There’s nothing quite like programming a beat on a drum machine, but if you’ve never done it before and are lacking in rhythmic nous, where do you start? We’d suggest that you might want to try Wambox, a free online drum machine that also shows you how to create a wide range of famous patterns.
The drum machine element of Wambox is pretty self-explanatory: it comes with more than 30 kits, pads and a clickable step sequencer. You can adjust the tempo and swing, while a drop-down menu enables you to select which parameter - level, pan, pitch, reverb or delay - is to be adjusted by the sliders. Completed beats can be saved as WAV files for use in your DAW.
The educational element of Wambox comes in the form of a bank of screenshots, each of which illustrates a particular beat. These are inspired by specific genres or hit records, the idea being that you recreate them yourself.
Wambox is the work of Amped Studio CEO Bil Bryant, also a veteran drummer and sample producer. He put together the supplied sounds using his collection of vintage drum machines and kits,
“I did not want preset rhythms because I think it ́s important to draw in the notes so you can learn and understand the grid and rhythm,” says Bryant. “A simply designed virtual instrument with instant online accessibility is the best way to learn and have fun creating beats.”
There’s no sign-in or registration process required to use Wambox. It’s designed for chromium-based desktop browsers such as Chrome and Edge, but isn’t fully functional on mobile.
Start playing and programming now on the Wambox website.
