Trap Music Theory: An In-Depth Look at the Musical Roots and Characteristics of Trap Music
Trap music is a genre that has been growing in popularity over the past few years, with many artists incorporating its unique sound and style into their own music. Chart topping songs like "Bad and Boujee" by Migos, "Bodak Yellow" by Cardi B and "Sicko Mode" by Travis Scott are some prime examples of mainstream trap songs. When it comes to electronic trap music songs like “Tony” by Loudpvck & Gladiator, “Core” by RL Grime, and Baauer's remix of “Roll Up” are some of my favorite trap bangers. If you're interested in understanding some of the music theory behind trap music, you're in the right place. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into the parts of the music theory of trap music and explore the key elements that make it unique, and more specifically the role of pentatonic and harmonic minor scales.
A Brief History of Trap Music
Trap music has its roots in Southern hip-hop and emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It takes it's early roots from songs such as “Planet Rock”, Miami Bass that traveled from Florida to Atlanta in the 1980s and early 90s. It's up for discussion on who exactly created trap music: rappers T.I. and Gucci have had very public disputes over who invented the genre. Although both Gucci Mane and T.I. are definitely pioneers of the genre, it actually seems to predate them both. Complex Mag actually identifies the inventor to be Shawty Redd. I myself am not a trap historian, but I def heard trap songs before T.I. or Gucci Mane came out.
The modern iteration of the genre is characterized by its heavy use of bass, synthesized sounds, and drum machines (especially the Roland TR-808), as well as its dark, brooding lyrics that often deal with themes of struggle, drugs and poverty. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang word "trap", a house used exclusively to sell drugs from. It was dubbed "trap" because poor black people would see drug dealers making money, but obviously most drug dealers would either die or go to jail, yet many see it as their way out of the hood, hence the term "trap". Many rappers including UGK and Gucci Mane popularized using the term as the verb "trappin" to stand in for selling drugs.
Modern trap music also incorporates elements of electronic dance music and dubstep, making it a genre that is constantly evolving and incorporating new sounds and styles. That's why it's one of my favorite genres to make.
The Role of Pentatonic and Harmonic Minor Scales in Trap Music
One of the key elements of trap music is its use of pentatonic and harmonic minor scales. Put simply a scale is an ordered sequence of notes. The pentatonic scale is a five-note scale often used in blues and rock music, while the harmonic minor scale is a seven-note scale that is commonly used in classical and jazz music. In trap these scales are used to create a sense of tension and release, with the music building and then resolving at key points (usually before the hook, or drop). This creates a dynamic and driving ebb and flow that is integral to the trap sound.
Another important element of trap music is its use of semitone changes (also known as a half step or interval changes), which are shifts in pitch that occur between two notes, i.e. going from C to C#. These small changes are used to create a sense of dissonance and tension, that helps to build the energy and excitement of the music when that tension is finally released. Semi-tone changes are often used in combination with pentatonic and harmonic minor scales to create a unique and powerful sound that is associated with trap music. The vast majority of trap music is written in a minor key to create the energy.
Here's how to create a traditional minor scale, let's use the key of G in this example:
G (root note)
A (second)
Bb (third)
C (fourth)
D (fifth)
Eb (sixth)
F (seventh)
The traditional minor scale provides the foundation for a wide range of musical styles and is a fundamental aspect of Western music theory, the vast majority of trap music is written in a minor jey.
Now to create a pentatonic minor scale in G minor, you would start with the G minor scale, remove the second and sixth notes, and then play the remaining five notes. The word pentatonic literally means "five notes"
Here are the exact notes that make up the G minor pentatonic scale:
G (root note)
Bb (third)
C (fourth)
D (fifth)
F (minor seventh)
This five note scale is most commonly associated with blues music, as the pentatonic scale has long been a staple of blues guitar playing. In the early 20th century, the pentatonic scale became a key component of blues music, and it has since been used in a wide range of other genres, including rock, jazz, and hip-hop. The five note scale is also used in many folk music styles from around the world, including African, Asian, and Native American music.
Harmonic Scales
My personal favorite of these different scales is the harmonic minor scale. The harmonic minor scale (or Aeolian ♯7 scale) has the same notes as the natural minor scale except that the seventh degree is raised by one semitone, creating an augmented second between the sixth and seventh degrees. Take the last note and raise it a semitone and BOOM, harmonic minor. This scale in my opinion has the unique ability to make a song simultaneously sound dark and complex, yet retain it's ability to feel high energy.
To create a harmonic minor scale in G minor, you would play the following notes:
G (root note)
Ab
Bb
C
D
Eb
F# (leading tone)
I find when it comes to writing trap music, deliberately limiting myself to five notes creates an interesting creative space to combine the notes into chord progressions and melodies I usually might not come up with. I often use a harmonic scale when I'm looking to make a song feel more mysterious, or brooding but still be able to make a club turn up. I also find using the pentatonic and harmonic scales often knock down any writing blocks I may have in a matter of seconds!
Understanding the music theory behind trap music can help you to appreciate the unique sound and style of this genre and how it has evolved over the years. Whether you're a fan of trap music or just interested in music theory, I hope you learned something and you enjoyed this short look at what makes trap music so 🔥