2020 was a year of global shake-ups – but it wasn’t just the coronavirus pandemic that took the world by storm. Drift phonk, a subgenre of phonk music, exploded in popularity thanks to its rise on TikTok. Fast forward to today, and phonk has transformed massively. With its diverse subgenres, there’s endless opportunities for you to experiment with how to make phonk music.
If you’re new to music production or just want to experiment with a new genre, this guide is for you. Read on to get a solid grip on phonk, and score tips on using SongStarter to jumpstart your first track with its newest “Drift Phonk” genre option!
What is phonk music?
Emerging from Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1990s, phonk is a subgenre of hip hop that started as Memphis rap. This style was characterized by its gritty, lofi sound, minimalist melodies, and dark, sometimes violent lyrics.
Imagine phonk as the eerie, darker sibling of chill lofi beats. It’s typically marked by chopped and screwed Memphis rap vocals, heavy basslines, and the unmistakable sounds of the Roland TR-808 drum machine (with its signature cowbell).
The term “phonk” started appearing in the early 2010s, with artists like SpaceGhostPurrp adapting it from “funk” to reference gangsta funk. This fusion of underground hip hop and Memphis rap created a new, nostalgic genre reminiscent of vaporwave.
Phonk grew steadily on SoundCloud and took on a new dimension in the late 2010s when it merged with the world of drifting, giving rise to the subgenre known as drift phonk.
Subgenres of phonk
While some subgenres of phonk stay true to its roots, others blend phonk with various influences. Let’s dive into some of the popular ones!
- Memphis phonk – The original phonk style, deeply rooted in early Memphis rap. It’s known for its gritty production, spooky melodies, and horror movie sound effects
- Drift phonk – The most popular modern subgenre, blending trap and electronic elements with high-energy sounds, rapid rhythms, explosive 808s, and dynamic cowbell melodies
- Phonk house – A fusion of phonk with house music, offering a more upbeat, danceable vibe. Expect clean house drums, smooth basslines, and atmospheric melodies
- Wave phonk – A mix of synthwave’s polished synths with classic phonk elements like cowbells and Memphis rap samples
- Chill and raw phonk – A slower, dreamy style that incorporates funk and soul samples, with a lofi vibe
- Aggressive phonk – An intense, distorted variation of phonk, similar to drift phonk but with even more emphasis on distortion
- Jungle phonk – Combines D&B elements with phonk sounds, including Memphis rap vocals and cowbell melodies
- Brazilian phonk – A dynamic style that merges American phonk with Brazilian funk rhythms, creating a syncopated, aggressive sound
Essential elements of phonk
When considering how to make phonk music, you’ll want to incorporate the key samples and elements that give it its unique flavor. Here’s what you should keep in mind:
- Phonk samples – Phonk often features samples from vintage funk, soul, and Memphis rap records. These are typically chopped and looped to form the core of the track
- Basslines – Deep, resonant basslines are crucial in phonk, providing a solid foundation and driving force for the music
- Melodies – Eerie, lofi melodies created with synths or sampled instruments contribute to the genre’s dark vibe. Many tracks use a cowbell sound reminiscent of the Roland TR-808
- Vocals – Chopped and screwed vocal samples from old rap records add a distinctive touch to phonk
- Effects – Heavy use of reverb, delay, and distortion helps create the gritty, atmospheric feel characteristic of phonk
Kickstart your drift phonk hit with SongStarter
If you’re ready to make your first phonk beat but not sure where to start, try SongStarter, our AI-powered music idea generator.
Select “Drift Phonk” from its list of available genre options, and generate endless one-of-a-kind phonk music ideas for free!
Use these royalty-free beats as a starting point to craft a drift phonk hit that’s uniquely yours. Tweak melodies, rhythms, and harmonies with the editable MIDI tracks, and enhance it with Virtual Instruments or other samples for a personalized touch.
Searching for quality phonk samples? Browse our collection of phonk loops and one-shots on BandLab Sounds.
Make phonk music in 4 steps on BandLab
Want to challenge yourself to make phonk from scratch? With the right tools and techniques, crafting your own beats is simple. Here’s how to make phonk in four steps in Studio.
Step 1 – Program your drum patterns
Phonk drums come in various styles, from house to trap or even UK drill drums. You can use Drum Machine, program a MIDI track, or add some phonk samples. For this example, we’ll use a 120 BPM tempo, but you can go up to 180 BPM if you like!
Kick off with a trap-style beat using the Sinister Trap drum pad in Drum Machine. It’s packed with wicked distorted sounds perfect for phonk. We’re using a 2-bar rhythm, which we’ll repeat twice to form a 4-bar pattern.
Start by laying down the kick and snare to build your beat’s foundation. Trap beats are all about that bouncy vibe, and you can achieve this by placing the snare on the third beat of every bar.
The kick drum adds to the bounce by alternating between on-beat and off-beat. In our 2-bar rhythm, it lands on beats 1 and 4 in the first bar, and beat 2 in the second bar. To keep things playful and dynamic, throw in some extra kicks on off-beats and add a bit of variation at the end of bar 4.
Next up, add in hi-hats and percussion! Trap hi-hats have intricate rhythms, with notes rolling and pitching up and down for an attention-grabbing sound. Phonk often features sleigh bells as percussion, so let’s incorporate those too. Place them on beat 3 of the second bar in our 4-bar pattern to ensure they don’t clash with the kick and snare.
