The Trap 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.
Trap
| 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, 11 · beats 1, 3
- Snare · 2 hits · steps 5, 13 · beats 2, 4
- Hi-hat · 10 hits · steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16 · beats 1, 2, 3
Where to start
Snare on the 3, nothing else, and one long 808 on the 1. Then add a single hi-hat roll per bar. Trap is about contrast, not filling.
What the hands and feet actually do
The 808 is not a kick, it is a note: it has a pitch and it must follow the harmony. That is the point most beginners in the style miss.
The trap
Stacking hi-hat rolls. One, well placed before the 1 comes back, beats four: the silence between rolls is what makes them spectacular.
Listen to this
To hear the Trap groove in its element:
Mask Off (Future) · Sicko Mode (Travis Scott) · Bad and Boujee (Migos)
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 Trap groove on drums?
Snare on the 3, nothing else, and one long 808 on the 1. Then add a single hi-hat roll per bar. Trap is about contrast, not filling.
What tempo is Trap played at?
The usual range runs from 60 to 90 BPM. The hub's 1 pattern(s) are set to 75 BPM, and the tempo stays free inside the drum machine.
Is Trap 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 Trap?
Atlanta, Lex Luger and Metro Boomin. Worth hearing: Mask Off (Future) · Sicko Mode (Travis Scott) · Bad and Boujee (Migos)