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Blues drum pattern

Slow blues in 12/8, each beat three triplet eighths, 45-75 per dotted quarter; shuffles (80-160) play the same triplets with the middle one left out; everyone shares one swing. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.

60 BPM · Live kit · 1 bar · 66% swing

The pattern, step by step

Each step is a triplet, three to a beat: step 1 is beat 1, 4 is beat 2, 7 is beat 3 and 10 is beat 4. A lit square is a hit; a fainter one is played softer.

  • Hit
  • Softer hit
The blues drum pattern: the steps each drum plays
DrumSteps
Closed hat1, 2 (soft), 3 (soft), 4, 5 (soft), 6 (soft), 7, 8 (soft), 9 (soft), 10, 11 (soft), 12 (soft)
Snare4, 10
Kick1, 6, 7
Open these drums in the editor

They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 60 BPM. No account needed to start.

How blues drums go

All twelve triplets on the hat or ride with the downbeats louder, the snare on 2 and 4 a touch late, the kick on 1 and 3 with a pickup on the last triplet of 2.

The bass, chords and sounds are on the Blues page.

Questions about blues drums

What BPM is blues?

Usually 45 to 160 BPM. This pattern plays at 60 BPM.

How do you make a blues drum pattern?

Start with the kick on steps 1, 6 and 7, the snare on steps 4 and 10 and the closed hi-hat on every step. Each step is a triplet, three to a beat: step 1 is beat 1, 4 is beat 2, 7 is beat 3 and 10 is beat 4. Open it in the free editor to change any step.

Do blues drums swing?

Its hits are written on triplets, three steps to a beat, which gives the groove its lilt without any swing setting.

More jazz and blues drum patterns

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Make a blues beat

The free editor opens with a whole blues beat: drums, bass and chords, each part yours to change, add to or take away.

Make a blues beatAll drum patterns

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