Tips & Tricks

How to Make Baile Funk: A Producer’s Guide to Brazil’s Grittiest Sound

Baile Funk (or Funk Carioca) is the sound of Rio’s favelas — loud, raw, rebellious, and impossible to ignore. It’s not built on polish. It’s built on attitude. On sweat-drenched dance floors and speaker stacks turned all the way up. If you’re looking to bring that heat into your productions, you’ve landed in the right place. In this guide, we’ll break down how to make Baile Funk from scratch — from the rhythm to the bass to the vocal chops — and link you to a free sample pack that gives you the tools to start experimenting right away. 👉 Download...

Top 5 Plugins for Textured Lo-Fi Beats in 2025

This blog post highlights the top five plugins for creating textured lo-fi beats in 2025. It covers essential tools like RC-20 Retro Color, SketchCassette III, Vinyl Strip, Super VHS, and Portal, each offering unique ways to add warmth, tape saturation, vinyl crackle, pitch wobble, and granular textures to your music. Whether you're looking for classic analog vibes or experimental soundscapes, these plugins will help you achieve a rich, nostalgic lo-fi sound. The post also encourages producers to explore exclusive lo-fi sample packs at Soundsmiths.io for additional inspiration.

The Ultimate Guide to Sound Design for Korean R&B: Crafting the Ethereal and Emotional Sound of the Genre

Korean R&B captivates with its smooth, atmospheric tones and emotional depth, blending soulful melodies with lush textures. In this guide, we’ll explore the key elements of sound design for Korean R&B, including the essential instruments, rhythms, vocal treatments, and atmospheric effects that define the genre. Plus, discover how our Seoul Dreams – K R&B Melodies sample pack, created by Swoo, can help you infuse your tracks with the serene beauty and emotional resonance of Korean R&B. Dive into the world of dreamy pads, groovy basslines, and ethereal vocals to create your own captivating sound.

How to Write Catchy Melancholic Vocal Hooks

In R&B, a powerful vocal hook can transform a song into a timeless anthem. When it comes to crafting melancholic hooks, it’s all about striking that perfect balance between vulnerability and catchiness. Drawing from the emotional depth of sounds like those in our Melanchelodies sample pack, let’s explore how to create vocal hooks that resonate with listeners and elevate your tracks.

How to turn field recordings into unique Botanica inspired instruments

 

Granular synthesis combined with field recordings is a powerful method for crafting unique, nature-inspired instruments. Using a Zoom H1n, we captured sounds from a secluded area near Calapan City, Philippines, including rustling leaves, flowing water, and distant wildlife. These recordings, rich in texture and detail, were transformed into ethereal pads and percussive hits using Ableton’s granular synth and enhanced with plugins like Output Portal, Autochroma, and Arturia eFX Fragments. Layering and experimenting with these processed sounds allow for the creation of organic, botanica-inspired instruments, perfect for adding warmth and character to genres like indie electronic, ambient, or experimental music.