Step Sequencer: From Zero to Beat
Everything you need to understand the sequencer, build drum patterns, add melodies, and compose multi-section songs using pattern banks.
1. What is a Step Sequencer?
A step sequencer is a grid where rows are instruments and columns are moments in time (called "steps"). When you press Play, the sequencer reads from left to right across all 32 columns, playing every cell that's turned on. When it reaches the end, it loops back to step 1 and repeats forever.
This is exactly how drum machines like the Roland TR-808 work, and it's the foundation of nearly all electronic music production. You don't need to play anything in real time — you "program" the beat by clicking cells.
Key concept: The Loop
The pattern repeats (loops) endlessly. This is intentional! In music production, a 4-bar loop is the building block of a full song. You create one section at a time, then chain them together.
2. Building Your First Drum Pattern
The top 4 rows of the grid are drums. Here's the classic recipe that works in virtually every genre:
Kick Drum — the heartbeat
Place kicks on steps 1, 9, 17, 25 (every 8 steps). This gives you a "four on the floor" pulse — the foundation of house, techno, and pop.
Snare — the backbone
Place snares on steps 5 and 13 (beats 2 and 4). This creates the characteristic "backbeat" that makes you nod your head.
Hi-Hat — the pulse
Place hi-hats on every even-numbered step (2, 4, 6, 8...). This creates a steady ticking rhythm that holds the beat together.
Put it all together:
3. Adding Melody
The bottom 4 rows are melodic tracks: Bass, Lead, Pad, and Arp. Unlike drums, these play musical notes. Click a cell to activate it, then right-click to choose which note and octave it plays.
Bass — the foundation
Bass notes should be low (octave 1-2). A simple bass line follows the root notes of your chord progression. Try placing bass on steps 1, 5, 9, 13 with notes like C2, E2, G2.
Lead — the melody
The lead carries your main melody. Use octave 3-4 and pick notes from a scale (the minor scale sounds great for game music: C, D, D#, F, G, G#, A#).
Pad — the atmosphere
Pads create sustained, ambient chords. Place them on step 1 of every section and let them ring. They fill the space behind your lead melody.
Arp — the energy
Short, fast repeating notes that create rhythmic energy. Place them on many steps with different notes from the same chord to create a dancing pattern.
Pro tip: Right-click
Right-clicking a melodic cell opens the note picker. This is how you choose which pitch each step plays. Without right-clicking, every cell defaults to C4.
4. Pattern Banks: From Beat to Song
The sequencer has 4 pattern banks: A, B, C, D. Each bank is a completely separate grid with its own pattern. Think of them as 4 sections of a song:
A = Verse
Your main groove. Keep it simple — just drums and bass. This is the "steady state" of your song.
B = Chorus
The big moment. Add lead melody, more hi-hats, louder drums. This should feel more energetic than A.
C = Breakdown
Strip it back. Remove drums, keep just pad and bass. Creates tension before the chorus hits again.
D = Wild Card
An intro, outro, bridge, or drop. Use it for anything that doesn't fit A, B, or C.
FAQ: "Why do I still hear the same thing?"
When you switch banks (A→B), the sequencer immediately starts playing the new bank's pattern. If banks A and B have different patterns, you'll hear the change. If B is empty, you'll hear silence. Each bank is independent — editing one doesn't affect the others.
5. Genre Tips
Each genre preset in the sequencer is tuned for a specific style. Here's what makes them distinct:
Chiptune
~140 BPMFast, energetic, 8-bit feel. Heavy use of arp and lead with square waves. Think NES/Game Boy music. Great for retro platformers.
Lo-Fi
~85 BPMSlow, relaxed, mellow. Sparse drums with emphasis on bass and pad. Perfect for menu screens, dialogue scenes, or ambient exploration.
Trap
~150 BPMHard-hitting kick and snare with rapid hi-hat rolls. Deep 808 bass. Works well for action sequences and boss fights.
Ambient
~75 BPMNo drums at all! Pure pad and arp textures. Ideal for atmospheric game areas, cutscenes, or space exploration.
Techno
~130 BPMFour-on-the-floor kick, driving hi-hats, hypnotic arp patterns. Great for racing games, high-energy levels, or cyber/sci-fi themes.
Drum & Bass
~174 BPMVery fast with syncopated (offbeat) kick and snare patterns. Creates urgency and speed. Perfect for chase scenes, fast-paced gameplay, or intense combat.
6. Next Steps
Now that you understand the sequencer, try these challenges:
- Load a preset, then modify it — change the hi-hat pattern, add a bass line, experiment with different notes
- Build a 2-section song using banks A and B (verse + chorus)
- Export a WAV and listen on headphones — notice how different it sounds outside the browser
- Try the guided projects for structured, step-by-step learning