Level 2: Drum Star

Official Raspberry Pi Project

This lesson is based on the official Raspberry Pi Foundation project. Open it alongside this guide to access the starter project, step-by-step instructions and community remixes.

How to use it: Click the link above, then click See Inside on the Scratch project to explore the finished version. Use Remix to get your own copy to edit.

What You Will Build

Build a digital drum set where keys and clicks trigger drum sounds.

What You Will Learn

By the end of this project you will be able to:

• Use Events blocks to start scripts and respond to clicks
• Combine Motion, Looks and Sound blocks to create behaviours
• Use variables to track game state and scores
• Apply the specific Scratch concepts introduced in Level 2

You Will Need

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a stage with a drum kit backdrop or draw one.
2. Add individual drum sprites: bass drum, snare, hi-hat, cymbal.
3. For each drum, add: when this sprite clicked → play sound [drum sound] until done.
4. Assign keyboard shortcuts: e.g. when [space] key pressed → play sound [bass].
5. Add a visual animation: change size by [10] then wait [0.1] secs then change size by [-10].
6. Create a beat recorder using a list variable to store key presses.
7. Add a Playback button that replays the recorded beat.
8. Add a tempo variable that controls a metronome click sound.
9. Add a score that tracks how many beats per 10 seconds.
10. Test with different drum sounds from the Scratch sound library.

Extension Challenges

Try these after completing the main project:

• Add a record/loop feature that plays the beat on repeat.
• Create different drum kits by switching costume sets.
• Build a simple music sequencer using a list and timed playback.

Reflection Questions

1. Which Scratch blocks did you use most in this project?
2. What would you add or change if you had more time?
3. How could you reuse the ideas from this project in a different context?

Share Your Work

When your project is complete, click Share in Scratch and post the link to your class or the Techbase community.