One drop rhythm is a

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

style drum beat. Popularized by

Carlton Barrett Carlton Barrett (17 December 1950 – 17 April 1987) was a Jamaican musician best known for being the long-time drummer for Bob Marley & The Wailers. Recognized for his innovative style, which featured a highly syncopated, broken triplet patt ...

, long-time drummer of

Bob Marley and the Wailers Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as the Wailers and prior to that the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers and the Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert ...

, the creator is disputed, and it has been attributed to drummers including Barrett,Schlueter, Brad (July 21, 2011).
The Greatest Reggae Beats On Record
, ''DrumMagazine.com''. "Carlton Barrett...is often credited with creating the one-drop groove." Accessed: 7 September 2016. and his brother

Aston Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Located immediately to the north-west of Birmingham city centre, Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a wards of the United Kingdom, war ...

, and Winston Grennan.

Characteristics

The

backbeat In music and music theory, the beat is the basic unit of time, the pulse (regularly repeating event), of the ''mensural level'' (or ''beat level''). The beat is often defined as the rhythm listeners would tap their toes to when listening to a pi ...

is characterized by the dominant

snare drum The snare drum (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often u ...

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

(usually a click produced by cross-sticking) and

bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter usually greater than its depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. The head ...

both sounding on the third beat of every four, while beat one is left empty. Thus, the expected hit on beat one is "dropped," creating the one-drop effect. Dropping out the bass on the "one" of the measure further accentuates the downbeat of the drums creating the rhythm.Murphy, Bill. "Bass Culture: Dub Reggae's Low-End Legacy." Bass Player Nov 1996: 40-42, 44, 47, 51, 94. Print. This may be seen in the drum notation for the typical rock drum pattern: HH, x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-, , S, ----o-------o---, , B, o-------o-------, , 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + and the one drop: HH, x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-, , S, --------x-------, , B, --------o-------, , 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Variations

The rockers rhythm is the one drop with a steady bass drum on every eighth note, though one drop is slower than a ska pattern, and rockers is often slower than one drop. The steppers rhythm is essentially the one drop with a steady bass drum on every quarter note.

Examples

An instructive example of this drum beat is

' song " One Drop" which talks about this rhythm. Examples of songs using the one drop from Bob Marley and the Wailers' album ''

Legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...

'', with Carlton Barrett on drums, include: " No Woman, No Cry", " Three Little Birds", "

Get Up, Stand Up "Get Up, Stand Up" is a song written by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. It originally appeared on The Wailers' 1973 album '' Burnin. It was recorded and played live in numerous versions by Bob Marley and the Wailers, along with solo versions by P ...

", " Waiting in Vain", " Stir It Up", "

One Love/People Get Ready "One Love" is a ska song written by Bob Marley and recorded by his group the Wailers from their 1965 debut studio album '' The Wailing Wailers''. It was rerecorded as part of the 1970 medley "All in One", which contained reggae reworkings of ...

", and "

I Shot the Sheriff "I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley and released in 1973 with his band Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Wailers. Background The song was first released in 1973 on Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Wailers ...

". Other examples include

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band Bob Marley and the Wa ...

's " Legalize It",

Steel Pulse Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band from the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, and were composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ro ...

's " Higher Than High", and Bob Marley's " Exodus". Also

The Upsetters The Upsetters was the name given to the house band for Jamaican reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. The name of the band comes from Perry's nickname of Upsetter, after his song "I Am the Upsetter", a musical dismissal of his former boss Coxs ...

's " One Step Dub" (1976) and Bob Marley & The Wailers's " Crazy Baldhead" (1976).Prior, Helen (2016). ''Music and Familiarity: Listening, Musicology and Performance'', p.244. Routledge. . Examples of songs using the steppers from ''Legend'' include: " Is This Love", " Exodus", " Buffalo Soldier", " Satisfy My Soul", " Jamming". Other examples include

Burning Spear Winston Rodney Order of Distinction, OD (born 1 March 1945), better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist, and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian movement, Rastafarian and one of the ...

's "

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

". The one drop style has also been used and referenced in numerous non-reggae songs, including "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" by

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...

, "The Spirit of Radio" by Rush, and "You Enjoy Myself" by

Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and keyboardist Page McConnell, all of whom perform vocals, with Anastasio being the ...

all placing their own twist on the one drop rhythm."20 Crossover Hits." ''Modern Drummer'' Aug 2012: 64. Print.

Sources

{{Reggae Drum patterns Percussion performance techniques Reggae

Characteristics

Variations

Examples

See also

Sources