Learn Hex Beats

8

4

2

1

Binary:

Base10:

Hex:

0000

0

0

Instructions

Each of the four boxes above (labeled 8,4,2,1) represents one bit within a four-bit nibble (i.e., half a byte). The numbers correspond to their value in base-2. Musically, you can think of these as four sixteenth notes within a single beat. Visually, this is simlar to hardware sequencers or drum machines that allow you to toggle whether a sixteenth note within a four-beat pattern will be on or off (see the Roland 808 Drum Machine Pattern site for a visual of what a drum machine might show).

In the interface above, click one of the four boxes to toggle them to on or off. The binary, base10, and hex representations are shown. Once you become familiar with the hex representation of the four-bit sixteenth note patterns, you can represent a four beat measure drum pattern using only four text characters.

Hexadecimal beat notation is currently implemented in: