What BPM does each music genre use?

Trap: 130-145 BPM. Lo-fi: 70-90 BPM. House: 120-128 BPM. R&B: 65-110 BPM. Hip-Hop: 85-100 BPM. Drill: 140-145 BPM. EDM: 120-180 BPM by subgenre. Afrobeats: 90-115 BPM. Metal: 40-250 BPM. Jazz: 40-300 BPM by subgenre (neo-soul jazz 80-95 BPM is best for beginners).

BeatKey / Genre Production Guide

Genre Production Guide

Step-by-step production tutorials for every major music genre. BPM charts, drum patterns, chord progressions, and mixing tips.

98 Genre Guides

BPM Reference for 98 Genres

Beginner to Advanced

Step 0 for Every Genre: Detect the Key First

Regardless of genre, the first step is always the same: detect the key of your sample, melody, or reference track. Every musical decision (808 tuning, chord selection, scale choice, Camelot matching) flows from knowing the key.

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Any sample, vocal, or loop

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Get the Key

Root note + major or minor

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Build In That Key

Tune 808s, find chords, pick scale

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All 98 Genre Production Guides

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BPM Reference by Genre

Not sure what BPM to use? Match your genre to the right tempo range.

Genre	BPM Range	Feel	Keys	Guide
Lo-Fi	70-90	Slow, dreamy	Minor, jazz	Guide
R&B	65-110	Smooth, soulful	Minor, Dorian	Guide
Hip-Hop	85-100	Boom bap bounce	Minor	Guide
Trap	130-145	Hard, dark	Minor	Guide
House	120-128	Club, four-on-the-floor	Minor/major	Guide
Drill	140-145	Dark, lurching	Minor, Phrygian	Guide
Tech House	126-132	Driving, percussive	Minor	Guide
Dubstep	138-145 (half-time)	Half-time drop, wobble bass, build-drop arc, Skrillex to Burial	A minor, D minor, C minor	Guide
Future Bass	140-160	Euphoric, super-saw	Major/minor	Guide
Drum and Bass	160-180	Fast, rolling breaks, Reese bass	D minor, A minor	Guide
Afrobeats	90-115	Groovy, polyrhythmic	Minor, Dorian	Guide
Dancehall	68-90	Rolling, Caribbean	Minor, Dorian	Guide
Reggaeton	90-100	Perreo groove, Latin energy	Minor, Dorian	Guide
Metal	40-250	Heavy, aggressive, dark	Minor only	Guide
Jazz	40-300	Swinging, harmonic	Bb, F, D minor	Guide
Country	60-200	Twangy, rootsy	G, D, A major	Guide
Ambient	No BPM	Spatial, drone, textural	Lydian, minor, any	Guide
Funk	88-120	Pocket groove, syncopated 16ths	E minor, A minor, D minor	Guide
Soul	60-130	Gospel harmony, emotional, vocal-driven	A, Bb, C major, A minor	Guide
Blues	60-200+	Shuffle groove, raw emotion, 12-bar form	E, A, G, D major/minor	Guide
Reggae	65-90	One-drop groove, spacious, spiritual	A minor, E minor, G major	Guide
Gospel	60-160	Spiritual, communal, emotional climax	Bb major, Eb major, D minor	Guide
Classical	40-200+	Elegant, dramatic, Baroque to Romantic	C, D, G major / D minor	Guide
Bossa Nova	90-130	Light, swaying, intimate Brazilian jazz	C, F, G, D major	Guide
Samba	90-130	Festive, polyrhythmic, percussive Brazilian	G, C, F, D major	Guide
Neo Soul	65-100	Deep groove, raw emotion, jazz harmony	D minor, A minor	Guide
K-Pop	120-135	High-energy, polished, choreographed idol pop	C/G/D major, A minor	Guide
Techno	130-150	Dark, industrial, hypnotic repetition, 4-on-the-floor	A minor, E Phrygian, D minor	Guide
Indie Rock	80-180	Guitar-driven, DIY, jangly or distorted	G/D/A major, E minor	Guide
Pop	100-130	Hook-driven, polished, radio-ready, emotionally clear	C/G/F major, A minor	Guide
Punk	140-220+	Fast, raw, aggressive, short songs, three-chord energy	E/A/D/G major, E/A minor	Guide
Grunge	80-160	Quiet verse, explosive chorus, raw emotion, DIY rock	E minor, A minor, D minor	Guide
Blues Rock	60-160	Shuffle groove, pentatonic licks, dominant 7th grit	E, A, D, G major/minor	Guide
Drum and Bass	160-180	Fast rolling breaks, Reese bass, half-time groove	D minor, A minor, F minor	Guide
UK Garage	130-140	2-step syncopated, swung hi-hats, chopped vocals	C minor, A minor, G minor	Guide
Trap Soul	60-90	Slow, atmospheric, emotional, 808-driven	C minor, A minor, D minor	Guide
Lo-Fi Hip Hop	70-90	Chill, nostalgic, jazzy, study music	F minor, D minor, A minor	Guide
Alternative R&B	70-110	Introspective, spacious, jazz-influenced indie R&B	C/G major, D/A minor	Guide
Hyperpop	140-175	Maximalist, post-internet, clipped and distorted pop	C/G major, A/E minor	Guide
Phonk	130-155	Dark, menacing, Memphis rap cowbell groove, TikTok drift energy	A minor, D minor, F minor	Guide
Garage Rock	120-180	Raw, live, energetic, lo-fi guitar rock	E major, A minor, D minor	Guide
Grime	140	Dark, menacing, MC-driven, icy Eski chime, East London	E minor, D minor, F minor	Guide
Latin Trap	80-130	Dark, emotional, 808-melodic, Spanish vocal-forward	B minor, F# minor, G minor	Guide
Afro House	120-130	Organic, soulful, South African club, Dorian vamp groove	A minor, D minor, F minor	Guide
Amapiano	110-120	Township gospel, log drum groove, piano runs, South African soul	C major, G major, F major	Guide
Baile Funk	130-160	Rio favela energy, tamborzao triplet groove, repetitive MC hook, distorted 808	A minor, D minor, G major	Guide
Flamenco	60-240 (by palo)	Passionate, dramatic, Phrygian dominant, compas rhythmic cycles, Spanish soul	A Phrygian, E Phrygian dominant	Guide
Highlife	90-130	Joyful, celebratory, West African brass band, palm wine guitar, I-IV-V-I major harmony, Ghana and Nigeria	C major, G major, F major, Bb major	Guide
Cumbia	100-130	Festive, folkloric, clave percussion, accordion and gaita melody, I-IV-V7-I, Colombian and Latin American	G major, C major, D major, A minor	Guide
Salsa	150-230	High energy, rhythmic, son clave, piano montuno, brass-driven, New York and Caribbean	A minor, D minor, G minor, C major	Guide
Merengue	150-180	Festive, celebratory, guira constant 16ths, accordion melody, I-IV-V7-I, Dominican Republic	G major, C major, D major, F major	Guide
Bachata	130-150	Romantic, melancholic, close partner dancing, Dominican Republic, minor key emotion	A minor, E minor, D minor, B minor	Guide
Vallenato	100-145	Storytelling, festive, Colombian Caribbean coast, four aires, diatonic accordion melody, guacharaca scraper, V7 dominant	C major, G major, F major, D major	Guide
Bolero	60-80	Romantic, intimate, slow Latin ballad, minor key longing, Spanish guitar, string orchestra, voice as rhythm center, Cuban origin	A minor, D minor, E minor, G minor	Guide
Son Cubano	100-120	Origin of salsa, intimate acoustic, tres guitar guajeo, son clave, coro-pregon call-and-response, warm Cuban groove, parent of mambo and salsa	A minor, D minor, C major, G major	Guide
Mambo	185-210	Big band orchestra explosion, mambo section stop-time breaks, horn guajeos, Perez Prado style, Cuban dance hall energy, 1950s New York ballroom	A minor, D minor, C major, F major	Guide
Cha-Cha	100-115	Elegant, medium-tempo Cuban dance, son clave, piano montuno, guiro constant 8ths, im-V7 dominant vamp, invented by Enrique Jorrin 1953, parent of 1-2-cha-cha-cha count	A minor, D minor, C major, G minor	Guide
Boogaloo	130-175	NYC Latin-soul fusion, soul backbeat on 2+4 merged with loose clave, Hammond organ over piano montuno, bilingual English and Spanish vocals, 1960s barrio energy, bridge between mambo and salsa	A minor, F major, C major, G major	Guide
Norteno	100-140	Mexican northern music, diatonic button accordion primary voice, bajo sexto 12-string guitar, polka rhythm at 125-135 BPM, corrido ballad at 100-115 BPM, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, tuba bass, storytelling lyrics, border culture	G major, C major, D major, A minor	Guide
