Half-time in The Hills

Description

Learn the half-time techniques used in the song The Hills by The Weeknd.

A half-time groove has a backbeat on beat 3, which alters the way the groove feels compared to a groove with a common ‘2 and 4’ backbeat . In this case, it makes the 8th notes seem like slow 16th notes.

The Hills by The Weeknd – Notation by Pete Neville

Beat 1 has both a hi-hat stroke and a crash cymbal stroke. The crash cymbal is to be played with the tip of the stick on the edge of the cymbal. The hi-hat should also be played with the tip of the stick throughout the entire beat.

The drum track on the album is a programmed, electronic drum track, which explains the unusual placement of the hi-hat and crash together on beat 1.