# Free hi-hat samples

> 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.

33 samples from 3 sources (Strudel sample banks 14, Openverse 10, Wikimedia Commons 9), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=hi+hat&category=drums.hat&form=one-shot
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=hi+hat&category=drums.hat&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

## Closed, open and pedal hats

Hi-hats carry the rhythm between the kick and the snare, so they are the part listeners hear as groove. Closed hats give the steady eighths or sixteenths; open hats mark the offbeats in disco and house; pedal hats add a soft chick when the foot closes the cymbals.

For trap and drill, short, bright hats work best because they are often programmed in fast rolls and triplets. For lo-fi and boom bap, darker, slightly distorted hats sit better behind the drums.

## Tips

Filter the low end out of every hat to keep the mix clean, and pan them a little to one side as a real kit would. If you use an open hat, set your sampler to let the closed hat choke it. Check the licence badge before you build a whole loop around a sound.

## Samples

| Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Closed Hi Hat 2.wav](https://freesound.org/people/VEXST/sounds/26880) | `openverse:5480d684-a8b3-49f7-80b7-c497af7bf83a` | Closed hat, One-shot, 0.3 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Hi Hat Open.wav](https://freesound.org/people/thealmightysound/sounds/87726) | `openverse:5d4f37fc-4787-4254-802c-2883fe523cfd` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 1.9 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Echoed Hi-Hats](https://freesound.org/people/ani_music/sounds/165321) | `openverse:6a5aafbe-6ebf-4ce7-93c0-db2ed9e71fc2` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 0.87 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Reverse Cl Hi Hat 2.wav](https://freesound.org/people/VEXST/sounds/26890) | `openverse:c4121c51-f651-4b6a-bd44-0435d2a8f08c` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 0.28 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Hi Hat Closed.wav](https://freesound.org/people/thealmightysound/sounds/87725) | `openverse:e2f22ffe-30a6-448c-9f2a-57b7877a33a8` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 1.8 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [rake - hi hat closed and open](https://freesound.org/people/Selector/sounds/185273) | `openverse:559aefe4-5568-4477-a206-295f644118ce` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 3.0 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Closed Hi Hat 1.wav](https://freesound.org/people/VEXST/sounds/26879) | `openverse:423f2dd6-f97f-45af-a2c3-5dcdc22b135c` | Closed hat, One-shot, 0.32 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Closed Hi Hat 4.wav](https://freesound.org/people/VEXST/sounds/26882) | `openverse:e47e0cde-6c03-42dc-875e-13a6bddf745e` | Closed hat, One-shot, 0.21 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Hi-Hat Hit](https://freesound.org/people/Sajmund/sounds/132415) | `openverse:273e56dd-a9ed-4874-8ae3-3f3b7946b693` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 0.98 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Closed Hi Hat 3.wav](https://freesound.org/people/VEXST/sounds/26881) | `openverse:fa11c1e2-ccc8-40be-97d0-0ae8699816b3` | Closed hat, One-shot, 0.2 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Hi-Hat Cerrado](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hi-Hat_Cerrado.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Hi-Hat_Cerrado.ogg` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 0.23 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 0](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hatt5.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/0` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Hi-Hat Abierto](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hi-Hat_Abierto.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Hi-Hat_Abierto.ogg` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 0.74 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Hi hat closed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hi_hat_closed.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Hi_hat_closed.ogg` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 4.0 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 1](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hatt4.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/1` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Hi hat foot pedal](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hi_hat_foot_pedal.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Hi_hat_foot_pedal.ogg` | Hi-hat, One-shot, 3.5 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 2](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat%209.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/2` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 3](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hatt6.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/3` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [In the Round Hi-Hat - Touch 'N Go - United States Air Forces in Europe Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:In_the_Round_Hi-Hat_-_Touch_%27N_Go_-_United_States_Air_Forces_in_Europe_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:In_the_Round_Hi-Hat_-_Touch_'N_Go_-_United_States_Air_Forces_in_Europe_Band.mp3` | Hi-hat, 52 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 4](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat9.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/4` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Hi hat open](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hi_hat_open.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Hi_hat_open.ogg` | Hi-hat, 4.4 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 5](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat8.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/5` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Bauchamp - 128 groovy snare and hi hat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bauchamp_-_128_groovy_snare_and_hi_hat.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Bauchamp_-_128_groovy_snare_and_hi_hat.ogg` | Hi-hat, 15 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 6](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hatt7.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/6` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Rock beat hi hat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rock_beat_hi_hat.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Rock_beat_hi_hat.ogg` | Hi-hat, 9.2 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 7](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat%208.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/7` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [MIGUEL ANGEL FLORES HERRADA - NEON HI HAT](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MIGUEL_ANGEL_FLORES_HERRADA_-_NEON_HI_HAT.wav) | `wikimediacommons:MIGUEL_ANGEL_FLORES_HERRADA_-_NEON_HI_HAT.wav` | Hi-hat, 1:20 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 8](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hatt3.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/8` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 9](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hatt2.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/9` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 10](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/10` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 11](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat10.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/11` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 12](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat11.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/12` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Dough Samples · hat · 13](https://github.com/Bubobubobubobubo/Dough-Samples/blob/main/hat/hat12.wav) | `strudel:dough-samples/hat/13` | Hi-hat, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | GPL-3.0 (repository licence) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |

## Questions

**What is the difference between a closed and an open hi-hat?**

A closed hat is played with the two cymbals pressed together, giving a short tick. An open hat lets them ring, giving a longer wash. In a drum machine they usually share a choke group, so a closed hat cuts off a ringing open one.

**How do I make programmed hats sound less robotic?**

Vary the velocity of each hit, shift some hits slightly off the grid, and use two or three different closed hats in rotation. Even small changes in volume and timing make a pattern breathe.

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Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-hi-hat-samples