Afrobeats drum pattern
Bouncy and relaxed, light swing; the groove is in the percussion, never a straight four on the floor. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.
106 BPM · Afro kit · 1 bar · 54% swing
The pattern, step by step
Each step is a sixteenth note, four to a beat: step 1 is beat 1, 5 is beat 2, 9 is beat 3 and 13 is beat 4. A lit square is a hit; a fainter one is played softer.
- Hit
- Softer hit
| Drum | Steps |
|---|---|
| Open hat | 15 (soft) |
| Shaker | 1 (soft), 2 (soft), 3, 4 (soft), 5 (soft), 6 (soft), 7, 8 (soft), 9 (soft), 10 (soft), 11, 12 (soft), 13 (soft), 14 (soft), 15, 16 (soft) |
| Clap | 5, 13 |
| Conga | 4, 7, 11, 14 |
| Kick | 1, 7, 9, 15 |
They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 106 BPM. No account needed to start.
How afrobeats drums go
A kick on 1 and the and of 2, a soft one on 3, all straight; a soft clap or rim on 2 and 4; a skipping rim or snare pattern; a swung sixteenth shaker with accents and an open hat on an off-beat.
The bass, chords and sounds are on the Afrobeat page.
Questions about afrobeats drums
What BPM is afrobeats?
Usually 98 to 115 BPM. This pattern plays at 106 BPM.
How do you make a afrobeats drum pattern?
Start with the kick on steps 1, 7, 9 and 15, the clap on steps 5 and 13, the conga on steps 4, 7, 11 and 14, the shaker on every step and the open hi-hat on step 15. Each step is a sixteenth note, four to a beat: step 1 is beat 1, 5 is beat 2, 9 is beat 3 and 13 is beat 4. Open it in the free editor to change any step.
Do afrobeats drums swing?
Yes, about 54% swing: every second step comes a little late, so the groove bounces. The editor plays it that way, and its Steps view can change it.
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Make a afrobeats beat
The free editor opens with a whole afrobeats beat: drums, bass and chords, each part yours to change, add to or take away.
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