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Soca drum pattern

Carnival energy; power soca is fast (155-163), groovy soca sits around 110-135. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.

158 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 soca drum pattern: the steps each drum plays
DrumSteps
Closed hat1 (soft), 2 (soft), 3 (soft), 4 (soft), 5 (soft), 6 (soft), 7 (soft), 8 (soft), 9 (soft), 10 (soft), 11 (soft), 12 (soft), 13 (soft), 14 (soft), 15 (soft), 16 (soft)
Clap5, 13
Snare7, 15
Rim3, 7, 11, 15
Kick1, 5, 9, 13
Open these drums in the editor

They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 158 BPM. No account needed to start.

How soca drums go

A driving kick, the snare pushing on the and of 2 and 4, the iron on every off-beat, constant shakers and percussion.

Questions about soca drums

What BPM is soca?

Usually 150 to 165 BPM. This pattern plays at 158 BPM.

How do you make a soca drum pattern?

Start with the kick on steps 1, 5, 9 and 13, the snare on steps 7 and 15, the clap on steps 5 and 13, the rim on steps 3, 7, 11 and 15 and the closed hi-hat on every 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. Open it in the free editor to change any step.

Do soca 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 Caribbean drum patterns

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Make a soca beat

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

Make a soca beatAll drum patterns

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