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Soul drum pattern

Warm live-band groove with a strong backbeat. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.

112 BPM · Live kit · 1 bar · 53% 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
The soul drum pattern: the steps each drum plays
DrumSteps
Closed hat1, 3 (soft), 5, 7 (soft), 9, 11 (soft), 13, 15 (soft)
Clap5, 13
Snare5, 13
Kick1, 9
Open these drums in the editor

They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 112 BPM. No account needed to start.

How soul drums go

Kick on 1 and 3, snare and handclaps on 2 and 4 (Motown: the snare on all four), straight eighth hats, tambourine on the backbeat.

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

Questions about soul drums

What BPM is soul?

Usually 70 to 135 BPM. This pattern plays at 112 BPM.

How do you make a soul drum pattern?

Start with the kick on steps 1 and 9, the snare and clap on steps 5 and 13 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 soul drums swing?

Yes, about 53% 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.

More soul and funk drum patterns

GospelFunkDoo-wopSouthern soul

Make a soul beat

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

Make a soul beatAll drum patterns

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