Corrido / Corrido Tumbado	100-165	Mexican narrative ballad form, traditional corrido 100-130 BPM march or waltz, corrido tumbado trap-folk fusion 130-165 BPM, requinto guitar is the defining melody instrument, V chord always dominant 7th, Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano tumbado style, I-IV-V7-I harmony, tuba bass as 808 sub	G major, D major, A major, C major, E minor	Guide
Grupero	100-145	Mexican pop-crossover regional music, keyboard accordion primary voice alongside vocalist, romantic ballads and polka, I-IV-V7-I and I-vi-IV-V7 harmony, electric guitar and bass, radio-ready Latin pop production, Bronco and Los Bukis style	C major, G major, F major, A minor	Guide
Ranchera	60-140	Mexican folk ballad tradition, guitarron deep bass on beats 1 and 3, vihuela off-beat chop on beats 2 and 4, trumpet fanfares, violin section, dramatic vocal delivery with gritos, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, bolero ranchero 60-80 BPM, polka ranchera 115-135 BPM, Vicente Fernandez and Pedro Infante style	C major, G major, F major, A minor	Guide
Mariachi	60-180	Mexican ensemble music format: guitarron bass, vihuela chop, classical guitar, two trumpets, violin section, optional harp, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, polka ranchera 115-140 BPM, son jalisciense 105-130 BPM, huapango 140-180 BPM, bolero ranchero 60-80 BPM, vals ranchero 120-150 BPM in 3/4 time, instrumental trumpet or violin break mandatory, Vicente Fernandez and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan	C major, G major, F major, D major, A minor	Guide
Banda	95-130	Sinaloan brass band music: tuba bass on beats 1 and 3, large snare section on beats 2 and 4, trombones comp chords, two trumpets play melody in harmony, clarinets add ornamental countermelodies, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony in flat keys Bb and Eb major, polka banda 110-128 BPM is the commercial core, instrumental trumpet or clarinet break mandatory, Banda MS and El Recodo style	Bb major, Eb major, F major, C major, G major	Guide
Sierreño	75-148	Mexican mountain folk music from the Sierra Madre, requinto guitar (small high-pitched guitar tuned a fifth above standard) is the defining melodic voice, bajo sierreño 4-string bass guitar on roots and fifths, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, traditional sierreño corrido 115-140 BPM, corrido tumbado fusion 125-148 BPM with trap 808 layered under the acoustic instruments, Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma style	D major, G major, A major, E major, A minor, D minor	Guide
Duranguense	105-125	Compact Mexican brass polka ensemble from Durango and the US Midwest diaspora, tuba bass on beats 1 and 3, snare on beats 2 and 4, trumpet lead melody in Bb major and Eb major and F major, trombone harmony chords, Chicago duranguense uses programmed drums, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, Montez de Durango and Alacranes Musical style, instrumental trumpet break mandatory	Bb major, Eb major, F major, C major, G major, D minor	Guide
Cumbia Sonidera	90-115	Mexico City street cumbia from the sonidero DJ outdoor party tradition, slower rolling 3-2 clave groove heavier than Colombian cumbia, keyboard synthesizer replaced gaita flute, sparse sonidero break for DJ dedications, I-IV-V7-I or two-chord I-V7 vamp, Celso Pina and Los Angeles Azules style	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, D minor	Guide
Tejano	100-165	Texas Mexican American music fusing diatonic accordion with American rock, R&B, and pop production. Full rock drum kit separates tejano from norteno. Electric bass replaces tuba. Selena crossover polka at 140-150 BPM. I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, D minor	Guide
Tropical	100-145	Colombian and Caribbean tropical pop fusing vallenato accordion with cumbia clave rhythms and modern pop production. Caja hand drum and guacharaca scraper define the rhythm. I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony. Carlos Vives crossover pop at 120-128 BPM. Accordion solo break is mandatory	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, D minor	Guide
Soca	120-145	Trinidad and Tobago carnival music with the chanka-chanka guitar chop on every off-beat, syncopated soca bass groove, anthemic road march chorus hooks, riddim soca 128-142 BPM for road march, groovy soca 120-132 BPM for fetes, I-IV-V-I bright major harmony, Machel Montano and Kes The Band style	A major, D major, E major, G major, C major, F#m	Guide
Zouk	80-115	Cape Verdean and Brazilian sensual groove with the ba-ba-ba three-beat kick pattern (beats 1-2-3), lambada bass lines, lush strings and brass, minor key romance, i-iv-V7-i harmony, Kassav and Brazilian zouk style	A minor, D minor, E minor, G minor, C minor, C major	Guide
Kizomba	80-100	Angolan semba-influenced intimate dance music with the two-step bass pattern (root beat 1, fifth beat 3), soft brushed snare on beats 2 and 4, synthesizer chord pads, minor key romance, i-iv-V7-i dominant 7th harmony, ghetto zouk and urban kizomba electronic variants, C4 Pedro and Nelson Freitas style	D minor, A minor, E minor, G minor, C minor, F major	Guide
Kuduro	140-155	Angolan high-energy electronic dance with the syncopated tarraxo bass pattern, staccato hi-hat rolls, Phrygian bII chord (im-bII vamp), group vocal chants, forward-driving momentum. MIA and Buraka Som Sistema global style.	A minor, D minor, E minor, G minor, C minor	Guide
Juju	90-140	Nigerian Yoruba traditional and semi-electric ensemble music with talking drum (dundun) as melodic lead, pedal steel guitar bends, sekere shaker constant 8ths, agogo bell pattern, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, call-and-response praise singing, oriki praise sections. King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey style.	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, E minor	Guide
Fuji	130-175	Nigerian Yoruba Islamic-rooted percussion music with sakara frame drum as central rhythmic driver, dense hand percussion stack, gangan talking drum Yoruba praise phrases, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, call-and-response oriki praise singing. K1 De Ultimate (Wasiu Ayinde Marshal), Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Saheed Osupa, Pasuma Wonder style.	G major, C major, D major, F major, G minor, D minor	Guide
Soukous	160-220+	Congolese rumba-derived dance music with sebene lead guitar riff section, interlocking conga tumba and quinto polyrhythm, constant maracas 16th notes, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, animateur improvised vocal phrases. Papa Wemba, Franco Luambo, Kanda Bongo Man, Awilo Longomba (ndombolo) style.	E major, A major, D major, G major	Guide
Ndombolo	185-240	Ultra-fast Congolese soukous variant with sebene lead guitar riff, dense conga polyrhythm, kick beats 1+3 only, snare off-beat, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, hip-rolling dance culture, Lingala call-and-response vocals. Awilo Longomba, Extra Musica, Werrason, Fally Ipupa style.	E major, A major, D major, G major	Guide
Afropop	90-120	Pan-African popular music umbrella covering Naija pop, Afrobeats-influenced, Afro-R&B, Afro-soul, and Afro-electronic sub-styles. Clave-based syncopated groove, lush 7th and 9th chord harmony, singable melodic hook, vocal-forward production. Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, CKay, Rema, Ayra Starr style.	A minor, D minor, G minor, F minor, C major	Guide
