Mix character
A trap subgenre that emerged around 2020 (Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd, Yeat, Ken Carson; producers such as F1lthy and the Working on Dying collective): distorted, very wide synth leads (saturated supersaws inspired by trance and EDM), distorted 808s, trap drums, aggressive and often distorted vocals, concert energy. Tempo 140–165 BPM. The mix is deliberately saturated and loud, but the sub and the vocal must stay readable.
Typical balance
| Element | Level relative to the mix |
|---|---|
| Synth lead | −5/−7 LU |
| Distorted 808 | −5/−7 LU |
| Vocal | −5/−7 LU |
| Kick | −8/−10 LU |
| Clap/snare | −9/−11 LU |
| Hi-hat | −12/−15 LU |
The synth lead competes with the vocal for the main role: the vocal wins in the sung moments thanks to ducking.
EQ
- Lead: HP 200–300 Hz, cut 300–500 Hz (unison mud), resonance suppressor at 2–6 kHz, air.
- 808: mono fundamental 40–70 Hz, distortion with harmonics up to 2 kHz; the sub is often sacrificed in favor of the harmonics.
- Vocal: HP 100–150 Hz, presence 3–6 kHz; distortion or saturation as an aesthetic choice.
- Drums: short kick, dry clap.
Dynamics
- Clipper on the 808, drum bus and master.
- Lead: OTT, heavy saturation, clipper.
- Vocal: compression 8–12 dB, saturation, sometimes parallel distortion.
- Dynamic EQ on the lead bus, sidechained from the vocal (−2/−4 dB at 2–5 kHz).
Space
- Very wide leads (unison, imager above 500 Hz), with long reverbs and delays.
- Center with 808, kick, vocal.
- Vocal with prominent reverbs and delays; screamed ad-libs at the sides.
Layering
- Lead: 2–3 layers of saturated supersaws in different octaves.
- 808: clean layer underneath + distorted layer above 200 Hz.
Reference loudness
Master −7/−5 LUFS, true peak −1 dBTP. Heavy distortion can get worse after lossy encoding: leave true-peak headroom.
Reference tracks
Trippie Redd ft. Playboi Carti "Miss the Rage", Playboi Carti "Stop Breathing", Playboi Carti "Sky", Yeat "Get Busy", Ken Carson "ss".
Common mistakes
- Stereo leads with full low end: mud and instability.
- Vocal buried by the leads in the choruses.
- Distortion without oversampling: metallic aliasing in the highs.
- Sub missing entirely: the track loses weight on large sound systems.
Starting settings
| Parameter | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Clipper | On 808, drum bus and master | The genre's density. |
| Lead | HP 200–300 Hz, imager above 500 Hz | Wide and clean in the low end. |
| Lead ducking | −2/−4 dB at 2–5 kHz from the vocal | Readable vocal. |
| Oversampling | 4×–8× on distortions | Clean highs. |
| Master loudness | −7/−5 LUFS | The genre's level. |
| True peak | −1 dBTP | Headroom for encoding. |
Frequencies to watch
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| 40–70 Hz | Mono 808 fundamental, even if distorted. |
| 300–500 Hz | Unison mud of the leads: wide cuts. |
| 2–6 kHz | Lead harshness and vocal presence: suppressor and ducking. |
| Above 8 kHz | Air of the wide leads; aliasing control. |
Example chain
| Step | Tool | Settings | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | Synth → saturation → OTT → suppressor → imager | HP 200–300 Hz | Wall of synths. |
| 808 | Saturation → distortion → clipper → sidechain | Mono below 150 Hz | Aggressive bass. |
| Vocal | Compression → saturation → reverb/delay | 8–12 dB | Energy. |
| Lead bus | Dynamic EQ sidechained from the vocal | −2/−4 dB | Room for the vocal. |
| Master | Clipper → limiter | −7/−5 LUFS | Loudness. |
How to check the result
- Master crest factor 4–7 dB.
- Sub and Bass bands Side/Mid at −20 dB or lower.
- Presence and Air bands with Side/Mid between −6 and −1 dB (wide leads).
- High-mid band without narrow peaks beyond 6 dB.
- Ultra-high band without excess aliasing.