10 Ways to make your Dirty Beats… Dirtier!

This blog was written for primeloops.com – check them out for some ace samples and to see my blogs 2 months earlier!

Sometimes being filthy is a good thing.

It’s seen in electronic music from Dirty South to Glitch Hop.   It’s there to make people pull faces that aren’t usually seen outside of lemon taste-testing groups.   It’s like a good scary movie – horrific, but you can’t help but be engaged by it.

Here are 10 ways to make your dirty beats even dirtier.

1. Dark melodies – When writing your synth hooks, use notes one semitone apart to create a dark feel to your beat.

2. Dissonant synths – It’s common practice to detune two oscillators from each other a bit to thicken a sound – try going beyond “a bit”.

3. Deeper bass - An overwhelmingly deep bass sound can take a listener’s stomach out from underneath them.   Cut anything above about 300Hz with an EQ and watch the floor shake.

4. Distorted drums – You can’t get much dirtier than a drum sample pushed through a distortion effect.   Try this with live sounding drums for even grittier beats!

5. Disgusting harmonies – For your vocal hooks, try duplicating the vocals to another track, then taking it up a semitone.   Ouch, my ears!   …In a good way of course.

6. Distasteful samples – A quick way to make something dirty is with dirty words!   Be creative and try splicing grimey vocals into your choruses!

7. Decay and Release – Try turning down the Decay for a sharp attack sound on your lead synths and turning up the release to make the dissonant notes really stand out!

8. Deranged FX – When searching through your sample banks there are always a few which make you think “Eurgh!   I’d never use this in a song!” – Use it.   Try processing it with some phase or distortion to make it even more unusual!

9. Drastic Changes - Want to have a song REALLY feel evil?   Do a key change down a semitone.   I think Satan just called for his mummy.

10. Drop the Beat – Remember to keep your music interesting.   Take out the beat to emphasise certain hooks and when you bring it back, it’ll feel like a punch in the face.

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