In this section of the finger cymbals article, you will find various rhythms to which you can practice your finger cymbals to. After you are comfortable with understanding and knowing how to play them, we will move onto the finger cymbal drills section where you will start to learn how to incorporate movement into your dancing while playing your cymbals.
3’s or galloping rhythm
Right Handed
R L R R L R R L R
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Left Handed
L R L L R L L R L
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
3-7-3’S
Right Handed
R L R R L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R L R L R R L R
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3
Left Handed
L R L L R L R L R L L R L L R L L R L R L R L L R L
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3
3-3-7’S
Right Handed
R L R R L R R L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R L R L R
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Left Handed
L R L L R L L R L R L R L L R L L R L L R L R L R L
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3-5-5s
Right Handed
R L R R L R L R R L R L R R L R R L R L R R L R L R
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Left Handed
L R L L R L R L L R L R L L R L L R L R L L R L R L
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
3-5-1-3’s
Right Handed
R L R R L R L R R R L R R L R R L R L R R R L R
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3
Left Handed
L R L L R L R L L L R L L R L L R L R L L L R L
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3
3-1-3-1-3’s
Right Handed
R L R R R L R R R L R R L R R R L R R R L R
1 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 1 2 3
Left Handed
L R L L L R L L L R L L R L L L R L L L R L
1 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 1 2 3
4’s (Singles)
Right Handed
R L R L R L R L R L R L
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Left Handed
L R L R L R L R L R L R
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
4-7-4’S
Right Handed
R L R L R L R L R L R R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L R L
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
Left Handed
L R L R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L R
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
4-4-7’s
Right Handed
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Left Handed
L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4-5-5’s
Right Handed
R L R L R L R L R R L R L R R L R L R L R L R R L R L R
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Left Handed
L R L R L R L R L L R L R L L R L R L R L R L L R L R L
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
4-5-1-4’s
Right Handed
R L R L R L R L R R R L R L R L R L R L R L R R R L R L
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3 4
Left Handed
L R L R L R L R L L L R L R L R L R L R L R L L L R L R
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3 4
4-1-4-1-4’s
Right Handed
R L R L R R L R L R R L R L R L R L R R L R L R R L R L
1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4
Left Handed
L R L R L L R L R L L R L R L R L R L L R L R L L R L R
1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4
5-5-5’s (Syncopated)
Right Handed
R L R L R R L R L R R L R L R
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Left Handed
L R L R L L R L R L L R L R L
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Now that you know some finger cymbal patterns, let us move onto some finger cymbal drills so that you can start becoming a dancer while being a musician.


