Learn to playStarlightas made famous by Museon drums
The drum beat in "Starlight" by Muse is dynamic and driving, featuring a steady 4/4 rhythm with prominent snare hits and syncopated hi-hat patterns that create a compelling urgency.
With our step-by-step drum lesson you can recreate the beat behind Starlight. We’ve broken down the main sections of the song and will take you through each part beat by beat, with video demonstrations.
Starlight
Drums Tutorial - Step by Step
Intro
Start the song with a two bar repeating pattern, riding on the low tom, and observing the three snare hits every second bar. Watch for the crashes, and keep your left foot bouncing the 1/8 notes on the pedal hi-hat.
Verse 1
For the verse section, extend the phrase to four bars long, playing the triple snare hit in every fourth bar.
Chorus 1
Start the chorus with a crash, and return to the two bar phrase from the intro.
Verse 2
Return to the four bar verse pattern for the first half of this section, before playing a small fill moving from a snare flam to open hi-hat, and moving to the bridge groove.
Bridge
Move to the open hi-hat for the bridge. For the first half, play a four bar repeating phrase - watch for the off beat crash on beat 4-& in the first bar, and the snare flam in the fourth. Halfway through, move to a simplified one bar pattern to up the intensity. Finish this section with a 1/16 note snare fill using alternating hands.
Outro
Ride out on the crash, with 1/8 note kicks at the climax of the song. Watch for the snare displacement in bar 8 before finishing on 8 bars of chorus groove, and finishing on the crash.
Combine and perform
Now combine the sections to perform the full arrangement.
Learn to play
Starlight
with Melodics
Behind the track
Starlight
by Muse
"Starlight" by Muse features a melodic and anthemic musical composition with a strong, steady rhythm. The song is built around a prominent piano riff, driving bassline, and soaring guitar melodies. The vocals by Matthew Bellamy are emotive and powerful, delivering heartfelt lyrics with a blend of clarity and intensity. The overall arrangement creates a sense of urgency and upliftment, making it one of the band's standout tracks.
Tips for learning Starlight on drums
Tip 1: Slow it down
Break it down: Tackle each section of 'Starlight' 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
- Instant feedback on your performance and tracking of your progress
- The fun and effective way to stick to your drum kit
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FAQs
- Playing "Starlight" by Muse on drums is moderately challenging. While the basic rhythm is straightforward, maintaining the steady tempo, dynamic snare hits, and syncopated hi-hat patterns requires good timing and control. The song's consistent energy and subtle variations in the drum patterns demand both precision and endurance, making it accessible for intermediate drummers but potentially tricky for beginners.
- To play "Starlight" by Muse on drums, you need a solid understanding of basic drumming techniques, including steady 4/4 timing and dynamic snare hits. Proficiency with syncopated hi-hat patterns and consistent bass drum control is essential. Additionally, you should have good endurance to maintain the song's energy and precision throughout, along with the ability to incorporate subtle rhythmic variations smoothly. Intermediate-level drumming skills are typically required for this song.
- 122 bpm
- 4/4
- B 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.