16beat

16beat, or sixteen-beat, is a rhythmic concept used in contemporary music to describe patterns built around the sixteen subdivisions of a 4/4 measure, typically represented by sixteenth notes. It is not a formal time signature but a way of characterizing groove density and subdivision alignment in a groove or drum pattern.

In practice, 16beat patterns emphasize rapid events on the sixteenth-note grid, often featuring dense kick and snare placements alongside varied hi-hat patterns. Accents may be placed on specific sixteenth notes to create syncopation or drive.

Because there is no single canonical 16beat pattern, the term is used descriptively across genres. Patterns are commonly realized on drum machines, sequencers, or within digital audio workstations by programming 16 steps per bar, or by using software that emphasizes sixteenth-note subdivisions.

Tempo is genre-dependent, commonly spanning roughly 90 to 140 BPM in dance-oriented contexts, but the concept can extend into slower or faster tempos when used for hip-hop, funk, or experimental music.

16beat is encountered in electronic dance music, hip-hop, and funk, as well as in educational settings that discuss rhythmic density and groove construction. It serves as a flexible framework rather than a fixed style, allowing producers to vary velocity, swing, and subdivision to achieve different feels.

Because 16beat is descriptive rather than a formal category, references generally discuss it in the context of rhythm design and sequencing rather than as a standalone genre.