What Is an 808? How the Bass in Trap and Drill Works

Everyone in trap and drill talks about "the 808". But what is it actually? A drum machine, a kick, a bass? Pretty much all three. Here's where the name comes from and how to use an 808 properly in your beat.

The name comes from a drum machine

808 comes from the Roland TR-808, a drum machine Roland released in 1980. It made its sounds with analog synthesis, so not with samples. According to Wikipedia, production stopped in 1983, after about 12,000 units.

Hip hop picked it up fast. "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force from 1982 is one of the best-known early songs with the TR-808.

From kick to bass

The TR-808's bass drum had a decay knob. With it you could let the sound ring out longer, with a deep tone. Producers turned up that decay and tuned the bass drum to different pitches. Suddenly the kick became a bassline.

When someone says "808" today, that's usually exactly what they mean: a long, deep bass with a short hit at the start, played as a bassline. In trap and drill it's the foundation of the low end.

How to use an 808 in your beat

1. Load an 808 sample into a sampler in your DAW. In FL Studio you can use the Sampler, for example.
2. Find the key of your beat. Use Beat Lab, for example, or read how to find the key of a song.
3. Play the root notes of your chords. That keeps your 808 in tune with the rest of the beat.
4. Check that your sample is tuned. Does your 808 sound slightly off, even though you're playing the right notes? Then the pitch of the sample itself is off. Tune the sample until it fits. Read how to tune an 808 in FL Studio.

If you play an 808 much higher or lower than its own pitch, many samplers also change its length and character. So try to stay in a reasonable range around the original pitch.

808 and kick together

An 808 and a kick both live in the low end. If they hit at exactly the same time, your low end can get muddy. Read how to mix 808 and kick for fixes.

Gliding 808s

In drill you often hear 808s that glide from one note to another. In FL Studio you make those with slide notes. Here's how in how to make a drill beat in FL Studio.

Audible on a phone

An 808 sits so low that you sometimes barely hear it on small speakers. That's why a lot of producers give their 808 some distortion or saturation. It adds higher harmonics, so you hear the 808 better on a phone too. Always check your beat on your phone or earbuds as well.

808s to start with

NAME The Trap Oneshot Pack Vol. 1 includes 26 808s, 20 kicks and 22 closed hats, among other sounds, all royalty-free. Building a trap beat yourself? Read how to make a trap beat in FL Studio. Rather start rapping? Browse all beats.

FAQ

What does 808 stand for?

The Roland TR-808, a drum machine from 1980. Its bass drum became the basis of the 808 bass.

Is an 808 a kick or a bass?

Both. It started as the bass drum of the TR-808. With a long decay and different pitches, it became a bass.

Why does my 808 sound out of tune?

You're playing notes that aren't in the key of your beat, or the sample itself isn't tuned right. Check both.

Source: Wikipedia on the Roland TR-808.