Learn to playRobbersas made famous by The 1975on drums
Start with a steady groove and crashes where the song opens up. Add open hats and toms for texture, then build to George’s full part and driving 16th-note hats.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Robbers. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Robbers
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Verse
Pick up on beat 4-& with open hi-hat. Lay down the 4 on the floor groove. Watch for the open hi-hats and 1/16 note snares in this section.
Chorus
Continue the groove for the chorus. Hit the ride into the break, and continue the groove through the next verse, with a tom fill leading to the next chorus.
Chorus 2
Chorus 2 adds 1/16 note hi-hats, use your non dominant hand to fill in the gaps here. Add toms on beat 4-&.
Outro
After the break, come back in with the groove combining toms, open hi-hats, and 1/16 note fills on the snare and hi-hat.
Combine and play
Combine the sections to play the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Robbers
with Melodics
Behind the track
Robbers
by The 1975
"Robbers" comes from The 1975's self-titled debut album, the record that put the Manchester band on the map. George Daniel anchors the track with a stripped-back groove that treats space as its main instrument. The song became a fan favourite precisely because of what's not there. George Daniel, the drummer behind that groove, married Charli XCX in July 2025 in Hackney, London.
Tips for learning Robbers on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of Robbers 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
- Robbers is an advanced level song. Fortunately, there are beginner versions of the song available on Melodics to check out!
- You will need a solid basic groove, and the ability to incorporate open hi-hat, toms, and 1/16 notes on the hi-hat
- 100 bpm
- 4/4
- E 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.