Jersey Club	130-140	Newark NJ bounce music with syncopated ghost kick pattern, vocal chops from R&B samples, 808 bass sidechain, snare rolls for tension. Club-ready dance floor energy that went viral on TikTok. DJ Tameil, DJ Sliink, DJ Jayhood, Uniiqu3, Coi Leray style.	A minor, D minor, G minor, C minor	Guide
Footwork	155-165	Chicago South Side polyrhythmic club music with dense 32-step machine-gun kick bursts, looped soul and R&B sample phrases, no swing, minimal melody and maximum rhythmic density. Dance culture rooted in competitive footwork battles. DJ Rashad, RP Boo, Jlin, Traxman, DJ Spinn, DJ Earl, Teklife style.	A minor, D minor, C minor, G minor	Guide
Vaporwave	70-100	Nostalgic internet aesthetic built on slowed and pitch-shifted 80s/90s pop, jazz-funk, and R&B samples. Heavy reverb and spacious room sound, VHS-era tape saturation, lo-fi textures. Subgenres include classic vaporwave, mallsoft ambience, future funk disco, and 2814 dark vaporwave. Macintosh Plus, James Ferraro, 2814, Blank Banshee, Nmesh style.	C minor, A minor, F major, Bb major	Guide
City Pop	95-120	Japanese 80s urban pop blending disco, funk, jazz-fusion, AOR, and soul. Sophisticated jazz-funk chord voicings (major 7ths, 9ths, 13ths), four-on-the-floor kick with syncopated funk snare, bright chorus guitar, lush Rhodes or DX7 electric piano, melodic bass walking, driving hi-hat 16ths. Mariya Takeuchi, Tatsuro Yamashita, Anri, Miki Matsubara, EPO, Junko Yagami, Sugiyama Kiyotaka style.	F major, C major, A major, G major	Guide
Synthwave	95-135	Retro-futuristic 80s analog synth aesthetic. Gated reverb snare, four-on-the-floor kick, sawtooth arpeggio sequences, lush analog pads, minor key cinematic drive. Kavinsky, Perturbator, The Midnight, Gunship, FM-84, Carpenter Brut, Com Truise style.	A minor, D minor, E minor, F minor	Guide
Trance	128-145	Four-on-the-floor at 128-145 BPM, supersaw 7-voice detuned sawtooth lead, 16th-note arpeggio pluck sequence, emotional minor key chord progressions (Am-F-C-G), 32-64 bar breakdown removing all drums and bass, white noise riser into drop, sidechain bass into kick. Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, ATB, Above and Beyond, Tiesto, Paul van Dyk style.	A minor, D minor, F minor, G minor	Guide
Progressive House	122-128	Long filtered builds over 16-32 bars, layered synth textures, sidechain compression pumping groove, extended chord voicings (7ths and 9ths), patient arrangement with 32-bar breakdowns, DJ-friendly intros and outros, filter automation as primary performance tool. Eric Prydz, Deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia, Sasha, Lane 8, Yotto style.	A minor, D minor, G minor	Guide
Deep House	118-124	Warm, soulful, Rhodes chords, rolling basslines with portamento, organic percussion layers, swing hi-hats 55-60%, 7th and 9th chord voicings, Dorian im7 to IV7 vamp, DJ-friendly 16-32 bar intro and outro, -12 to -10 LUFS mastering. Larry Heard, Kerri Chandler, Disclosure, Black Coffee, Masters At Work style.	A minor, D minor, G minor	Guide
Minimal Techno	125-132	Sparse, hypnotic, click-driven kick, micro-variation over 7-10 minute arrangements, reductive sound design, 4-6 elements maximum, percussion-first groove, root note drones instead of chord progressions, delay throws on percussion, -10 to -8 LUFS mastering. Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, Robert Hood, Rhadoo, Basic Channel style.	A minor, D minor, atonal	Guide
Trip Hop	70-100	Dark, cinematic, slowed-down breakbeats, heavy sub bass, vinyl crackle textures, orchestral samples, film noir atmosphere, Rhodes chords with heavy reverb, intimate vocals, sample collage art, -12 to -9 LUFS dynamic mastering. Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, DJ Shadow, Bonobo, Burial style.	D minor, A minor, G minor	Guide
Shoegaze	80-130	Wall of sound guitar, extreme reverb (3-6s hall decay), fuzz into chorus into delay into reverb, tremolo picking, ethereal buried vocals, simple chords through extreme effects, dynamic contrast (2 vs 4 guitar layers), -12 to -9 LUFS dynamic mastering. My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, Ride, DIIV, Deafheaven style.	D major, E major, G major, A major	Guide
Hardstyle	150-160	Punchy distorted kick with reverse bass groove, euphoric supersaw leads, screech leads, piano breakdowns, anthemic melodies, festival-ready mixing at -8 to -6 LUFS. Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Brennan Heart, Radical Redemption, Da Tweekaz style.	A minor, D minor, F minor	Guide
Gabber	160-200	Heavily distorted 4-on-the-floor kick (hard-clipped sine wave), no reverse bass, acid basslines, pitch-shifted vocals, minimal melody, Rotterdam hardcore history, relentless forward momentum, -8 to -5 LUFS mastering. Euromasters, DJ Paul Elstak, Rotterdam Terror Corps, Angerfist, Thunderdome style.	A minor, D minor, F minor	Guide
Liquid DnB	170-174	Atmospheric and soulful drum and bass. Melodic sub bass follows chord changes, lush jazz-influenced pads, rolled Amen break, Rhodes and piano layers, vocal samples. LTJ Bukem, Calibre, Logistics, Hospital Records, High Contrast style. Emotional and melodic rather than aggressive.	D minor, A minor, F minor, D Dorian	Guide
Industrial	80-140	Machines, noise, and aggression as art. Noise textures, distorted machine drums, EBM monophonic basslines, extreme dynamics, confrontational aesthetics. Nine Inch Nails, Throbbing Gristle, Ministry, Front 242, KMFDM style.	D minor, A minor, Phrygian	Guide
Darkwave	100-130	Gothic atmosphere fusing post-punk with cold synthesizers and drum machines. Juno-style pads, TR-606/808 patterns, arpeggiator leads with dotted eighth delay, reverb-drenched vocals, minor keys only. Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lebanon Hanover, Clan of Xymox, The Sisters of Mercy, Boy Harsher, Dead Can Dance style.	D minor, A minor, E minor	Guide
Post-Punk	120-145	Angular, driving rock rooted in punk but with artistic complexity. Bass leads melodically while guitar provides rhythmic angular texture. Sus2 and power chord voicings, driving melodic bass, tight punchy drums, literary vocals. Joy Division, Gang of Four, Wire, The Cure, Bauhaus, Shame, Fontaines D.C. style.	E minor, A minor, D minor, E major	Guide
Emo	100-165	Emotionally confessional rock built on fingerpicked guitar arpeggios, quiet-loud dynamics, and cathartic releases. Extended chord voicings (Cmaj7, Dsus2, Cadd9), open tunings, confessional lyrics, and the signature shift from intimate verse to explosive chorus. American Football, Dashboard Confessional, My Chemical Romance, The Hotelier style.	E minor, A minor, D minor, B minor	Guide
Noise Rock	90-155	Dissonance, friction, and physical impact. Alternate tunings, tritones, minor-second clashes, feedback as arrangement, bass-forward riffs, and drums that feel slightly unsafe. Sonic Youth, Big Black, The Jesus Lizard, Shellac, Unsane, Metz style.	E minor, D minor, A minor, E Phrygian	Guide
Math Rock	90-165	Interlocking clean guitars, odd-meter grooves, tapped voicings, dynamic stop-start arrangement, and bass lines that explain the subdivision. Don Caballero, TTNG, American Football, Toe, Covet, Tricot style.	E minor, A minor, D major, G major, B minor	Guide
Stoner Rock	70-120	Down-tuned fuzz riffs, bass-heavy groove, roomy drums, psychedelic repetition, and desert-rock momentum. Kyuss, Sleep, Queens of the Stone Age, Truckfighters, Fu Manchu, Elder style.	E minor, C# minor, D minor, A minor, E Phrygian	Guide

