Continue with some other tips to start making type beats…
2. Learn how the rhythm and tempo work
Many genres are defined by particular rhythmic patterns and tempos, trap music included.
You will never capture the same feel and vibe in case your track is too fast and uses the wrong pattern.
Utilize your DAW or an online BPM analyzer to find the tempo of the beat you are trying to emulate.
Then get familiar with the rhythms they’re known for utilizing.
For instance, does the rapper gravitate towards half tempo R&B style jams, or should you go with faster trap hi-hats?
3. Get familiar with classic sounds
There are some basic sounds that lots of beats have in common. I’m talking about staples like the 808 drums and bass.
Sure you can utilize the 808s that came stock in your DAW, however, think about putting some time into tweaking them to get the sound you want.
Most producers (including the ones you may be creating a type beat for) use lots of sound design techniques to get fascinating, punchy, and booming 808s.
If spending hours playing with 808 kicks does not appeal to you, there many producer-built 808 samples online which are sure to get the speaker punishing sound you want.
Speaking of samples…
3. ID the sample
A well-placed sample could give a beat an entirely new character.
To make an authentic type beat you might need to find a cool sample on your track.
Just keep in mind that any sample you used has to be cleared.
Fortunately, you could find cleared and royalty-free sample packs online that were curated by some of the best producers in the game.
All you need to do is find a sick cleared sample made by a pro producer and turn it into something that fits your type beat.
Listen to the type of samples used in the beat you are trying to reproduce and seek for similar artists, producers, or sounds.
4. Figure out any synth tricks
Programming synths is hard, however, there are particular kinds of patches that pop up usually in certain genres.
Lots of producers gravitate towards software synths like Massive and FM8 from Native Instruments.
Try to find a video of your favorite producer working in the studio and observe what synths they utilize.
When you cannot afford the gear they use, try to find a synth VST clone that gets you as close as possible to your producer of choice.
It’s superb what you could do with a DAW, some plugins, and an affordable MIDI keyboard.
5. Use the same effects
Signature effects could do a lot to determine the mood as well. Listen hard for any distinctive effects—particularly on the vocals or samples—and ensure to include them.
Listen to whether the type beat should utilize slowed or sped up vocal samples, autotune on the verses, or chopped and screwed samples.
There are many effects that beatmakers use so keep your ears open, and get in touch with how different audio effects work.
6. Learn the kinds of chords and chord progressions used
The chord progression provides a track with lots of its identity. Knowing the types of chords and progressions utilized in a beat provides you with the raw materials to make similar patterns.
Here’s a hot tip, most big trap tracks are written in minor keys. Chances are the producer you are inspired by uses minor themes too.
So, think about getting in touch with your minor scales and chords.
There’s nothing like an emotional and sad chord progression to provide your track with a real vibe.
From there you will have to do your best to capture the particular feel and mood of the beat with trial and error.
However, the more you practice, the better you will get.
Stereo types
Beatmaking is fun, particularly because you get to put your name on the track and say I made that!
Sometimes, you want your tracks to find their place within a musical genre and that means getting inspired by the greats.
Making type beats is particularly interesting because there’s the added excitement of potentially getting noticed by your favorite rapper or producer.
However, don’t worry too much about the economy of making type beats for other artists.
Just exercising your personal creativity and trying to creating something cool is always so satisfying, it’s the reason why you do that in the first place!