Bo Diddley beat

The Bo Diddley beat is a syncopated musical rhythm that is widely used in rock and roll and pop music.^[1]^[2]^[3] The beat is named after rhythm and blues musician Bo Diddley, who introduced and popularized the beat with his self-titled debut single, "Bo Diddley", in 1955. The beat is essentially the Afro-Cuban clave rhythm^[4] or based on the clave^[5]^[6] or a variation thereof.^[7]^[8]

Music educator and author Michael Campbell explains that it "shows the relationship between Afro-Cuban music, Americanized Latin rhythms, and rock rhythm ... [The beats] are more active and complicated than a simple rock rhythm, but less complex than a real Afro-Cuban rhythm.^[8]

^ Brown, Jonathan (June 3, 2008). "Bo Diddley, Guitarist Who Inspired the Beatles and the Stones, Dies Aged 79". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
^ "Bo Diddley". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
^ "Bo Diddley". Rollingstone.com. 2001. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
^ Thomakos, John (2010). "Bo Diddley Beat". The Drum Set Styles Encyclopedia. Mel Bay Publications. p. 67. ISBN 978-1610652193. The heart of this [Bo Diddley beat] trademark groove is essentially a 3-2 clave rhythm, played with a strong swing.
^ Martin, Andrew R.; Mihalka, Matthew (2020). Music Around the World: A Global Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 179. ISBN 978-1610694995. Bo Diddley's 1955 self-titled track featuring the 'Bo Diddley Beat' that was based on the clave rhythm.
^ Roscetti, Ed (2008). Stuff! Good Drummers Should Know: An A to Z Guide to Getting Better. Hal Leonard. p. 16. the Bo Diddley beat, based on the rumba or clave rhythm
^ Horne, Greg (2000). Intermediate Acoustic Guitar. Alfred Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 0-7390-0426-3. The Bo Diddley Beat – This is a variation of the clave made famous by Bo Diddley.
^ ^a ^b Campbell, Michael (2009). Popular Music in America: And the Beat Goes On (3rd ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-495-50530-3.

[1] Brown, Jonathan (June 3, 2008). "Bo Diddley, Guitarist Who Inspired the Beatles and the Stones, Dies Aged 79". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved April 26, 2012.

[2] "Bo Diddley". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 27, 2008.

[3] "Bo Diddley". Rollingstone.com. 2001. Retrieved April 26, 2012.

[4] Thomakos, John (2010). "Bo Diddley Beat". The Drum Set Styles Encyclopedia. Mel Bay Publications. p. 67. ISBN 978-1610652193. The heart of this [Bo Diddley beat] trademark groove is essentially a 3-2 clave rhythm, played with a strong swing.

[5] Martin, Andrew R.; Mihalka, Matthew (2020). Music Around the World: A Global Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 179. ISBN 978-1610694995. Bo Diddley's 1955 self-titled track featuring the 'Bo Diddley Beat' that was based on the clave rhythm.

[6] Roscetti, Ed (2008). Stuff! Good Drummers Should Know: An A to Z Guide to Getting Better. Hal Leonard. p. 16. the Bo Diddley beat, based on the rumba or clave rhythm

[7] Horne, Greg (2000). Intermediate Acoustic Guitar. Alfred Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 0-7390-0426-3. The Bo Diddley Beat – This is a variation of the clave made famous by Bo Diddley.

[Campbell-8] Campbell, Michael (2009). Popular Music in America: And the Beat Goes On (3rd ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-495-50530-3.

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