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Free 808 and bass samples

An 808 is a tuned, long-decaying kick that doubles as the bassline in trap, drill and modern hip hop; a sub bass or a bass loop does the same job in house and drum and bass. These collections group free bass sounds by style and show the root key where the source or our analysis knows it, so you can drop a sample in tune without guessing.

Updated , from a live search of 41 sites.

4 collections

  • Free 808 samples

    Free 808 bass samples for trap, drill and hip hop, from clean sub booms to distorted glides, with key, length and a commercial-use verdict for each.

    13 samples from 3 sources · plays “Distorted 808.wav”

  • Free Reese bass samples

    Free Reese bass samples: detuned, phasing saw basses for drum and bass, jungle, dubstep and techno, as one-shots and loops with a licence verdict on each.

    13 samples from 1 source · plays “Reese 1 (Mono).aiff”

  • Free sub bass samples

    Free sub bass one-shots and loops: clean sine subs, rumbling drops and deep bass tones for dubstep, drum and bass, grime and house, with key and licence shown.

    28 samples from 2 sources · plays “SUB A# 2 secs.wav”

  • Free synth bass samples

    Free synth bass one-shots and loops, from acid squelches to analogue plucks and house bass stabs, with root notes where known and a licence verdict.

    13 samples from 1 source · plays “Synth/bass Short or Intro”

808, sub or bass synth

An 808 is a decaying, tuned bass drum that plays the bassline in trap, drill and modern hip hop. A sub bass is a steadier, purer low tone, close to a sine wave, that sits under dubstep, grime and house. A synth bass, from acid squelches to Reese growls, has more harmonics and character in the midrange. Many tracks combine two: a characterful bass for the ear and a clean sub for the body.

Tuning is everything

Bass is where an out-of-tune sample shows most. Find the root note of each sample, which the cards show when the source or an analysis knows it, and map it in a sampler so the keyboard plays in tune. Keep the bass in the key of your track, check it on headphones, and keep everything below about 120 Hz in mono.

Making room for the kick

Kick and bass share the same frequencies. Choose a kick and an 808 tuned to the same note or a fifth apart, shorten the kick's tail, and sidechain the bass so it ducks slightly when the kick hits. On small speakers, a little saturation on the bass adds harmonics that are audible where the fundamental isn't.

Questions

Can I use the same 808 for a whole track?
Yes. One well-tuned 808 played across different notes is the norm in trap. Change the decay or add glide between notes for variation.
Why do bass samples list a key or root note?
Because a bass sample only fits a track when it is played in tune. The root note tells your sampler which key on the keyboard plays the sample unchanged.
Are free 808 packs safe to release with?
Many are, if the person who made them licensed them for commercial use. The verdict on each sample shows whether it is cleared, and whether a credit is required.

Search 808s and bass live

Each link runs a fresh search of every source for one kind of sound. Results play in the page, show their tempo, key and length where known, and carry a licence verdict; turn on Commercial-safe to keep only sounds you can release.

Also known as: 808, 808s, 808 samples, bass samples, sub bass.

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