Best Keys by Genre

Most common keys used by professional producers in each genre, with Camelot Wheel codes for harmonic mixing.

Genre	Common Keys	Mode	Camelot
Trap	A minor, D minor, G minor, C minor	Aeolian	8A, 7A, 6A, 5A
Lo-Fi	A minor, D minor, G minor	Aeolian / Dorian	8A, 7A, 6A
House	A minor, D minor, C minor	Aeolian / major	8A, 7A, 5A
R&B	D minor, A minor, G minor	Dorian for neo-soul	7A, 8A, 6A
Hip-Hop	F minor, D minor, A minor	Aeolian / Dorian	4A, 7A, 8A
Drill	C minor, D minor, G minor	Phrygian / Aeolian	5A, 7A, 6A
EDM (Uplifting)	A major, E major, G major	Ionian / Mixolydian	11B, 12B, 9B
Afrobeats	A minor, D minor, G minor	Dorian / Aeolian	8A, 7A, 6A
Reggaeton	G minor, A minor, D minor, F minor	Aeolian / Dorian	6A, 8A, 7A, 5A
Metal	E minor, A minor, D minor, B minor	Aeolian / Phrygian	9A, 8A, 7A, 11A
Dancehall	A minor, D minor, B minor	Aeolian / Dorian	8A, 7A, 10A
Jazz	C major, F major, Bb major, D minor	Ionian / Dorian / Mixolydian	8B, 7B, 6B, 7A
Country	G major, D major, A major	Ionian / Mixolydian	3B, 10B, 11B
Ambient	Any (Lydian, minor, whole tone)	Lydian / Aeolian / Whole Tone	Any
Funk	E minor, A minor, D minor, G minor	Dorian / Mixolydian	9A, 8A, 7A, 6A
Soul	A, Bb, C major, A minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	11B, 6B, 8B, 8A, 7A
Blues	E major/minor, A major/minor, G major, D major	Mixolydian / Minor Pentatonic	12B, 9A, 11B, 8A, 9B, 10B
Reggae	A minor, E minor, G major, D major, Bb major	Aeolian / Dorian	8A, 11A, 9B, 10B, 6B
Gospel	Bb major, Eb major, F major, Ab major, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	6B, 3B, 7B, 4B, 7A
Classical	C major, D major, G major, D minor, G minor	Ionian / Aeolian / Modal	8B, 10B, 9B, 7A, 6A
Bossa Nova	C major, F major, G major, D major, C minor	Ionian / Dorian	8B, 7B, 9B, 10B, 5A
Samba	G major, C major, F major, D major, D minor	Ionian / Mixolydian	9B, 8B, 7B, 10B, 7A
Neo Soul	D minor, A minor, G minor, C minor	Aeolian / Dorian	7A, 8A, 6A, 5A
K-Pop	C major, G major, D major, A minor, D minor, B minor	Ionian / Aeolian	8B, 9B, 10B, 8A, 7A, 10A
Techno	A minor, E Phrygian, D minor, F# minor	Aeolian / Phrygian	8A, 9A, 7A, 11A
Indie Rock	G major, D major, A major, E major, E minor, A minor	Ionian / Aeolian	9B, 10B, 11B, 12B, 9A, 8A
Pop	C major, G major, F major, D major, A minor, E minor	Ionian / Aeolian	8B, 9B, 7B, 10B, 8A, 9A
Punk	E major, A major, D major, G major, E minor, A minor	Ionian / Aeolian / Mixolydian	12B, 11B, 10B, 9B, 9A, 8A
Grunge	E minor, A minor, D minor, G major, F major, B minor	Aeolian / Ionian / Phrygian	9A, 8A, 7A, 9B, 7B, 10A
Blues Rock	E, A, D, G major / E, A, D minor	Mixolydian / Aeolian / Dorian	12B, 11B, 10B, 9B / 9A, 8A, 7A
Drum and Bass	D minor, A minor, F minor, C minor, G minor, B minor	Aeolian	7A, 8A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 10A
UK Garage	C minor, A minor, G minor, D minor, G major, E minor	Aeolian / Dorian / Ionian	5A, 8A, 6A, 7A, 9B, 9A
Trap Soul	C minor, A minor, D minor, F minor, G minor	Aeolian / Dorian	5A, 8A, 7A, 4A, 6A
Lo-Fi Hip Hop	F minor, D minor, A minor, G minor, C minor	Aeolian / Dorian	4A, 7A, 8A, 6A, 5A
Alternative R&B	C major, G major, F major, D minor, A minor, E minor	Ionian / Aeolian / Dorian	8B, 9B, 7B, 7A, 8A, 9A
Hyperpop	C major, G major, F major, A minor, E minor, D major	Ionian / Aeolian	8B, 9B, 7B, 8A, 9A, 10B
Phonk	A minor, D minor, F minor, C minor, E minor, B minor	Aeolian / Phrygian	8A, 7A, 4A, 5A, 9A, 10A
Garage Rock	E major, A major, D major, E minor, A minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian / Mixolydian	12B, 11B, 10B, 9A, 8A, 7A
Grime	E minor, D minor, F minor, G minor, A minor, C minor	Aeolian / Phrygian	9A, 7A, 4A, 6A, 8A, 5A
Dubstep	A minor, D minor, C minor, F minor, G minor, E minor	Aeolian / Phrygian	8A, 7A, 5A, 4A, 6A, 9A
Latin Trap	B minor, F# minor, G minor, C minor, A minor, E minor	Aeolian / Phrygian	10A, 11A, 6A, 5A, 8A, 9A
Afro House	A minor, D minor, F minor, G minor, C minor, E minor	Aeolian / Dorian	8A, 7A, 4A, 6A, 5A, 9A
Amapiano	C major, G major, F major, Bb major, D major, A minor	Ionian / Mixolydian / Dorian	8B, 9B, 7B, 6B, 10B, 8A
Baile Funk	A minor, D minor, E minor, G major, C major, F major	Aeolian / Ionian / Phrygian	8A, 7A, 9A, 9B, 8B, 7B
Flamenco	A Phrygian, E Phrygian, D Phrygian, C# Phrygian	Phrygian / Phrygian Dominant	8A, 9A, 7A, 2A
Highlife	C major, G major, F major, Bb major, D major, A major	Ionian / Mixolydian	8B, 9B, 7B, 6B, 10B, 11B
Cumbia	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian / Phrygian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 8A, 7A
Salsa	A minor, D minor, G minor, C major, F major	Aeolian / Dorian / Ionian	8A, 7A, 6A, 8B, 7B
Merengue	G major, C major, D major, F major, D minor, A minor	Ionian / Aeolian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 7A, 8A
