How to Make Music that Sounds Hip Hop

In this post we will cover how to make music that sounds hip hop. You will learn about the different elements that make up hip hop music and how to incorporate them into your own productions.

Drums

The drums are the fundamental piece of music in hip hop. Without drums, there is no hip hop. That being said, there are a few key things to remember when making hip hop drums. First, the drums need to be hard-hitting. Second, the drums need to have a lot of swing. Third, the drums need to be syncopated. Lastly, the drums need to have a lot of texture.

Find the right 808

The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, often referred to simply as the 808, is a drum machine designed by Ikutaro Kakehashi and released by the Roland Corporation in 1980. It was one of the first drum machines to use analog synthesis to create its sound, and its distinctive sound has been used on more hit records than any other drum machine.

To get that classic hip hop sound, you need to start with the right 808. Not all 808s are created equal, and there are dozens of different models to choose from. If you’re looking for that classic hip hop sound, you’ll want to find an original Roland TR-808. These can be hard to find and are quite expensive, but they’re worth the investment if you’re serious about making hip hop music.

If you can’t find an original 808, there are plenty of modern clones and emulations that will get you close. The Analog Rytm from Elektron is a great option, and there are also plenty of software plugins that can reproduce the 808 sound. Start your search with some of these options and you’ll be on your way to making hip hop beats that sound like they came straight out of the ’80s.

Program the 808

The 808 is one of the most iconic pieces of equipment in hip hop history. Also known as the TR-808, this drum machine was first released in 1980 and quickly became a staple in the genre, appearing on countless tracks over the past four decades. Despite its simple interface, the 808 is capable of creating a wide range of sounds, from deep bass drums to sharp snare hits. In this article, we’ll show you how to program a basic hip hop beat using the 808.

First, let’s choose our drum sounds. For this beat, we’ll use a kick drum on beats 1 and 3, a snare on beats 2 and 4, and a hi-hat on the off-beats. You can experiment with different sound combinations to see what you like best.

Next, we need to program our beats into the machine. The 808 has 16 Step buttons, which we can use to input our drum patterns. We’ll start by programming a simple kick-snare-kick-snare pattern into steps 1-4. To do this, first press the button for step 1, then press the button for the kick drum sound. Repeat this process for steps 2 (snare), 3 (kick), and 4 (snare).

Now that we have our basic pattern programmed, we can add some variation by adding Hi-Hat steps in between each kick and snare step. To do this, simply press the button for the Hi-Hat sound on steps 5 and 7 (between kicks) and 9 and 11 (between snares). You can experiment with different hi-hat patterns to see what sounds best with your kick and snare pattern.

Finally, let’s add some accents to our beat by programming extra kick or snare hits on certain steps. To do this, simply press the accent button (located above the step buttons) before pressing the button for the desired sound. For example, if we wanted to add an accented kick on step 8, we would first press the accent button and then press the button for the kick sound. Experiment with different accents to add more interest to your beat.

Layer the 808

The drum machine that has come to be most associated with hip hop is the Roland TR-808. Even if you don’t have an 808, you can still make your drums sound hip hop by layering different sounds.

Start with a basic kick drum sound. If you’re using a drum machine, try various kicks until you find one that you like. If you’re using a computer program, look for a 808 kick, or try experimenting with different sampled kick drums.

Layer a second kick over the first kick. This second kick should have a different timbre than the first kick. For example, if your first kick is a 808 kick, your second could be a 909 kick, or a sampledKick 2. The idea is to create contrast and add Interest to your drums by using different sounds.

Add a snare to complete your basic hip hop drum pattern

Samples

In order to make music that sounds hip hop, you’ll need to use samples. sampling is taking a small section of an already existing piece of music and using it in your own composition. This is a key element in hip hop music, and it’s what gives the genre its characteristic sound. There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re sampling, though. First, you’ll need to make sure you have the rights to use the sample. Second, you’ll want to choose a sample that will fit well with the rest of your track. And finally, you’ll want to make sure you don’t use too much of the sample – a little goes a long way. With these guidelines in mind, let’s get started sampling!

Find the right sample

If you want your music to sound hip hop, then you need to find the right samples. You can’t just use any old sample, you need to find ones that are specifically from hip hop songs. There are a few ways to do this:

-Search for “hip hop samples” on Google. This will bring up a bunch of different websites that sell hip hop samples. You can buy them individually or in packs.
-Look for free hip hop samples online. There are a few websites that offer free samples, but they’re usually lower quality than the ones you would buy.
-Dig through your record collection. If you have any old vinyl records, there’s a good chance that you can find some good samples on them. Just make sure to clean them off before you use them!

Once you have your samples, it’s time to start making some music!

chop the sample

Chop the sample. The first and most important step to making your own hip hop beat is to chop up your sample. Find a section–or phrase–that you like and load it into your sampler. Once it’s in, zoom in and cut it up into small pieces, looping each one several times so you can hear it on its own.

layer the sample

One easy way to make your hip hop song sound more professional is by layering the samples. You can do this by creating multiple tracks in your audio editing software, and then placing the samples on different tracks. Once you have the different tracks created, you can adjust the volume of each track until it sounds right. This will give your song more depth and make it sound more like a professional recording.

Synthesizers

Synthesizers are one of the key ingredients in Hip Hop music. They can create a wide variety of sounds, from the classic 808 drum machine to more modern, complex sounds. In this article, we’ll show you how to use a synthesizer to make Hip Hop music that sounds great.

Find the right synth

When you’re looking for a synth, it’s important to find one that will fit the style of hip hop that you’re going for. If you want that classic hip hop sound, you might want to look for a synth with built in drum patterns. For a more modern sound, you might want to look for a synth with more advanced features likestep sequencing and MIDI controllers.

There are a few synths that are particularly popular among hip hop producers. The Roland TR-808 is a classic drum machine that was used on some of the earliest hip hop tracks. The Akai MPC is a popular sampler and sequencer that was used by many early hip hop producers. The Moog synthesizer is also popular among hip hop producers, especially for its signature bass sound.

Once you’ve found the right synth, it’s time to start making some music!

Program the synth

First, you need to load a sound or instrument onto one of the pads. To do this, press the “LOAD” button and select a sound from the library. You can browse by genre or using the search bar. Once you’ve selected a sound, press the “PLAY” button to hear it.

Now that you have a sound loaded, you can start programming your synth. To do this, press the “PROGRAM” button and use the knobs and pads to enter your notes. You can change the pitch of each note by turning the knob labeled “PITCH”. You can also change the length of each note by turning the knob labeled “LENGTH”.

Once you have programmed your synth, you can playback your composition by pressing the “PLAYBACK” button. You can also save your composition by pressing the “SAVE” button.

Layer the synth

If you want your music to sound modern, it’s important to layer different sounds on top of each other. In hip hop, this is especially important with the synths. You want to have at least two different sounds going at the same time, so that they complement each other and create a fuller sound. Start by choosing a main synth sound. This will be the sound that plays the melody and carries the song. Then, add a second synth sound that plays some accompaniment or fills in the spaces between the melody notes. This second synth should have a different timbre than the first, so that they don’t both sound exactly the same.