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Rafa Cajón
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Level 2 · Steady Time · 2-3

Backbeat skeleton

Bass on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4 - the skeleton of pop music.

What you play

B bass · S snare · g ghost · rest
1
B
2
S
3
B
4
S
70 BPM
startpass

How to play it

  1. 1Play bass on beats 1 and 3 and snare on beats 2 and 4 . This is kick and snare on one box.
  2. 2Hear it as a conversation: the snare answers the bass. Call, response, call, response.
  3. 3Favour the snare slightly in volume. Beats 2 and 4 are the backbeat, and they are what makes people nod their heads.
  4. 4Stay relaxed on the position switch. It is the same move as 1-4, just faster.
  5. 5Record about 60 seconds.

Listen forAlternating bass and snare with clear contrast between the two sounds, a steady tempo, and a confident backbeat.

start 70 · pass 90 BPM · take about 60s

Record a take

I start the click at 70 BPM, count one bar, and stop after about 60s. Phone about a metre away, facing the front plate. You get my notes within a minute of sending it.

Watch out for

  • • The snare arriving late because the hand is travelling from the centre
  • • Bass and snare starting to sound alike as the tempo climbs
  • • The tempo lurching at the switch points

Read about this

Play this for real