Hi-Hat and Percussion Textures
Hi-hats are where the magic happens in UKG. This lesson covers open/closed hat interplay, shaker patterns, and subtle percussion layers.
Video lesson coming soon
Introduction
If the kick and snare are the skeleton of your beat, hi-hats are the nervous system. They provide the energy, the movement, the life. In UK garage, hi-hats do more heavy lifting than in almost any other genre.
This lesson covers everything from basic open/closed hat programming to layering shakers, tambourines, and Latin percussion for that authentic UKG texture.
Open vs Closed Hi-Hats: The Conversation
Think of your hi-hats as having a conversation. Closed hats are short, crisp punctuation. Open hats are longer phrases that let air into the beat.
The Classic Pattern
| Beat | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closed HH | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Open HH | - | - | - | O | - | - | - | O |
Key tip: When an open hat plays, the closed hat should stop. Use a "choke group" or mono hi-hat setting in your sampler to achieve this naturally.
Velocity: The Secret Weapon
Nothing kills a groove faster than hi-hats all at the same velocity. Real drummers don't hit every note the same. Neither should your programmed drums.
Velocity Guidelines
- Downbeats (1, 2, 3, 4): 100-127 velocity
- Offbeats (+): 70-90 velocity
- Ghost notes: 40-60 velocity
Add random velocity variation of ±10 to everything. This humanizes the pattern without making it sound sloppy.
Shakers and Tambourines
Layering a shaker or tambourine under your hi-hats adds texture and fills the high-frequency space. The key is subtlety—you want to feel it more than hear it.
Shaker Placement
- Run 16th notes throughout
- Keep velocity low (40-60)
- High-pass filter around 8kHz
- Pan slightly left or right (not center)
Tambourine Tips
- Use on every 8th note or just offbeats
- Roll off low frequencies below 1kHz
- Add subtle reverb for space
Latin Percussion: The UKG Secret
UK garage has deep roots in house music, which has deep roots in disco, which has deep roots in Latin music. Adding congas, bongos, or timbales can take your beat from good to great.
Conga Patterns
The classic garage conga pattern emphasizes the offbeats:
| Beat | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conga | - | x | - | x | - | x | - | x |
Layering Strategy
Don't add everything at once. Build layers throughout your track:
- Intro: Just closed hi-hats
- Verse: Add open hats and shaker
- Chorus: Full percussion (congas, tambourine)
- Breakdown: Strip back to shaker only
- Drop: Everything hits at once
Summary
- Use open/closed hat interplay with choke groups
- Vary velocity for human feel (downbeats louder, offbeats softer)
- Layer shakers subtly at low velocity
- Add Latin percussion (congas, bongos) for authentic UKG flavor
- Introduce percussion elements gradually throughout the arrangement
Devil's Advocate
Advanced thinking for experienced producers
"Do you really need all this percussion?"
Many classic UK garage tracks have minimal percussion. Sometimes less is more, and a simple hi-hat pattern can be more effective than layers of percussion fighting for space.
Alternative Workflows to Try
- 1.Try building a complete beat with just closed hi-hats first
- 2.Use percussion drops as arrangement tools, not constants
- 3.Sample percussion from old records instead of programming
Critical Thinking Traps
Trap: "More layers = better beat"
Reality: Overcrowded high frequencies cause listener fatigue. Every element should earn its place.
Trap: "Percussion must be heard clearly"
Reality: The best percussion is often felt, not consciously heard. If you notice it, it might be too loud.
Trap: "Latin percussion = authentic garage"
Reality: Many garage tracks have zero Latin percussion. It's a tool, not a requirement.
Download Resources
Percussion MIDI pack