Basic beats: drum & bass and dancehall

Two genres, two completely different feelings

This lesson covers the basic rhythms of dancehall and drum & bass – two genres that could hardly be further apart. Dancehall comes from Jamaica and drags. Drum & bass appeared in England in the early 90s, when funk breakbeats were simply played faster, and runs at 160 to 190 BPM.

At the end you connect both into a routine with a break in between – and learn the doubletime technique along the way.

The dancehall beat

The beat has two parts. As always you speak the rhythm first, then swap in the sounds.

Part 1:
ll:  Bo - Ka - Bo - Ka | Bo - Ka - Bo - Ka Hi  :ll     82 BPM
ll:  B - K - B - K - B - K - B - K Hi  :ll

Part 2 (break):
ll:  Bo - Ka Ka - Bo - Ka Hi  :ll
ll:  B - K K - B - K Hi  :ll                          86 BPM

The drum & bass beat

Do not start at the original tempo. Focus first on the part that makes the beat what it is – the „Zaka Zika“.

ll:  Zaka Zika - Hi - Zaka Zika - Hi  :ll            100 BPM
ll:  Bo - Ka - Zaka Zika - Bo - Ka - Hi  :ll         100 BPM
ll:  B - K - Zaka Zika - B - K - Hi  :ll             100 → 130 → 164 BPM

Add an intro and a transition, both pulled up through the same steps:

Intro:
ll:  Ts Ts - K - Zaka Zika Zik - K Hi  :ll           100 → 164 BPM

Transition:
ll:  Drop - Drop - Drop - Drop - Drop - the Bass  :ll  100 → 164 BPM

Doubletime: same beat, double the BPM

So that you can play both beats to one metronome, you take the dancehall beat into doubletime. You play exactly the same beat – once at 82 BPM, once at 164. It sounds the same, but suddenly fits the drum & bass.

This is the counterpart to the halftime from the masterclass: you may always use double or half your base tempo.

The finished routine

ll:  Ts Ts - K - Zaka Zika Zik - K Hi  :ll            4x
ll:  B - K - Zaka Zika - B - K - Hi  :ll              4x
ll:  Drop - Drop - Drop - Drop - Drop - the Bass  :ll  1x
ll:  B - K - B - K - B - K - B - K Hi  :ll            1x
ll:  B - K - B - K - B - KK - B - K Hi  :ll           1x
                                        100 → 130 → 164 BPM

The appeal of this routine is exactly that switch from the fast beat into the halftime beat. That dynamic surprises most listeners – and is the most fun to play.

Frequently asked questions

How do you beatbox drum & bass?

Through the pattern B - K - Zaka Zika - B - K. The „Zaka Zika“ is the fast double hit that defines the style. Practise it in isolation at 100 BPM and work up to 164.

How fast is drum & bass?

Roughly 160 to 190 BPM. The style emerged in England in the early 90s by playing funk breakbeats faster.

How do you beatbox a dancehall beat?

With the alternation of kick and K snare: B - K - B - K, and a double snare as a break in the second part. Dancehall has its roots in Jamaica and sits around 82 BPM.

What is doubletime in beatboxing?

Playing the same beat at double the BPM figure. The feel stays the same, but the beat suddenly fits a track twice as fast – ideal for switching between genres.