Level 3 · Your First Groove
3-4 - Ghosts & accents
Same notes, pro sound: whisper ghosts, cracking snares.
How to practice it
Play the basic groove (3-1) but with extreme dynamic layering: ghosts barely audible (barely-there taps), bass full and warm, snares accented and sharp. Same pattern as before - the exercise is entirely in the volume architecture.
Suggested take: ~90s · start 70 BPM → pass around 90 BPM
1
B
&
g
2
S
&
g
3
B
&
g
4
S
&
g
70 BPM
Start at 70, exercise passes around 90. Legend: B bass · S snare · g ghost · - rest
Tips
- • Record, listen: can you hear three distinct volume layers?
- • Ghosts: fingers stay in contact distance, motion of a few millimeters.
- • The accent on the snare comes from speed of the whip, not effort.
Watch out for
- • Ghosts disappearing entirely (they should be felt, barely heard)
- • Accents dragging the tempo
- • Layering collapsing at the faster tempo
Record your take
Aim for ~90s. Put the phone ~1m away, facing the front plate. You'll get Rafa's feedback within a minute of submitting.
Up next after this: 4-1 - Sixteenth-note hands