# Free clap samples

> Free hand clap and snap samples, from stacked crowd claps to tight drum machine claps, ready to layer with snares, each with a licence verdict and preview.

36 samples from 3 sources (Openverse 14, Strudel sample banks 12, Wikimedia Commons 10), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=clap&category=drums.clap&form=one-shot
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=clap&category=drums.clap&form=one-shot"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://sound.shep.bot/v1/samples/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for a release; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. See https://sound.shep.bot/docs/licences.md

## Using claps

Claps fill the same slot as the snare on beats two and four, and many genres use them instead of a snare altogether: house, disco and much of modern pop rely on a clap for the backbeat. In trap, a clap layered with a snare gives a wide, bright hit that still cuts through heavy 808s.

A recorded clap from a real room has natural reverb and variation; a machine clap is tighter and more consistent. Try both against your track. If a clap sounds thin, add a short reverb or a second clap a few milliseconds later instead of boosting the highs.

## Licences

These come from Creative Commons libraries, drum machine banks and royalty-free packs. Green verdicts are cleared for releases. CC BY sounds need a credit line, which the detail view lets you copy in one click.

## Samples

| Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [clap mix.wav](https://freesound.org/people/young_daddy/sounds/24786) | `openverse:c0bdec6f-8d5f-43b0-9fc4-2c3f9738cf1d` | Clap, One-shot, 0.17 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [A Clap](https://freesound.org/people/maycuddlepie/sounds/330296) | `openverse:607f7103-3487-4765-9d30-1f63f6a1dfe2` | Clap, One-shot, 2.8 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Solo Clap](https://freesound.org/people/OwlStorm/sounds/151219) | `openverse:8e555bc1-5287-4d67-8b74-d85b53c71168` | Clap, One-shot, 3.4 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Film Slate Clap FX](https://freesound.org/people/chewyy56/sounds/194719) | `openverse:34bff6ca-bee8-43ac-8df6-3a5262523da2` | Clap, One-shot, 0.22 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [clap for fred.wav](https://freesound.org/people/kendallbear/sounds/123805) | `openverse:c3bb6987-7250-4ca4-aa96-cdb6b3004d67` | Clap, One-shot, 1.4 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Clap, Single, 11.wav](https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/404540) | `openverse:abcc1364-e229-4d1a-84e0-39dd9c62a00d` | Clap, One-shot, 0.39 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Clap-Clean Reverb](https://freesound.org/people/young_daddy/sounds/244568) | `openverse:67620333-819e-4a0e-bb2b-2e3168a9cb65` | Clap, One-shot, 1.7 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Disco Clap](https://freesound.org/people/NenadSimic/sounds/169085) | `openverse:3120d1a8-1cd6-44ba-a099-b0f7b23da1a5` | Clap, One-shot, 0.43 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Clap, Single, 15.wav](https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/404544) | `openverse:9926e06e-f56f-45c4-bc70-b1454d7db015` | Clap, One-shot, 0.62 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [clap-clap.flac](https://freesound.org/people/ComputerHotline/sounds/414923) | `openverse:67d11fc8-88ed-4bb3-b177-dbdf9f5e23cc` | Clap, 6.8 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Crowd Claps and whistles.wav](https://freesound.org/people/chimerical/sounds/105223) | `openverse:4c26a6ac-8fad-418b-bd61-7b16f4242582` | Clap, 9.8 s | Openverse | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [cheering and clapping crowd 1](https://freesound.org/people/AlaskaRobotics/sounds/221568) | `openverse:7d0cb30b-6ed2-465c-9784-b393b8363056` | Clap, 14 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Small crowd cheering and clapping at party 2.wav](https://freesound.org/people/xtrsounder/sounds/202498) | `openverse:fae18331-c761-439d-9772-ab30d53dfb4a` | Clap, 8.9 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Clapping and Yelling](https://freesound.org/people/donut-kiss/sounds/130326) | `openverse:f99b96a6-ee2a-40f2-b28c-14a2fbc8c1a8` | Clap, 7.0 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 0](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/Clap_rr1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/0` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| ["I Could Say The Stupidest Things And You'd Clap" - President Donald Trump](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22I_Could_Say_The_Stupidest_Things_And_You%27d_Clap%22_-_President_Donald_Trump.wav) | `wikimediacommons:"I_Could_Say_The_Stupidest_Things_And_You'd_Clap"_-_President_Donald_Trump.wav` | Clap, 38 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 1](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/Clap_rr2.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/1` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Clap Along With Me par Sascha Ende](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clap_Along_With_Me_par_Sascha_Ende.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Clap_Along_With_Me_par_Sascha_Ende.mp3` | Clap, 2:56 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 2](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/Clap_rr3.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/2` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Bauchamp - 128 hi hat et finger clap](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bauchamp_-_128_hi_hat_et_finger_clap.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Bauchamp_-_128_hi_hat_et_finger_clap.ogg` | Clap, One-shot, 3.8 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 3](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/Clap_rr4.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/3` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Bauchamp - 138 hawaien clap](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bauchamp_-_138_hawaien_clap.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Bauchamp_-_138_hawaien_clap.ogg` | Clap, 14 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 4](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/Clap_rr5.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/4` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 5](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/Clap_rr6.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/5` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Clapping for Carers in Oxford, April 2020](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clapping_for_Carers_in_Oxford,_April_2020.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Clapping_for_Carers_in_Oxford,_April_2020.opus` | Clap, 28 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 6](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/SoloClap_vl1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/6` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Clap1](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clap1.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Clap1.ogg` | Clap, One-shot, 1.0 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 7](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/SoloClap_vl2.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/7` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 8](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/SoloClap_vl3.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/8` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · clap · 9](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Idiophones/Struck%20Idiophones/Claps/SoloClap_vl4.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/clap/9` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Audionautix-com-ccby-clapalong](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Audionautix-com-ccby-clapalong.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Audionautix-com-ccby-clapalong.mp3` | Clap, 2:06 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Fishcatsclap](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fishcatsclap.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Fishcatsclap.ogg` | Clap, 12 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Dough Samples · clap · 0](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/clap/clap.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/clap/0` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Clapping sound from Cascabela thevetia leaves](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clapping_sound_from_Cascabela_thevetia_leaves.wav) | `wikimediacommons:Clapping_sound_from_Cascabela_thevetia_leaves.wav` | Clap, 54 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Monkeys At Typewriters](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monkeys_At_Typewriters.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Monkeys_At_Typewriters.mp3` | Clap, 2:33 | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Akai Linn · cp · 0](https://github.com/ritchse/tidal-drum-machines/blob/main/machines/AkaiLinn/akailinn-cp/Clap.wav) | `strudel:tidal-drum-machines/AkaiLinn_cp/0` | Clap, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | No licence stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |

