Lesson 14 — Breakbeats & Chopping
The Amen break is the most sampled loop in history.
What Is a Breakbeat?
A breakbeat is a short drum solo, often lifted from old funk/soul records, that is looped and rearranged. The Amen break, Apache, and Funky Drummer built jungle, drum & bass, and hip-hop.
Chopping & Time-Stretching
Chopping slices a break into hits. Time-stretching changes tempo without changing pitch. Combining both lets you fit any break into any BPM.
Groove & Swing
Real drummers are not perfectly on the grid. Adding swing or nudging slices slightly late brings life back to chopped breaks.
MONAKAI BREAK-PLAYER
Trigger sliced drum hits on your keyboard. Press A–P for slices, Z–M for fills.
MONAKAI BREAK-PLAYER
🎧 Monakai Pro Tip
When I chop breaks, I leave the imperfections in. The tiny timing variations are what make programmed drums feel alive.