The House 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.
House 4-on-floor
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Clap | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · |
| Open hi-hat | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 4 hits · steps 1, 5, 9, 13 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · quarter notes
- Clap · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 4 hits · steps 3, 7, 11, 15 · offbeat eighths
- Open hi-hat · 4 hits · steps 3, 7, 11, 15 · offbeat eighths
Deep House
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Clap | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● |
| Open hi-hat | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 4 hits · steps 1, 5, 9, 13 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4 · quarter notes
- Clap · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 8 hits · steps 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16
- Open hi-hat · 2 hits · steps 7, 15
Micro-House
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Clap | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | ● | ● | · | ● | ● | ● | · | ● | ● | ● | · | ● | ● |
- Kick · 3 hits · steps 1, 9, 15 · beats 1, 3
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Clap · 4 hits · steps 2, 6, 10, 14
- Hi-hat · 12 hits · steps 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16 · beats 1, 2, 3, 4
Where to start
Program the four kicks, then the clap on 2 and 4, then the hi-hat between beats. Three tracks and you have house. Everything else is arrangement.
What the hands and feet actually do
The tempo window is narrow, and not by accident: 120-126, the rate at which a body dances without thinking. Sidechain — the bass ducking under the kick — does as much work as the grid.
The trap
Overloading the grid. In house you remove rather than add: the tension comes from the filter and the arrangement, not from a busier pattern.
Listen to this
To hear the House groove in its element:
Your Love (Frankie Knuckles) · Music Sounds Better With You (Stardust) · One More Time (Daft Punk)
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 House groove on drums?
Program the four kicks, then the clap on 2 and 4, then the hi-hat between beats. Three tracks and you have house. Everything else is arrangement.
What tempo is House played at?
The usual range runs from 118 to 128 BPM. The hub's 3 pattern(s) are set to 124 BPM, 120 BPM, 122 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is House 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 House?
Chicago, Frankie Knuckles. Worth hearing: Your Love (Frankie Knuckles) · Music Sounds Better With You (Stardust) · One More Time (Daft Punk)