About dhol.dance

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 and answers

Is dhol.dance free?

Yes. dhol.dance is free to use, with no ads and no in-app purchases. You don't need an account to make, play or download a beat. Signing in with Apple or Google only adds saving to your account, share links, and opening your loops on another device.

Can I make music for dance practice with dhol.dance?

Yes, that is what it is built for. dhol.dance starts from a vibe that is already playing (bhangra, afrobeat, reggaeton, bachata, salsa, house, hip-hop and more), shows every bar in counts the way dancers count, and lets you set the tempo with − and +. When it feels right, download 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes of audio as a WAV file for practice, class or rehearsal.

How do I make a bhangra beat?

In dhol.dance a bhangra beat takes a few taps:

  1. Open dhol.dance and pick a Bhangra vibe: Mundian (straight) or Chaal (shuffle). It starts playing at 96 BPM.
  2. Change the dhol by tapping or dragging across the steps, or switch to Pads and play it in. Dhol pads show Ge (bass) and Na (treble); Dha is both together.
  3. Set the speed with − and +.
  4. Add a melody on the Keys (sitar, shehnai, flute and more), or record a clap.
  5. Download the audio, or share a link.

Is there an app to make dhol beats?

Yes. dhol.dance has recorded dhol built in: dhol bass (Ge), dhol treble (Na) and both sticks together (Dha), next to dholak and tabla. You can tap a dhol pattern on the step grid or play it live on big pads. It runs in the browser on any phone or computer. Apps for iPhone and Android, named Dhol: Beat Maker for Dancers, are on the way to the App Store and Google Play.

How do I make 8-count music for choreography?

In dhol.dance every bar is shown in counts (1 e & a 2 e & a …) and two bars make one 8-count, so you can put a hit exactly on “the and of 4”. Build parts (A, B, C…), name them (Verse, Drop, Outro) and put them in the order your choreography needs. Download it at the length you need, or open Jam to switch parts live on the next bar while a big 1–8 count runs on screen.

Which dance styles does dhol.dance have beats for?

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). Every starter can be changed, or you can start from a blank loop.

Can I use dhol.dance to run a dance class?

Yes. Jam is a full-screen performance mode: tap a part and it switches on the next bar (or after 2 or 4 bars), hold Drop to cut everything but the low end, tap Build for a roll into the next part, and nudge the tempo, all without changing the saved loop. The 1–8 count is big enough to read across a studio. A computer keyboard or a plug-in MIDI controller can drive it, and you can record the jam.

Do I need to know music to use it?

No. dhol.dance is made for people who feel rhythm but have never used music software. You start from a loop that already plays and change it by tapping. The melody keys are always in key, so nothing you play sounds wrong, and the sounds have plain names like Kick, Clap and Dhol bass.

Can I use what I make in reels and videos?

You can download any loop as a WAV file, or use Share as a reel to make a 15–30 second vertical video with your music and a moving visual. The dhol.dance Terms of Service say you keep the rights to the beats you create.

Does dhol.dance work on my phone?

Yes. dhol.dance runs in Safari, Chrome and other modern browsers on phones, tablets and computers, and you can add it to your home screen. In a browser on iPhone the silent switch can mute it, so turn the ringer on. Apps for iPhone and Android, named Dhol: Beat Maker for Dancers, are on the way to the App Store and Google Play.

Credits

Dhol, tombak, zarb and kopal sounds from TAQS.IM's free Dhol Loops pack. Continue with AI uses Google's Magenta models, running on your device.

Contact: lokeshdevnani@gmail.com. Last updated 2026-10-30.