Beating Drum Kits: Techniques for Aggressive Sound
The 808, an electronic kick drum sample, traces its roots back to the Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, a drum machine released by the Roland Corporation in 1980. Developed under the leadership of Roland's founder Ikutaro Kakehashi and engineer Makoto Umari, the TR-808 used analog synthesis to create its distinctive drum sounds, including the deep, booming bass drum that became iconic[1].
Initially, the TR-808 was not commercially successful, but it gained popularity in the early 1980s, especially after Japanese band Yellow Magic Orchestra introduced it into popular music[2]. Over time, the TR-808’s bass drum sound became a foundational element in multiple genres, most notably hip-hop and trap music. Hip-hop producers popularized the 808's sub-bass by pitching it down to create the deep bass lines that became central to the genre’s rhythm[4].
In modern music production, the 808 remains a staple, with millions of variations created, processed, and re-sampled. The key to modern-sounding 808s lies in post-processing[3]. Compression is a great way to make an 808 punch through, but it can be overdone with a few OTTs[6]. Layering an 808 with a kick drum can help it stand out in the mix, but they should not occupy the same frequency range at the same time[7].
In Vital, under the Effects section, Distortion is activated with a Soft Clip type of distortion. The settings for the Distortion are: 0.247s RELEASE, 1.44s DECAY, 55% SUSTAIN, 0s ATTACK, 0s HOLD, and 19% PITCH AMOUNT[5]. Adding Linear Fold type of distortion can result in a harsh sound, which can be mitigated by post-filtering[8].
The length of 808s should be adjusted depending on the context to avoid overlapping with vocals or other instruments[9]. Layering an octave above the original 808 can artificially add upper harmonics to make it audible on smaller speakers[10]. Parallel processing can be used to add ungodly amounts of distortion and compression to an 808, with the exact amount controlled manually[11].
There are two options to create an 808: sampling and sound design. For those seeking alternatives to the Spinz 808, Spinnin' 808 One-Shots by BVKER provides 20 free options[2]. For those who prefer the authentic sound of the original TR-808, packs like The 808 Drums by Wave Alchemy offer samples recorded directly from the synth[3].
The TR-808 was introduced in 1980 and was one of the first drum machines to allow users to program rhythms[12]. Since then, the 808 has been a cornerstone of hip-hop for the last 30 years[5]. In the digital age, replicas like the Roland Cloud TR-808 plugin preserve the original’s tonal character while enabling new creative possibilities[3].
From Wild Trap III by Production Master to 808 Vol. 1 by Surge Sounds, there are numerous samples, loops, and one-shots available for producers seeking to incorporate the 808's signature sound into their work. Whether it's the deep, punchy low-end or the sub-frequency that is easily tunable, the 808 continues to be a versatile tool in modern music production[13].
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_TR-808 [2] https://www.musictech.net/news/history-of-the-808-drum-machine/ [3] https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-tr-808 [4] https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/03/27/521692820/the-808-story-how-a-drum-machine-changed-music [5] https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/the-808-legacy [6] https://www.ask.audio/articles/compression-tips-for-808-drums [7] https://www.ask.audio/articles/layering-kick-drums-and-808-bass-drums [8] https://www.ask.audio/articles/soft-clip-distortion-for-808-kicks [9] https://www.ask.audio/articles/adjusting-the-length-of-808-drum-samples [10] https://www.ask.audio/articles/layering-octaves-with-808-kicks [11] https://www.ask.audio/articles/parallel-processing-for-808-drums [12] https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/roland-tr-808 [13] https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/808-tricks-and-tips
- Sound design techniques play a crucial role in modern music production, especially when creating the iconic 808 bass drums, with multiple post-processing methods like distortion, compression, and filtering being applied to achieve the desired sound.
- Producers have various options to include the 808 signature sound in their work, whether through sample packs like Wild Trap III by Production Master or one-shots from packs like The 808 Drums by Wave Alchemy, or by synthesizing it themselves using virtual instruments or hardware like the original TR-808.
