How to Make Hi-Hat Rolls in FL Studio

You hear fast hi-hat rolls in almost every trap and drill beat. They sound complicated, but it's mostly about the right grid and a bit of variation. Here's how to make them in FL Studio's Piano roll.

Step 1: start with a basic pattern

First lay down a simple pattern: a hi-hat on every eighth or sixteenth note. That's your base. You add the rolls in a few spots later, not everywhere. Trap usually sits between 130 and 150 BPM. More on the tempo in what BPM is trap.

Step 2: make the snap smaller

Open your hi-hat in the Piano roll and pick a smaller value under Snap. According to Image-Line, 1/4 beat equals sixteenth notes, 1/2 step equals 32nd notes and 1/4 step equals 64th notes.

For a roll, draw a few notes on 1/2 step in a row, for example just before the snare or at the end of a bar. The faster the roll, the shorter you keep it. A roll of 64th notes quickly sounds like a buzz.

Step 3: use triplets

A triplet roll feels different, more bouncy. According to Image-Line, 1/3 beat gives you triplets. Want faster triplets? Pick 1/6 beat. Switch between triplets and regular rolls to keep your pattern interesting.

Step 4: play with velocity

If every hi-hat hits equally hard, it sounds like a machine. According to Image-Line, you change a note's velocity by holding Alt and turning your mouse wheel while hovering over the note. At the bottom of the Piano roll you also see each note's velocity as a bar.

Let a roll get louder toward the snare, for example, or fade away instead. That gives it movement.

Step 5: pitch part of your roll

A trick you hear a lot: move part of the roll a few keys up or down in the Piano roll. Your hi-hat then plays at a different pitch, so the roll seems to rise or fall. A few semitones is often enough.

Step 6: less is more

A roll works best when it stands out. Put it in a few fixed spots, like at the end of every second bar or right before a new section. Leave room for the rapper in the verse.

Common mistakes

• Rolls everywhere. Then none of them stand out.
• Everything at the same volume. Vary your velocity or it sounds stiff.
• Hats too loud. Hi-hats cut through your mix easily. Set them a bit quieter than you'd first think.
• Snap not set back. Then you draw the rest of your beat on a grid that's too small.

Looking for hi-hats? NAME The Trap Oneshot Pack Vol. 1 includes 22 closed hats, among other sounds, all royalty-free. Want to build the whole beat? Read how to make a trap beat in FL Studio or how to make a drill beat in FL Studio. Rather start rapping right away? Browse all beats.

FAQ

How do you make hi-hat rolls in FL Studio?

Set the Snap in the Piano roll to a smaller value, like 1/2 step for 32nd notes, and draw a few notes in a row.

Which snap do you use for triplets?

According to Image-Line, 1/3 beat gives you triplets. For faster triplets, pick 1/6 beat.

How do I make my hi-hats sound less robotic?

Vary the velocity, pitch part of a roll now and then and don't put rolls everywhere.

Source: Image-Line's FL Studio manual.