Things You'll Need:
- Drum machine
- Some music to listen to as a reference
-
Step 1
Pick a hi-hat sound that you like from your specific drum machine.
-
Step 2
Decide what type of sound you want, whether it be aggressive, a slow build-up of momentum or a generic hi-hat rhythm.
-
Step 3
Open your step sequencer. Almost all drum machines use what is known as a step sequencer to program rhythms. A step sequencer is usually divided into 16 steps, and each step represents one sixteenth note.
-
Step 4
Enter the appropriate number of steps into your sequencer. This will determine how your rhythm will sound. Let's look at three basic rhythms. For the most basic rhythm you will program the first step on each beat of your measure. A measure has four beats, and each beat can have up to four steps. Four beats per measure times four steps per beat equals sixteen possible steps for each measure of music. So, for our first rhythm you would program only steps 1, 5, 9 and 13. Another common hi-hat pattern is called an eighth-note pattern, in which each beat gets two steps. So, for an eighth note pattern, choose steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15. Lastly, for a more aggressive sound choose a sixteenth note pattern, in which each beat gets four steps. You would program every step for this pattern: 1 through 16.
-
Step 5
Experiment with different rhythms. The three rhythms you learned in step four are a great start. Once you have them down try adding or removing steps and see what kind of difference it makes. Be creative and you will be able to come up with a lot of cool grooves.
-
Step 6
Listen to songs you like. Study what the hi-hat is doing in these songs. Don't be surprised if the three basic hi-hat rhythms you learned in step four appear repeatedly, especially in popular music.
