In this article, we will explore an often under-appreciated role in a hip-hop beats, the pads. Pads have never been a prominent feature in hip-hop, but nevertheless, when used correctly, pads can be an effective way to spice up your beats.
Whereas the drums lay the rhythmic foundation of a song, the pads lay the harmonic foundation of a song. With this role of building a song's harmonic structure, the pads have a unique ability to add emotion to a track that the drums cannot match. No matter what vibe the song is, pads can help instantly bring that to a track. For good examples of this, listen to "One Mic" by Nas and notice how the pads in the intro instantly give the track a reflective vibe. Also, listen to "I'm Not Afraid" by Eminem and hear how the pads in the intro immediately give the song a feeling of triumph. You can use pads to have the same effect on your songs.
Pads are great at filling out a track by filling in dead space. Unlike other parts which are designed to grab your attention or have lots of motion to them such as the groove and lead, the pads are a very subtle part. Because of this, pads can be incorporated into a track that already has a lot going on in it, without overwhelming the listener. With this ability, pads are an excellent choice for layering (a topic we'll discuss later) sounds. They key to incorporating pads into your track is to mix them in at low volumes in your beats. Pads are subtle sounds and generally aren't stars of the show. Oftentimes, a casual listener should not even notice it's there. Remember, pads fill up space, not dominate it.
With their ability to fill in space in a track, pads can be a great way to provide a difference in sound between verse and chorus parts. The parts of the verse can be left without pads for a more sparse sound while the chorus contains the pad sounds for a more robust and full-sounding track. When the beat changes from verse to chorus, it will have a more dynamic impact on the beat and the listener.
Now that you've learned about the pads, keep an ear out for them next time you are listening to beats and start incorporating them into your tracks. In our next article, we'll the discuss the next role, the groove.
Whereas the drums lay the rhythmic foundation of a song, the pads lay the harmonic foundation of a song. With this role of building a song's harmonic structure, the pads have a unique ability to add emotion to a track that the drums cannot match. No matter what vibe the song is, pads can help instantly bring that to a track. For good examples of this, listen to "One Mic" by Nas and notice how the pads in the intro instantly give the track a reflective vibe. Also, listen to "I'm Not Afraid" by Eminem and hear how the pads in the intro immediately give the song a feeling of triumph. You can use pads to have the same effect on your songs.
Pads are great at filling out a track by filling in dead space. Unlike other parts which are designed to grab your attention or have lots of motion to them such as the groove and lead, the pads are a very subtle part. Because of this, pads can be incorporated into a track that already has a lot going on in it, without overwhelming the listener. With this ability, pads are an excellent choice for layering (a topic we'll discuss later) sounds. They key to incorporating pads into your track is to mix them in at low volumes in your beats. Pads are subtle sounds and generally aren't stars of the show. Oftentimes, a casual listener should not even notice it's there. Remember, pads fill up space, not dominate it.
With their ability to fill in space in a track, pads can be a great way to provide a difference in sound between verse and chorus parts. The parts of the verse can be left without pads for a more sparse sound while the chorus contains the pad sounds for a more robust and full-sounding track. When the beat changes from verse to chorus, it will have a more dynamic impact on the beat and the listener.
Now that you've learned about the pads, keep an ear out for them next time you are listening to beats and start incorporating them into your tracks. In our next article, we'll the discuss the next role, the groove.
About the Author:
Frank Lubsey is one-third of the Jam Sonic music production team and currently produces beats for hip-hop acts, jingles for small businesses, and music for tv and film. Please be sure to visit his site for beatmaking articles and videos and hip-hop beats for sale.
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