Learn to playGood Timesas made famous by Chicon drums
Start with the pulse, add the driving 16th-note hats, then lock in Tony Thompson's pushes and fills - the groove that became disco's blueprint.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Good Times. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Good Times
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Basic groove
Play a basic two-handed hi-hat groove along with the track, playing 1/16 notes using alternating hands, and bringing your hand down to play the snare on 2 and 4.
Add details
Add the crash on 1, and an extra kick on beat 4-e. Practice the open hi-hat on beat 4-& in bar 4, and play a fill in bar 8 on the snare. Repeat twice to practice.
Play the song
Now play the song, watching for the crashes, extra kicks, open hi-hats, and fills.
Learn to play
Good Times
with Melodics
Behind the track
Good Times
by Chic
Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers met in 1970 grinding through New York session work, cycling through band names until Chic finally stuck. Edwards' bassline on "Good Times" was so perfectly constructed that The Sugarhill Gang lifted it wholesale for "Rapper's Delight" in 1979 — without asking. Edwards and Rodgers only found out when they heard it on the radio. They were furious, sued, and settled out of court. "Rapper's Delight" went on to become the first hip-hop single to crack the Billboard Top 40, built entirely on a groove Chic had no idea would outlive disco itself.
Tips for learning Good Times on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of Good Times individually for precision mastery. With Melodics, you can slow the pace of the song and work up to full speed.
Tip 2: Review your performance
Identify growth areas: Listen to playback of your performance to learn where you need to develop your timing, technique & rhythm. Melodics provides instant feedback on your performance.
Tip 3: Practice makes perfect
Stay consistent: With regular, focused practice you'll see rapid progress when learning the song. Even a short session each day will make a huge difference.
- Get access to 100s of interactive lessons and popular songs
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- The fun and effective way to stick to your drum kit
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FAQs
- Good Times is an intermediate level song. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You will need command of a two-handed 1/16 note hi-hat groove.
- 111 bpm
- 4/4
- D major
- New songs are released every week on Melodics! And we love to take requests - the best place for this is within our Discord community where you can also connect with other music learners around the world. Check out https://melodics.com/info/community.