Trap · drill · beats from scratch
Trap plug-ins.
From the first hi-hat to the master.
A trap beat needs drums, an 808, a melody and a few effects for transitions. The rest is mixing. Here's a kit for every stage.
What a beat needs
Drums — kick, snare or clap, hi-hats with rolls. 808 — in key, with punch and slides. Melody — a synth, keys or a sample, usually minor. Effects — reverse reverb, stutter, tape stop and risers before the drop. Then mixing: clipper, transients, width and a limiter.
Trap vs drill
Trap usually runs at 130–160 BPM with a half-time feel and long 808s on the root. Drill sits around 140–145 BPM with syncopated snares, triplet hats, sliding 808s and darker melodies, often Phrygian or harmonic minor. The same plug-ins cover both — the difference is in patterns and tuning. See Mixing a trap beat from scratch.
Watch out for
More plug-ins don't make a better beat. Tweak presets so your beat doesn't sound like a hundred others, keep melody, sample and 808 in one key, and check everything on a phone.
The DarkPlugins trap kit
All plug-ins
DrumSpark169 złSynthesised drums: Trap, Drill, Boom Bap, 909 and Lo-Fi kits, eight voices and a mixer.Instruments
808 Crusher129 zł808 with slides, punch and distortion — one plug-in for the whole low end.Instruments
Wave220 złWavetable synth for leads, plucks and pads — two unison oscillators and an effects rack.Instruments
ChordPilot99 złOne finger, full chords: Trap Minor, Drill, R&B and Dark progressions.Utilities
MelodyForge99 złMelody generator in your DAW's key and tempo, with triplet rolls for trap and drill.Utilities
Swell79 złTempo-synced reverse reverb — melodies and vocals that suck you into the drop.Reverb & delay
RiserMachine99 złRisers before the drop: one note, and the build lands on the bar by itself.Instruments
Clip79 złClipper for 808s, drums and the master — louder without compression.EQ & dynamics
Tune249 złVocal tuning — from natural correction to the hard trap effect.Vocals
InstrumentsDrumSpark
169 złSynthesised drums: Trap, Drill, Boom Bap, 909 and Lo-Fi kits, eight voices and a mixer.
Instruments808 Crusher
129 zł808 with slides, punch and distortion — one plug-in for the whole low end.
InstrumentsWave
220 złWavetable synth for leads, plucks and pads — two unison oscillators and an effects rack.
UtilitiesChordPilot
99 złOne finger, full chords: Trap Minor, Drill, R&B and Dark progressions.
UtilitiesMelodyForge
99 złMelody generator in your DAW's key and tempo, with triplet rolls for trap and drill.
Reverb & delaySwell
79 złTempo-synced reverse reverb — melodies and vocals that suck you into the drop.
InstrumentsRiserMachine
99 złRisers before the drop: one note, and the build lands on the bar by itself.
EQ & dynamicsClip
79 złClipper for 808s, drums and the master — louder without compression.
VocalsTune
249 złVocal tuning — from natural correction to the hard trap effect.
All in One
Every plug-in free for 14 days.
Full versions, no card needed. Once per account and per computer.
Questions
Which plug-ins do I need for trap?
A melody instrument, an 808 generator or sample, drums, an EQ, a clipper and a reverb. Add pitch correction for vocals. Everything else comes when you know what's missing.
Are drill plug-ins different from trap plug-ins?
No — the patterns and settings are. In drill the 808 slides more, hats play triplets and melodies are darker. DrumSpark has a dedicated Drill kit and ChordPilot a Drill style.
Buy plug-ins or subscribe?
If you need two or three plug-ins, buy them for good. If you make whole beats from scratch, a subscription usually pays off — Prod Pack for instruments or All in One for everything. Compare on the Pricing page.
Can I make a beat with free plug-ins only?
Yes, it just usually takes longer to get a competitive sound. Make sure they're legit — see what to watch for with free VST plug-ins.
Related guides
All guides- MixingMixing a trap beat from scratchFrom gain staging to the master bus: kick and 808, snare, hi-hats, melody and space in a trap beat — with frequencies, levels and common mistakes.2 min read
- 808 & bassHow to make an 808 you can hear on a phonePhone speakers stop around 200 Hz. Tuning, punch, saturation and harmonics make an 808 cut through without a subwoofer.2 min read
- TheoryHow to match the key of a sample and a melodyChecking a sample's key, when not to trust the detector, how far you can transpose and how to keep the 808 and the melody in key.2 min read