Pop Punk MIDI Pack – Skate Beats & SoCal Grooves | Loudstakk

What is your approach to Pop Punk drumming?

"Pop Punk is, at its core, a song-first genre. It's not about showing off—it's about serving the melody, the emotion, and the energy. That’s what makes it so deceptively tricky. It’s easy to fall into the trap of overplaying or underplaying, but the sweet spot—the thing that really makes a track move—is finding that perfect balance.

The best Pop Punk drumming makes you feel the chops without pulling focus from the song. It adds weight, drive, and flavor without stepping on the vocals or the riffs. That kind of restraint takes more than skill—it takes taste.

And because Pop Punk stretches across such a wide tempo range—from breakneck speed to mid-tempo anthems—it puts real pressure on the drummer to know where the drums should live in the mix. It tests not just your hands, but your judgment. How you play says a lot about how you hear the song—and that’s what makes this genre such an honest challenge."

Which drummers inspired you?

"Andy Hurley from Fall Out Boy has this incredible, commanding groove that gives the illusion he's playing faster than the song actually is. It’s all in the energy and precision—he has a way of pushing the pocket just enough to elevate the urgency without ever losing control. That kind of feel is hard to teach, and it's something I’ve always admired and tried to internalize when working on more driving parts of this genre.

Erik "Smelly" Sandin from NOFX is another major influence. His groove, especially at high tempos, is unbelievably tight. There’s a level of discipline and control in his playing that’s often overlooked. Even when the songs are flying, every hit has purpose—nothing is wasted, and it keeps the whole band sounding locked-in. That level of finesse in fast-paced punk drumming really shaped how I approached the more intense sections.

While Mike Cosgrove from Alien Ant Farm isn’t a Pop Punk drummer in the traditional sense, his feel—especially in the fills—left a big impact on how I approach groove-driven parts of this style. That band in general is full of underrated musicianship, and Cosgrove’s ability to balance complexity with catchiness made me think differently about how to add personality without disrupting the momentum of a song."

How did the idea for a MIDI Groove pack come around?

"Pop Punk has always been a song-first genre—it’s about the hooks, the energy, and the emotional punch that hits as hard as the chorus. So when I set out to create this MIDI pack, the goal wasn’t to reinvent the wheel. It was to build a collection of drum grooves that felt natural, purposeful, and stayed out of the way of the song while still pushing it forward.

A lot of other packs either felt too overplayed—trying to cram in fills or complexities that distract from the vocal—or way too underwhelming, missing the drive that gives Pop Punk its punch. I wanted something that lived in that sweet spot: tight, energetic grooves with just the right amount of detail to stay interesting, but never take over the spotlight."

Who should use MIDI Groove packs?

"These grooves were made to help you write fast, stay inspired, and skip the time-sucking process of programming drums note by note. Whether you're working on a punchy chorus, a breakdown that begs for a stage dive, or just jamming in your bedroom after a long day—these beats keep the momentum going.

They're not meant to replace your drummer—but compared to a dead-inside click track? These grooves actually feel like a band. Tight, fun, and full of that Pop Punk urgency we all grew up on."