How To Play "Fluorescent Adolescent" Drum Beat (Arctic Monkeys: Matt Helders)

Submitted by DrumAce on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 09:34

Matt Helders is a drummer known for his FAST playing but he can also groove, as demonstrated in this classic from the Arctic Monkeys, Fluorescent Adolescent.

The main drum groove that Matt plays is something quite special and so I thought I would write a little mini drum lesson on the subject.

Since originally writing this blog my hand has been repaired and so I can now record a video of this drum beat for you all. So lets take a look at it now....

How To Play Fluorescent Adolescent Drum Beat

The right hand is playing eighth notes on the hi-hat throughout the whole groove. The right hand pattern stays steady all the way through.

The left hand plays the snare drum backbeat on beats 2 and 4 of the bar at the same time as the hi-hat. The left hand also comes up to the hi-hat to play the sixteenth notes in between the right hand, starting on the "a" of beat 2 and then again on the "e" of beat 3. Again, these left hand sixteenth notes fall in between the steady right hand.

The bass drum is played at the same time as the hi-hat on beat 1, in between the hi-hats on the "a" of beat 1 (just before the snare drum), with the hi-hat on the "+" of beat 3 and just after the snare drum, in between the hi-hats, on the "e" of beat 4.

The hi-hat is opened on the "+" of beat 3, with the bass drum, and closed with the snare drum on beat 4. It is then opened again on the "+" of beat 4 and closed with the bass drum on beat 1 of the bar when the bar is repeated.