Common Drum Patterns
Learn the rhythmic foundation behind most drum beats and how it shows up across genres.
THE FOUNDATION: Kick on the 1, Snare on 2 and 4.
Most modern electronic music like hip hop and EDM has the pattern above as the skeleton of its drum parts. Depending on the style and creativity of the producer, more kicks and snares will fill in other spaces on the grid. Hi-hats add activity around the foundation laid in the bass and mids.
The pattern is pictured above first in the Patterns Beatmaker with the kick in the top row and snare below. The gray piano roll shows the pattern with the kick on the C1 row and snares on D1.
The lessons that follow show hip hop and dance music patterns that follow the foundation above. Reggaeton patterns break the mold, but still follow the same logic.
Remember, all of these rules are meant to be broken! Look for a green F to see the foundation in action → → →
