FLEXTRIK

Genre guide

How to make a rage beat

Rage is trap turned up: a distorted lead synth, hard 808s and energy. Here is what defines the sound and how to build a rage beat step by step.

Make a rage beat Serum presets

What is rage music?

Rage is a subgenre of trap built around aggression and energy: loud, distorted synth leads, heavy 808s and fast, shouted delivery. The style is often traced back to Playboi Carti's 2020 album Whole Lotta Red, and it grew into its own scene of producers sharing “rage beats” online.

What makes a rage beat

  • A lead synth that carries the track: bright saw or square waves, detuned, with unison, and pushed into distortion.
  • Hard 808s with glides, loud and saturated.
  • Busy hi-hats with rolls and variations, and a sharp snare or clap.
  • Simple, repetitive melodies, usually in a minor key, with pitch bends and stabs.
  • Switches: sudden changes of section, drops and silences.

How to make a rage beat

  1. Set the tempoAround 140 to 160 BPM, or half of it if you think in half-time.
  2. Program the drumsA hard kick, a snare or clap, and hi-hats with rolls. Leave room for the 808.
  3. Make the 808Tune it to the key, add glides, then distort it. See 808 samples: choose, tune, distort and mix.
  4. Build the leadIn a synth such as Serum, stack saw or square waves with unison and detune, add a filter and distortion, and play a short, catchy line.
  5. Add the chords and the extrasA simple chord stab or pad underneath, and a few risers and hits at the changes.
  6. ArrangeBuild tension, then drop. Cut everything for a beat before a drop to make it hit harder.
  7. Mix loud, stay clearClip or limit the drums, keep the 808 in mono, and carve a space for the vocal.

Sounds and tools

The SHROOMKTOBER Serum Bank ($15) has presets for Xfer Serum, SHROOMDECK VST adds Distort, Crush and Clipper controls, and the SHROOMKTOBER Multi-Kit includes 808s (77), drums, 20 FLPs and more.

SHROOMKTOBER Serum Bank

Presets for Xfer Serum: bass, leads, plucks, pads and random sounds.

$15one-time · digital files

Questions

What is rage music?

Rage is a style of trap with aggressive, distorted synth leads, hard 808s and high-energy vocals. It spread in the early 2020s and is often linked to Playboi Carti's 2020 album Whole Lotta Red.

What BPM are rage beats?

There is no rule, but many rage beats sit in the same range as trap, roughly 140 to 160 BPM or the half-time equivalent. Follow the feel.

What is the difference between trap and rage?

Trap is the wider genre. Rage is a harder, more distorted take on it, with a lead synth that carries the track.

Which synth do producers use for rage leads?

Many use Xfer Serum for saw and square waves with unison, then distort them. See Serum presets for how to install and use them.

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