How to Make Hard-Hitting Drill Beats (Step-by-Step Guide)

March 19, 2025

Drill music has taken over the world, from Chicago to the UK to New York and beyond. Whether it’s the DARK mysterious melodies, sliding 808s, or bouncy hi-hats/snares, drill beats have a unique energy that makes them instantly recognizable.

In this guide, I’ll break it down step by step so you can cook up fire drill beats EVERY time.

Step 1: Choosing the Right BPM & Swing

Drill beats have a distinct groove that sets them apart from trap and other hip-hop subgenres. Here’s what you need to know:

BPM Range: Most drill beats sit between 130-150 BPM, with UK drill often in the 140-145 BPM range.
Swing & Bounce: Drill isn’t super quantized like EDM. It has a natural bounce, with slightly off-grid hi-hats and unique rhythmic placements.

🔥 Pro Tip: If your drums feel too robotic, nudge some elements slightly off-grid or use a groove template to humanize them.

The "randomise" shortcut in DAWs is a cheat code. For example, ALT + R in FL Studio. I recommend turning on the bipolar setting and slightly tweaking the velocity and pan.

Step 2: Crafting a Dark, Mysterious Melody

Drill beats are known for their mysterious and dark melodies. To get that signature sound, focus on:

Minor Scales: Drill beats mostly use D minor, A minor, or G minor for a dark feel.
Slow, Repetitive Melodies: Keep your melodies simple but effective—usually one or two notes repeating with slight variations.
Orchestral Sounds: Strings, pianos, choir vocals, and brass instruments work great in drill.
Reverse Effects: Reversing a melody or adding subtle half-time effects makes it sound more atmospheric.

Download FREE Drilll Melodies here!

Step 3: The Drill Drum Pattern – Bouncy & Hard-Hitting

Drill drums have a distinct rhythm that separates them from traditional trap beats. Let’s break it down:

808 Pattern (Glides & Slides)

Drill’s secret weapon: 808 slides. Unlike normal basslines, drill 808s bend between notes.
Use long, held-out notes with sharp slides to create movement.
Tweak attack & decay to avoid muddying the mix.

Hi-Hats (The "Triplet Bounce")

Instead of simple trap-style rolls, drill beats use stuttered triplets.
Experiment with offbeat hi-hats and velocity changes to add bounce.
Open hi-hats usually hit on the "ands" (e.g., 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &) for extra movement.

Snares (Offbeat Placement)

Drill snares usually hit on the third beat instead of the standard trap snare on the second and fourth beats.
Layer multiple snares for a thick sound.

Kicks (Tight & Punchy)

Keep kicks short and punchy—don’t overdo them.
Layering a low-end kick with a mid-range click makes the attack stand out.

All together:

Step 4: Arrangement – Keep It Exciting

A common mistake beginners make is looping an 8-bar pattern for the whole beat. To make your drill beat dynamic, try these tricks:

Start with the melody only (or a filtered version).
Drop the 808s in the chorus for maximum impact.
Use mute automation (drop out the hi-hats or snares for half a bar).
Layer different instruments in the second half to build tension.

A common structure looks like this:

Intro (8 bars) – Just melody, maybe with a low-pass filter.
Verse (16 bars) – Full drums, but keep it bouncy.
Chorus (16 bars) – Bring in the full 808s and harder drums.
Verse 2 (16 bars) – Add a new counter-melody or percussion.
Outro (8 bars) – Fade out or strip the beat down again.

Step 5: Mixing – Making Everything Hit Hard

Drill beats should sound clean and aggressive. Here’s how to mix them properly:

808s & Kick: Sidechain the kick to the 808 slightly to prevent muddiness.
Hi-Hats & Percs: Use a high-pass filter to remove unnecessary low-end.
Reverb & Delay: Add subtle reverb to snares and hats for space, but don’t overdo it.
Stereo Imaging: Keep melodies wide and drums mono for a solid mix.

How do you mix drill beats? Send every layer to your mixer. Mute every layer, and bring them in one by one, setting the levels, and adding effects. I recommend adding reverb to hi hats, snares, and melodies, distortion to the 808s, and a slightly hi pass filter on melodies to make more room for the bass and low end.

Then add a compressor, maximiser, or soft clipper to the master to BOOST the final mix.

🔥 Pro Tip: If your 808s aren’t cutting through, boost around 60-80Hz and add a little distortion.

Conclusion - how to make drill beats

What is the bpm for drill beats? Most drill beats sit between 130-150 BPM, with UK drill often in the 140-145 BPM range.

What scale should I use for drill melodies? Drill beats mostly use D minor, A minor, or G minor for a dark feel.

And that’s it! Now you know how to make hard-hitting drill beats from scratch. The key is dark melodies, bouncy drums, sliding 808s, and clean mixing. Keep practicing, experimenting, and developing your own sound.

Want free drill samples to get started? Get our free sample packs here!