BUILDING BEATS WORKSHOP LEADER & MUSIC PRODUCER DJ RAY BLK WALKS US THROUGH CREATING AN R&B DRAKE TYPE BEAT, USING THE FREE BROWSER-BASED MUSIC PRODUCTION PROGRAM SOUNDTRAP. YOU CAN ACCESS SOUNDTRAP ON YOUR LAPTOPS, PHONES, AND IPADS USING THE CHROME BROWSER.

In this video, DJ RAY BLK shows us how to create a Drake type beat using Soundtrap. Drake dabbles in several genres of music but today we will be focusing on his collaborative R&B style with Canadian producer, 40.

The overall beat should be fairly simple: Not too many instruments or drums, but we still want to have the same complex textures that 40 uses with Drake when they partner up on a song. First thing we want to do is create the drum pattern.

We need a drum kit that can mimic the famous low and high toms similar to 40’s style. We can use the free drum kit in Soundtrap, Old School Drum Machine, to get that effect in our drum pattern. Once you’ve included the low tom and high tom drum patterns, you can play around with the effects.

Now that you’ve got your drums/bassline, let’s move onto creating our melody.

To achieve the same rich and robust sound that Drake loves to sing on, use Flag Pad as the synth. You might recognize the ambient feel of the chords that are used in 40’s production. Play around with the drums and pads, then listen to the beat once you’re ready to move forward.

The beat still sounds too simple; the key here is to layer on additional instruments. We can use Philicorda 1 for our organ to fill up the space with the pad. Create the same chord progression as your synth to give the beat some more body. Test out how the pad and organs sound together, and then drums.

Sounds good, right? Next, we’re going to add a bass to give it some bottom and won’t feel as hollow. Here you can use Brithop Bass as your synth-bass. This preset has deep textures and a long sustain which makes a great undertone layer for the beat.

Finally, we’re going to create our chorus. Remember, 40 likes to use real ambient synths in his chorus parts and bridges. A great lead synth preset from Soundtrap is the Punchy Dana. “It sounds real Drake-ish, little 40-ish,” according to DJ RAY BLK. Add that as part of your melody and now you have an entire Drake type beat. 

You can top off your beat by adding sound effects - something dramatic that pairs well with a somber tune - just to let the listener know when the beat is going to start.

Now that you’ve got your R&B style Drake type beat, be sure to share with us what you created on social media via @buildingbeats. Stay tuned for our other How-To videos!