The Pop 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.
Pop Basique
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 2 hits · steps 1, 9 · 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
Pop Clap
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Clap | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · |
- Kick · 2 hits · steps 1, 13 · beats 1, 4
- Clap · 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
Pop 16 temps
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Snare | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · |
| Hi-hat | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
- Kick · 2 hits · steps 1, 9 · beats 1, 3
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- 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
UK 2-Step
| 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, 3, 9, 11 · beats 1, 3
- 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 3, 9 · beats 3
Where to start
Play the simplest possible pattern and hold it for eight bars without adding anything. Boredom is a good sign: pop is judged on what you do not hear.
What the hands and feet actually do
Absolute steadiness, flat dynamics. It is the one style where playing like a machine is a virtue — and it is harder than it looks. The clap sits very slightly AFTER the snare.
The trap
Trying to exist. One spectacular fill in the wrong place and the song no longer belongs to you, it blames you. In pop, the best compliment is that nobody noticed the drums.
Listen to this
To hear the Pop groove in its element:
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) · Shape of You (Ed Sheeran) · Rolling in the Deep (Adele)
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 Pop groove on drums?
Play the simplest possible pattern and hold it for eight bars without adding anything. Boredom is a good sign: pop is judged on what you do not hear.
What tempo is Pop played at?
The usual range runs from 95 to 135 BPM. The hub's 4 pattern(s) are set to 100 BPM, 105 BPM, 100 BPM, 130 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Pop 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 Pop?
The Los Angeles and Stockholm studios. Worth hearing: Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) · Shape of You (Ed Sheeran) · Rolling in the Deep (Adele)