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Drill loops to build on

Sliding 808s, clipped hats and the pocket that came out of Chicago, went to London and came back different. UK, NY and Chicago variants side by side.

All genres
1 loopmatching your filters
StylesUK DrillNY DrillChicago DrillMelodic
MoodDarkAggressiveEnergetic
TempoUsually 138–150 BPMBPM by genre guide →
GuideDrill beats explained: slides, 808s and regional styles →

What Drill loops usually bring

Drill loops lean darker than trap loops, and they are written for a busier rhythm. Loop makers usually hand over a minor-key melody on piano, strings, choir, bells or a vocal chop, built to sit over sliding 808s, sparse snares and syncopated hi-hats.

Tempo sits between about 138 and 150 BPM, with UK drill most often at 140 to 144, played with a half-time bounce. Because the drums move so much, the melody tends to be sparse: long notes, a repeating phrase, and room in the low mids for the 808 slides to cut through.

Collaborating on Drill loops

A drill collaboration usually splits the work the way trap does: the loop maker brings the melody, and the collaborator programs the drums and the 808 slides and arranges the beat. The drum programming is a bigger share of the work in drill than in most genres, so it is worth agreeing early how that is reflected in the credit, rather than assuming.

On ColabLoop, you ask the loop's owner to build on it, and if they accept, a private room opens with the full WAV to take into your own DAW. When the beat is released, both of you attest that the owner is on the split. ColabLoop records those attestations; registering the split with a PRO or distributor is still yours to do.

Drill questions

What BPM is Drill?
Drill usually sits between 138 and 150 BPM. UK drill lives around 140–144; sliding 808s and a half-time bounce. These are conventions, not rules, and nothing on ColabLoop restricts the tempo of Drill loops.
What is the difference between a drill loop and a trap loop?
Mostly the rhythm it is written for. Drill loops expect sliding 808s and syncopated drums, so they tend to be sparser and darker. The tempos overlap: both usually sit near 140 BPM with a half-time feel.
Can a drill loop work at other tempos?
Often, at half or double time. A 142 BPM drill loop plays at 71 without being stretched, which is why drill melodies turn up in slower rap too. Small stretches usually survive; large ones smear the transients.

Related genres

TrapHip-HopUndergroundClub