“Higher and Higher” – Galactic

One of my favorite Stanton Moore grooves from his band Galactic. First check out the original track.

Here’s a breakdown of the main four bat part that repeats through the song slowed down to 90 bpm. Click here to download the pdf.

Counting: The 16th notes in the first three measures go like 1e+a 2e+a 3e+a 4e+.

sticks: You play all the snare hits with the left hand and hihats with the right, so any consecutive 16th notes on either are played as double strokes.

kicks: The 2nd and 4th bar each begins with two 16th notes on the kick drum, but you can substitute single 8th note kicks where that first beat would count as 1+a.

snare + open hihat accents: The 2nd bar ends with snare left double strokes on 4e then open hihat on +. 4th bar ends with 3+4 snare eighth notes followed by quick open hihats on the 2nd and 4th 16th notes on 4.

Here it is again at full speed (123 bpm).