Blast beat

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Blast beat is a drum beat consisting of rapid alternating strokes on the snare and bass drums. The snare drum forms the focus of such a beat, with bass drum often played beneath the snare to create a 'wall of sound'. The hi-hat or a ride cymbal is often played simultaneously with either the bass drum or rarely with the snare drum, however crash cymbal or china cymbals can often be featured as well. Bell accents on the ride cymbal are often employed in the same manner as accents in funkier drumming styles in order to give the beat an emphasised 'push'. Diverse patterns and timings are also frequently used by more technical players. Alternative styles of blast beats include using a two strokes on bass drum followed by one stroke of the snare drum, such as played by Pete Sandoval, or using scarce strokes on the bass drum, which frequently played by Max Duhamel. While the blast beat is often used to create a forceful climax, such a beat can sometimes constitute the bulk of an entire song.

Typical blast beats consist of 8th note snare and 8th or 16th note bass drum hits, on the top of which a cymbal, normally a hi-hat or a ride, is hit, in Quarter or 8th notes. Variations exist. Some people (such as Derek Roddy) maintain the bass drum should be played with one foot for the best effect in blasts using 8th note bass drum strokes; however, some drummers choose to split the 8th notes between both feet.

Blast beats have their roots in hardcore punk, D.R.I. is widely considered to be the first band to use the blast beat in hardcore punk on their song "No Sense." Thrash metal also has some credits towards the blast beat, however in modern standards the snare work is frequently comparable to established snare patterns in jazz. Blast beats are a prominent feature of death metal, black metal and grindcore, although they make appearances in other genres from time to time, to increase the speed, density, and percussiveness. The blast beat is a fundamental component in nearly all of extreme metal. Bands making extensive use of it include Cryptopsy, Carcass, Napalm Death, Dying Fetus, Hate Eternal, Suffocation and Dark Funeral among many others.

The original use in metal music is generally attributed to Charlie Benante of SOD and Mick Harris of Napalm Death. The former showcased the technique by a double-handed blast beat in the track "Milk" on the album Speak English or Die, later it was played properly single-handed on the live album Live at Budokan. The latter started using it as a fundament of their musical compositions.

Early blast beats were generally quite slow and less precise compared to today's standards. Nowadays, a blast beat is normally played in tempos from 180 bpm upwards, with so-called "hyperblast beats" existing in the range of 260-340 bpm (there are records of just over 400 bpm). There is also what is called a "gravity blast" which implements a one-handed roll, called a gravity roll, a relatively recent invention which uses the rim of the snare as a fulcrum on which the stick is rocked back and forth, allowing two snare hits with each full arm motion (one on the down motion, and another coming up, essentially doing the work of two hands with only one).

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