How to Make a Beat in BandLab

No expensive software? With BandLab you can make a beat for free, in your browser or in the app on your phone. In this guide you build a beat with the Drum Machine, loops from BandLab Sounds and your own chords. Then you download it. Never made a beat before? Read how to make a beat: a beginner's guide first.

Step 1: start a project and set the tempo

Start a new project in BandLab's Studio. According to BandLab, that's where you set your project's tempo, key, time signature and metronome. Do that right at the start. Which tempo fits your genre? See what BPM is hip hop.

Step 2: drums in the Drum Machine

Add a track and choose Drum Machine. In the app you also find it on the Create page. According to BandLab, the Drum Machine works on the web and in the app, and you pick from more than 60 free drum kits, from hip hop to lo-fi.

When you pick a kit, BandLab says two ready-made patterns are already loaded. You can use them as they are or change them. Click or tap the boxes in the grid to make your own pattern. With the letters A to H you make up to eight patterns, for example one for your verse and one for your hook.

• Trap: put the snare on beat 3 of every bar. That makes it feel half-time, even with a tempo around 140 BPM.
• Boom bap: put the snare on beats 2 and 4 and pick a calmer tempo.

Step 3: loops from BandLab Sounds

Want to start faster? Use loops. On the web, choose BandLab Sounds in your project. You'll see the Loop Pack library and you just drag a loop into the Studio. In the app, create a Voice/Audio track, tap in the track area and choose the icon to add a loop.

The app also has the Looper. According to BandLab, it lets you trigger loops from a Loop Pack by tapping colored boxes. It has effects too, like Filter, Gater, Stutter and Tape Stop. Handy for trying out ideas quickly.

Want to sell your beat? According to BandLab, you can use BandLab Sounds royalty-free in your own music, commercially too, as long as the sounds are part of a larger composition. Reselling or redistributing the sounds on their own isn't allowed. So build something of your own around a loop.

Step 4: chords or a melody

For a melody, choose an Instruments track. According to BandLab, it lets you play virtual instruments with your keyboard or a MIDI controller. With the Sampler you make your own 16-pad kit.

No idea which chords to use? With the free chord progression generator you pick a mood and download the MIDI. Bring it into your BandLab project with Import Audio/MIDI. Also read which chords go together.

Step 5: a bass or 808

Add a second Instruments track for your bass. Mainly play the root notes of your chords. New to 808s? Read what an 808 is first. Kick and 808 clashing? Read how to mix 808 and kick.

Got your own drums or 808s? With Import Audio/MIDI you bring audio files from your computer into your project. NAME The Trap Oneshot Pack Vol. 1 includes 26 808s, among other sounds, royalty-free.

Step 6: from loop to beat

A loop of a few bars isn't a beat yet. Copy your parts and build a structure with an intro, verses and a hook. Switch between your patterns in the Drum Machine for variation. Read from loop to beat.

Step 7: download your beat

On the web, open the project menu in the top left of the Studio. Choose Project > Download > Mixdown As and then pick the format. Want all the tracks separately, for example for someone who mixes your song? Choose Download > Tracks. According to BandLab, you then pick between M4A and WAV.

To export a single track, use the three dots on that track and choose Export as Audio/MIDI. According to BandLab, exporting just a section of your project isn't supported yet.

Step 8: rap on it

Beat done? Record your voice in the same project. Read how to record rap in BandLab on your phone and autotune in BandLab.

Common mistakes

• Every bar the same. Make a few patterns and switch between them.
• Too many loops at once. Pick a few that go together and leave room for the rapper.
• Selling a loop without making it your own. BandLab Sounds have to be part of a larger composition.

Rather work in another DAW? Read which DAW to pick as a beginner. Got an iPhone? Read how to make a beat on iPhone with GarageBand. Or browse all beats right away.

FAQ

Is BandLab free?

Yes, you can use BandLab for free. There are also paid memberships, like Pro and Max, with extras.

Can I make a beat in BandLab on my phone?

Yes. According to BandLab, the Drum Machine works on the web and in the app.

Can I sell beats made with BandLab Sounds?

According to BandLab, you can use the sounds royalty-free in your own music, commercially too, as long as they're part of a larger composition. Reselling or redistributing them on their own isn't allowed.

How do I download my beat from BandLab?

On the web, through the project menu in the top left: Project > Download > Mixdown As. Then pick the format.

Source: BandLab's help center and blog.