Sound Design

The 8 types of 808s (free MIDI patterns and sounds included)

808s have become a ubiquitous and favorite sound in popular music, heard across a range of genres including trap, R&B, hip hop, and pop.

Over time, producers have developed a wide array of techniques to transform and reimagine this simple but iconic sound. In early celebration of 808 day (August 8th), we explored the eight types of 808s, spanning everything from basic sustains and glides to uncharted realms of 808 enlightenment—join us on our journey via the video above, and see the list with timestamps below.

The 8 types of 808s:

  1. Static 808
  2. Sustain conscience 808
  3. Friendly neighbor 808
  4. Chord follower 808
  5. Ghost 808
  6. Gliding 808
  7. Reverse glide 808
  8. 808 etude

Get free 808 MIDI patterns and stems

Did you enjoy the examples heard throughout the video? If so, feel free to experiment with them firsthand in your own DAW by downloading the free 808 MIDI patterns and all stems here. You can also explore thousands of 808 samples on Splice Sounds, which are each labeled by key and genre.

And for more on the historic impact of the sound, be sure to also check out our conversation with Egyptian Lover below:

The king of the TR-808: Egyptian Lover on the iconic drum machine

And there you have it! Is there a ninth level of 808s that we didn’t cover? Are there any other sounds or production topics that you want to see us explore on the Splice YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments section of the video, and join the Splice Discord to start your own conversations with other music creators.

We wish you the best of luck on your 808 journey!

Explore more zero-credit 808 sounds via Sample Magic’s TR-808 Samples pack:

Explore the sounds

August 7, 2026

Harrison Shimazu

Harrison Shimazu is a composer, content strategist, and writer who’s passionate about democratizing music creation and education. He leads the Splice blog and produces vocaloid music as Namaboku.