Marianne Martinez
Panning is an underrated technique in trap music production, which involves moving a sound source between the left and right stereo speakers. Trap music is a popular rap subgenre that originated as an underground hip-hop style in the southern US. With artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj and Bad Bunny adopting the style, trap has become the dominant form of hip-hop worldwide. Producers and artists use panning to create a stereo image and make their tracks more distinct and dynamic. While there are no hard and fast rules for panning in trap music, some guidelines include keeping the kick and snare dead-centered, while panning hi-hats, percussion and other elements to taste.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tempo | 120-200 BPM |
| Drums | Half-time drum pattern |
| Bass | Deep 808 bass |
| Hi-hats | Rolls, panned left or right |
| Snares | Centered, or panned slightly |
| Claps | Centered, or panned slightly |
| Kicks | Centered |
| Melody | Aggressive, menacing, ominous |
| Intervals | Minor 2nd, minor 3rd, tritone |
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What You'll Learn
Keep kick and snare in the centre
When creating a trap beat, the kick and snare are essential components that form the foundation of your track. These two elements are like the dynamic duo of trap music, and their placement in the centre of the mix is crucial. Keeping the kick and snare in the centre ensures they are prominent and powerful elements of the beat.
In the context of panning, which involves adjusting the distribution of sounds across the stereo field, it is recommended to keep the kick and snare dead-centred. Panning these elements hard left or right can disrupt the balance of the mix and reduce their impact. By keeping them central, you maintain a solid anchor for the rest of your instrumentation.
Additionally, the kick and snare are typically better suited for mono rather than stereo. Mono refers to a monaural audio signal, where the sound is combined into a single channel. This means the sound will play evenly across a stereo system, ensuring the kick and snare are heard clearly and distinctly in the centre of the mix.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to music production, and experimentation is encouraged, keeping the kick and snare in the centre is a common practice in trap music. This technique allows you to build the rest of your instrumentation around this solid foundation.
To further enhance the impact of the kick and snare, consider using sidechain compression. This technique involves reducing the volume of other tracks, such as the bass, when the kick or snare hits, ensuring the fundamental elements of your trap beat remain clear and powerful.
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Pan hi-hats to your liking
There are many ways to pan hi-hats depending on the desired effect and the composition of the song. One way is to pan them slightly to the left, which can help bring out the hats and create a spatial stereo field. Another option is to pan them to the right to keep the center clear for other elements. For a more creative approach, you can have the hi-hats dancing all around the stereo field, using a modulator to continuously move them from left to right.
It's important to note that there are no hard and fast rules for panning hi-hats. It's recommended to keep the kick and snare in the center, but you can experiment with panning the hi-hats anywhere between 3% and 40% to the left or right, depending on your preference. You can also try layering them with white noise or using a chorus effect to make them sit better in the mix.
Additionally, you can use multiple instances of an auto-panner for more complex patterns. For example, on 16th note hats, each hit can alternate between left and right, with a slow-moving unsynced panner adding movement in the stereo field. You can also add a third instance with no panning to play with the dynamics.
When panning hi-hats, it's crucial to consider the balance of the mix and ensure that other elements, such as the main percussion, are not overshadowed. It may be helpful to start with a narrow autopan for upfront elements and then gradually increase the pan for background hats. Ultimately, the best approach is to experiment and find the technique that works best for your particular song.
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Tempo range from 120-200 BPM
Panning is a crucial technique in creating trap beats, and the tempo range of 120-200 BPM offers a wide variety of creative possibilities.
Trap music typically falls within the tempo range of 130-170 BPM, with most tracks sitting comfortably between 140-150 BPM. This range is characteristic of the genre's energetic and dynamic sound. Within this range, you can experiment with different BPMs to find your preferred groove. For instance, you might lean towards the 100-ish BPM range for a rap-style trap or bump it up to the 140s for something akin to RL Grimes' trap remixes. If you're feeling adventurous, you could even venture into the 170s BPM territory, which is popular for trap-step style songs.
When panning your trap beat within this tempo range, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, it is generally recommended to keep the kick and snare dead-centered, as they form the powerful backbone of the beat. However, this doesn't mean you can't experiment with panning snare rolls or adding a slight pan to the upper snare frequencies.
