Time to create. Follow this step-by-step process to make your first beat — drums first, then bass, then melody.
Every beat starts with a drum pattern. Load a drum kit in your DAW and program a simple kick-snare pattern: kick on beats 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4. Add a hi-hat pattern (8th notes or 16th notes). This is the foundation of virtually every genre.
A simple bass line following the root notes of your chord progression anchors the harmonic foundation. For hip-hop/trap, 808 bass is standard. For electronic music, use a synthesizer bass. Keep it simple — root notes on beat 1 of each bar is a perfectly valid starting point.
Use your MIDI controller or draw notes to create a melody. Start with a 4-chord progression (try Am-F-C-G for a reliable foundation). Layer a simple melody on top using a synth or piano sound. Repetition is your friend — the best hooks are simple and memorable.
Structure your beat: intro (4-8 bars), verse (16 bars), chorus/hook (8 bars), verse (16 bars), chorus (8 bars), outro (4-8 bars). Add and remove elements between sections to create contrast. Mute the snare in the intro, bring in the full drum pattern for the verse.