Lo-Fi Dilla Hip Hop

Genre: Lo-Fi Hip Hop, Hip Hop · Tempo: 86 BPM · Time signature: 4/4 · Length: 16 steps · Style: J Dilla-style unquantized, per-sound swing

Open this pattern in the interactive Patchpad (with playback)

The pattern

Instrument	Steps (1 = start of the bar)	Velocity	Timing and chance
hat-closed	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16	32-65	step 2: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 4: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 6: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 8: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 10: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 12: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 14: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 16: late by about 29% of a step, plays 55% of the time
kick	1, 8, 11	80-105	step 1: early by about 12% of a step; step 8: early by about 17% of a step, plays 80% of the time; step 11: early by about 8% of a step, plays 90% of the time
snare	5, 13, 16	35-105	step 5: late by about 17% of a step; step 13: late by about 21% of a step; step 16: late by about 12% of a step, plays 45% of the time
perc1	10, 14	35-40	step 10: late by about 21% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 14: late by about 25% of a step, plays 45% of the time

Digitakt II

Tracks

• T1: kick
• T2: snare
• T3: hat-closed
• T4: perc1 (shaker or rim)

Settings

• Micro-timing: kick steps 1, 8, 11 at µtime -3/-4/-2 and snare steps 5, 13 at +4/+5 (each sound gets its own offset, which is the Dilla idea: per-sound swing rather than one global swing).
• Hat-closed (T3): the on-beat 16ths at VEL 50-65 and the off 16ths (even steps) at µtime +7, VEL 32-38, PROB 55; AMP page DEC 15.
• Kick (T1): SRC page BR 20 and FX page SRR set low-moderate for a dusty, sampled-from-vinyl kick; FLTR page 1 machine LOWPASS 4 with FREQ around 100 to soften it.
• Snare (T2): FX page REV 25; step 16 (ghost) VEL 35, PROB 45%.

Digitone II

Tracks

• T1: kick (ALGO 1, soft FM)
• T2: snare (ALGO 1, FDBK noise, low FDBK)
• T3: hat-closed (FM noise)
• T4: perc1

Settings

• Kick: SYN page 1 ALGO 1, MIX -64, RATIO C 0.50, RATIO A 1.00; SYN page 2 Operator A LEV 30, ATK 0, DEC 8, END 0 (a fast click that falls away, leaving the low carrier); LEV (B) 0. AMP page ATK 0, DEC 60, SUS 0, REL 10.
• Snare: SYN page 1 ALGO 1, MIX -64, RATIO C 2.00, RATIO A 5.00, FDBK 70; SYN page 2 Operators A & B LEV (A) 60, LEV (B) 0 (FDBK acts on operator A in ALGO 1, so LEV (A) has to be up for the noise to be heard). AMP page ATK 0, DEC 40, SUS 0. FLTR page 1 LP FREQ 90.
• Hats: SYN page 1 ALGO 1, MIX -64, RATIO C 1.00, RATIO A 11.00, FDBK 110; SYN page 2 Operators A & B LEV (A) 90, LEV (B) 0; FLTR page 1 TYPE HP, FREQ 100. AMP page DEC 12 (closed); lock AMP page DEC to 30 on the open-hat steps.
• Micro-timing: kicks (steps 1, 8, 11) at µtime -3/-4/-2 and snares (steps 5, 13) at +4/+5; off-16th hats at +7.

Syntakt

Tracks

• T9: kick (BD SILKY)
• T10: snare (SD NATURAL)
• T12: hat-closed (CH CLASSIC)
• T1: perc1 (PC CARBON)

Settings

• Kick (T9, BD SILKY): SYN page DEC 60, DUST 40 for a dusty low-end; TRIG page µtime -3/-4/-2 on steps 1, 8, 11.
• Snare (T10, SD NATURAL): SYN page HPF 40, LPF 90 for a filtered, sampled feel; TRIG page µtime +4/+5 on steps 5, 13.
• Hat-closed (T12, CH CLASSIC): SYN page DEC 10; the even 16ths at TRIG page µtime +7 and VEL 32-38.
• Perc1 (T1, PC CARBON): SYN page DEC 20 for the shaker/rim.

Notes

An MPC-era feel at 86 BPM (inside the 82-92 range recommended in the sources): kicks slightly early, snares slightly late, and off-16th hats swung late and quiet, with each drum carrying its own timing offset. The offsets here are starting values; adjust by ear.

Patchpad is a free reference of drum patterns and synth patches written for real hardware: Digitakt II, Digitone II, Syntakt, Novation Summit, Arturia MiniFreak, Dreadbox Typhon and ASM Hydrasynth Desktop.