Bachata	A minor, E minor, D minor, B minor, A major, E major	Aeolian / Ionian	8A, 9A, 7A, 10A, 11B, 12B
Vallenato	C major, G major, F major, D major, Bb major, A major	Ionian / Mixolydian	8B, 9B, 7B, 10B, 6B, 11B
Bolero	A minor, D minor, E minor, G minor, E Phrygian, F major	Aeolian / Phrygian / Ionian	8A, 7A, 9A, 6A, 9A, 7B
Son Cubano	A minor, D minor, E minor, C major, G major, F major	Aeolian / Dorian / Ionian	8A, 7A, 9A, 8B, 9B, 7B
Mambo	A minor, D minor, G minor, C major, F major, E minor	Aeolian / Dorian / Ionian	8A, 7A, 6A, 8B, 7B, 9A
Cha-Cha	A minor, D minor, G minor, C major, F major, E minor	Aeolian / Dorian / Ionian	8A, 7A, 6A, 8B, 7B, 9A
Boogaloo	A minor, F major, C major, G major, D minor, Bb major	Aeolian / Ionian / Mixolydian	8A, 7B, 8B, 9B, 7A, 6B
Norteno	G major, C major, D major, F major, Bb major, A minor	Ionian / Mixolydian / Aeolian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 6B, 8A
Corrido / Corrido Tumbado	G major, D major, A major, C major, E minor, A minor	Ionian / Aeolian / Mixolydian	9B, 10B, 11B, 8B, 9A, 8A
Grupero	C major, G major, F major, Bb major, D major, A minor	Ionian / Aeolian	8B, 9B, 7B, 6B, 10B, 8A
Ranchera	C major, G major, F major, D major, A minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	8B, 9B, 7B, 10B, 8A, 7A
Mariachi	C major, G major, F major, D major, A minor, Bb major	Ionian / Aeolian	8B, 9B, 7B, 10B, 8A, 6B
Banda	Bb major, Eb major, F major, C major, G major, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	6B, 3B, 7B, 8B, 9B, 7A
Sierreño	D major, G major, A major, E major, C major, A minor, D minor, E minor	Ionian / Aeolian	10B, 9B, 11B, 12B, 8B, 8A, 7A, 9A
Duranguense	Bb major, Eb major, F major, C major, G major, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	6B, 3B, 7B, 8B, 9B, 7A
Cumbia Sonidera	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 8A, 7A
Tejano	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 8A, 7A
Tropical	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 8A, 7A
Soca	A major, D major, E major, G major, C major, F# minor	Ionian / Aeolian	11B, 10B, 12B, 9B, 8B, 11A
Zouk	A minor, D minor, E minor, G minor, C minor, C major	Aeolian / Ionian	8A, 7A, 9A, 6A, 5A, 8B
Kizomba	D minor, A minor, E minor, G minor, C minor, F major	Aeolian / Ionian	7A, 8A, 9A, 6A, 5A, 7B
Kuduro	A minor, D minor, E minor, G minor, C minor	Aeolian / Phrygian	8A, 7A, 9A, 6A, 5A
Juju	G major, C major, D major, F major, A minor, E minor	Ionian / Aeolian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 8A, 9A
Fuji	G major, C major, D major, F major, G minor, D minor	Ionian / Aeolian	9B, 8B, 10B, 7B, 6A, 7A
Soukous	E major, A major, D major, G major	Ionian	4B, 11B, 6B, 9B
Ndombolo	E major, A major, D major, G major	Ionian	4B, 11B, 6B, 9B
Afropop	A minor, D minor, G minor, F minor, C major, F major	Aeolian / Ionian	8A, 7A, 6A, 4A, 8B, 7B
Jersey Club	A minor, D minor, G minor, C minor	Aeolian	8A, 7A, 6A, 5A
Footwork	A minor, D minor, C minor, G minor	Aeolian	8A, 7A, 5A, 6A
Vaporwave	C minor, A minor, F major, Bb major	Aeolian / Ionian	5A, 8A, 7B, 6B
City Pop	F major, C major, A major, G major	Ionian / Lydian	7B, 8B, 11B, 9B
Synthwave	A minor, D minor, E minor, F minor, G minor, C minor	Aeolian	8A, 7A, 9A, 4A, 6A, 5A
Trance	A minor, D minor, F minor, G minor, B minor, E minor	Aeolian	8A, 7A, 4A, 6A, 10A, 9A
Progressive House	A minor, D minor, G minor, F minor, C major, F major	Aeolian, Ionian	8A, 7A, 6A, 4A, 8B, 7B
Deep House	A minor, D minor, G minor, F minor, C minor	Aeolian, Dorian	8A, 7A, 6A, 4A, 5A
Minimal Techno	A minor, D minor, G minor, atonal	Aeolian, atonal	8A, 7A, 6A
Trip Hop	D minor, A minor, G minor, C minor, E minor	Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian	7A, 8A, 6A, 5A, 9A
Shoegaze	D major, E major, G major, A major, A minor, D minor	Ionian, Lydian, Aeolian	10B, 12B, 9B, 11B, 8A, 7A
Hardstyle	A minor, D minor, F minor, G minor	Aeolian, Phrygian	8A, 7A, 4A, 6A
Gabber	A minor, D minor, F minor, atonal	Aeolian, Phrygian, atonal	8A, 7A, 4A
Liquid DnB	D minor, A minor, F minor, D Dorian	Aeolian, Dorian	7A, 8A, 4A
Industrial	D minor, A minor, E Phrygian, atonal	Aeolian, Phrygian, chromatic	7A, 8A, 4A
Darkwave	D minor, A minor, E minor, Dorian	Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian	7A, 8A, 11A
Post-Punk	E minor, A minor, D minor, E major, A major	Aeolian, Ionian	9A, 8A, 7A, 12B, 11B
Emo	E minor, A minor, D minor, B minor, D major	Aeolian, Ionian	9A, 8A, 7A, 10A, 7B
Noise Rock	E minor, D minor, A minor, E Phrygian, chromatic centers	Aeolian, Phrygian, chromatic	9A, 7A, 8A, 9A-ish
Math Rock	E minor, A minor, D major, G major, B minor	Aeolian, Ionian, Dorian, modal	9A, 8A, 10B, 9B, 10A
Stoner Rock	E minor, C# minor, D minor, A minor, E Phrygian	Aeolian, Phrygian, blues minor, pentatonic	9A, 12A, 7A, 8A, 9A-ish

