How to Make Travis Scott Type Beats
Rodeo, Astroworld, Utopia — the psychedelic trap sound deconstructed.
The Travis Scott Aesthetic
Travis Scott's sound (produced by Mike Dean, WondaGirl, Chase B, Metro Boomin) is trap with a psychedelic twist: • Dark, atmospheric pads and reverb-drenched textures • Heavy 808s with pitch bends • Aggressive drums but with space and dynamics • Layered percussion — not just hi-hats but metallic textures, shakers, fx hits • The beat breathes — sections drop out and come back Tempo: 130-145 BPM.
Building the Atmosphere
Travis beats start with texture, not drums. Load atmospheric sounds onto pads: • Pad 1-4: Dark synth pads or samples (pitched down -3 to -7 semitones for darkness) • Pad 5: Ambient noise / texture loop (enable loop mode) • Pad 6: Reversed cymbal or riser for transitions Pitch-shifting is key to the Travis sound. Take any synth pad and pitch it down — Padwolf's semitone control turns bright sounds into dark, eerie textures instantly.
The Drum Programming
The base pattern is standard trap. What makes it Travis-style is the layering: • Add a percussion hit (rim shot or metallic sound) on offbeats • Use hi-hat rolls sparingly — ×3 on step 15 only, ramp Down • Add an open hi-hat on step 5 or 13 in a mute group with the closed hat • Less is more with rolls — Travis beats aren't as roll-heavy as Metro or Southside The drums should feel like they're sitting INSIDE the atmosphere, not on top of it.
Make Travis Scott type beatsThe 808 Treatment
Travis beats use 808s with character: • Distorted or saturated 808 samples (not clean sine waves) • Copy the 808 to multiple pads at different pitches for a 2-3 note bassline • Minor key only — E minor and C minor are the most common • Let the 808 sustain with loop mode — long tails that fill the space between hits For the pitch-slide effect, sequence two 808 pads on consecutive steps at different pitches. The rapid pitch change creates a slide-like feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Metro is precise and minimal — clean drums, tight rolls, space. Travis is atmospheric and psychedelic — layered textures, reverb, pitch effects. Metro's beats are skeletal. Travis's beats are dense and moody. Both are trap, but the vibe is completely different.
Heavy reverb on everything, pitched-down vocal samples, distorted 808s, and sparse but hard-hitting drums. The key is making the beat feel like a space you walk into, not just a pattern you listen to. Layer atmospheric sounds and let them breathe.