dhol.dance: beat maker for dancers

dhol.dance is a free beat maker for dancers. You pick a vibe and it starts playing; then you change the drums by tapping, play in real dhol, dholak and tabla, add a melody that can't go off-key, and download the track for practice, class or a reel. It runs in the browser on phones and computers, with no sign-up.

What you can do

  • Pick a vibe, it plays. 19 ready-to-play starters, from bhangra, dhamaal, keherwa and dadra to afrobeat, reggaeton, bachata, salsa, house and hip-hop. One tap and it is playing; change the tempo with − and +.
  • Real dhol, built in. Recorded dhol strokes (bass, treble and both sticks together, Dha) sit next to dholak, tabla, djembe, conga, clave, 808 and a full kit. On Indian vibes the dhol pads show the bols Ge and Na.
  • Counts, not menus. The whole bar fits on the screen, counted 1 e & a, so “the and of 4” is easy to find. Two bars make an 8-count. Loops can be straight, shuffle, or in 6 counts.
  • Tap the pads, it stays on beat. Turn on Record and finger-drum on big pads while the loop plays. Each hit lands on the nearest step, even if you are a little early.
  • Melody that can't go off-key. Eight big keys that are always in key, or a piano roll for placing notes by hand. Sounds include piano, sitar, shehnai, flute, strings and bass. Indian vibes name the notes Sa Re Ga.
  • Record your own sound. Clap, say a bol, beatbox or hit a real dhol, trim it with two handles, shape it in plain words, and drop it into any loop.
  • Run your class live. Jam is a full-screen mode for teaching: tap a part and it switches on the next bar, hold Drop to cut to the low end, tap Build for a roll into the next part, with a big 1–8 count on screen. Nothing it does changes the saved loop.
  • Take it with you. Download audio as a WAV file (30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes or once through), share a link that opens in a listening room with a glowing visual, or export a 15–30 second vertical reel video.

Dance styles (19 starters)

  • Bhangra: Mundian, Chaal (shuffle)
  • Dhamaal: Sufi shuffle
  • Keherwa: Filmi 8
  • Dadra: 6 counts
  • Afrobeat: Lagos
  • Reggaeton: Dembow
  • Bachata: Dominican, Sensual
  • Salsa: Tumbao
  • Brazilian funk: Baile
  • House: Classic
  • Deep house: Late night
  • Hip-hop: Boom-bap
  • Trap: Half-time
  • Phonk: Drift
  • Jersey club: Bounce
  • Breakbeat: B-boy
  • Hardstyle: Euphoric

Get the app

Apps for iPhone and Android, named Dhol: Beat Maker for Dancers, are on the way to the App Store and Google Play.

Questions? Read about dhol.dance, with answers to common questions.