Let’s talk about how to make a 21 Savage type beat using Sounds.com by Native Instruments! Making a dope beat doesn’t have to be this over complicated endeavor, especially if you put a little bit of time into the sound selection and learn just a little music theory. Making 21 Savage type beats won’t involve vast amounts of music theory but there are a few things you will need to keep in mind. When I say that, I don’t mean you have to take a masterclass on chords, inversions and triads. You do, however, need to know how to find the key of the piece you’re producing.
For the 21 savage type beat we’ll talk about making today, we can stick to the basics of what we know to be the 21 savage style. Let’s talk about what we know.
My top 5 keys to a dope 21 Savage type beat
- 21 savage seems to like slower tempos like 110 to 120 if you produce in double time.
- He also seems to gravitate towards beats with dark and ambient instruments.
- 21 also seems to like relatively simple melodies. Nothing too busy.
- Trap hats are a must! Go crazy with them.
- Hard hitting drums and 808 that seriously bang!
The melody
Most 21 Savage and many other trap beats, use simple melodies. Think of horror movies and theme music like Halloween with Michael Myers. Melodies such as that have the perfect feel for 21 Savage type beats. Use instruments with a dark creepy feel. Look up “minor chords” and use those notes. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the soundtracks of your favorite horror movies and take that information and go crazy with it.
While we’re on the subject of melodies, let’s quickly discuss counter melodies as they pertain to 21 Savage type beats. A countermelody is simply a sequence of notes played with your more prominent lead melody we discussed earlier. A countermelody, for example, would be a pluck or synth that adds texture to your piano if the piano is your main or lead melody. Don’t let the terms scare you! You got this!
The Drums
Listen to any 21 Savage beat and you can guarantee those drums will SMACK! My suggestion is to listen to a Metro Boomin beat and emulate what he’s doing. The key word is “emulate” not duplicate! The key to making it as a producer is using techniques you learn from other producers but never outright copying another producers style. For one, it’s just not cool! Secondly, there’s already a Meto Boomin so we don’t need another. I implore you to develop your own style. Yes, you can use what other “well established” producers have done to improve your beats but your unique style is what’s going to set you out in front of the ever-growing producer pack. As Sound Oracle says, be different, be dope!
Be sure to use percussion to fill out your drum patterns. It’ll be best to use less shiny percussion like sticks, rim shots, and wood hits. If you use too many high-frequency percussion such as tambourine and bells, it takes away from the dark feel we’re looking to accomplish. Be sure to give the drums and percussion some room to breathe. Don’t make it too busy.
Sounds.com and Soundoracle.net for your 21 Savage drums and samples.
Finding the correct drum and sample sounds can be a bit of a task when you start out producing. Sounds.com, a new platform by Native Instruments makes getting these accurate samples very easy. You can find everything you need right there on the site. Sounds.com hosts tons of sample packs by some of the absolute best on the market. You may also be able to find the samples needed by just signing up for the free account.
Another route to take would be to head over to Soundoracle.net and pick up the awesome Been Trappin 2 sample pack! This pack has all the essential trap style sounds like short-tailed kicks and that must have trap snare. My personal opinion would be to pick up as many Sound Oracle packs as you can. If you don’t know who Sound Oracle is, he served as head sound designer for the likes of super producer Timbaland and Polo Da Don! Sound Oracle’s work has appeared on productions for the likes of Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown and Christina Aguilera. If you’re serious about producing great-sounding tracks I think it’s in your best interests to check out Soundoracle.net ASAP!
Putting it all together and final thoughts
Ok, I know this may sound crazy but just hear me out. Gonna just get right to it. While making your 21 Savage type beats be sure to rap 21 Savage type bars using a 21 Savage cadence. As silly as it may sound, this technique will help you stay true to the beat you’re producing. As a matter of fact, you should probably rap to yourself every time you make a beat. It’ll help you make sure you leave room on the beat for the artist who will write and perform on your tracks.
Now you’re prepared to not only make 21 Savage type beats but any style beat you choose! Please remember that there are NO rules to this. Actually, with music, there are plenty of rules but there aren’t any rules as long as you follow the rules. Yeah,, that’s not confusing at all!
In closing just make beats, show them to the world, collaborate with others and above all else, have fun! Be sure to let me know of your progress. I look forward to hearing all the greatness you produce! I’m out!
Sounds.com By Native Instruments: Sounds.com
SoundOracle.Net: Soundoracle.net
Been Trappin 2 by Sound Oracle: Take Me There!
My Sound Oracle Recommendation: The Trilogy Bundle Pack Series
Be sure to check out my Sound Oracle Space Walk Melodic Loops Review Here: http://marcjmusic.com/soundoracle-space-walk-melodic-loops-review/
The Author
Email: MarcJ@MarcJMusic.com
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