Trap Beats - Chord Progression and Basic Melodies

M

MMejia

New member
Hey everyone, I just wanted to ask, what are some good chords for starting a trap beat, and the typical notes used to make a melody. BTW, no need to post youtube videos, unless they are done in 2013. Posting links to Good soundpacks and Nexus expansions would be great too.
 
MMejia said:
Hey everyone, I just wanted to ask, what are some good chords for starting a trap beat, and the typical notes used to make a melody. BTW, no need to post youtube videos, unless they are done in 2013. Posting links to Good soundpacks and Nexus expansions would be great too.
Click to expand...
wtf lol all the best trap shit is 2005-2010
 
I trot this out every time someone new asks about trap:

here are some links to posts and thread and some transcriptions I've done of various trap beats in terms of their chords and scales:


specifically these posts
You might also be interested in the following posts/threads as well
I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones that I got to initially


forgot to mention that most of the justice leagues approach to trap writing seems to stem from the Theme from Shaft, particularly the end section which runs F[sup]maj7[/sup]-Em[sup]7[/sup], iotw, Isaac Hayes is the godfather of trap....



[/QUOTE]
 
bandcoach said:
originally posted over there, but posted here with layout improvements
Click to expand...
Something I posted a few weeks back over here https://www.futureproducers.com/for...ommonly-used-progression-368407/#post49128262

Each of the tunes you mention do indeed use the same progression although in different keys. There are also some variations within the different songs that make the progressions used novel in each instance.



This uses the progression E[sup]b[/sup]min[sub]/B[sup]b[/sup][/sub] - C[sup]b[/sup] major (D[sup]#[/sup]min[sub]/A[sup]#[/sup][/sub] - B major)

The first chord appears to be the home chord or chord i. So the progression is best described as i[sub]/5[/sub] - [sup]b[/sup]VI

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/jlex-01.mp3[/mp3]

jlex01.png




This uses the progression Dmin - B[sup]b[/sup] major and sometimes Dmin[sub]/A[/sub] - B[sup]b[/sup] major

The first chord appears to be the home chord or chord i. So the progression is best described as i - [sup]b[/sup]VI and i[sub]/5[/sub] - [sup]b[/sup]VI

Version 1

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/jlex-02.mp3[/mp3]

jlex02.png


Version 2

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/jlex-03.mp3[/mp3]

jlex03.png




This uses the progression Cmin - A[sup]b[/sup]major/C and Cmin/G - A[sup]b[/sup] major. the progression then modulates (changes key center) to Dmin - B[sup]b[/sup] major[sub]/D[/sub] and sometimes Dmin[sub]/A[/sub] - B[sup]b[/sup] major

In both keys, the first chord appears to be the home chord or chord i. So the progression is best described as i - [sup]b[/sup]VI[sub]/1[/sub] and i[sub]/5[/sub] - [sup]b[/sup]VI

The key difference is the rhythm used:

jlex04.png


The chord i is played for the first 3 beats and chord [sup]b[/sup]VI is played on the last two 8th notes with an accent.

Version 1

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/jlex-04.mp3[/mp3]

jlex05.png


Version 2

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/jlex-05.mp3[/mp3]

jlex06.png


Lastly here are all three progressions put into the same key

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/jlex-06.mp3[/mp3]


In each of the 12 keys, the progression would be
i or i[sub]/5[/sub][sup]b[/sup]VI
Dmin[sub]/A[/sub]B[sup]b[/sup]
Emin[sub]/B[[/sub]C
Fmin[sub]/C[/sub]D[sup]b[/sup]
Gmin/[sub]D[/sub]E[sup]b[/sup]
Amin[sub]/E[/sub]F
Bmin[sub]/F[sup]#[/sup][/sub]G
Cmin[sub]/G[/sub]A[sup]b[/sup]
C[sup]#[/sup]min[sub]/G[sup]#[/sup][/sub]A
D[sup]#[/sup]min[sub]/A[/sub][sup]#[/sup]B
F[sup]#[/sup]min[sub]/C[sup]#[/sup][/sub]D
G[sup]#[/sup]min[sub]/D[sup]#[/sup][/sub]E
B[sup]b[/sup]min[sub]/F[/sub]G[sup]b[/sup]
Oh, and if you substitute the relative minor for the second chord then it would be a fourth away, e.g.
Cminor-A[sup]b[/sup]Major (iii-I or i-[sup]b[/sup]VI)
CE[sup]b[/sup]G - A[sup]b[/sup]CE[sup]b[/sup]
becomes

Cminor-Fminor (iii-vi or i-iv)
CE[sup]b[/sup]G - FA[sup]b[/sup]C

But I still believe that it is C minor - A[sup]b[/sup]Major because of what the bass is doing
 
MMejia said:
Then post them. Lets see what you got
Click to expand...

Don't need to post anything, anoyone will know that.
Trap was best in the mid 90's not today.
HIP HOP in general wether trap or not is just not the same. They don't compare.
Where people used to sit in the studio making masterpieces, albums that played through like a movie, everything well thought out to create amazing music. Now days people don't even think about any of that, just tryna be the next youtube star.
Music today consists of too many short cuts.
 
Most producers dont know theory as deep but they play by ear. Look on youtube for Ms. Rameriez about chord progression and melodies. You will learn about the circle of 5ths and there is nothin like visuals to help you understand music theory. Its like coding, once you get the basics, the rest is fairly easy!
 
Haha tell that hater, i gotta post 5 times before i can post a link to shut his hating ass up

---------- Post added at 11:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:47 PM ----------

the game has changed music has got better as technology got better and u can do more... quit hating. .. and when i make beats there is nothing quick about it, it takes a lot of time cuz they are complex

---------- Post added at 11:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 PM ----------

true good point bro

---------- Post added at 11:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:49 PM ----------

it all depends, depends on what u wanna do music is emotional expression.. and what I do is use my beats as symbolism like if I got a hard trap beat I b like "eww I can picture riding thru the hood in the Eastside at night time creeping blasting this this is what this makes u feel like, goonin or w/e". what ever the artist wants to write about or the feel ur trying to put out depends on and matters between the different chords different chords put off different emotions and shit. some sound hapy some sound creepy.. so really you should of asked..
"What is the typical chords for Trapp Beats?" but like dude said minor chords, E Minor , Start off with B, thats a good one, and G..
 
After hearing the beat for 2 chainz ft Young Dolph "pull up" it's gotten clear to me that anything goes in trap these days.

That song honestly makes me think you don't need to know ANYTHING to score a hit. This really is one of the most off keys trap beats ever, and it's been a hit too...

Either way, if you want me to send you MIDI for any of my trap instrumentals, let me know: https://omnibeats.com/trap-beats . Here to help!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top