The Drum & Bass drum groove
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.
Drum & Bass
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 3 hits · steps 1, 9, 14 · beats 1, 3
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · eighth notes
Liquid DnB
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | ● |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
| Open hi-hat | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · |
- Kick · 3 hits · steps 1, 9, 14 · beats 1, 3
- Snare · 4 hits · steps 5, 9, 13, 16 · beats 2, 3, 4
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · eighth notes
- Open hi-hat · 2 hits · steps 6, 14
Where to start
Do not start with the hands. First place the kick on 1 and the snare on 3, at 170. Once those two anchors hold, fill in between.
What the hands and feet actually do
On an acoustic kit this is an endurance test: the hi-hat runs sixteenths at 170, close to eleven strokes per second. Most drummers play half and let the machine do the rest.
The trap
Treating the tempo as a stunt. Drum & bass does not impress because it is fast, but because the contrast between top and bottom is clean. Without that contrast, all that is left is fast noise.
Listen to this
To hear the Drum & Bass groove in its element:
Inner City Life (Goldie) · Original Nuttah (Shy FX)
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.
Open the Drum Hub →Frequently asked questions
How do you play a Drum & Bass groove on drums?
Do not start with the hands. First place the kick on 1 and the snare on 3, at 170. Once those two anchors hold, fill in between.
What tempo is Drum & Bass played at?
The usual range runs from 165 to 180 BPM. The hub's 2 pattern(s) are set to 170 BPM, 172 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Drum & Bass 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 Drum & Bass?
London, Goldie and LTJ Bukem. Worth hearing: Inner City Life (Goldie) · Original Nuttah (Shy FX)