## Questions

**Why do drum machine claps sound like several claps at once?**

Machines such as the 808 and 909 build a clap from a few quick bursts of filtered noise followed by a short tail, imitating several people clapping slightly out of time. That smeared attack is what makes them sound wide.

**Are finger snaps in this collection?**

Snaps share the clap category, so some appear here. Search for "snap" on the search page to see more of them, with the same licence verdict on every result.

## Related collections

- [Free snare samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-snare-samples.md): Free snare drum samples, from tight acoustic snares and rimshots to crunchy drum machine hits, with a playable preview and a licence verdict on each.
- [Free kick samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-kick-samples.md): Free kick drum samples for any genre, from punchy acoustic kicks to drum machine thumps, each with a preview and a verdict on commercial use.
- [Free hi-hat samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-hi-hat-samples.md): Free closed and open hi-hat samples for programming grooves, from crisp drum machine hats to acoustic cymbals, each with a preview and licence verdict.
- [Free breakbeats and drum breaks](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-breakbeats.md): Free drum breaks and breakbeat loops for jungle, drum and bass, hip hop and breaks, with tempo where known and a licence verdict, including cleared breaks.
- [Free crash cymbal samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-crash-cymbal-samples.md): Free crash cymbal one-shots, from short trashy splashes to long cinematic crashes, to mark the start of a section, each with a preview and licence verdict.
- [Free LinnDrum and Linn drum machine samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-linndrum-samples.md): Free LinnDrum and Linn LM-1 drum machine samples: the tight 1980s kicks, snares, claps, toms and percussion behind classic pop records, with licence verdicts.

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Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-clap-samples