YG is the king of modern West Coast hip-hop. His signature sound—built alongside legendary producer DJ Mustard—is minimalist, high-energy, and deeply rooted in California ratchet music. If you want to replicate that bouncing, club-ready vibe, you need to focus on specific drum patterns, simple melodies, and a massive low end.
Here is exactly how to make a authentic YG type beat in five simple steps.
1. Set the Tempo and Swing
West Coast ratchet music relies entirely on a specific groove that makes people want to dance.
- The BPM: Set your project tempo between 95 and 105 BPM.
- The Groove: Enable a slight shuffle or swing quantization on your drum sequencer to give it a human bounce.
2. Choose the Right Sound Palette
YG beats are incredibly minimalistic. You only need a few high-quality sounds rather than layers of complex instruments.
- Drums: Pick a short, punchy electronic kick, a crisp clap, and a sharp, metallic rimshot.
- Bass: Look for a sustained, clean 808 with a slight saturation to make it pop on phone speakers.
- Melody: Use a plucky, dry sine-wave synth, a classic West Coast sawtooth lead, or a simple analog string patch.
3. Layer the Iconic “Ratchet” Drums
The drum pattern is the backbone of the entire track. It needs to feel spacious but energetic.
- Clap: Place your main clap strictly on the 2 and 4 beats.
- Hi-Hats: Keep them simple. Use a standard eighth-note pattern, but add quick triplet rolls right before the clap hits.
- The “Hey!” Vocal Chop: This is mandatory. Place the classic “Hey!” or “Yeah!” vocal chant on the off-beats (the “and” of every beat) to instantly create that DJ Mustard bounce.
4. Write a Minimalist Melody and Heavy Bassline
Do not overcomplicate your notes. YG beats leave maximum room for the rapper to deliver aggressive, rhythmic bars.
- The Melody: Write a simple 2-bar or 4-bar loop using a minor scale (like A Minor). Use a plucky synth sound and space the notes far apart.
- The 808: Your bassline should closely follow the rhythm of your kick drum. Keep the notes short, bouncy, and sub-heavy. Leave silence between the bass hits to create tension.
5. Arrange and Mix for the Club
The arrangement should keep the listener engaged without adding too many new elements.
- Arrangement: Start with just the melody and the vocal chants for the intro. Drop the full drums and 808 at the same time for a high-impact verse.
- Mixing: Turn up the kick and 808 so they dominate the mix. Use a sidechain compressor on your melody so it dips slightly every time the kick drum hits, keeping the low end completely clean.
