Rock Drum Pattern
The basic rock beat is the first drum pattern most drummers learn: kick on beats 1 and 3, snare on beats 2 and 4, and steady 8th notes on the hi-hat. Variations add a kick on the "and" of 3 and a fill with toms at the end of a phrase.
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 rock beat, step by step
Tempo: 100–140 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, 3, 3& | 1, 3, 3& |
| Snare | 2, 4 | 2, 4 |
| Closed hat | every 8th | every 8th |
| Crash | 1 | — |
- Kick: Beats 1 and 3, often with an extra kick on the "and" of 3.
- Snare: Beats 2 and 4, loud.
- Hi-hats: Steady 8ths (or ride in the chorus).
- Crash and fill: A crash on beat 1 of a new section, a tom fill at the end of the last bar.
Tip: Accent the hats on the beat and play the off-beat hats a little softer. A real drummer does this naturally, and it makes programmed rock drums sound less mechanical.
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 rock?
Rock is usually 100–140 BPM. The pattern on this page starts at 120 BPM; move the tempo slider before you download the MIDI.
What is the basic rock drum pattern?
Kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4, 8th-note hats. In the main pattern on this page (first bar): kick on 1, 3, 3&; snare 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.