Definition: One drop refers to a style of playing the drums where the snare drum and bass drum are only hit on the third beat in 4/4 time. In other styles of "backbeat" drumming, those two drums may be hit on the first and third beat, but when beat "one" is "dropped," it's referred to as one drop.
It's unclear who originally invented the one drop style, but it was most certainly popularized by Carlton Barrett, who was the original drummer for Lee "Scratch" Perry's house band, The Upsetters, and later joined up with Bob Marley and the Wailers.
It's unclear who originally invented the one drop style, but it was most certainly popularized by Carlton Barrett, who was the original drummer for Lee "Scratch" Perry's house band, The Upsetters, and later joined up with Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Examples:
Bob Marley and the Wailers - "One Drop" (Listen/Download)
Bob Marley and the Wailers - "One Drop" (Listen/Download)
