The Blast Beat drum groove

Kick and snare alternating at very high speed, with no breathing room. The physical limit of what a body can play continuously.170–250 BPM · straight · 1 pattern(s) · MetalReference: Napalm Death, Pete Sandoval (1985 to today).

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The pattern, step by step

One cell per sixteenth note, sixteen cells to the bar — exactly what the hub's drum machine plays. Downbeats are shown in bold.

Blast Beat

180 BPM

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Kick	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Snare	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Hi-hat	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	●

Kick · 16 hits · steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · sixteenth notes
Snare · 16 hits · steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · sixteenth notes
Hi-hat · 16 hits · steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · sixteenth notes

Where to start

Start at 120 BPM in eighths, hand and foot strictly alternating, and only add 5 BPM once a full minute passes clean. Progress is slow for everyone.

What the hands and feet actually do

Relaxation matters more than strength: at this speed a tensed muscle locks up within seconds. The drummers who last whole songs are the ones playing loosest.

The trap

Injury. The blast beat sends more drummers to physiotherapy than any other move: wrist and ankle tendinitis. Warm up, and stop the moment it burns.

Listen to this

To hear the Blast Beat groove in its element:

You Suffer (Napalm Death) · Angel of Death (Slayer)

In the songbook, 226 songs have a known tempo; 0 of them fall between 170 and 250 BPM.

Neighbouring grooves

Play it right now

The Drum Hub's drum machine loads this pattern, plays it at any tempo and lets you edit it cell by cell.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you play a Blast Beat groove on drums?

Start at 120 BPM in eighths, hand and foot strictly alternating, and only add 5 BPM once a full minute passes clean. Progress is slow for everyone.

What tempo is Blast Beat played at?

The usual range runs from 170 to 250 BPM. The hub's 1 pattern(s) are set to 180 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.

Is Blast Beat straight or shuffled?

Straight: the eighth notes are even, with no delay on the offbeats. That is what the hub's pattern plays.

Which drummer should you listen to for Blast Beat?

Napalm Death, Pete Sandoval. Worth hearing: You Suffer (Napalm Death) · Angel of Death (Slayer)