Learn to playLet's Danceas made famous by David Bowieon drums
Develop your coordination with steady hi-hats and driving kick patterns before tackling Hakim's bass-locked groove and explosive snare accents.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Let's Dance. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Let's Dance
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Verse
Build up on low tom, snare and kick to begin. Head into the 1/4 note hi-hat groove, matching the kick with the synth bass.
Chorus
Switch to 1/8 notes on the hi-hat for the chorus. At the end of the chorus, build up again, this time starting on open hi-hat.
Verse 2
Now combine a verse and chorus section, with variations in the fills.
Outro
Groove out on the verse groove, with fill variations throughout. Finish with crash on beat 1.
Combine and play
Combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Let's Dance
with Melodics
Behind the track
Let's Dance
by David Bowie
Bowie first played 'Let's Dance' to Nile Rodgers on a twelve-string acoustic in 1982, a quiet folk song that bore almost no resemblance to what it would become. Rodgers heard the bones and rewired the whole thing, turning it into the funk-driven hit that would become Bowie's best-selling single. Omar Hakim, then in his mid-twenties, laid down the drum part that anchors the record. And those soaring 'ahh' vocals climbing up at the top of the track? That's a direct nod to 'Twist and Shout' - tracing a line back through the Beatles to the Isley Brothers' 1962 original.
Tips for learning Let's Dance on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of Let's Dance 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.
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FAQs
- Let's Dance is an advanced level song. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You will need command of syncopation with 1/4 note hi-hat grooves, and ability to play advanced fills around the kit
- 114 bpm
- 4/4
- Ab 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.