West Coast Hip Hop Beat Checklist

Tempo and Rhythm

Set the foundation for your West Coast beat

Set tempo between 90-100 BPM

Classic West Coast tempo range

Program a funky, syncopated drum pattern

Add swing or groove to your drums

Around 55-65% swing usually works well

Drum Sounds

Choose and process your drum samples

Select a punchy kick drum

Use a snappy, high-pitched snare

Add crisp hi-hats and cymbals

Consider layering claps with snares

Bass

Create that signature West Coast bottom end

Program a funky, melodic bassline

Use a deep, rounded bass sound

Sine waves or sampled bass guitar work well

Ensure bass is in key with your other elements

Synths and Melodic Elements

Add the iconic G-funk flavor

Use a high-pitched, whistling lead synth

Think classic Moog or modern emulations

Add warm pad chords for atmosphere

Consider adding electric piano or organ sounds

Experiment with portamento/glide on synth leads

Samples and Additional Elements

Enhance your beat with classic West Coast flavors

Add funk or soul samples if desired

Include scratch sounds or DJ effects

Consider adding vocoder or talkbox elements

Arrangement

Structure your beat for maximum impact

Create a catchy intro

Often using the main melodic element

Build a strong 8 or 16 bar loop for verses

Develop a hook section with added elements

Add breaks and drops for dynamics

Mixing and Processing

Polish your beat to perfection

EQ your kick and bass to work together

Apply compression to drums for punch

Use saturation or distortion for warmth

Add reverb and delay for space

Keep it subtle to maintain clarity

Ensure proper leveling between all elements

Final Touches

Put the finishing touches on your West Coast banger

Add subtle vinyl crackle or noise for texture

Ensure your kick and bass are bumping in mono

Leave headroom for vocals

Aim for about -6dB of headroom

Do a final mixdown, referencing classic tracks