Trap music has gained massive popularity over the years. Also referred to as EDM trap music, this genre of music has an attitude that can be felt in the sound of the kicks, brass, snares, 808 bass samples, and hi-hats that are used in the making of a trap beat.
This music can be viewed as a combination of 1/3 hip hop with a low pitch of vocals, 1/3 dance music with hardstyle sampling and a remix of famous EDM songs, and 1/3 dub with a high emphasis on repetition and low-frequency focus.
Every trap music producer knows that they can’t create a mind-blowing trap beat without a well-packaged trap sample pack. To properly determine which trap sample every producer should have, it’s important to first understand the elements that go into making a trap beat. Let’s review them below:
1. The 808 Bass
Long bass notes in trap are commonly referred to as 808s. This is what they basically are in either audio or synthesized form. In most cases, they serve to play the root notes in your chord progression. You can add a bit of distortion to spice it up a little bit. 808’s are mostly side-chained to the kick to provide it with some more space.
2. The Kick
The kick serves as the element that gives the 808 a bang when it starts. It’s usually short and distorted. In order to get a perfect effect, it’s advisable to place it at the very beginning of each bass note and then sidechain it onto the bass.
3. The Snare And The Snare Rolls
The snare in a trap beat is known to make a hit in the middle of each bar. To achieve a unique sound, it’s highly advisable to layer different types of snares. You can additionally use claps among other sounds to boost your creativity. One very common snare that’s used is the Young Chop Snare. Snare rolls, on the other hand, are several snare hits that are placed at the near end of a bar.
4. Hi-hat Rolls
A huge number of trap beats usually contain a hi-hat hit on the 1/8 of each bar with several faster parts. The Arpeggiator works perfectly with hi-hats as it eliminates the need of you inserting the notes yourself. You can set the rate to 1/8 and have the rate knob automated to achieve a faster variation.
5. Chants
Trap beats are known to have the ‘Hey’ chants at every 1/4 of every bar. You have all the freedom to get creative with this element and experiment with the chants available by adding them to the track.
Conclusion
With this knowledge in mind, it’s easier to identify the right sample pack to use. With so many of them available online for download, it can be a bit overwhelming deciding which one to go for.
Our recommendation would be to get one that has instrumental loops like keys and guitar, MIDI and synth loops, 808 and bass loops, hats, drums, and percussion loops, vocal one-shots and chords, just to mention a few.
To make it even simpler for you, here is an ideal Trap Sample Pack that you can use.