Which Genre Should You Start With?

Beginner

Start here if you have never made a beat before.

1. Lo-Fi - slow, forgiving, jazzy
2. Trap - simple drums, 808 focus
3. R&B - smooth groove, extended chords

Intermediate

Move here after completing 10+ beats in a beginner genre.

1. Hip-Hop - sample chopping, swing
2. House - sidechain, DJ arrangement
3. Drill - sliding 808, off-beat kick

Advanced

Tackle these once you can mix and arrange confidently.

1. EDM - synth design, drop structures
2. Afrobeats - clave rhythm, polyrhythm
3. Dancehall - dembow riddim, Caribbean
4. Reggaeton - perreo groove, urbano Latino
5. Metal - drop tunings, power chords, double bass
6. Jazz - ii-V-I progressions, swing feel, chord-scale theory
7. Country - I-IV-V, Nashville Number System, acoustic guitar tones
8. Ambient - slow attack pads, Lydian mode, drone textures, reverb depth
9. Funk - ghost note drums, Dorian mode, bass-kick lock, off-beat chord stabs
10. Soul - gospel harmony, call-and-response, V-I resolution, Hammond organ
11. Blues - 12-bar form, I7 IV7 V7, blues scale, shuffle feel
12. Reggae - One-drop rhythm, skanking guitar, Dorian vamp, dub effects
13. Gospel - Vsus4 resolution, Amen cadence, SATB choir, Hammond organ, key change
14. Classical - MIDI orchestration, voice leading, sonata form, cadences, sample libraries
15. Bossa Nova - violao guitar pattern, samba-jazz harmony, maj7 chords, Jobim chromatic moves
16. Samba - surdo bass drum, tamborim teleco-teco, I-IV-V harmony, Brazilian polyrhythm
17. K-Pop - vocal stacking, I-V-vi-IV, killing part, 128 BPM, key change before final chorus
18. Techno - tuned kick layering, Phrygian synths, repetition as composition, DJ-ready arrangement
19. Indie Rock - double-tracked guitars, I-V-vi-IV progressions, quiet verse / loud chorus dynamic
20. Pop - hook first, I-V-vi-IV, build-up verse to chorus, BPM-synced vocal delay, -9 to -7 LUFS mastering
21. Punk - double-tracked guitars, I-IV-V-I, constant 8th hi-hat, 160-220 BPM, songs under 3 minutes
22. Grunge - quiet-loud dynamic, Eb standard tuning, Drop D riffs, fuzz distortion, syncopated drums
23. Blues Rock - 12-bar blues in rock, dominant 7th chords, pentatonic licks, string bends, shuffle groove
24. Drum and Bass - Amen break chopping, Reese bass design, 160-180 BPM, liquid to neurofunk, DJ arrangement
25. UK Garage - 2-step syncopated kick, swung 16th hi-hats, chopped pitched vocals, 130-140 BPM, speed garage, grime
26. Trap Soul - sparse slow drums, tuned 808 bass, im7/im9 extended chords, heavy reverb vocals, 60-90 BPM
27. Lo-Fi Hip Hop - swung MPC boom bap, vinyl crackle, jazz chord loops, im7/im9, sample flipping, 70-90 BPM
28. Alternative R&B - Frank Ocean harmony, Dorian mode, Imaj7/V9sus4 chords, ambient guitar, sparse drums, 70-110 BPM
29. Hyperpop - extreme auto-tune speed 0, distorted 808, clipped drums, I-V-vi-IV, 140-175 BPM, PC Music/Drain Gang/100 gecs
30. Phonk - cowbell 16th hi-hat, distorted 808 slap, Phrygian bII chord, Memphis rap samples, vinyl crackle, 130-155 BPM, Kordhell/MOONDEITY
31. Garage Rock - raw fuzz amp tone, I-IV-V three-chord philosophy, live drum feel, roomy recording, -12 to -10 LUFS, White Stripes/Black Keys
32. Grime - exactly 140 BPM half-time, Eski chime melody, Phrygian bII chord, MC-focused sparse arrangement, deep sub bass, Wiley/Skepta/Stormzy
33. Dubstep - 138-145 BPM half-time, wobble bass LFO design, build-drop arc, Burial deep style vs Skrillex brostep, 6 subgenres
34. Latin Trap - 80-130 BPM, 808 slide melody, im-bVII-bVI vamp, trap hi-hat rolls, flamenco cadence, Bad Bunny and Anuel AA style
35. Afro House - 120-130 BPM, im-IV Dorian vamp, organic percussion layering (shaker, conga, talking drum), Black Coffee and Themba South African club sound
36. Amapiano - 110-120 BPM, log drum bass and melody, I-IV-bVII-I gospel walk, piano runs, DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small South African township sound
37. Baile Funk - 130-160 BPM, tamborzao triplet kick groove, distorted 808 bass, im-bVII-bVI-bVII vamp, Anitta and MC Kevinho Rio favela style
38. Flamenco - 60-240 BPM by palo, Phrygian dominant scale, Andalusian cadence, 12-beat compas cycle, major V chord over minor root, Paco de Lucia and Camaron de la Isla style
39. Highlife - 90-130 BPM, palm wine guitar arpeggio, I-IV-V7-I and I-vi-IV-V, dominant 7th V chord, talking drum and sekere, E.T. Mensah, Daddy Lumba, Fuse ODG, KiDi style
40. Cumbia - 100-130 BPM, 3-2 clave pattern, I-IV-V7-I and im-bVII-bVI-bVII, accordion and gaita flute, tambora and maracas, Los Corraleros de Majagual, Carlos Vives, Los Bukis, Celso Pina style
41. Salsa - 150-230 BPM, son clave 3-2, piano montuno, horn guajeo, mambo break, im-iv-V7-im and im7-IV-V7, bass tumbao anticipated, Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony, Los Van Van style
42. Merengue - 150-180 BPM, guira constant 16ths, tambora drum pattern, accordion melody, I-IV-V7-I and I-vi-IV-V, im-bVII-bVI-V romantic, instrumental break mandatory, Juan Luis Guerra, Wilfrido Vargas, Johnny Ventura, Tono Rosario style
43. Bachata - 130-150 BPM, bicheo guitar ornament, bongo derecho rhythm, im-iv-bVII-V minor key, V7 dominant 7th, close romantic partner dancing, Romeo Santos, Prince Royce, Aventura, Juan Luis Guerra style
44. Neo Soul - 65-100 BPM, D Dorian vamp im7-IVmaj7, J Dilla drunk swing ghost note drums, Rhodes and Wurlitzer pads, im9 extended chords, D Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, H.E.R. Soulquarians style
45. Vallenato - 100-145 BPM by aire (paseo/son/merengue/porro), diatonic accordion melody, guacharaca scraper constant 8ths, caja drum, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th, accordion solo break mandatory, Carlos Vives, Diomedes Diaz, Silvestre Dangond style
46. Bolero - 60-80 BPM, slow romantic Latin ballad, A/D/E minor, im-V7-im-IV dominant 7th, voice IS the rhythm, Spanish guitar arpeggio, bongos very soft, string swell on chorus, key change before final chorus, Luis Miguel, Armando Manzanero, Beny More, Trio Los Panchos style
47. Son Cubano - 100-120 BPM, origin of salsa and mambo, A/D minor + C/G major, son clave 2-3 governs everything, tres guitar guajeo, bass tumbao anticipates beat 1, coro-pregon call-and-response, Trio Matamoros, Arsenio Rodriguez, Beny More, Buena Vista Social Club style
48. Mambo - 185-210 BPM, son clave 3-2, full big band orchestra, mambo section stop-time breaks mandatory, horn guajeos on off-beats, piano montuno avoids beat 1, bass tumbao anticipation, Perez Prado, Tito Puente, Beny More, Celia Cruz, 1950s Cuban and New York ballroom style
49. Cha-Cha - 100-115 BPM, son clave 3-2, guiro constant 8th notes, piano montuno avoids beat 1, bass tumbao anticipation, im-V7 dominant vamp, coro-pregon call-and-response, Enrique Jorrin, Orquesta America, Orquesta Aragon, Cal Tjader, Tito Puente, 1950s Cuban and New York ballroom style
50. Boogaloo - 130-175 BPM, NYC Latin-soul fusion
51. Norteno - 100-140 BPM, diatonic accordion, bajo sexto, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th, Los Tigres del Norte, Intocable - 130-175 BPM, NYC Latin-soul fusion, soul backbeat on 2+4 merged with loose clave, Hammond organ riff, bilingual English and Spanish vocals, blues-soul dominant 7ths I7-IV7-V7, instrumental organ solo mandatory, Joe Cuba, Pete Rodriguez, Ricardo Ray, Willie Bobo, Ray Barretto, bridge between mambo and salsa
52. Corrido / Corrido Tumbado - 100-165 BPM, traditional corrido ballad and corrido tumbado trap-folk fusion, requinto guitar essential, tuba bass as 808 sub, I-IV-V7-I with dominant 7th V chord, Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano, Eslabon Armado
53. Grupero - 100-145 BPM, keyboard accordion pop-crossover Mexican regional, romantic ballads and polka, I-IV-V7-I and I-vi-IV-V7, Bronco, Los Bukis, Los Yonics, Liberacion
54. Ranchera - 60-140 BPM, Mexican folk ballad tradition, guitarron bass beats 1+3, vihuela chop beats 2+4, trumpet fanfares, violin section, gritos, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, polka ranchera 115-135 BPM, Vicente Fernandez, Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, Lila Downs
55. Mariachi - 60-180 BPM by style, guitarron bass beats 1+3, vihuela chop beats 2+4, two trumpets, violin section, classical guitar, son jalisciense 105-130 BPM, huapango 140-180 BPM, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, instrumental break mandatory, Vicente Fernandez, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, Pepe Aguilar
56. Banda - 95-130 BPM, Sinaloan brass band, tuba bass beats 1+3, large snare section beats 2+4, trombone chords, dual trumpet melody, clarinet countermelodies, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony in Bb and Eb major, instrumental break mandatory, Banda MS, El Recodo, Banda el Mexicano
57. Sierreño - 75-148 BPM, requinto guitar melodic lead, bajo sierreño 4-string bass, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, traditional corrido 115-140 BPM, corrido tumbado trap fusion 125-148 BPM with 808 bass, Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma, Calibre 50, Ariel Camacho
58. Duranguense - 105-125 BPM, compact brass polka from Durango and US Midwest diaspora, tuba beats 1+3, snare beats 2+4, trumpet lead in Bb/Eb/F major, trombone harmony, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th, instrumental break mandatory, Montez de Durango, Alacranes Musical, K-Paz de la Sierra
