BeatTips Tutorials: Working from 3-Bar Loop Arrangement Schemes

My Method for Building 3-Bar Loops

Although 2- and 4-Bar loops are among the most common arrangement (sequence) structures in Beatmaking, the 3-bar loop is not only just effective, it can often produce more interesting results. Still, getting the 3-bar loop to work can be difficult. A couple of weeks ago, TBC member Ace2CWB posted a question about 3-bar loops in the community (3 Bar Loops). There were some good replies. sframpt pointed out that “you can do interesting things in terms of composition with a 3 bar loop,… for example, consider creating a 2-bar rhythmic pattern against the loop (ie the clave in latin music). The rhythms will only sync up every six bars in that case. it gives the music rhythmic tension and makes it less predictable.” I also chimed in with a response, seeing how I dig working from 3-bar loop schemes.

There are many ways to go forward with a 3-bar loop. However, it depends a lot on which part of the sample (samples are not loops, we *make* them loop) that you like or need the most. If you want to keep the entire sample *as is*, then within the 3-bars, you can create a drum pattern that makes everything mesh together.

In the past, when using 3-bar loops, I’ve placed a snare on the first step of the sequence, and then arranged my kick pattern around it, usually something rather simple. Most of the time, that solved the issue. Other times, an additional “covering sample” (usually just a snippet of the same sample) at either the end of the 2nd bar or 3rd bar solved the issue for me. Usually, this would involve somehow getting a 4-bar structure, though.

But in those cases where that didn’t work, I copied the 3-bars, making them six. Now with the six bars, I deleted the last two, giving me 4 bars. I’d play the 4 bars to see what/where I was lacking something. Keep in mind, I would not delete the original 3-bar loop, because I wanted to use it as a reference. So even though I was working on just one beat, I would have three (or more) separate sequences of the same idea. This means that I would have the original 3-bar loop sequence, the 6-bar loop sequence, and the 4-bar loop sequence. For each sequence, I would construct a slightly different drum pattern, varying in complexity and syncopation.

Now, this is where mute groups (I call them “cut offs” in The BeatTips Manual) really helps. On each of the sequences, I would experiment “cutting off” different points of the sample. Often this would tell me exactly which part/moments of the sample that I really wanted and which parts I didn’t actually need. Having discovered that, it became easier to identify if I needed a 3-, 2-, 4-, 6-, or 8-bar sequence. If I still found—after all of that—that the 3-bar loop was the best, I would just make a 2-bar drum structure (lead by the snare) inside of the 3 bars, then I’d duplicate everything to give me 6 bars (a pair of 3-bar sequences). Main reason I duplicate up to 6? Because as a rhymer, I like the longer structure, because it allows me to put in a specific sound (like my infamous Hat X) on the 6th bar, which helps me with my timing, and gives sound a level of uniqueness.

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The BeatTips Manual by Sa’id.
“The most trusted name in beatmaking and hip hop/rap music education.”