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Synthwave drum pattern

Straight, nostalgic 80s; big gated drums; outrun and darksynth run 128-140 with a four-on-the-floor kick. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.

100 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 synthwave drum pattern: the steps each drum plays
DrumSteps
Open hat14
Closed hat1, 2 (soft), 3, 4 (soft), 5, 6 (soft), 7, 8 (soft), 9, 10 (soft), 11, 12 (soft), 13, 15, 16 (soft)
Snare5, 13
Kick1, 9
Open these drums in the editor

They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 100 BPM. No account needed to start.

How synthwave drums go

Kick on 1 and 3, a gated reverb snare on 2 and 4, sixteenth hats with an open hat on the e of 4.

Questions about synthwave drums

What BPM is synthwave?

Usually 80 to 140 BPM. This pattern plays at 100 BPM.

How do you make a synthwave drum pattern?

Start with the kick on steps 1 and 9, the snare on steps 5 and 13, the closed hi-hat on steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16 and the open hi-hat on step 14. 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 synthwave 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.

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Make a synthwave beat

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

Make a synthwave beatAll drum patterns

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