Take a listen to the full drum loop now.
Step 2: Design basslines and melodies
When crafting basslines and melodies, you have the choice of using phonk samples for quick results or creating your own with BandLab’s Virtual Instruments. Let’s kick things off with an 808 bass sample!
Phonk melodies typically use the minor scale with a minimalistic approach. For the melody, drag a cowbell sample into a few slots in Sampler and tune it to match our G minor bass. Go for a darker, eerie feel by tuning it down 10 semitones to the G. Then, add more notes by tuning down 9 semitones to A♭ (flattened second) and 7 semitones to B♭ (minor third).
Next, compose a simple melody within a MIDI region using the pen tool.
Duplicate the melody and use a Pitch Shifter effect to go an octave up and add some extra flavor. Lower the volume slider so it sits subtly in the mix.
Finally, add some vocal samples. Phonk vocals are usually very distorted and pitch shifted. The vocals we’ve chosen already here have plenty of distortion, so there’s no need to add more. The samples might sound a bit sluggish at 120 BPM, so double the playback rate to boost the energy. Hear any awkward gaps between the vocal samples? Fill it in with a shorter snippet of the same sample.
Here’s how it sounds all together.
Step 3: Add atmosphere and effects
Incorporating subtle effects like vinyl crackle or tape hiss will boost your track’s lofi feel. Keep them low in the mix to add a rich texture without overshadowing the main elements.
Apply a hint of reverb to the melody and vocals to give them extra depth and ambience.
We’ll add more effects later – the structure of the track needs to be finalized first!
Step 4: Arrangement and more effects
Structuring phonk doesn’t come with hard-and-fast rules. You can use sections that are 8, 16, or even 32 bars long, and swapping out parts can create complexity and movement. Phonk tracks are usually brief, around 1 to 2 minutes, and often have a repetitive arrangement, so keeping things simple works best.
Start with an intro that highlights pared-down versions of the main melodic components. Incorporate the first part of the melody, a vocal sample, and a small snippet of the bass.
Add some reverse effects to smoothly transition into the main beat and create a powerful impact.
Dial down the tape texture volume to prevent it from dominating, and use EZ EQ with an automated Lowpass filter to create a buildup effect. Adjust how the volumes and effects evolve throughout your track by setting Automation points.
To build a dynamic arrangement, duplicate the main beat a few times and strip out the hi-hats, vocals, and higher melody layers in certain spots. This creates a pattern that alternates between intense “hook” sections and more relaxed “verse” sections. Use reverse effects to highlight transitions between these sections.
Finally, add some “ear candy” effects. Phonk producers often use eerie sound effects, so let’s include a creepy laugh with a Highpass filter and reverb to keep it subtly in the background.
Check out the final result!
Mixing and mastering phonk music
When it comes to mixing and mastering phonk, there’s plenty of room to experiment with distortion and other effects. Here are some tips to help guide you through the mixing process:
- Volume balancing – Ensure all elements are well-balanced. The bass should be prominent but not overpowering, and the drums should be loud and punchy
- EQ – Phonk is a naturally muddy genre, so there’s no need to “clean up” with EQ. However, it’s important to keep an eye on your kick and bass. Use a Highpass filter on them to reduce low frequencies if they get too boomy. Tip: use the Visual EQ effect to see the changes you’re making in real-time
- Compression – Phonk is a highly compressed genre, so use heavy compression on drums, vocals and melodies to give instruments a squashed, gritty sound. 808 basses typically don’t need any compression, as they’re thick enough already!
- Adding space – Use reverb and delay sparingly to create a natural atmosphere, and heavily on one element of your choice (vocals, melody, or a sound effect) to make it stand out
- Distortion and other effects – Phonk makes use of distortion and pitch shifting on vocals and melodies for extra grittiness. Duplicate your vocal or melody, add an effect, and mix it in alongside the original to beef things up
- Reference track – Reference some of your favorite phonk tracks while mixing to ensure you’re hitting the right vibe
Once your mix is complete and you’re ready to master, here are some details to keep in mind:
- Compression – As with mixing, use compression to glue everything together or push it hard for a deep-fried sound
- Tonal balance – Pay special attention to the low end for playback on larger speakers, controlling it with EQ or multiband compression if necessary
- Other effects – Use saturation to give some color, but leave it out if your mix is already sounding crispy
- Limiting – Phonk’s powerful drums and low end can cause issues during limiting. Depending on your style, keep it tame or push it hard for intentional distortion
Try this mastering shortcut
Not confident in your mastering skills? No problem. With BandLab Mastering, you can instantly give your phonk tracks a professional finish. Choose from four free presets – Universal, Fire, Clarity, and Tape – to polish your music for free.
And if you’ve subscribed to membership, you unlock early access to four more presets: Natural, Cinematic, Spatial, and Punch. Plus, you can use the new preset intensity controls to adjust the strength of any preset with a drag of the slider – no technical expertise required.
Now that you know how to make phonk music, it’s time to jump into Studio and start experimenting with your newfound knowledge. Join our growing community of phonk producers on BandLab, and share your tracks with up to 100 million fellow music makers!
