Gallop Rhythm — Metal Drumming Technique | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Gallop Rhythm?

The gallop is a rhythmic bass drum figure built from a repeating long-short-short grouping - most often voiced as an eighth note followed by two sixteenth notes - that mimics the cadence of a galloping horse. Rather than sustaining even note values like a straight double bass pattern, the gallop's uneven subdivision creates forward-driving momentum that locks in with palm-muted guitar riffs built on the same rhythmic cell, which is why it became the signature rhythmic identity of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. The pattern can be played entirely on a single bass drum pedal, alternated between two feet on a double pedal, or split between a foot and a hand for variety, but its defining trait is always the uneven long-short-short pulse rather than the pedal configuration used to produce it. In thrash metal, the same rhythmic cell sped up and made denser becomes the engine behind galloping palm-mute riffs and the bass drum patterns that drive them, making the gallop one of the most immediately recognizable rhythmic fingerprints in metal drumming - identifiable even without the guitars underneath it.

How fast are gallop rhythms played?

Gallop Rhythm is typically played around 120-220 BPM.

Who is the best gallop rhythm drummer?

Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) is among the most cited Gallop Rhythm drummers, alongside Dave Lombardo, Charlie Benante. See the full list on MetalForge.

What are the different types of gallop rhythms?

Gallop Rhythm has 4 main variations: Single Foot Gallop (The full long-short-short pattern played entirely on one bass drum pedal, as popularized by Nicko McBrain); Double Pedal Gallop (The same rhythmic cell split across two feet on a double pedal to reduce single-foot workload); Thrash Gallop (A faster, denser variation driving rapid palm-muted riffing in thrash metal); Hand-Foot Gallop (The long note played on a cymbal or snare while the two short notes stay on the bass drum).