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Chiptune drum pattern

Quantized to tracker rows, accents from volume envelopes rather than velocity; straight, or swung like the Super Mario Bros. theme. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.

140 BPM · 808 kit · 1 bar

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
The chiptune drum pattern: the steps each drum plays
DrumSteps
Closed hat1 (soft), 3 (soft), 7 (soft), 9 (soft), 11 (soft), 15 (soft)
Snare5, 13
Kick1, 7, 9
Open these drums in the editor

They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 140 BPM. No account needed to start.

How chiptune drums go

One noise channel: short noise hats on the eighths, a longer noise snare on 2 and 4 that replaces the hat, a triangle-blip kick on 1, the and of 2 and 3 where the bass rests.

Questions about chiptune drums

What BPM is chiptune?

Usually 100 to 180 BPM. This pattern plays at 140 BPM.

How do you make a chiptune drum pattern?

Start with the kick on steps 1, 7 and 9, the snare on steps 5 and 13 and the closed hi-hat on steps 1, 3, 7, 9, 11 and 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 chiptune drums swing?

No: every hit lands straight on the grid. The editor’s Steps view can add swing if you want the groove to bounce.

More drum patterns

Waltz

Make a chiptune beat

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

Make a chiptune beatAll drum patterns

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