How to make a beat, step by step

Almost every beat is built in the same order: a kick to set the pulse, a snare or clap for the backbeat, hi-hats for movement, then percussion and groove. You can follow every step right now in our free drum machine, with real samples.

Step 1: pick a tempo

The tempo decides the style more than anything else. House sits around 120 to 126 BPM, techno 125 to 140, hip hop 85 to 95, trap 130 to 150 felt in half-time. The BPM by genre chart has twenty styles.

RAW POWER179 royalty-free drums and loops, the same sounds as in our drum machine.

Step 2: the kick

For house and techno, put a kick on every beat: steps 1, 5, 9 and 13 in a 16-step grid. That is four on the floor. For hip hop and trap, place kicks more freely, often on beat 1 and somewhere around the middle of the bar.

Step 3: snare or clap

Put it on beats 2 and 4, steps 5 and 13. This backbeat is the same in house, pop, rock and hip hop. In trap and dubstep the snare often lands only on beat 3, which makes the beat feel half as fast.

Step 4: hi-hats

Offbeat open hats (steps 3, 7, 11, 15) give the classic house bounce.
Closed hats on every eighth or sixteenth note add drive.
In trap, fast hi-hat rolls in 32nd notes or triplets fill the gaps.

Step 5: percussion and groove

Add a shaker, rim or conga in the gaps the other sounds leave.
Turn up the swing a little. It delays every second sixteenth and makes the beat feel human.
Vary the velocity: softer ghost notes between the main hits.
Make the last bar of every four a little different, a fill or a missing kick, so the loop keeps moving.

Make it now in the drum machine →A free step sequencer with 163 real drum samples. Share your beat with a link.Twenty drum patterns to learn from →House, techno, trap, drum and bass and more, step by step.Generate a beat →Pick a style and get a pattern with real samples, then edit it.

16 free tech house drums

Kicks, snares, claps, hi-hats, percussion and two loops from our RAW POWER pack, plus three guitar loops and five Serum 2 presets. Royalty-free.

Questions

How do I make a beat for beginners?

Start with a kick on every beat, a clap on 2 and 4, and hi-hats between. Then add percussion and a little swing.

What is four on the floor?

A kick on every beat of the bar, the basis of house, techno and disco.

Can I make a beat online for free?

Yes. Our drum machine runs in your browser with real samples, no download or account.

Where does the snare go in a beat?

Usually on beats 2 and 4. In trap and dubstep, often only on beat 3.