Using the Hi-Hat Cymbals
So far you have used only the ride and crash cymbals. Another vitally important part of the drumkit is the combined hi-hat cymbals. When you are playing the hi-hats, hold your left foot lightly on the pedal to keep the cymbals loosely (not tightly) together.
This will produce the best sound from the hi-hats. Listen to the following example on the recording and try to imitate the sound. All the notes in this example are played with the right hand only. It is also possible to produce other sounds by opening and closing the hi-hat cymbals, but these will be dealt with later in the book.
Once you are comfortable playing the previous example, try playing the hi-hats and adding the bass drum on various beats as shown below. Once again, use a metronome and make sure both the right hand and the right foot play at exactly the same time. For a variation, try using the ride cymbal on this example instead of the hi-hats.
It is also important to practice the two hands together on different surfaces. Like the previous example, the right hand part here can be played on either the hi-hats or the ride cymbal. The left hand plays only the snare drum.