Hi-hats are where you can really let your creativity flow. You can pan them to your liking, with some producers recommending a pan of around 20-40% to the right. You can also get creative with effects like ping-pong delay or non-extreme LFO modulation to make your hi-hats stand out.
Don't be afraid to experiment with panning the rest of your melody. You can pan certain elements left or right to create a sense of balance and spice up the beat. Just remember to keep the main part of the melody centered to maintain focus.
Ultimately, the "rules" of panning in this tempo range are flexible. As long as you keep the low-frequency content in mono to ensure a solid foundation, you can play around with panning the rest of your trap beat elements to find what sounds best to your ears. So, trust your instincts, experiment, and let your trap beats come to life!
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Use triplet flow
The "triplet flow" is a style of rapping or singing that employs a series of three notes or syllables in the same time it would normally take to play or say two. This creates a complex rhythm that ramps up the intensity of a song. While the triplet flow has been popularized by the group Migos, it was first used in the 1990s by trap rap groups like Three 6 Mafia. The style has also been used by pop singers like Ariana Grande and Charli XCX, although it is a challenging technique to master.
To understand the triplet flow, it is important to grasp the concept of a "beat". In music, a beat is the basic unit of time, typically indicated by a drum sound or other percussive instrument. Most music uses two or four beats, where each beat is divided into two or four notes. This means that each note receives an equal amount of time. For example, in a simple 4/4 time signature, there are four beats, and each beat is divided into two, resulting in eight notes total.
In contrast, the triplet flow involves using three notes within the same amount of time. This creates a unique and disorienting effect that can be challenging to perform. To achieve the triplet flow, the rapper or singer must deliver the three notes in a staggered rhythm, with each note receiving slightly less time than in a typical two-note pattern.
The triplet flow is particularly effective in trap music, which often features sparse and slow beats. By using triplet flows, artists can create a sense of intensity and complexity that contrasts with the slow pace of the beat. This juxtaposition of rhythm and tempo can be captivating to listeners and showcases the creativity and skill of the performer.
To practice the triplet flow, one can start by taking a two-syllable word and then saying a three-syllable word in the same amount of time. For example, say the word "Dolce" five times, and then say "Gabbana" five times in the same amount of time. By doing so, you will be speaking the three-syllable word in a triplet flow, emphasizing each syllable in a rapid and staccato style.
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Use minor 2nd, minor 3rd and tritone intervals
Trap beats are known for their aggressive, menacing, and ominous melodies, which are often created using the minor 2nd, minor 3rd, and tritone intervals. These intervals are essential in shaping the emotional landscape of trap music, evoking feelings of tension, uneasiness, sadness, and melancholy.
The minor 2nd interval, also known as a semitone, is the distance between two notes that are a half step apart. In the key of C, for example, the minor 2nd intervals would be the distance between D to D#, G to G#, and B to C. The minor 3rd interval, on the other hand, is the distance between notes that are three semitones or half steps apart, such as C and D#.
The tritone interval, considered the most dissonant interval, is created by combining the 6th and 2nd intervals, resulting in a distance of six semitones between two notes. For example, the interval between D and G# is a tritone. These intervals can be easily constructed using the harmonic minor scale, which is formed by raising the 7th step of the natural minor scale by a semitone.
Additionally, trap music often combines major and minor chords to create a dynamic contrast between dark and uplifting vibes. This angel-and-devil interplay adds depth and emotion to the beats, captivating the audience with its intense and atmospheric sound.
By utilizing these minor 2nd, minor 3rd, and tritone intervals, along with the harmonic minor scale, producers can effectively craft the distinctive and evocative melodies characteristic of trap music.
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Frequently asked questions
Trap beats usually have a tempo of 120bpm to 160bpm, although some sources suggest a range of 130 to 200 BPM.
Common elements include a half-time drum pattern, deep 808 bass, triplet flow, and fast hi-hat patterns, often with hat rolls.
The kick and snare should typically be kept in the centre, while hi-hats can be panned left or right to add variation. It's important to experiment and find the balance that works best for the particular song.
