Skip to content

Reggaeton drum pattern

Straight and driving; the dembow ("boom-ch-boom-chick") repeats the whole song. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.

94 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 reggaeton drum pattern: the steps each drum plays
DrumSteps
Closed hat1 (soft), 3, 5 (soft), 7, 9 (soft), 11, 13 (soft), 15
Snare4, 7, 12, 15
Rim4 (soft), 12 (soft)
Kick1, 5, 9, 13
Open these drums in the editor

They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 94 BPM. No account needed to start.

How reggaeton drums go

The dembow: a kick on every beat, the snare on the last sixteenth of beat 1 and the and of 2 (and again in the second half), rim and hat on the off-beats.

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

Questions about reggaeton drums

What BPM is reggaeton?

Usually 88 to 100 BPM. This pattern plays at 94 BPM.

How do you make a reggaeton drum pattern?

Start with the kick on steps 1, 5, 9 and 13, the snare on steps 4, 7, 12 and 15, the rim on steps 4 and 12 and the closed hi-hat on steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 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 reggaeton 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 Latin drum patterns

CumbiaMoombahtonDominican dembowSalsaBossa novaBachataCorridos tumbados

Make a reggaeton beat

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

Make a reggaeton beatAll drum patterns

Keep going