59. Cumbia Sonidera - 90-115 BPM, Mexico City street cumbia, sonidero DJ outdoor party tradition, slow rolling 3-2 clave, keyboard synth melody, I-IV-V7-I or I-V7 two-chord vamp, sparse sonidero break, Celso Pina, Los Angeles Azules, Sonido Tropical
60. Tejano - 100-165 BPM, Texas Mexican American polka-cumbia fusion, full rock drum kit, electric bass, diatonic accordion, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, Selena, Emilio Navaira, Flaco Jimenez, La Mafia, Little Joe
61. Tropical - 100-145 BPM, Colombian and Caribbean tropical pop, vallenato accordion, caja drum, guacharaca scraper, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, accordion solo break mandatory, Carlos Vives, Diomedes Diaz, Joe Arroyo, Fanny Lu
62. Soca - 120-145 BPM, Trinidad and Tobago carnival music, chanka-chanka guitar chop on every off-beat, syncopated soca bass, anthemic road march chorus hooks, riddim soca for road march, groovy soca for fetes, I-IV-V-I bright major harmony, Machel Montano, Kes The Band, Bunji Garlin, Destra Garcia
63. Zouk - 80-115 BPM, Cape Verdean and Brazilian sensual groove, ba-ba-ba three-beat kick pattern, lambada bass lines, lush strings and brass, minor key romance, i-iv-V7-i harmony, Kassav and Brazilian zouk style
64. Kizomba - 80-100 BPM, Angolan semba-influenced intimate dance music, two-step bass (root beat 1, fifth beat 3), soft brushed snare, synthesizer chord pads, minor key romance, i-iv-V7-i dominant 7th harmony, ghetto zouk and urban kizomba variants, C4 Pedro and Nelson Freitas style
65. Kuduro - 140-155 BPM, Angolan high-energy electronic dance, syncopated tarraxo bass, staccato hi-hat rolls, Phrygian bII chord, group vocal chants, Tony Amado, Buraka Som Sistema, MIA style
66. Juju - 90-140 BPM, Nigerian Yoruba traditional ensemble music, talking drum (dundun) as melodic lead, pedal steel guitar bends, sekere shaker constant 8th notes, agogo bell clave-like pattern, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, call-and-response praise singing, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Shina Peters style
67. Fuji - 130-175 BPM, Nigerian Yoruba Islamic-rooted percussion music, sakara frame drum as central rhythmic driver, dense hand percussion stack, gangan talking drum Yoruba praise phrases, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, call-and-response praise singing, K1 De Ultimate, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Saheed Osupa, Pasuma Wonder style
68. Soukous - 160-220+ BPM, Congolese rumba-derived dance music, sebene lead guitar riff section, interlocking conga tumba and quinto polyrhythm, constant maracas 16th notes, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, animateur improvised vocal phrases, Papa Wemba, Franco Luambo, Kanda Bongo Man, Awilo Longomba style
69. Ndombolo - 185-240 BPM, ultra-fast Congolese soukous variant, sebene lead guitar riff, dense conga polyrhythm, kick beats 1+3, snare off-beat at 1.5+3.5, I-IV-V7-I dominant 7th harmony, hip-rolling dance culture, Lingala call-and-response vocals, Awilo Longomba, Extra Musica, Fally Ipupa style
70. Afropop - 90-120 BPM, pan-African popular music umbrella, clave-based syncopated groove, lush 7th and 9th chord harmony, vocal-forward production, singable melodic hook, shaker clave programs first, im7-bVImaj7-bVII circular loop, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, CKay, Rema, Ayra Starr style
71. Jersey Club - 130-140 BPM, Newark NJ bounce music, syncopated ghost kick pattern (main kick beats 1+3, ghost kicks on 16th positions), vocal chops from R&B samples as melodic driver, 808 bass sidechain, snare rolls before transitions, im7-bVIImaj7 or im7-bVI-bVII loop, DJ Tameil, DJ Sliink, Uniiqu3 style
72. Chicago Footwork - 155-165 BPM, South Side Chicago polyrhythmic club music, dense 32-step machine-gun kick bursts, looped soul and R&B sample phrases, no swing ever, minimal melody and maximum rhythmic density, competitive footwork battle dance culture, im - bVII or im7 - bVI - bVII loop, DJ Rashad, RP Boo, Jlin, Traxman, Teklife style
73. Vaporwave - 70-100 BPM, nostalgic internet aesthetic, slowed and pitch-shifted 80s/90s pop/jazz-funk/R&B samples, heavy reverb and spacious room sound, VHS-era tape saturation, subgenres include classic vaporwave, mallsoft, future funk, and dark vaporwave, Macintosh Plus, 2814, James Ferraro, Blank Banshee style
74. City Pop - 95-120 BPM, Japanese 80s urban pop, jazz-funk chord voicings (maj7/9th/13th), four-on-the-floor kick with syncopated funk snare, bright chorus guitar, lush Rhodes or DX7 electric piano, melodic walking bass, Imaj7-IVmaj7-V7-IIm7 or I-vi-IV-V jazz-pop progression, Mariya Takeuchi, Tatsuro Yamashita, Anri, Miki Matsubara style
75. Synthwave - 95-135 BPM, retro-futuristic 80s analog synth, gated reverb snare (mandatory), four-on-the-floor kick, sawtooth arpeggio 16th note sequence, lush analog pads (Roland Juno-106 chorus), minor key cinematic drive, am-F-C-G or im-bVII-bVI-V progressions, Kavinsky, Perturbator, The Midnight, Gunship, FM-84, Carpenter Brut style
76. Trance - 128-145 BPM, supersaw 7-voice detuned sawtooth lead, 16th-note arpeggio pluck sequence, Am-F-C-G uplifting chord progressions, four-on-the-floor kick, 32-64 bar emotional breakdown, white noise riser into drop, sidechain bass into kick, Armin van Buuren, ATB, Ferry Corsten, Above and Beyond, Tiesto style
77. Progressive House - 122-128 BPM, long filtered builds over 16-32 bars, layered synth textures, sidechain compression pumping groove, extended chord voicings (7ths and 9ths), patient 32-bar breakdowns, filter automation as primary performance tool, Eric Prydz, Deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia, Lane 8, Yotto style
78. Deep House - 118-124 BPM, warm soulful Rhodes chords, rolling basslines with portamento, organic percussion layers, swing hi-hats 55-60%, 7th and 9th chord voicings, Dorian im7 to IV7 vamp, Larry Heard, Kerri Chandler, Disclosure, Black Coffee style
79. Minimal Techno - 125-132 BPM, sparse hypnotic grooves, click-driven kick, micro-variation, 4-6 elements maximum, percussion-first, root note drones, delay throws, -10 to -8 LUFS mastering, Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, Robert Hood, Rhadoo, Basic Channel style
80. Trip Hop - 70-100 BPM, dark cinematic breakbeats, heavy sub bass, vinyl crackle, orchestral samples, film noir atmosphere, Rhodes with heavy reverb, intimate vocals, sample collage, -12 to -9 LUFS dynamic mastering, Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, DJ Shadow, Bonobo, Burial style
81. Shoegaze - 80-130 BPM, wall of sound guitar, fuzz into chorus into delay into reverb (100% wet parallel), tremolo picking, ethereal buried vocals, simple chords through extreme effects, -12 to -9 LUFS dynamic mastering, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, Ride, DIIV, Deafheaven style
82. Hardstyle - 150-160 BPM, punchy distorted kick with reverse bass groove, euphoric supersaw leads, screech leads, piano breakdowns, anthemic melodies, festival-ready -8 to -6 LUFS mastering, Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Brennan Heart, Radical Redemption, Da Tweekaz, D-Block and S-te-Fan, Defqon.1, Qlimax style
83. Gabber - 160-200 BPM, heavily distorted 4-on-the-floor kick (hard-clipped sine wave), no reverse bass, acid basslines, pitch-shifted vocals, Rotterdam hardcore history, relentless forward momentum, -8 to -5 LUFS mastering, Euromasters, DJ Paul Elstak, Rotterdam Terror Corps, Angerfist, Thunderdome style
84. Liquid DnB - 170-174 BPM, atmospheric and soulful drum and bass, melodic sub bass following chord changes, lush jazz-influenced pads, rolled Amen break, Rhodes layers, vocal samples, LTJ Bukem, Calibre, Logistics, Hospital Records, High Contrast style
85. Industrial - 80-140 BPM, noise textures and machine drums, EBM monophonic basslines, extreme dynamics, Nine Inch Nails, Throbbing Gristle, Ministry, Front 242, Einsturzende Neubauten style
86. Darkwave - 100-130 BPM, cold Juno synths, TR-606/808 drum machine patterns, dotted eighth delay, gothic minor keys, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lebanon Hanover, Clan of Xymox, Sisters of Mercy style
87. Post-Punk - 120-145 BPM, angular guitar as percussion, melodic driving bass leads the track, tight dry drums, literary vocals, Joy Division, Gang of Four, Wire, The Cure, Bauhaus, Shame, Fontaines D.C. style
88. Emo - 100-165 BPM, fingerpicked guitar arpeggios, quiet-loud dynamics, confessional vocals, open tunings, cathartic chorus explosions, American Football, Dashboard Confessional, My Chemical Romance, The Hotelier style
89. Noise Rock - 90-155 BPM, dissonant alternate-tuned guitars, tritone and minor-second tension, feedback as arrangement, bass-forward impact, Sonic Youth, Big Black, The Jesus Lizard, Shellac, Metz style
90. Math Rock - 90-165 BPM, interlocking clean guitars, odd-meter grooves, tapped voicings, dynamic stop-start arrangement, Don Caballero, TTNG, American Football, Toe, Covet style
91. Stoner Rock - 70-120 BPM, down-tuned fuzz riffs, bass-heavy groove, roomy drums, psychedelic repetition, Kyuss, Sleep, Queens of the Stone Age, Truckfighters style

