Hey guys, this is an interesting topic I wanted to write about, do people still use claps or snares when it comes to modern hip-hop production? 

Being a modern music producer for over a decade and producing many hip hop instrumentals which you can check out on BeatStars, I would like to share some crucial information which I have learned from the past.

If there's anyone asking themselves on what should I use? Claps or Snare samples?

Then I have the answer for you based on being a hip hop music producer for over a decade. My simple answer is, it's all based on what style of hip hop track you are trying to produce!

Yes, it's as simple as that, to be honest at a point I used to mix claps and snares at the same time, overlapping them for dirty south style of genre beats when I was producing back in 2014, these were a big inspiration within the music industry.

But when it comes to selecting Claps or Snares, I would recommend the hip-hop music producer to ask these question listed below.

• The sub-genre of hip-hop beats which you are trying to produce, what is the usual sample within this genre, is it a clap or a snare?
• Depending on the sub hip-hop genre you are producing, if you listen to 10 different tracks/songs online within the genre you are producing what do you hear? Snare? Or a clap?

Now depending on the results above, you should stick to a similar style of clap or snare.

This helps allot when trying to produce sub-genre hip-hop beats, because these sub-genre hip hop composition usually have a certain patterns and structures, which uses certain instruments, certain kicks, certain snares, certain claps and the list goes on.

Here is a list of some hip hop sub-genres.

Personally, In my opinion, it all about planning the actual sub-genre which the music producer is producing, you see each sub-genre for example, trap beats, dark trap beats, UK drill beats, mellow story telling beats, boom bap beats, 808 beats and artist inspired style of beats. All of these have a sub-genre (within hip-hop) which has a certain type of tempo, instruments, drum pattern layouts and virtual instrumental patterns.

So listening and gaining inspiration from similar hip-hop sub-genre compositions, is not only crucial for all music producers in my opinion, but also important when someone is trying to produce a certain type of hip-hop beat. This is my personal opinion.

I hope this will help all upcoming hip-hop producers make the correct choices when it comes to hip hop production. Best of luck in your hip-hop compositions!