The pattern
74 BPM · 4/4 · 16 step · swing 30%
| Instrument | Beat 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Beat 2 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Beat 3 | Step 10 | Step 11 | Step 12 | Beat 4 | Step 14 | Step 15 | Step 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest |
| Rim shot | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest |
| Closed hi-hat | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest |
| Open hi-hat | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest |
How to play it and where it comes from
The one drop (Carlton Barrett, Bob Marley & The Wailers): beat 1 is left empty and kick + cross-stick (rim) fall together on 3 of the bar, the only heavy hit. No backbeat on 2 and 4: the guitars and keyboard supply it with the offbeat "skank." Eighth-note hi-hat with swing (30) or in triplets, open hat on the "and" of 4. The slower it is, the deeper it sounds; the faster, the lighter. Variants: rockers (kick on 1 and 3), steppers (kick on the quarter notes, typical of roots and UK dub), tom fills within the bar.