Drum Programming: Kicks, Claps, Hi-Hats and Swing
Learn to create solid rhythms and groovy drum patterns without overcrowding your mix.
A four-on-the-floor foundation
In house music a kick typically lands on each beat. Claps commonly emphasize beats two and four. This is a starting pattern, not a genre rule: omit kicks or shift percussion deliberately to create variety.
Hi-hat placement and swing
Off-beat hats can create lift. Sixteenth-note ghost hits add forward motion; light velocity differences make repeating patterns less mechanical. Swing delays selected subdivisions rather than changing the entire song tempo.
Create and listen
Open SoundCode Drum Machine, choose an existing pattern, make a controlled variation, and listen to kick/bass overlap. Save the actual sound in its source module before moving it to Session.