How to make Trap in FL Studio

130–170 (half-time feel at 65–85) BPM · Minor keys, chromatic melodies

Dark, hard-hitting beats defined by rolling hi-hats, 808 bass, and cinematic atmospheres. Rooted in Atlanta hip-hop and now spanning multiple subgenres.

Track elements

• 808 Bass — Use an 808 sample pitched to the key of your track.
• Kick — Short, hard kick — usually on beat 1 with syncopated hits.
• Hi-Hats — Rapid triplet/sextuplet hi-hat rolls are the signature of trap.
• Snare — Sparse snare placement — often only on beat 3, or skipped entirely.
• Melody / Lead — Dark, eerie melodies — flute, bells, strings or synth plucks.
• FX & Atmosphere — Risers, whooshes, and impacts between sections.
• Structure — Intro (4–8 bars) → Verse → Hook → Verse → Hook → Bridge → Hook out.
• Vocals / Ad-libs — Trap vocals are heavily Auto-Tuned — pitch-slide into every note from a semitone below.