Create Trap Beats Like a Pro – This Gear is a Perfect Match
Everything Fits Together Perfectly, Inspiring Your Next Purchase
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A trap beat relies on crisp drums, deep 808 bass, and catchy, often minimalist melodies. With the right combination of hardware and software, you can create and shape these sounds to a professional level. We’ll show you a setup consisting of the FL Studio DAW, a Novation FLkey controller, and Adam Audio T8V studio monitors that works perfectly together – a perfect match.
Trap Beat Setup in Perfect Harmony: FL Studio, Novation FLkey and ADAM Audio T8V
What do you need to produce trap beats? First, you need fat 808 beats with rolling hi-hats and snares. Often, the kick drum of the TR-808 is repurposed as a tuned bass. Add melodies and hooks that stick in your head.
Since most music is created on a computer, a DAW is the heart of trap production. Although Ableton Live is now one of the most popular DAWs for electronic music, FL Studio continues to play a central role in trap production.
For years, FL Studio has been considered the premier DAW for trap music. Its built-in step sequencer lets you program intricate hi-hat rolls, robust 808 patterns, and percussive elements in just a few clicks.
The workflow is extremely fast. Samples can be loaded via drag-and-drop, patterns can be created in minutes with the sequencer, and layers can be easily combined with other elements. FL Studio offers a wide range of well-balanced effects and sound design tools. Beginners, advanced users, and professionals will also find endless tutorials for producing trap beats with FL Studio — another bonus! FL Studio is also available here at Thomann*.
A Suitable Keyboard Controller Can Help Improve Your Creative Flow – Novation FLkey
A suitable keyboard controller is the perfect link between you and your digital audio workstation (DAW). It allows you to get into a creative flow and create catchy hooks and beats with your fingers.
The FLkey series from Novation* is optimized for FL Studio and features pads, knobs, and transport functions for controlling the DAW. The larger models, the FLkey 49 and FLkey 61, even have faders that let you control the channel rack directly on the device, eliminating the need for a mouse.
The velocity-sensitive pads are ideal for playing live kicks, 808 drums, and percussion. With scale and chord modes, you can easily create harmonious melodies and chord progressions, even without in-depth music theory knowledge. For instance, using the D minor scale mode allows you to quickly find the right vibe for a hook. Four or more bars can form a solid foundation for a beat.
A controller with these features is useful for producing trap music because the genre relies on spontaneous vibes and the quick implementation of ideas.
A few suitable sounds are also helpful, of course. FL Studio offers a solid set of basic tools, and its large Signature Bundle includes additional instruments and effects.
Popular plugins include Serum and SubLab XL*, which is specifically designed for trap basses. With a few select sample packs, such as those from Loopmasters*, you’ll be well equipped to create authentic trap sounds. Remember, many famous producers are ordinary people!
Gain Deep Insight Into the Low End – ADAM Audio T8V
With FL Studio DAW and a suitable keyboard controller, such as the Novation FLkey, you have all the tools you need to produce trap beats. Now, let’s move on to another important part of the setup.
Of course, an audio interface is important. In this buying guide, you will find reasonably priced interfaces that offer all the essential production functions you need with a DAW. However, that’s not what we want to talk about right now. Instead, we want to talk about studio monitors.
When it comes to bass-heavy music, such as trap, it’s important to have a studio speaker that can deliver enough power for the low end. The ADAM Audio T8V* is a studio monitor that delivers precise sound for mixing and is well-equipped for powerful bass and sub-bass reproduction thanks to its 8-inch woofer.
At the same time, the detailed high-frequency range ensures that hi-hats and percussion sound brilliant and transparent without overpowering the mix. The wide sweet spot allows you to hear stereo width and details in the mix reliably without sitting directly in front of the monitors, which is practical for creative workflows.
If you opt for smaller monitors with a woofer smaller than seven inches, consider adding a subwoofer.
Conclusion: This Trio is the Perfect Match for Producing Trap Beats
With FL Studio as your creative hub, an FLkey keyboard controller to directly translate your ideas (with handy tools such as scale modes) and Adam Audio T8V monitor speakers to accurately reproduce bass, you have a setup that not only enables trap production, but also inspires you. Nothing stands in your way from the initial idea to the finished beat, which is why this gear is a perfect match.
More Information
- More about FL Studio
- FL Studio at Thomann*
- More about keyboard controllers
- Master Keyboards at Thomann*
- More about studio monitors
- Studio Monitors at Thomann*
- More about our series Perfect Match
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