Free tools for producers

Make your first beat without spending a dime.

Try the built-in drum sequencer, explore curated free DAWs, follow tutorials for every skill level, and grab a royalty-free starter kit.

Built-in sequencer

Make a beat right now

No download required. Program a 16-step loop, preview it instantly, and export a WAV to finish in any DAW.

DropKit Beat Maker

A 16-step drum sequencer that runs in your browser. New here? .

Starter lessons

Each lesson loads a pattern and walks you through it.
Autosave runs as you edit
Loading your projects…

Deep sub kick, tight snare — the DropKit default.

Click pads to add. Click again to cycle ghost → normal → accent → off. Right-click clears. Shift-click toggles at this level.

90 BPM
75%
Track
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Kick
Snare
Clap
Hi-Hat
Open Hat
808
Rim
Tom

Quick start

  1. Pick a preset above or tap pads to build your own pattern.
  2. Adjust BPM and volume to taste.
  3. Hit Play to hear the loop.
  4. Export WAV when you're ready to use it in a DAW.

Tip for beginners

Start with the kick and snare. Once the groove feels solid, add hi-hats on every other step. Open hats on the off-beat (steps 8 and 16) instantly add bounce.

Free beat-making software

These DAWs cost nothing to start and cover every platform — pick the one that fits your workflow.

BandLab

Make music anywhere, entirely in your browser.

Beginner
Web, iOS, Android
Best for

First beats and quick ideas

  • Free unlimited projects
  • Built-in loops & virtual instruments
  • Collaborate in the cloud

MPC Beats

Akai's free beat-making DAW with classic MPC workflow.

Beginner–Pro
Windows, Mac
Best for

Hip-hop and trap beats

  • Free drum kits included
  • Pad-based sampling workflow
  • Works with any MIDI controller

Waveform Free

A full-featured free DAW with no track limits.

Beginner–Pro
Windows, Mac, Linux
Best for

Producing full songs

  • Unlimited audio & MIDI tracks
  • Built-in synths & samplers
  • No ads or time limits

LMMS

Open-source beat maker and sequencer.

Beginner–Pro
Windows, Mac, Linux
Best for

Electronic and melodic beats

  • Completely free & open source
  • Piano roll & step sequencer
  • VST plugin support

Cakewalk by BandLab

A professional Windows DAW, now completely free.

Pro
Windows
Best for

Serious Windows producers

  • Pro mixing console & effects
  • Unlimited tracks
  • Advanced MIDI editing

GarageBand

Apple's free entry into music production.

Beginner
Mac, iOS, iPadOS
Best for

Mac and iPad beginners

  • Huge library of loops
  • Touch Instruments on iPad
  • Easy to learn

Soundtrap

Browser studio with loops, autotune, and collaboration.

Beginner
Web
Best for

Quick online collaboration

  • Works in any browser
  • Built-in loops & beats
  • Real-time collaboration

Splice Beat Maker

Play with famous samples in the browser.

Beginner
Web
Best for

Experimenting with loops

  • Instant gratification
  • Celebrity sample packs
  • No install required
Royalty-free

Download the starter kit

Eight essential drum one-shots, synthesized in your browser. No copyright, no attribution required.

Free starter sample kit

Preview and download royalty-free drum one-shots. Use them in any DAW.

Kick

Punchy 808-style kick with a fast pitch drop.

Snare

Tight snare with noise snap and body.

Hi-Hat

Bright closed hat for fast rolls.

Clap

Layered room clap with natural decay.

808

Long sub bass for trap and hip-hop.

Open Hat

Sizzling open hat to lift the groove.

Rim

Short rimshot click for sparse rhythms.

Tom

Low tom with a smooth pitch bend.

Samples are synthesized in your browser — no copyright claims, 100% royalty-free.

Your first beat in 10 minutes

Follow this roadmap if you've never opened a DAW before. Each step builds on the last.

1

Pick a tempo

Hip-hop usually lives around 85–95 BPM. Trap is often 130–150 BPM (with a half-time feel).

2

Lay the kick

Place a kick on beats 1 and 3 for a classic boom-bap feel, or on every beat for a trap bounce.

3

Add the snare/clap

Put a snare or clap on beats 2 and 4. This is the backbeat that drives the groove.

4

Program hi-hats

Start with closed hats on every 8th note. Once it feels steady, add 16th-note rolls at the end of bars.

5

Throw in a loop

Drag a melody loop or sample into your DAW. Keep it simple — let the drums breathe.

6

Arrange it

Duplicate your 8-bar loop into intro, verse, hook, and outro sections. Mute elements to create variation.

Level up

Advanced producer tips

Techniques that separate a loop from a finished beat.

Layer drums

Stack a punchy kick with a sub kick, or blend a snare body with a rim or clap for unique character.

Use sidechain compression

Duck the melody every time the kick hits so the low end sits clean and the groove pumps.

Humanize velocity

Don't leave every note at max velocity. Lower the volume of off-beat hats and ghost notes for realism.

Design your 808s

Match the 808 root note to your chord progression. Cut conflicting low end from other instruments.

Sample creatively

Chop vocals, movie dialogue, or nature sounds into rhythmic elements. Pitch and reverse them for texture.

Mix in mono first

If your beat sounds clear in mono, it will translate to phones, laptops, and club systems.

More free sounds

Legitimate places to grab free loops, one-shots, and instruments when you're ready to expand.

Finished your beat? Ship the video.

DropKit turns your track into an AI music video, cuts vertical clips, and posts them to TikTok, Reels, Shorts, X and Facebook.

Start free