RIDDIM LAB
The drum machine is where a riddim is born. Before a singer ever reaches the mic, a producer programs the kick, snare and hi-hat and lays the offbeat skank that gives reggae and dancehall their bounce. Tap a riddim, hit play, and build your own.
One drop The roots-reggae heartbeat: nothing on beat one. Kick and snare land together on beat three, so the bar seems to fall into place instead of marching. Hear it in Studio One and Channel One productions.
Hear it in the archive →LEARN
A riddim is more than a backing track. It can be a reusable musical system where drums, bass, offbeat chords, producers, studios, labels, selectors and artists all shape how versions travel through dances and recordings. Program the drums here, then follow the links to hear how the same riddim carries different songs.
