Trap music is on fire lately, so naturally everyone wants to make it.
Elements of Trap Music:
1. Roland TR808 kicks, hats, toms and snares
Kicks are made to sustain for a long time typically to emphasize sub bass tails. 808 Toms are probably the most common element used for “fills” (maybe every 4 bars or so, depending on energy of the tune and what else in it).
Typically the snare is an 808 snare with an equalizer boost around 200hz and highpassed somewhere in the 50-120hz range (depending on the bass of course!)
You can obtain these from any 808 sample pack on the net, use an actual TR808 or Nepheton by D16 Software which emulates a TR808 in a VST (I happen to use Nepheton myself).
2. Drip effects
Sampled or synthesized water droplet sounds are very common.
3. Chants
Made popular in recent history by Crunk artists like Lil’ Jon and the Eastside Boyz. Sounds a bit like old native american chants (think of the classic Ho-Ya Ho-Ya Ho-Ya Ho-Ya war / drum circle chant used in a lot of movies). But in crunk, it’s “Hey!…Hey!…Hey!…Hey!”, or “Grr” “Uh-huh” or any other type of repetitive short vocal hit. You can cut these from rap acapellas a lot of the time.
4. Leads, other basses etc
This is the best part about trapstyle – the rest is pretty much up to you! A lot of artists will put moombahton leads hits and elements to fill the lead line, or some will play something dubsteppy to give it a melody, or even electro or swing elements go well in here. Another alternative that is fairly common is to do literally NOTHING in this place, instead putting in a raw lead vocal acapella or emphasizing variations of the standard elements of trap in the beat. It really is up to you… And I think this is what motivates a lot of artists like myself to make this type of music. You are left with a lot to your imagination as to what goes in (at this point in time, anyway!)
I attached a sample pack of loops made in Nepheton (a TR808 emulator VST). Feel free to cut out the individual drums or use the loops in your own compositions, however you see fit.
Have fun with em, I reserve no rights except to ask that if you redistribute the raw loop files let everyone know they came from angryrancor and bassadelic.com. Otherwise go ahead and use them in your own free or for sale music – you can give a mention to me and bassadelic on your tunes if you want, but it isn’t required.
Here are a few trap tunes I’ve made:
Again, in case ya missed it, here’s the free sample pack for ya!
Have fun!
-angryrancor
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I’m sorry but none of your “trap tunes” example are trap beats, save for the use of 808’s. While the tips were okay, what you make is not trap at all.
nyan https://soundcloud.com/angryrancor/angryrancor-msf3-preview-nyan
Guess we’ll have to agree to disagree homeboy.
At least I would call them “trap inspired”. But whatever man I’m not Lex Luger, just trying to give out some of my own beats and tips.
@Andrei hahah not trap? wat the fuck!! These are great mane dont be a snob, dudes taking time to help a ton of producers an this IS what most of them lookin for
thanks for the support bruv ^_^ best of luck to ya on the producin’ :) :)
i have to agree with Andrei…none of your beats are trap beats. i dont think he is being a snob, he’s just being honest. i was looking for some more info/tips for some trap inspired beats…i came upon this page, and to my dismay….the information was okay, but the examples were completely off the mark. decent beats, but deffinately no type of trap beat.
Exactly. The point of trap music is to have almost a horror type of feel. Minor chords, sometimes major ones moved up a half-step, “large” cymbals, varying speeds of high hats and pitched 808’s. His “trap tunes” sound nothing more than an amateur EDM producer attempting to mix trap and some random offshoot of dubstep.
furthermore nyannyannyannyannyannyannyannyannyannyannyannyannyan https://soundcloud.com/angryrancor/angryrancor-msf3-preview-nyan
Total crap.
The reason I say that is because the beats you hear are the real interest and quality of what makes the music. I think the fist thing that should be talked about is the precise artistry of swing and kick hits in trap music, and how they are laid out. If you’re going to label this “Guide to making Trap Beats.” that should be covered first. I’m no expert, but just sayin..
Moose, if you decide to make your own trap documentary/post, you can cover swing first. I’m sure if enough people read it, you too will attract angry comments like the one you just posted. This tutorial DOES give folks a good sense of what’s going into trap beats, IMO.
@Moose https://soundcloud.com/angryrancor/do-you-even-compress-m8
Damn, can’t post anything on the internet anymore without people checking your cred. Who needs the NSA right, Strange??
LOL, right?!