Here's a hip-hop groove that combines electronic clap sounds, ticking hi-hats, and scattered kick drums. To add these new sounds, we're going to make use of loops in Python code.

What's a Loop?

A loop in Python is a way of repeating some of our code over and over again.

• The word for means that we're starting a loop.
• The next part is the name of a variable that Python will use to count with.
• We named our variable i, but we could have used other names as well.
• The in range(8) means that we're going to loop for 8 times in a row.
• The last part is the colon character. This tells Python that the next line(s) will get repeated as part of the loop.
• Everything inside the loop needs to be indented by four spaces.

Step 1: Create a new project

• Log into TunePad and create a new project.
• Name your project Hip Hop Beat

Step 2: Sprinkler Hi-Hats

• Add a new Drum cell to your project
• Set the instrument to Drums → Headlines Drums
• Add this code for the hi-hats.

All we're doing here is using a loop (line 1) to play 16 hi-hat sounds in a row (line 2). Notice that we indent line 2 by four spaces. That tells Python that line 2 is the code that gets repeated. Starting on line 6 we do almost the exact same thing except that we play 13 hi-hats at a faster rate.

Step 3: Claps

• Now we're going to add our clap sounds on the even numbered beats (2, 4, 6 ...)
• For simplicity, we're going to keep everything together in the same cell.
• We use the moveTo(0) function on line 9 to rewind back to the beginning so that everything plays at the same time.
• If we didn't have the moveTo, then all of the hi-hats would play before the claps even start.

This code uses another loop to repeat a rest followed by a clap six times in a row.

STEP 4: Kicks

For the last part, we're going to sprinkle in some kick drum sounds. Feel free to experiment and customize this arrangement.