Learn how to create trap bass sounds in Cubase Pro 10. This article explains how to turn a sampled TR-808 kick into a bass sound, configure a Sampler Track, program a bassline with glide, and set up sidechain compression. Using only the included instruments, you can produce modern hip-hop and trap beats, building practical skills from beginner to intermediate level for professional music production.
Using only the instruments and effects included with Cubase Pro 10, we will explore modern music production techniques.
Here, we will cover creating trap bass sounds and phrases.
Pay particular attention to the sound-design techniques that make effective use of Sampler Tracks.
Creating Trap Bass Sounds and Phrases: Video Tutorial
- 1Techniques for Creating Trap Rhythms
- 2Creating Trap Bass Sounds and Phrases
- 3Tips for Creating Melodic and Atmospheric Layers
- 4Polishing Vocal Tracks with VariAudio 3
- 5An In-Depth Guide to Spatial Effects That Help Vocals Fit the Song
Download the Cubase Song Project Here!
If the sampler tracks in the project do not play:
Toggle the A/B comparison button in the sampler track, then start playback.
Selected Questions and Answers from the YouTube Video
Can I do the same thing in Live?
You can recreate it using Sampler or Simpler.
When I drop a sound onto a sampler track, I get a message saying that a serious error has occurred, and the DAW crashes. What could be causing this?
There have been reports of bugs affecting Sampler Tracks in earlier versions. Updating Cubase to the latest version may resolve the issue, so please try updating if you have not already done so.
Creating the Bass Track
We will create the bass using a Sampler Track.
Setting Up the Bass Sampler
We will use a technique common in hip-hop and trap: creating a bass sound from a kick drum.
In particular, sampling a TR-808 kick is a staple technique in urban music, producing a weighty sound with a different character from a synth bass.
First, open the Media tab and choose Loops & Samples → Soul Assembly → Trap808 A2.
Right-click the sample and select Create Sampler Track from the menu.
This creates a Sampler Track with the selected sample loaded, as shown.
Next, let's configure it.
Enable monophonic mode (M), then adjust the GLIDE knob under Pitch so that notes transition smoothly in pitch.
Enable AudioWarp so that the sample's playback speed does not change with the pitch of the note.
Finally, reduce the Amp envelope's release time so that notes do not ring out too long. That completes the setup.
Programming the Bassline
Select the drum and bass tracks to display their MIDI events together.
Place the root note of the chord at each kick hit.
This alone does not quite create the groove we want, so add movement in places with notes one octave higher.
Here, overlapping consecutive MIDI notes produces a glide effect, connecting their pitches smoothly.
Another key point is the use of the 9th and 3rd over the fourth chord, C#m, to keep the repeated phrase from becoming monotonous.
Setting Up Sidechain Compression
Once the bassline is complete, apply sidechain compression triggered by the kick as a finishing touch.
This adds a pumping movement to the bass phrase, creating a distinctive groove.
Insert Compressor on the bass track and enable its sidechain.
Cubase Pro 10 lets you select the trigger track from within Compressor itself.
This makes sidechain setup quick and easy.
Creating 808 Bass Sounds and Phrases — Music Production Seminar #2, Cubase Pro 10
In Part 2, we explain a technique often used in hip-hop and trap beats: creating bass from a kick drum sound!
🎥 YouTube: https://t.co/2SkJL9R04L
📝 Tutorial article: https://t.co/6nKr28ECUL#DTM #DAW #Composition pic.twitter.com/Fqng24rQKP
— SLEEP FREAKS (@SLEEPFREAKS_DTM) May 5, 2019
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What do I need to create trap bass in Cubase Pro 10?
The Sampler Track and Compressor effect included with Cubase Pro 10 are all you need. Select the Trap808 A2 sample from the Soul Assembly folder, create a Sampler Track, and configure its settings to get started.
Q2. What are the benefits of creating bass from a TR-808 kick?
It gives you a weighty sound with a different character from a synth bass. This staple technique in urban music produces basslines with a distinctive texture and presence, creating a character that other production methods cannot provide.
Q3. What does the glide effect do?
By overlapping consecutive MIDI notes and adjusting the GLIDE knob, you can create an expressive bassline with smooth pitch transitions. This adds a professional performance feel instead of a mechanical one, improving the groove of the entire song.
Q4. What is the purpose of sidechain compression?
Setting up sidechain compression triggered by the kick adds a pumping movement to the bass phrase. This creates a distinctive groove and the dynamic sense of impact characteristic of trap, giving the track a professional finish.
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