What is an 808 sound?

808s are a type of electronic percussion sample that originates from the Roland TR-808 drum machine. They're characterized by a punchy low-end subby-ness that is easily tunable to different pitches.

What does 808 mean in songs?

As such, 808 has become slang for a “beat” or “track.” The phrase “heart beating like an 808” is especially common in pop songs. Because of its prevalence in lyrics, people who aren't musicians or producers may still understand the reference to the 808 as a drum sound.

Is 808 and bass the same?

The difference between an 808 and bass is that “808,” inspired by the Roland TR-808, is used to describe the sound of the bass and kick together in the context of hip-hop music, whereas the less-specific term, “bass,” refers to any instrument whose purpose is to fill out the low-end.

Why is bass called 808?

That's a reference to the iconic Roland TR-808, a drum machine created by Ikutaro Kakehashi in 1980. Its unique dribbling bass drum sound is what artists mean when they say “turn up the 808.” The pursuit of the perfect low-frequency 808 sound is a real struggle for producers.

Is an 808 A kick or a bass?

The difference between an 808 and a kick drum is that an 808 refers to just the low-end bass sounds that emanate from the kick, but not the attack of the kick drum. In other words, an 808 is the bass – the sound and frequency – whereas the kick refers to the actual kick drum or VST.

What is an 808 Bass | Popular Music Words Explained

What bass do rappers use?

Creating and Programming 808s. Whatever it is, modern hip-hop is dominated by 808s. We use the term loosely, but 808s reference the historic long bass drum sound first made popular by Roland's TR-808 drum machine. In today's production world, it's hard to find a big hip-hop hit without an 808 or sub bass.

Does 808 count as a drum?

The TR-808 is most famous for its big, booming bass drum. The renowned 808 kick drum is a staple in hip hop, techno, trap, pop, and other modern music productions. However, mixing the 808 is challenging. Getting an 808 to cut through a mix is difficult.

Why do 808s sound so good?

“The TR-808's kick drum sound is made using a resonating trigger pulse, similar in behaviour to the way that a drum head vibrates when hit. When a drum head is hit multiple times in succession, even using the same force, the way the sound resonates will change depending on the state of vibration from the drum head.

Is an 808 A sub bass?

Listen to the radio today and you'll hear booming 808 bass on tracks by the likes of Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Travis Scott and Future. The fat sub bass sounds we now associate the 808 with are a world away from its original use as a programmable replacement for a live drummer.

What instrument is an 808?

The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, commonly known as the 808, is a drum machine manufactured by the Roland Corporation between 1980 and 1983. It was one of the first drum machines to allow users to program rhythms instead of using preset patterns.

What are 808s in hip hop?

808s are a type of electronic percussion sample that originates from the Roland TR-808 drum machine. They're characterized by a punchy low-end subby-ness that is easily tunable to different pitches.

Does 808 replace the kick?

Like if you use 808 as a substitute for the word kick drum. If you wanted a boom bap sound, you'll never find the "808" that gives you that. You can find the kick drum that gives you that, but the 808 kick drum that gives you that literally doesn't exist. Bass is just a frequency range.

Is a kick a bass?

Kick drums are also known as bass drums—but they're distinct from the type of bass drums used in classical music ensembles. Orchestral bass drums tend to be far larger than drum kit bass drums.

Did Kanye make 808s popular?

Closely tied with this idea of vulnerability, West revolutionized the structure of rap songs with “808s & Heartbreak.” As opposed to spitting over a beat for the entirety of a song, West added more melodic, singing elements.

What frequency is an 808 kick?

Ideally, the fundamental frequency of your 808 should lie somewhere between 30Hz and 60Hz . You might have a bassline and kick in your mix too, which also occupy that frequency range. If that's the case, you'll need to perform some puzzle-piece EQing to gel everything together.

Why do people use 808s?

Initially, producers focused on the 808 as a source of percussion. But by tuning the drum sound to full decay, Rick Rubin discovered that the 808 could be used to create bass lines. This technique was taken to new levels by the rap group Original Concept, and then by Miami Bass producers.

Who used 808s first?

His name was Afrika Bambaataa, and his 1982 masterstroke “Planet Rock” is widely believed to be the first hip-hop single to utilize the 808.

Should 808 be on a drum bus?

If you're talking about the 808 Sub, then no, I don't send it to the main drum bus. There's way too much energy with any sub bass and you'll never be able to get it loud enough before it destroys all the processing on your drum bus and takes up all of the headroom of that entire channel.

Does every beat need bass?

Depending on the type of music a track doesn't need to have bass or treble. There is some music which is just nothing but bass and vice versa. Do you mean weak like "When Doves Cry" ? - no bassline there. sold a lot.

Does rap use bass guitar?

You should also be aware that actual bass guitar is prevalent in hip-hop, whether in samples, or as part of the song. A lot of West Coast hip-hop, especially Snoop Dogg, has awesome, awesome bass playing. 92% of teenagers have moved to rap, put this in your sig if you're in the 8% that still listens to real music.