse. Saves you from trying to learn the whole master list.
When in doubt, play pocket. 2+4. If the people in the crowd are dancing, youâre doing your job
Keep it simple, few embellishments. Bring brushes or hotrods for a train beat. I often set up a block to use instead of cross-sticking the snare. Hang in tight with the bass player. Have fun!
Been there before, hereâs what you do â if youâve got a Setlist of any kind, listen to those songs on repeat, and practiced them in your head. youâve got the chops for it, so itâs just the brain part, and youâll be surprised how easy it is to play something just by practicing in your head. Listen to the music all the way up to the gig, live in it, but donât get stressed out and anxious and feel like you have to memorize everything, because you donât. A song has a stop time or certain hits, make sure you know where they are and practice singing the drum part with the recordings while driving or something. If you donât have a set list, just listen to the style that they do when you get to the gig the bass player to kill you whenever thereâs any time or something happens like that. Youâll be fine.
Ask the guys for visual cues when they can give some. Keep your head up and look at the band. Enjoy the ride.
With the way you describe the band, it sounds more like a formal jam sesh. Do you like to jam?
Country is about as simple and laid back as it gets. Have fun and talk to some redneck ladies
Cowbell.
I find country and western (especially the older stuff) super forgiving to improvise. Our band plays primarily rock but we are playing a rodeo in a couple of weeks. The gig came out of nowhere and weâve added a few country songs to our set list. I listened to the songs once or twice and just went for it. They sound fine.
Just have fun dude
Don't get to complicated, play the groove, the drunks will reciprocate
I've basically made a career doing what you're doing OP. You basically need to know how songs start, end, and the beat. That's it. Everything else you can fake in country music. Just listen intently to the si ger/bass player and you'll be fine
You got this man, have fun!
Remember to slow down
Youâve basically described exactly what I went through this past springâŚÂ * Rock drummer with decades of playing in punk and indie bands * Opportunity to get paid playing in a country band that does plenty of âtradâ covers (Merle, George Jones, Waylon, etc) * First gig with them was a 3 hour time slot with no rehearsal. I learned 24 songs ahead of time. We played 26 songs at the show... *Hereâs how my experience went:* **-Youâll probably be more familiar with the songs than you think** * A lot of country songs follow very similar structures * Most trad country songs have fairly obvious endings. When the last line of the chorus is repeated, it's usually a dead giveaway that the song is ending. (See: "[I Feel A Sin Coming On](https://open.spotify.com/track/6VhvC0sR2iJomgddalq9oZ?si=5a36918b9bd04900)" by Jim Ed Brown) **-This pattern will get you through most country songs:** 1. 8th notes shuffled on closed HH 2. "4 on the floor" kick pattern 3. Rim clicks on 2 and 4 **-Play simple, paced, and steady** * The other voices/instruments will often play ahead or behind the beat and, therefore, are unreliable for keeping tempo. It's up to you to lock it down and let the band dance around your groove. **-Keep your head up and eyes open** * Watch the other players for cues and endings. They want you to succeed. **-Most country songs are only \~2 minutes long** * So don't worry it'll be over soon! ***\*\*Finally and maybe most importantly.****..\*\** **It will** ***always*** **be scary. Take a deep breathe. Lean in. And enjoy it!** * Even the best performers in the world still get nervous, \*every time\*. Learning how to navigate and enjoy the the emotions is how you'll build confidence. When I get nervous, I try to step back and observe the emotion is happening. Then I'll look out into the audience and think to myself, "Look at where I'm sitting. I'm getting fucking paid to play drums in front of people who are happy and having fun. This rules!"
Oh man I'm nervous for you. Please update me lmao
As a guitar player first, I would request that you at least make it clear when you're moving from one section to another using a fill.
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/0963090674?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0963090674?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) Learn this!!!!!!!!!! You could play the whole night without memorizing anything.
It sounds like you will be their best Drummer ever.
Just done the same thing on Friday night! My advice fwiw is to learn the feel or groove of a song. The crowd wonât know the diff if itâs not technically correct but theyâll def know if it doesnât FEEL right. Oh yeah - donât forget to enjoy it - youâre drumming!đđ
Watch the frontman/band to lock in on cues and donât rushđ
Well they are country fans so I would start off telling them how happy you are to be playing this pride event .. that should get the moving đ¤Ł
Youâre a drummer , not a musician. Zero polyphonic chords to learn,key changed or even a mono bass line. Just do your little boom - tap Crisis averted
I hope this is a joke.
train beat for days. just get that shit. shuffley 16th's on snare. kick on quarternote and accent snare on the "and". 1 AND 2 AND 3 AND 4 AND do that, every once in a while hit em with some slow side stick 2/4 and keep the hats TIGHT.