Online Drum Machine
How to use
- Click any cell in the grid to turn that step on or off — top row is the kick, next is snare, then hi-hats, toms, clap, and crash.
- Hit Play (or press the spacebar) to start the loop.
- Adjust BPM, add some swing, or switch kits to taste.
- Tap Save to store your beat into one of four pattern slots — it's persisted in your browser.
- Hit Share link to copy a URL that loads your beat on any device.
What is a drum machine?
A drum machine is a sequencer that triggers drum sounds in a repeating pattern. Hardware drum machines like the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 shaped hip-hop, house, techno, and pop from the 1980s onward — and the synthesized voices of those machines became so iconic that producers still emulate them four decades later.
A browser-based drum machine like this one gives you the same step-sequencer workflow without installing anything. Each cell on the grid represents a 16th note. When the playhead reaches a cell that's lit up, the corresponding drum fires. Build patterns by clicking cells, tweak the tempo, layer kicks against open hi-hats, and you've got a beat. The audio is generated in real time using the Web Audio API — there are no audio samples to download — so the page loads instantly and works offline once cached.
Common uses: sketching ideas before opening a DAW, practicing along with a steady groove, building a quick reference loop for a band rehearsal, or just learning how rhythm patterns are constructed. Save up to four patterns into your browser's local storage and they'll be there next time you visit.
FAQs
Why does it sound slightly different on iPhone than on desktop?
iOS Safari applies a small amount of audio processing that can subtly affect how synthesized drums sound, especially at low frequencies. The patterns and timing are identical — it's only the timbre that varies a bit by device.
Can I export my beat as audio?
Not yet — exporting WAV/MP3 is on the roadmap. For now, share patterns via the "Share link" button (the URL contains your full pattern) or save them locally to one of the four pattern slots.
Does it work offline?
Once the page has loaded once, the drum machine runs entirely in your browser — no server calls during playback. Save the page to your home screen on mobile to use it offline anywhere.
Can I trigger pads from the keyboard?
Spacebar starts and stops playback. The number keys 1–4 quick-select pattern slots A, B, C, D. Direct pad triggering (one key per drum) is on the roadmap.
Why is there no swing applied to the snare?
Swing affects the timing of even-numbered 16th notes (the "ands" between beats). The snare typically lands on beats 2 and 4, which are odd-numbered 16ths in this counting — so they aren't shifted by swing. That's intentional and matches how classic drum machines handled swing.