These are the most common EDM instruments and sounds from across the decades! Sound selection and sound design is one of the key parts of electronic music production – and knowing some great sounds to use in your own electronic music will save you years of guesswork.
I’ve put together a list of the most common EDM instruments and sounds from the last 40 years – that are still used in modern tracks today – that you can use in your own music.
I’ve also included examples of existing music where these sounds are used, so you can hear them in context.
Of course, these aren’t the only sounds used in EDM production, but they are a solid base from which to build – and you’ll be surprised how many tracks use these EDM sounds. You’ll hear them in House, Hip Hop, Dubstep, Trance, Pop, Techno – and pretty much every other genre that uses any electronic sounds.
Many sounds you hear in modern electronic music will be either the original versions of these, or maybe variations with extra processing –or layered with other sounds. With regards to the synths – maybe some of the parameters will be tweaked or the waveforms switched around.
When you learn and know these, you can’t “un-know” them – and you’ll start hearing them in music EVERYWHERE.
As far as I can tell – these are the core sounds. If there are any I’ve forgotten or missed, let me know in the comments and I’ll add them!
DRUMS
Drums are the back-bone of any electronic dance music track – regardless of genre. House, Techno, Drum & Bass, Trance, Pop – they are all based on a strong rhythm section.
But where to start when it comes to finding drum sounds? There are literally millions of samples available, and it can be overwhelming as to which ones to use and in which genre.
Thankfully, there are some core drum sounds that work in pretty much any situation, and – although they might sometimes be layered (or a derivative of the original sound) – these are what I’ve identified as the most used drum sounds from the past 40 years of electronic music production.
Get these in your sample collection and you’ll always have some solid drums with which to start your new track:
Roland TR 909 Kick (a staple in almost every house music track since the dawn of time. Still used in Tech House a lot)
Roland TR 808 Kick (Hip hop powerhouse)
Linn Drum Kick (For more of an 80’s Italo Disco vibe)
Modern Kick
Hardstyle Kick
Hall Kick
909 Cymbal Crash (a staple in almost every house music track since the dawn of time)
909 Clap (a staple in almost every house music track since the dawn of time)
808 Clap
Linn Drum Clap
909 Snare
808 Snare
Shaker / Cabasa
707 Ride
909 Ride
707 Rimshot
808 Rimshot
909 Rimshot
909 Closed Hat
909 Open Hat (a staple in almost every house music track since the dawn of time)
808 Closed Hat
808 Open Hat
Clave
909 Drums Examples:
MK – 17
Rodrigo Serna – Hands Together (One of our Music Production Accelerator students)
Belfast – Orbital
BREAKBEATS
Amen Break (the most sampled loop in history)
Examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v89CjsSOJ_c
Funky Drummer
Examples:
https://www.whosampled.com/James-Brown/Funky-Drummer/sampled/?cp=3&ob=1
10 of the most sampled breakbeats of all time
EDM Instruments – BASS
Korg M1 Organ Bass
Examples:
Robin S – Show me Love
Katy Perry – Swish Swish ft. Nicky Minaj
How to get it:
Saw Pluck Bass (“Lately Bass”)
Examples:
Haddaway – What is Love
Whigfield – Saturday Night
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On
Minimoog (Not so common nowadays, but still cool for a 70’s vibe!)
Examples:
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Todd Terje – Inspector Norse
How to get it:
FM House Bass
Example:
Disclosure – When a Fire Starts to Burn
Duke Dumont – Won’t Look Back (Main Bass)
Slap House Bass
Examples:
Dynoro – In My Mind
Zizzo World – Roller Coaster
Reese Bass (pretty much any sustained, rich, chorussed bass)
Examples:
The original (from where it gets its name!): Reese – Just Want Another Chance
Duke Dumont – Won’t Look Back (Pre-Chorus Bass)
Wub Bass / Wobble Bass
Examples:
Benga & Coki – Night
Yoi Bass
(The Dubstep / Brostep / Drum ’n’ Bass sound that sounds like a regurgitating computer!)
Example:
ATC – All Around The World ( S∆V∆GE Remix)
Hard House Donk (Can also be used in slower house genres)
Examples:
Hard House mix:
Roland TB 303
(Arguably the daddy of EDM sounds since the 1980’s! Soft-synth versions still used today)
Examples:
Josh Wink – Higher State of Consciousness
Fatboy Slim – Everybody Needs a 303
The Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up
KEYS & SYNTHS
Korg M1 Piano
You’ll recognise this from just about every dance track with a piano in the last 30 years!
Examples:
MK – 17
The Prodigy – Your Love
SecondCity – All I want
Korg M1 Organ
Examples:
Crystal Waters – Gypsy Woman
Techno Stab
Examples:
Inner City – Good Life
Disclosure – When a Fire Starts to Burn
Saw Pluck
Examples:
Deamau5 – Faxing Berlin
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On
Adam K & Soha – Who Cares
Supersaw (often layered with other sounds, but creates huge, epic leads and chord stabs)
Examples:
Swedish House Mafia – Don’t You Worry Child
Avicii – Wake Me Up
Pad
Examples:
ARTBAT – Horizon
Pizzicato Pluck (the sound of 90’s dance)
Examples:
Faithless – Insomnia
Brainbug – Nightmare
Sustained String Ensemble (Used as a pad)
Examples:
Camelphat, Cristoph – Breathe
Rave Hoover
Examples:
Human Resource – Dominator
Rihanna – Phresh Out the Runway
FX
White Noise Sweep
Riser
Downlifter
VOCAL PROCESSING
Formant Shift
Examples:
Vocoder
Examples:
Mylo – Drop the Pressure
Autotune
Examples:
Daft Punk – One More Time
Talk Box
Examples:
Chromeo – Juice
–
Are there any good examples I’ve missed of any of these sounds (or indeed any sounds I’ve missed!) do please let me know in the comments and I’ll add them to the list. The more, the merrier! Also, should I build this out to include common effects? 😀
If you want to know exactly how to create all of these sounds – and use them to create professional level electronic music, check out my Music Production Accelerator.
