# Eighths and sixteenths

From the Rhythm room: Dividing the beat, Off the beat (/sangeet-yatra/rhythm/).

Kick and snare say where the beat is. The hi-hat says how finely it is divided.

## One beat, three densities (kick 1 and 3, snare 2 and 4 throughout)

    quarters    x - - - x - - - x - - - x - - -
    eighths     x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x -
    sixteenths  x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Wide, then default rock, then busy. Nothing else moved.

## Counting sixteenths

"one-ee-and-a" through all four beats. Numbers are the beats, "&" is halfway,
"e" and "a" are the sixteenths on either side. A faint line starts each beat, so
the four words stay in one box. Any hit is one of those four words.

Each column can be a hit or a rest, and the hi-hat, the snare and the kick each
choose. That is the pile. Read the column. Type 60 in the BPM box.

Right hand on the hi-hat, left foot holding it shut. Kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2
and 4, until a pattern below says the kick moved.

### The four places

    number   x - - - x - - - x - - - x - - -
    e        - x - - - x - - - x - - - x - -
    &        - - x - - - x - - - x - - - x -
    a        - - - x - - - x - - - x - - - x

The "e" is just after the click. The "&" is the eighth-note place. The "a" is
the last column of the box, just before the next beat.

### The ones you meet

    number and e          x x - - x x - - x x - - x x - -
    & and a               - - x x - - x x - - x x - - x x
    number and a          x - - x x - - x x - - x x - - x
    gallop (1 & a)        x - x x x - x x x - x x x - x x
    turned round (1 e &)  x x x - x x x - x x x - x x x -
    not the number        - x x x - x x x - x x x - x x x

The gallop is a long note, then two short ones. The snare plays it on Grooves
by style. "& and a" and "not the number" leave the beat itself empty: say the
number and don't play it.

### A kick on the "a" of 3

The last column of beat 3, just before the line that starts 4. Hi-hat on the
eighths, snare on 2 and 4.

    a of 3 only     kick  - - - - - - - - - - - o - - - -
    1 and a of 3    kick  o - - - - - - - - - - o - - - -

## Kick off the beat

    1, & of 2, & of 3   kick  o - - - - - o - - - o - - - - -
    1 and & of 3        kick  o - - - - - - - - - o - - - - -

Space is a choice, not a mistake.

## How many kicks in one beat

The same shape in every beat. Hi-hat on the eighths, snare on 2 and 4.

    two, number and e     kick  o o - - o o - - o o - - o o - -
    two, & and a          kick  - - o o - - o o - - o o - - o o
    three, number & a     kick  o - o o o - o o o - o o o - o o
    four                  kick  o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
    the a of every beat   kick  - - - o - - - o - - - o - - - o

## The snare leaves 2 and 4

Kick stays on 1 and 3. Hi-hat stays on the eighths.

    half time, snare on 3       snare  - - - - - - - - o - - - - - - -
    two in beat 2, and on 4     snare  - - - - o - - o - - - - o - - -
    & of 2 and & of 4           snare  - - - - - - o - - - - - - - o -
    every number                snare  o - - - o - - - o - - - o - - -
    four in beat 4              snare  - - - - o - - - - - - - o o o o

Four snares in one beat is a fill. More of those are on Fills.

## Try your own

The page has a grid you click. A mark goes in or comes out, and the staff
follows. A button changes the line it names and leaves the others. Backbeat
puts all three back. Two kicks in one beat, then three, then the snare
somewhere other than 2 and 4.

Turn the pattern click on. If a kick on an "&" drifts toward the next click, you
are rushing the second half of the beat.