# Number of Patterns Possible?

#### TheJason

##### New member
I have this drumming lesson site. I was wondering if the combinations I made - considering there are only 4 notes - in which they are either snare or bass drum notes - are the max number - of if more are possible.

Here are the patterns:

S = snare drum

B = bass drum

S, S, S, S,

B, B, B, B

------------

S, S, B, B

B, S, S, B

S, B, S, B

B, B, S, B

S, B, B, B

B, S, B, B

----------

S, S, B, S

B, S, S, S

S, B, S, S

B, B, S, S

S, B, B, S

B, S, B, S

Last edited:

#### MarkFL

##### Super Moderator
Staff member
Hello, Jason!

For each note, you have two choices, either S or B, and so the total number of sequences possible is:

$$\displaystyle N=2^4=16$$

SSSS
SSSB
SSBS
SSBB
SBSS
SBSB
SBBS
SBBB
BSSS
BSSB
BSBS
BSBB
BBSS
BBSB
BBBS
BBBB

#### TheJason

##### New member
Hello, Jason!

For each note, you have two choices, either S or B, and so the total number of sequences possible is:

$$\displaystyle N=2^4=16$$

SSSS
SSSB
SSBS
SSBB
SBSS
SBSB
SBBS
SBBB
BSSS
BSSB
BSBS
BSBB
BBSS
BBSB
BBBS
BBBB
SSSB and BBBS were the two I didn't come up with - doing it without math formulas.

#### MarkFL

##### Super Moderator
Staff member
SSSB and BBBS were the two I didn't come up with - doing it without math formulas.
I treated it like counting from 0-15 in binary to systematically catch all unique strings.

#### Harry_the_cat

##### Senior Member
You could also use a tree diagram similar to the one below (with more branches added) so that you don't miss any or count any twice.