1.3 Sample Based Instrumental

An instrumental is a song without vocals that a rapper or singer could use later. A good instrumental has three elements: STRUCTURE, DETAIL, and SOMETHING CATCHY.

Terms
Structure: The layout or form of the song. Each section has a different level of energy
Detail: Subtraction, crashes, risers, falling sounds, and ear candy that give a track life.
Something Catchy: A melody, bass line, or sample that makes the instrumental sound like a hit.

1 | Choose A Main Sample

Listen to music that you like and pay attention to the instrumental. Find a long and short songstarter sample that do not contain drum or bass sounds. Make sure work together by layering them.

2 | Add Drum Kit

Find a kit that has a kick and snare sound that you like. Write a halftime pattern by making sure the snare is only on beat 3.

3 | Halftime Kick/Snare

Find a snare sound that you like by searching for SNARE ONE SHOT. Place two snares on beats 1 and 3.

4 | Hihat W/ Pitch Variation

Adjust the grid size to 16th note subdivision.

5 | Rework Sample

Find a kick one sound that you like by searching for KICK ONE SHOT. Place a kick on beat 1 and 2-5 other places in the measure.

6 | Add An 808

Find a closed hihat sound that you like by searching for HAT ONE SHOT. Place hihats in the measure to add more energy.

7 | Ear Candy

Adjust the volumes of each drum instrument to balance the levels of the drums.

8 | Structure Intro/Verse

Make small changes every four and eight bars to add variation to your track.

9 | Structure Chorus

Merge each track to create a loop. This will make it easier to arrange drum patterns later.

10 | Arrange 2nd Half

Merge each track to create a loop. This will make it easier to arrange drum patterns later.