R&B Drum Pattern
Modern R&B drums are laid back. The tempo is slow, the 16ths have a little swing, the hats move with ghost notes and short rolls, and a clap or snare marks 2 and 4. The kick is sparse and leaves space for the bass and vocals.
Click a square to add or remove a hit, choose accents, ghost notes or rolls, and download your version as MIDI. Built-in sounds are simple synth drums; in your DAW it plays your own kit.
The r&b beat, step by step
Tempo: 65–95 BPM (see all genres in the BPM chart). Each bar is counted in 16th notes: 1 e & a, 2 e & a, 3 e & a, 4 e & a. Here is where every instrument plays in the main pattern:
| Instrument | Bar 1 | Bar 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Kick | 1, 2a, 3& | 1, 1&, 3& |
| Clap | 2, 4 | 2, 4 |
| Rim | — + 2 ghost | — + 1 ghost |
| Closed hat | every 8th + 4 ghost | 1, 1&, 2, 2&, 3, 3&, 3a roll, 4, 4& + 3 ghost |
- Kick: Beat 1 and a few soft syncopated hits.
- Clap / snare: Beats 2 and 4, often a clap with a long tail or a layered snare.
- Hi-hats: 16ths with ghost notes and occasional 1/32 rolls.
- Rim / perc: Rim clicks or finger snaps in the gaps.
Tip: Pull the swing up to about 55% and leave the kick off beat 3. A slow R&B beat needs space more than it needs extra notes.
The Drum Patterns Cheat Sheet + Chord MIDI Pack
The main pattern for all 14 genres as printable step grids with tempo and swing (PDF), plus 72 chord progressions from hit songs in all 12 keys (864 MIDI files) to put on top of the beat.
Your downloads are ready. The MIDI pack link is on its way to your inbox too.
DRUM CHEAT SHEET PDF → CHORD MIDI PACKWant full grooves with chords, bass and drums already written? See the Song Starter MIDI Kit ($19) →
How to use the MIDI in FL Studio, Ableton and Logic
The MIDI file is two bars long, at the tempo you set, with the drums on channel 10 in the General MIDI drum map. Swing is written into the file, so it plays the same in your DAW.
- FL Studio: drag the .mid file into the playlist or onto a channel, then point the notes at your own kick, snare and hat samples (or use a kit that follows the General MIDI map).
- Ableton Live: drag the file onto a MIDI track with a Drum Rack. Ableton's drum kits follow the same layout (kick C1, snare D1, closed hat F♯1), so most kits play it straight away.
- Logic Pro: drag the file onto a Software Instrument track with Drum Kit Designer or a Drum Machine Designer kit. Logic's kits use the General MIDI layout.
| Instrument | MIDI note | Ableton / Logic | FL Studio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | 36 | C1 | C3 |
| Rim | 37 | C♯1 | C♯3 |
| Snare | 38 | D1 | D3 |
| Clap | 39 | D♯1 | D♯3 |
| Closed hat | 42 | F♯1 | F♯3 |
| Low tom | 45 | A1 | A3 |
| Open hat | 46 | A♯1 | A♯3 |
| Crash | 49 | C♯2 | C♯4 |
| High tom | 50 | D2 | D4 |
| Ride | 51 | D♯2 | D♯4 |
| Shaker (maracas) | 70 | A♯3 | A♯5 |
DAWs name octaves differently: MIDI note 60 is C3 in Ableton and Logic and C5 in FL Studio. The MIDI number is the same everywhere.
Need a bassline or 808 to go with the beat? The 808 & bassline generator writes one in any key, with these drums.
Get the beat with chords and bass already on it
The Song Starter MIDI Kit turns 48 chord progressions from hit songs into ready-to-play grooves: a genre-style chord part, a bassline and a drum beat for pop, EDM, hip-hop, R&B, rock, indie, country and K-pop. 1,824 royalty-free MIDI files.
Quick answers
What BPM is r&b?
R&B is usually 65–95 BPM. The pattern on this page starts at 82 BPM; move the tempo slider before you download the MIDI.
What is the basic r&b drum pattern?
Laid-back swing, 16th hats with ghosts, clap or snare on 2 and 4. In the main pattern on this page (first bar): kick on 1, 2a, 3&; clap on 2, 4, counted in 16ths as 1 e & a.
Can I use these drum patterns in my own songs?
Yes. Drum patterns like these are shared building blocks of each genre, and the MIDI is free to use in your own music, commercial or not, with no credit needed.