Free Production Tools for Every Genre

🎹

BeatKey

Detect the key of any audio file. Essential before building any beat.

🎸

Chord Finder

Find the right chords for any key. Piano, guitar, ukulele.

🎵

Scale Finder

Find the right scale for any key and genre. Pentatonic, Dorian, Phrygian, and more.

⏱

Delay Calculator

Convert BPM to delay time in ms. Sync your reverb and delay to your tempo.

🔢

Note Frequency

Find the Hz value of any note. Essential for tuning 808s in trap, drill, and hip-hop.

🎡

Camelot Wheel

Find harmonically compatible samples and tracks. DJ and producer standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What genre should I start producing as a beginner?

Lo-fi hip-hop is the easiest genre for beginners: slow BPM (70-90), simple 4-bar chord loops, forgiving drum patterns, and no complex mixing required. Trap is a close second because the drum pattern is straightforward and the 808 bass does the heavy lifting. Both genres require only a DAW, a sample pack, and BeatKey to detect the key of your samples.

What BPM does each genre use?

Trap: 130-145 BPM. Lo-fi: 70-90 BPM. House: 120-128 BPM. R&B: 65-110 BPM. Hip-Hop (boom bap): 85-100 BPM. Drill (UK): 140-145 BPM. EDM varies: house 120-128, dubstep 140, trance 128-145, drum and bass 160-180.

Do I need to know music theory to produce music?

No, but knowing the key of your samples is essential. Use BeatKey to detect the key of any audio file, then use that key to tune your 808 or bass, find matching chord progressions with the Chord Finder, and pick the right scale for your melody with the Scale Finder. You do not need to read sheet music to produce professionally.

What is the most important step before starting any beat?

Detect the key. Whether you are sampling a record, flipping a vocal, or building from scratch, knowing the key determines every musical decision: which notes your 808 hits, which chords your stabs use, which scale your melody follows. Use BeatKey to detect the key of any audio in seconds, then build everything else around that key.

All Genre Production Guides

Trap Beat Guide Lo-Fi Music Guide House Beat Guide R&B Music Guide Hip-Hop Beat Guide Drill Music Guide EDM Production Guide Soul Music Guide Blues Music Guide Reggae Music Guide Gospel Music Guide Classical Music Guide Bossa Nova Guide Samba Music Guide K-Pop Production Guide Techno Production Guide Indie Rock Production Guide Pop Music Production Guide Punk Music Production Guide Grunge Music Production Guide Blues Rock Production Guide Drum and Bass Production Guide UK Garage Production Guide Trap Soul Production Guide Lo-Fi Hip Hop Production Guide Alternative R&B Production Guide Hyperpop Production Guide Phonk Production Guide Garage Rock Production Guide Grime Production Guide Dubstep Production Guide Latin Trap Production Guide Afro House Production Guide Amapiano Production Guide Baile Funk Production Guide Flamenco Production Guide Highlife Production Guide Cumbia Production Guide Salsa Production Guide Merengue Production Guide Bachata Production Guide Neo Soul Production Guide Vallenato Production Guide Bolero Production Guide Son Cubano Production Guide Mambo Production Guide Cha-Cha Production Guide Boogaloo Production Guide Norteno Production Guide Corrido Production Guide Grupero Production Guide Ranchera Production Guide Mariachi Production Guide Banda Production Guide Sierreño Production Guide Duranguense Production Guide Cumbia Sonidera Production Guide Tejano Production Guide Tropical Production Guide Soca Production Guide Zouk Production Guide Kizomba Production Guide Kuduro Production Guide Juju Production Guide Fuji Production Guide Soukous Production Guide Ndombolo Production Guide Afropop Production Guide Jersey Club Production Guide Footwork Production Guide Vaporwave Production Guide City Pop Production Guide Synthwave Production Guide Trance Production Guide Progressive House Production Guide Deep House Production Guide Minimal Techno Production Guide Trip Hop Production Guide Shoegaze Production Guide Hardstyle Production Guide Gabber Production Guide Liquid DnB Production Guide Industrial Production Guide Darkwave Production Guide Post-Punk Production Guide Emo Production Guide Noise Rock Production Guide Math Rock Production Guide Stoner Rock Production Guide Music Production Guide

Genre Production Guide

Step 0 for Every Genre: Detect the Key First

All 98 Genre Production Guides

Trap

Lo-Fi

House

R&B

Hip-Hop

Drill

EDM

Afrobeats

Dancehall

Reggaeton

Metal

Jazz

Country

Ambient

Funk

Soul

Blues

Reggae

Gospel

Classical

Bossa Nova

Samba

K-Pop

Techno

Indie Rock

Pop

Punk

Grunge

Blues Rock

Drum and Bass

UK Garage

Trap Soul

Lo-Fi Hip Hop

Alternative R&B

Hyperpop

Phonk

Garage Rock

Grime

Dubstep

Latin Trap

Afro House

Amapiano

Baile Funk

Flamenco

Bolero