For those of us who have been making electronic music for years, punching in well established drum patterns into our drum machines – or drawing the patterns into our DAW piano roll – is second nature and doesn’t usually require a lot of thought, or even effort but if you’re new to music production you might be wondering where exactly you should be placing your drum sounds.
In the video tutorial below, music producer and educator Nick Chen walks you through the basic drum patterns found in hip hop, regatton/dancehall, house, techno, future bass, RnB, dubstep, trap and Drum & Bass.
Nick uses one shots in Ableton Live to teach you these patterns but the information is applicable to any DAW or drum machine.
As well as explaining where on the grid you should put your drum hits, Nick discusses typical BPM settings, swing, groove, velocity settings, variations and more – essential tips for beginners.
Do be aware that while there are well established patterns for all music genres – many of which have been in use for decades – there are no actual laws stating you have to stick to the same patterns as everyone else. Learn the basics but do keep experimenting and exploring new ways of making beats.
Enjoyed this video? Check out more of Nick’s tutorials on Youtube including his useful guides to sampling, finger drumming and live looping.
New to beat making and keen to learn more? Check out my guide to using Ableton’s drum synths and how to make beats with a drum machine.