First up, let's look at some handy hi-hat variations... 1. Eighth note, followed by two sixteenth notes. One frequently used alternative is the use of what are often called broken 16th-note rhythms.

In this case we’re playing RRLR and with a triplet rhythm applied to the first three notes. And when played on the hi-hats, with the final right hand note falling on the downbeat, the effect is a ...