Learn to playLet It Happenas made famous by Tame Impalaon drums
“Let It Happen” by Tame Impala features a hypnotic groove with crisp hi-hats, syncopated snares, and electronic precision, creating a pulsing psychedelic flow.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Let It Happen. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Let It Happen
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Verse
Lay down a straight 4 beat. Use alternating hands to play the fast 1/16 notes at the end of every 3 bar phrase. Then repeat the 2 beat open hi-hat pattern into the break.
Break 1
Play 1/4 note kick through the first break. Return to the verse groove, and finish this section playing snare and hi-hat.
Break 2
Start on the snare and hi-hat groove, and after 8 bars, bring in a basic groove. Add kick on beat 3-&, and 1/16 notes on the snare.
Riff
Continue the groove through this section, and watch for the two handed snare fill at the end of this section.
Outro
Continue the groove, and play a variation in the final bar, finishing with a stop on beat 4.
Combine and play
Now combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Let It Happen
with Melodics
Behind the track
Let It Happen
by Tame Impala
“Let It Happen” by Tame Impala is a sprawling psychedelic epic that blends electronic and rock textures into a hypnotic, evolving soundscape. The composition unfolds in waves - lush synths, swirling guitars, and looping motifs create a sense of motion and transformation. Its structure defies pop convention, stretching across multiple sections that dissolve and rebuild around a propulsive rhythm.
Kevin Parker’s vocals float dreamily above the mix, processed with reverb and subtle distortion to blur the line between human and machine. His delivery is introspective yet detached, complementing the song’s themes of surrender, change, and acceptance. The result feels both immersive and meditative - an intricate fusion of analog warmth and digital precision.
Tips for learning Let It Happen on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of Let It Happen 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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FAQs
- Let It Happen is an intermediate level song. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You will need the ability to switch between grooves and command of basic syncopated snare drum rhythms.
- 125 bpm.
- 4/4.
- 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.